Picked Up The Cabinet... Trial Run For The Diorama

I’ve just temporarily arranged the vintage millinery flowers from l’ucello in Melbourne. The darling kid I’ve shown you before. I know some of you feel a bit weird about it but the poor things (twins) were stillborn and not murdered, and I think it honors their beauty. The lovely fellow who made the case is Ben at Wunderkammer’s dad (sorry, I can’t remember his name). It’s so beautifully made. 

Hubby wants to do diorama’s and immediately spotted the old op shop tapestry, so we’ll adjust it to sit behind. Very happy and it’s exactly the size of our bookcase so will have a special place. In my heart.

 These two shops are a must see for touring Melbourne. Or for locals. 

Night Footy at the G

80 x 80cm.

Finished for real this time. I redid the sky and it looks more muted in reality. 

Made using Dad’s, Mum’s, Grandma’s, my own and op shop clothes with other bits and pieces from my stash.

It did occur to me that if I made the Geelong jumper into a St. Kilda one, the family history would come fully into play. Grandma, Mum and I were Essendon and the boys were St. Kilda.

Geelong is out front but Essendon has the ball!

Dad’s jeans, jocks (not worn more than once or twice) and t-shirts, mine and Mum’s undies too ha ha ha! Only the decent bits of course. And Grandma’s green dress and purple jumpsuit.
I don’t know where to put it really. It doesn’t fit with the house, I just liked the drawing done by Paul Constance at work and wanted to make it.

If you look closely at the mix of fabrics used, you can see it’s possible to use anything.

Paul Constance’s little,drawing.

Melbourne Show 2019w

We did it. The Melbourne Show for one day. It sounds simple, pack a case, go to show, demonstrate rug making...
There is always a lot of interest in rug making. We didn’t have our big proddy frames and it’s these proggy/clippy/peggy/proddy rugs that the children like to try. However Anne had a standing hoop frame for quilting so managed to let folk have a bit of a go... and lots of people watched or tried hooking too. Plus I got along with my Uzbekistan style rug #2.

It still surprises me that Rug Hooking is so little known in Australia, considering how it parallels quilting in the USA and always has.
But, we did meet Lee, who plans to come on Sunday, so slowly the group is expanding! And we have Veronica as well so that’s two more.

On the way in I bought a coffee at Belgrave’s Blacksmith Cafe and the lovely Alex was wearing this amazing cowl. Her grandfather had spun the wool and she had crocheted it herself. It is done in Crocodile stitch. It was so gorgeous and unusual I asked if I could photograph and post it. Thanks Alex.

I keep meaning to say that another old friend Jennifer Walton, who lives in Far North Queensland, is now a long distance member of our group. Jennie went crazy on tugging after a visit down to mine a little while back. I gave her Miriam’s excellent book and that’s the end of her!

Jen is onto her second rug, this time a hooked rug. She has a good eye as you will see. Pics to follow.

(Too lazy to come and bring a plate, obviously).

Geometric Proddy Rug

My original intention was for this to be quite subtle and soft in colouring. Ha ha ha! I'll try to subdue the bright purple and yellow with more neutrals and duller mauves etc., but then you know how these things take a life of their own. On the day, the right colour might be something you hadn't thought previously.
This proddy rug is all blanketing or woollen cloth. Some dyed.
I had lain out the rug and chosen colours, pinning or poking them into place so I didn't have to think for awhile, but at the Melbourne Show, the little children who were having a go liked to put their colours all over the place, so it's gotten a little lost! And who was I to stop their fun? I'll figure it out again.

Tired, Sore neck, But Happy In Myself!

I've spent the last two days at the Melbourne Show, demonstrating mostly rug making (proddy). And the KIDS! They're gorgeous! I fell properly in love about a dozen times, with these little blossoms taking to proddy-rugging like earnest, determined, clever, darling little clever people... I know I said clever twice, but there it is. Usually their Mum's were ready to go before they were and I nearly ran after one little petal with presents and adoption papers.

Could be I like orange.

This is when I first set up, before people. When they arrived I didn't get away unless Ramona or Liz or Mandy or Annette came to boss me into a break (thanks for that guys, I didn't want to be impolite and found it hard to go). There were kids at the rug almost the whole time, and adults of course. People love to share their stories and I like to hear them. Win/win.

Below is a nice story. I always buy one of these from the show. I have some oldies too, and so it was nice to see their history.

Thanks Ramona for inviting me. It gives me a real buzz to evangelize the crafts. I also got quite a bit done!

Off To The Melbourne Show (22nd & 23rd Sept)

Come and see me in the Arts & Crafts Pavilion. Gonna have a ridiculous amount of stuff there... I'll be sharing and I'm always caring so that's a given.

My friends Rhonda's coming to visit!!

They Came To Williamstown, by Edna Campbell (my 2nd cousin)

Introducing an early study into the Phillips Family: