It's almost the end of another month................

 .............so it's time for a newsfromjude update. Life has been happening as usual in amongst some quilting time. There are too many things I want need to get done, some days I don't know where to go first. Sometimes I start one job, and then go down a rabbit hole with another task that's on my todo list. And before I know it, there are many jobs on the go. Hmmm. But I have to say that I feel like there is progress.

I have a post almost ready with an update of customer quilts. Max has been very busy in the last couple of weeks. 

This week he is resting as the 'fairy' is here and we are cutting, packing and stacking fabric ready for our stall at the Sunraysia Patchwork Friends Quilt Exhibition  in September. Will have more to say about that later.

                                                    

I travelled to the city last Monday for my annual mammogram and am pleased to say I am now 15 years clear of the dreaded C. Praise God. Raylene met me at my appointment and has travelled home with me for a couple of weeks. She is getting me on the straight and narrow, and there is little slack time!! On the way home we called in to see Mum for a chat and cuppa.

I have been doing more sorting and decluttering of old files, which includes documents from our dairy farming days (1977 - 1989), and our mixed farming days (1990 - 2000). It is well past the time to clear the decks of most of this!!) Why have I not done this before? But it is not a job that can be finished in a day. There will be another bonfire soon. It definitely feels good to deal with all this.

I have spent a little time in the garden attacking the weeds. No photo!! It has been a very cold, wet winter in this area this year. We have had a glimpse of sun and blue sky on a few occasions, and the wattle trees are out in flower. This was the frost on the front lawn about a week ago. ( I do admit to not looking out the window most days until later in the morning.)

While deadheading the chrysanthemum plants this week, I noticed that the daffodil bulbs are shooting, so spring must be around the corner. I have also picked quite a bit of broccoli which has survived neglect.

The bottlebrush tree at the front of the house was very straggly and had a pruning back this week. There is a lot more light now coming in the front window.

A parcel arrived from the USA this week. The blog book I ordered for January to June 2023, arrived here in just on 2 weeks. Almost quicker than postage within Australia!!

I am very thankful for special friends who brought a load of wood to my shed last weekend. (More of that Special Vitamin F!!)

There was also a visit by Lyn and her brother Malcom while he was visiting SA from WA. 

There has been more exciting news from Sherrel who entered a quilt into the Victorian Quilt show last month. Our 2 person entry received a Highly Commended ribbon in the pieced section. Sherrel visited this morning and brought me my ribbon. Thankyou Sherrel for trusting me with your quilt.

I had not posted photos of this quilt until now. Sherrel's piecing was amazing! You may need to click on the picture to enlarge and see it better.

That's all for this post. The customer quilt update will come soon and there is also another family birthday coming up soon. August looks to be filling up fast. Catch ya next time.

Blessings, From Jude

A Bit of this and much of that catchup post..................

 Once again I have had hints from some people that a blog post is well overdue. What has been happening at Number 8?? The month of July is more than half gone, and I can see August dates on the calendar that are not too far off.

I can say there has not been a lot of quilting with Max. So if you have come to newsfromjude for quilting news, I apologise. There has been some stitching time, but only by Val who stayed and house minded while I was absent. There was a bundle of fabrics in the drawer that were leftover from a quilt kit. Val took the pieces and has made this QFO (Quilts for others) quilt that has now joined the queue and will be donated in due course.

She then set to work to make some string blocks. There is a plan going forth for these, so stay tuned.

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So what else has been on the agenda?? My end of June post made mention of going back into photos and memories from long ago. I won't go on too much about this, except to say that a lot of "stuff" has been worked through recently. I have sorted and cleared a lot that has been taking up space in my house and in my mind, for far too long...........

A symbolic burn. So am now feeling much lighter.

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In the process of the above, a lot of photos came to light, that had not been sorted. These drawers had been previously been used for fabric collections, but were now empty. Now they are being reused to sort a lifetime of photos, as I get back to writing more of my life story. In January 2019 I started this and it has been 4 years since then, and I feel led to resume this project. 

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VITAMIN F

Probably the most important part of recent weeks has been Vitamin F and there has been much of that. F stands for Friends and Family.!! 

A huge thankyou to those who have supported, listened and been there for me as I dealt with 'stuff'.

Below is photo of Mum, myself and my baby sister who I had a recent catchup with.

Miss Olivia received her new quilt last week.

A catchup with some of the locals, who look like they are solving the world's problems.

A recent evening impromptu catchup with these special Vitamin F's. We had such a good night.

The 2 Ruth's.

A recent catchup with the Melbourne family who came over the border for a few days.

Mum nursing her 22nd great grandchild. The 24th is due in September! A mighty effort for Mum -         5 children, 15 grandchildren and almost 24 great grandies. (She doesn't look 91 does she??)

Extended family.....

Mr Tate and his 2 grandmas.

There were other family visits, and some more photos, but either they are not on my camera. or good enough to publish.

Just one more pic of the progress at DS's block as earthworks are commenced prior to building. Exciting that there is something happening at last.

That's about all the newsfromjude for now. Max has finally been busy this week and I think I can finally report that my 'get up and go' has returned at last. Which is just as well, because the fairy is returning next week and there is a lot to do in readiness for the next market day early in September.

Blessings, From Jude

Happy Birthday!!!

 Back into the photo files for some pics of my 3rd Grandchild who turned 19 today. It was lovely to have a chat today. Sorry to miss your party. 

