QUILT GALLERY

Saturday 7 August 2021

PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT - FRIENDS.

 Well here I am for the first time in a while.........what with poor internet connections due to storm damage, feeling unlike my true self with all the world in chaos & such bleak winter weather, I've not really felt like blogging.  Now I do admit that I've been keeping myself amused with a lot of sewing and that is down to blogging "FRIENDS".

I've participated in a few quiltalongs and have a mystery QAL coming up this month.  I did post my 2 quilts done for the QAL run by Sandra at mmm.quilts in Canada and my friend Joy in Ballarat who blogs at Days filled with Joy has also been running a few too.

Over a 4 week period we were given the patterns for 4 blocks and challenged to make them and put them into our own setting.  This is mine finished and I've been waiting to take some good photos, but the weather just hasn't played nicely.
The next quilt is one of my own designs and came about during a conversation when I saw Joy last year as the pandemic took hold and she decided we should do a joint QAL with the title "Let's Stay Home".
I didn't join in with mine, though I am participating in hers which is a year long one with stitcheries and pieced blocks.  Eventually did mine, but have no pattern writing skills, so haven't put it up on my blog as a QAL.
LET'S STAY HOME.
A big thank you to quilting bloggers who run these QAL's and mysteries to keep us motivated.

MY FEATHERED FRIENDS.
A couple of recent photos of visitors to our garden.
One of the magpies who visit on a regular basis, helping herself to the coir from a hanging basket which I'd intended to plant up, but hadn't got around to, due to the cold weather.
Two sulphur-crested cockatoos above the blueberry bushes.  We don't see many here but they have such big characters which I enjoy.

AN OLD FRIEND (my BFF).
My friend Sue and myself taken some years ago now and alas we've not seen each other now for a few years due to the pandemic, but hopefully next year will settle down & we can meet up again.
This very old school photo shows the year we met at school.  This was a new school for me since we'd moved house and Sue was asked to look after me and although we didn't go right through our school years together, we've managed to stay in touch all this time.  I'm sitting on the far left in the front row & Sue is third from the right, also front row.

FURRY FRIENDS.
I know I've posted this photo before, but here are my 2 late cats curled up on the armchair with me.  Most evenings after work they would be up there with me.  Fluffy on the left was Tabitha's daughter & made it through to 14 and her Mum was nearly 18 when we lost her.  I do miss them.  This photo would have been taken in the late 90's.

OK, my lot for this week's photo hunt and I know it is a little disjointed and I've waffled on a lot, but thank you if you read this and I'll hopefully pull myself out of this slump and blog a little more in the future.  BTW, we are in Lockdown #6 & things don't look like improving soon, nor the weather.  Bring on some sunshine please!
Take care all, stay safe & hugs from down under.
Susan.






22 comments:

  1. Oh, I like the friends theme and the photos you've come up with for it. Your quilts are gorgeous, but I think your furry friends steal the show.

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    1. Thanks Jo. Don't even get to pat many dogs these days on our walks, as we all keep our distance.

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  2. Lovely to see you back and with more beautiful quilts. We missed seeing friends properly last year but at least we didn't have any Internet problems which must have made you feel a bit isolated. Hope all is well now. x

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    1. Thanks Carol. Life is hard at the moment, but we'll see it through.

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  3. I good selection of photos. Interesting stories too. Your little quilts are so cute. I've never been brave enough to make up my own quilt pattern but I can follow a pattern or see a picture and work out how to make it. Internet problems are such a nuisance. Glad to see you are back and hopefully your weather will improve as ours goes downhill! Take care.

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    1. Thanks M. I've sort of been designing quilts since I started as there were no magazines/books about it here in Oz in 1977 when I made my first (suggested by a great aunt to use my dressmaking scraps), between the birth of my 2 boys. There is a photo of it on my Quilts left the Nest page as it no longer with me.(giggle). Drizzling this morning....again.

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    2. It's been good rain here most of the day, and similar yesterday.... I do wish our heat wave was back. Early August is to early for lots of layers of clothes!

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  4. I like your stay at home quilt such a good idea for a lockdown project. Lovely photo with your best friend and the cats of course. Sorry your weather is miserable, our summer has taken a turn for the worse too. Take care, I'm glad you are doing OK.

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  5. I do like your quilts.
    Here in the UK our weather hasn't been very good with many areas experiencing flooding!
    Take care, my good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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  6. Good to have a friend from so long ago. Sunshine will be here soon, the trees are starting to shoot so spring is on the way.

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    1. Thanks Judy. We had some sunshine yesterday & went for a longish local walk & did some much needed weeding.

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  7. Lovely to have a friend from your school days. I've lost touch with most of mine though one found me a few months ago. We've moved around too much.

    I do love your quilts and the idea that all your quilting friends have kept each others' spirits up during the pandemic. We are gradually getting back to normal here and so will you, things will get better, you see.

    it's so nice to see you back again. We missed you. Keep well and happy quilting, xx

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    1. Thanks Carol. We've moved a lot too, but have found each other again over the years in various ways.

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  8. Lovely bird life - no wonder you love them 😊

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  9. Your quilts are beautiful. I don't quilt but have a beautiful one my mum made for my 40th birthday. There's so much love and care in every stitch. I have been trying to encourage more birdlife into my area. It was a new housing development (10 year now!) on the outskirts of Melbourne. We're now getting sweet little New Holland Honeyeaters, native pigeons and the other day I saw (as quick as a wink) a Willy Wagtail in my backyard! I was really excited about that! No cockatoos but some magpies have moved into the street. xox Louise

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    1. Thanks Louise, nice to have you pop by. We are only just regional on the eastern side of Melbourne & have lots of birds visit & in the area. One of my magpies has been coming since we moved to this house in 2015.

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  10. Lovely photos, Susan - good to see you back:)

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  11. Welcome back, Susan! I'm glad to see you've been keeping busy, your quilts are so lovely. That is something I don't think I would have the patience for, but I admire those who can make and create them.
    The cockatoo is so sweet, how nice to see one every once in a while. Of course the kitties are precious.
    I hope you get to see your friend soon once everything opens up again and may the sun shine on you to brighten things up.
    Thanks for joining in!

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  12. I love the photo of you with the cats, Tabitha certainly reached a good age. One of mine was 19 when we lost him. Is it only me or has anyone else noticed your resemblance to Deidre Barlow in Coronation Street years ago? Google 'Deidre Barlow pics' and look at the ones of her with curly hair and big glasses :)

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  13. Ok, how did I miss this?! Love your two finished quilts and the photo of you and your kitties! You need a new one I think! xx

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