Sunday at Buda in Castlemaine

Anne and I spent a warm day at Buda yesterday, talking to people and demonstrating our rug making.
I managed to get some bad photo's of the rugs inside the old homestead. The tour of the house was taken by an Enthusiast of the history and she described a family of largely unmarried girls who were encouraged and educated in anything they fancied and led a very adventurous life. It's worth a read here, and definitely worth the tour, although I'd like to go back and look at my leisure (knowing the story). The whole place, inside and out, has been donated to the Castlemaine Art Gallery, which also hold a fabulous collection and is worth a visit.

These Hooked Rugs are made on the old latch-hook canvas (which is so much harder to use than hessian or linen). A lady did a demonstration in the garden but we had to admit it was hard not to butt in! It was suggested you Must Put Latex or Thinned Glue on the Back to keep it together! Exclamation Mark! We politely didn't say anything and at least there was a bit of interest.
She did use a latch-hook with the latch sticky-taped shut, which isn't a bad idea and they are easily found in op shops. 
But I wanted to say how much Cheaper and Easier it is to work on hessian. And they don't fall apart. And come inside and look at ours!

Here I am working on the footy rug.

Anne with her newest proddy, started for the show (I think).

This one was behind a cabinet and in shadow. I really like it! 

Sigh...

I was thinking of driving up there anytime from Friday to Tuesday (not working because of the trains/bus delays). But not Saturday because the Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society's Annual Show is on at Collector's Corner. 
So tell me if you're going up and we'll go together?

Garden November 2017. The Crevice Garden

The crevice garden and crazy paved patio. Luvverly!

A swamp area for carnivore's. Soon to be more.

Rhododendron Nutelii

Bye Bye Dennis

Even the street doesn't look the same with the brand new concrete guttering. We no longer have a part in the old place.

So shiny underneath that dust and grime. I guess when Dad bought it, it looked like this.

Now it becomes part of someone else's story. 

27th & 28th September at the Melbourne Show

I promised to put some links to various rug hooking and prodding information. So here 'tis:
The Yarra Valley Rugmakers (some of the Victorian Rugmakers) has a load of good links down the left side of the blog. Links to tutorials, suppliers and so on. Also, wander through the blog to see what the group is up to. There is quite a variety of styles among the few members. Anyone is welcome! We're a friendly lot!
Also, please follow the link to my Flickr page, to see more of my work. Any of the links here on the right with 'Bobby' are mine.

It's always nice to see interest in the craft. I heard some great stories. One fellow told me about his granny from up Numurka way, born around 1890? The floorboards had rotten away in their house and she spent every spare moment with a rug on her knee, covering the floors then making more for all the family. Right up until her death at a great age she made rugs. He still had her tools, but none of the rugs survived.

My inspiration for the Footy Rug. From a drawing by Paul Constance, an enigmatic fellow at my work. He doodles sport cartoons the whole time and I've collected quite a few over time. This had always seemed a good rug design, so I blew up the drawing and we fooled around with the back character, minutely. 
Now, I'm hooking it with Dad and Grandma's clothes. Which is funny because they'd not really want to mingle (in-law's you see). I'm forcing reconciliation with their clothes.
Cutting up Grandma's old shirts, I saw her 'short-cut' hemming technique. She did a tiny back stitch from the right side, then took a bite of  4mm or so, which looks like a running stitch on the inside. I showed a lady after we talked about ... stuff... and said only I in the world would recognise my Grandma's hand. I got a bit teary (but I think I got away with it. I'm good at hiding tears, it's my Anglo heritage).

If you look to the bottom right, you can see my outline drawing for the Footy Rug. 

Here's the old Proddy Rug on the go, still. One on the go and one on the floor

And this is some old lady that has absconded with my youth. 
Little secret? The white stripes on the footy players jumper is Dad's jocks.

FOR SALE!! 1948 Vintage Dennis F3 Fire Engine

The last remaining project of Bob Armstrong and Ian Hunter, who sadly died within 5 weeks of each other. 

SOLD!

As far as we know, it's pretty well all there. Contact me via email and I'll call you or pass you on to the co-owners. This is one of two existing in the wide world. The other is in Bristol in the UK.  This is located in the Yarra Valley, Victoria. 

L Sharp opted out some time ago, but has been very helpful in giving us some info and history.

The number plates don't go with the truck. They are fake, made up in N.S.W. for the group, who put them on whichever truck needed to go on the road. No police ever queried them and they even headed up the Moomba Parade one year! Ha ha! 

We have clean, unused stickers for the restoration.

Newly chrome plated stuff.

Robyne nee Armstrong: r.m.square@bigpond.com 

or call Samantha Oake nee Hunter, 0421 412 526.

In service Perth 1971. Photo supplied by Brian Blunt (thanks).