                                                

It hardly seems any time at all since the photos above and now you are starting on the next stage of your life. Wishing you all the best in your future studies.

Love from Granny xx

Blessings, From Jude

 As it is the last day of June tomorrow, perhaps I better do a catchup on newsfromjude so that it will make it into the January to June blog book.

Have to cast my mind back in time to work out what has been happening. I do confess to watching the world go by for some of the time. Then I had to go back through photos and also the diary to work out the rest. I do think my "get up and go" has mostly returned. After going back through the photos looking for some for my tribute to Margie it has sent me way back and brought out a lot of 'other' memories. Which has taken me to a place I don't often go. It seems as though you can only put off grief temporarily as it will come back at you many years later. 

Enough of the maudlin stuff, now onto the month of June. Since the trip to the city to be the shop at the SA Quilters Guild meeting there have been a few happenings. ..........

There was a QFO day and more progress on using up the scraps in this house. I think it will take a few quilters lifetimes to use up the remnants without cutting into the fabric on the shelves.

This quilt had a border added and it now in the queue, patiently waiting....

Sue has been busy making string blocks and has 2 more to sew to  reach a total of 24. 

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Thankyou to those who have ordered in the June Clearance sale. There have been a few parcels sent to the Post office and more taken by locals.

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There was an evening celebration with this 'young' lady who had a special 0 birthday.

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It was special to have friends to stay and other friends called in to visit and chat. There had planned to be some sewing happening, but I believe we had more socializing than stitching!! Which was great too, as it's not always about the work.

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I did spend some time in the garden trying to attack the fast growing weeds, then decided to prune the roses, and found this lovely lonely bloom on the bush. The smell from this rose, (and don't ask me what it's name is,) is divine!!

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DIL chose some fabrics for a small quilt for Olivia, which was very simple to make, and the quilter even managed to get it to the top of the queue!! (As I am to see them soon, it was all the motivation I needed).

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This district has a series of drains and creeks that all run into Poocher Swamp, just outside of town. It takes some serious rainfall from the north and the east, to make the creeks run. They all run into the swamp and some years it fills up. I have seen the swamp empty many years and full occasionally. After recent good rainfall here is the creek running into the hole that you can see. I will come back with more info on the whole process after if fills when I have more time. It was lovely to hear the water gurgling as it ran into the hole.

This is the map of the creek system and other waterholes in the district. I need to go back now and see how much more water has come down.

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I am in the process of sorting all the strings and cutting more strips from remnants. This was 2 weeks ago, and I have to say that there has been very little progress since. 

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After investigating the cost of repairs vs a new vacuum, I decided to buy new as there were EOFY June sale prices. I do think it should have lasted longer than 2 1/2 years, but 'they' tell me that anything battery operated has a short life???

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There was a visit by family on their way to Melbourne and then this photo of 4 cousins in a tree.

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The month also included 2 funerals, a trip to MB to see mum, another evening meal with friends where we talked until 1am!! I have been to the pictures with a friend and of course a bit of housework and little time in the garden. I did get accused this week of turning into a social butterfly!!?? We will see, but I do admit to trying to alter the balance of my life going forward. Watch this space.

That's about all for now, as I am about to walk out the door. Will be back soon with more family news.

Blessings, From Jude

Customer quilt update

 Looking back through the files I have discovered it was the 25th March that I last posted customer quilts!! So here is a catchup post, although there doesn't seem to be heaps of photos. Think I have been doing a lot of other things instead of quilting?? So I will leave that for a different catchup post.

First up is a quilt, called Groovy Garden made by Pat using one of the Ready Set and Sew kits in  a Mystery retreat. This has been quilted edge to edge with a pattern called Floppy Daisy. The wadding supplied by Pat was thicker than what I usually use, so it has given  great texture.

This large quilt was made by Jenny and is her first quilt. Well done Jenny. This was quilted allover with a leafy pattern in a light grey thread.

The fabric features Australian birds, and this quilt was made for their caravan bed.

Linda made this for her daughter, and it will also be used on their caravan bed. Seems like it must be that time of the year when the "grey nomads" head north to escape the cold!!

This was quilted edge to edge with Bubbles.

A closeup showing the pattern and the Australian fabrics.

This is the back of the quilt so it will be reversible!! (Linda was short of fabric and couldn't get any more, so what a creative plan she came up with!)

 

Lois made this for a son in law, and it was quilted allover with Gum leaves.

Helen made this signature quilt at the request of her granddaughter. The wedding guests wrote messages in the plain blocks. This was quilted with allover hearts through the signature blocks, and custom for the border and centre panel.

Shirley made this for a great grandchild and is proudly showing it off at the group's show and tell session. This was quilted allover with swirls, and customed through the centre panel.

This quilt was made by Dot for her brother who is a Port Power supporter. This was quilted allover........

..........with a pattern that featured footballs.

The next 4 quilts were made by Pat, for future great grandchildren. They were all quilted edge to edge using some new patterns I have recently purchased.

This one was Persephone...........

and Fall Flames................

...........and Rhapsody..........

....and lastly Midsummer Dream.

That's about all for now. I have a few more, but the photos are not yet downloaded. That's a job for another day.

Time to get Max going. I will be back with another update, before the end of the week. I will need to catchup before then so I can get my 6 monthly blog book printed.

Blessings, From Jude