March marches in 2016

I am sure that I have used this heading before. That is one thing about knowing your self, you become predictable. I was just about to go to sleep when I was shocked to realize that I had not done my first of the month post. 

Work has been chaotic. I was drifting off thinking that it is three weeks to the Easter break and that I really must decide what my next quilt must be. I don't think that Kathy's quilt is a do-er.  I really hate to give up on a quilt, so maybe I will keep the blocks to make a lap quilt or wait for inspiration. What has come to mind is a post stamp quilt. I already have a whole lot of 5cm by 5cm blocks covered. This may be a good idea. The blocks are the left overs from my Irish chain.

I could just ease into it by covering a whole lot more blocks and then just start with doing a grab bag and see how it goes. It will soon be the start of Autumn and the cooler weather will soon be here. 

The family tree is almost there. There are still some relatives that will have to remain a mystery. I have resolved my husbands family and found out way to much about a family that share my ancestors' surname but are not related to us. Is it stalking if the people lived 100 years ago but you have their photos and all their info? I hope not. I almost feel obliged to do their family tree. Weird the information that is out there that can be found out. 

It is time to do some stitching. 

Hope one and all are well.

February - flies in

 

Lake on ancestors farm - Loche Athlone

February is here. I don't know whether to happy or sad about this. Jan flew by. I went on a road trip and drove to a town named Ficksburg to attend a court case. It was a long drive down and a harrowing drive back. The harrowing bit coming from the fact that it was raining really hard and the highway that I was taking was full of huge trucks. My car felt the same size as their tires and each time I passed one, my car was buffered with water.

The whole Ficksburg trip caused me to ponder my family tree, as a relative in the past was shot dead there. I have since found out where he fits into the family tree. My genetics was in no danger. It was interesting to see all of the beautiful farm land. My ancestors were farmers and from the outside it really does look like a lovely life. I love modern technology, but the peace and quiet would be an amazing thing to experience.

Quilting has still not happened. I am hoping with cooler weather approaching, the inspiration to sew will return. This is the natural ebb and flow of interests. 

I have been doing projects since I was 6 years old. Television only started being broadcast here in 1976, so I was brought up with the concept of having something to keep the hands busy. The other thing is that in my career, I produce nothing that is tangible. In 20 years time, all the systems that I have written would have been replaced. Not that I will care, as in 20 years I would hopefully not worked for 14 years. 

The other reason for the lack of enthusiasm, is that I have made a quilt for each member of the family as well as few extra. As quilts normally take me about 2000 hours to create, I prefer that there is a need to be covered. My eldest should do her bit and create a grandchild so that I could be inspired to create various bedding requirements for the new family member. I have heard of children being had for all sort of reasons that don't make sense. Entertaining me sounds like a marvelous idea. 

Hope everyone is surviving the harsh weather that is going around. We will soon be in Spring and Autumn and hopefully the extremes will settle down.

Hope you have a good one.

A very happy 2106

Hope you have all welcomed in the new year. And are now awaiting the next  five hundred and twenty seven or so minutes that will make up this year.
I hope that many projects are completed and few exasperation are experienced.

I found this amazing quilt this morning. Inspiring and maybe an inspiration.

It looks like the perfect quilt for the time that we are now living in. We are now in the future. 

I do wish that the world stops being such an aggressive and violent place. 

Well that is about it except to wish you a good one !

Have yourself a Merry little christmas

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas. Hope that you are all having an amazing day doing whatever makes you happy. I have being having such a fun creating my family tree. I have learnt so much as well.

I have got to the point where I am starting to think about my next quilt. I have to admit that I have lost a bit of enthusiasm over the quilt I was creating. I was rushing through the blocks instead of savoring the journey. This is why I normally take a break from sewing in November and December.

The time off allows me to reconsider what I am making and whether it is a quilt that I would be happy to call my own. 

I hate not finishing projects. The question is whether to try another quilt or start hating quilting. I am addicted to fabric and it makes me sad thinking that quilting is over. 

I have the most splendid collection of Kona solids. What I need to do now is actually come up with a design. The design needs to be bright enough to make a statement. I want my dear Jane quilt to look like a faded dishrag in comparison. 

We have done the first part of Christmas. My eldest daughter and her husband came over and we have morning tea, nummy eats and received our presents.

I was given awesome gifts by my loving family. Joy Joy!. In an hour we are going to go to the before mentioned eldest daughter's house for Christmas lunch. This will be the first time in more than 20 years, where my husband and I have not hosted the Christmas celebration. It is a strange feeling sitting here at 11'o clock on a Christmas morning and not doing the entertain, get lunch ready, juggle.

Wishes to all for a day that makes you happy. A day where thing large or small fill your heart with gladness!

Have a good one!

I 

HO HO Holidays

Just 12 more days to go and then Summer holidays... I am so looking forward to it. We will be at home, and oh how much fun we all have when we are home together. I will hopefully get some sewing in.

This last month was a bit of a disaster where making blocks is concerned. I always find that November is not a good month for doing anything that requires concentration. I normally make Christmas tree decoration or something else fun. This year, I have been playing with Ancestors.

I do not have huge ambitions of trying to follow my genetic contributors from the point that they came out of a cave. My ambition is actually quite modest. The time frame that I am looking at is only 180 years. This covers the period where most of my ancestors left England and came to Africa.

Click on picture to have a look

This is part of the problem. Although record keeping was not a problem, digitizing said documents seems to be almost insurmountable. I have started a new blog on which I am sharing what I find. It is still quite chaotic, but I can see that eventually I will be able to solve the riddle of my ancestors.

My mother told me tale when I was a child. This was a very long time ago and I have overlaid these memories with a whole lot of other sound bytes. I was also the youngest child so these stories were seldom told to me directly.

I think that is why I am trying to write it down, I not trust oral histories.

The other thing is that history always reflects the teller.... 

Hopefully I will found out lots of details. What I have realized is that settlers of any country certainly lived the saddest lives of all. I find myself being quite moved by their struggles. If you would like you may have a read. It is as I say very rough.

I will spend some of my holiday time on this project and more blocks.... I need to get back to making blocks.

Hope you are all having amazing weather and have great projects to keep you entertained.

Have a good one!!