Flotsam and jetsam and another photo

After a windy, wet and grey day yesterday there was lots of interesting bits and pieces on the beach this morning. Beautiful seaweed, colourful rope and lovely markings in the sand. (Click on photo for close-up.)

Another photo of my grandmother, this time all dressed up with her sisters and her mother (my great grandmother). I like to think they were all going out for a day on the town! As you can see in my little quilt I traced the photo from the wrong side and my quilt is round the wrong way! Artistic license again! More doilies in the border. I have quite a collection of these. You can still buy them at op shops quite cheaply. I like to think that the beautiful embroidery is having a second life.

Wedding day

There were six people in my grandmothers wedding photo (1924) so I decided to use artistic license and only do four in my little quilt! I made all these quilts about 15 years ago and looking at them now I can see many ways to improve them! I guess my skills and my eye have changed in that time. This quilt is about 13 x 15 inches and again I've used tea dyed doilies for one of the borders. Click on the photo for a close-up of the beautiful dresses, and don't you love the wrinkly stockings?

Bowling hoops

The next photo I used to make a small quilt was a picture of my grandmother (top right) as a young girl with her sisters and younger brother. I love the way she has her hands around her brother's neck! This was probably taken in Wales before the family emigrated to Australia.

This time I used an old doily as the background for my applique. All the applique pieces are held down with Vliesofix and then a small zigzag stitch around the edges. I had fun looking at the photo and then choosing appropriate fabrics for the clothes. Lots of hand stitching in the background.

Old photos

Yesterday Jude posted beautiful photos of her grandmothers dress and her grandmother. They reminded me of a series of quilts I made many years ago based on old photos of my grandmother. What is it about the old photographs compared to photographs taken today? Is it because they are black and white, or does the distance of time make them more intriguing? Over the next few days I will post a photo and the small quilt I made from it. I had such fun doing these and actually taught this as a class for many years.

 

This quilt was all done by machine except for hand quilting on the background. I used Vliesofix to adhere all the shapes and Pigma pens to draw the face. Old doilies were cut up to make the inner border. These were all tea dyed. The quilt is approx. 18" x 20".

My grandmother was a very independent woman who lived to 98 years living in her own home. 

Grape Harvest

The theme for our challenge this time was 'The Harvest'. When Judith suggested it we were in the middle of the grape harvest here in the area where we live. I found an interesting photo on the internet and adapted it slightly to fit the 12 x 9 inch dimensions. I used a hand dyed fabric for the grapes and free motion quilted over it. All those grape theme fabrics I showed you a few weeks ago? They ended up on the back and the binding. To see more challenge quilts go here.

Continuing and playing with more SunMoonStar themes. This is only about 4 inches square. I may join them all together when I have a few more. A split backstitch for the orange rays and a wrapped backstitch for the black and white rays.

Matching points!

It seems quilters aren't the only people who have trouble matching points! Workmen have spent several days building a new fence at the end of our road to hold back the sand. This is where it joins up with the rest of the fence!!

On a brighter note, it was much nicer on the beach this morning. I could get quite close to these two terns. They were making lovely little calling noises to each other. I love their little short legs - quite out of proportion to their bodies.

And this gentleman looked like he was learning how to fly as he was staying very low and close to shore. Not something I want to do myself but it must be a fabulous sensation! A hot air balloon would be more my style!

Pots of gold

 It would be nice if there were pots of gold at both ends! This was the view from my window this afternoon.

 

 Not sure where this fellow came from but he demanded a crown and some rosy cheeks! One of the moons I've been working on whilst doing Jude's SunMoonStars class. It's been such fun and I will be sorry when it finishes.