Third Day In....

Thankyou to all who have left comments, I am overwhelmed by your interest and support. I think this will get to be fun, once I get a bit more familiar with how to drive this thing LOL.

I have finally caught up with making the first two blocks Barbara Brackman is offering on her new blog   http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/.

I figure that I can handle one block a week, but already I've failed by being  a bit slow to start, but I have good intentions!  

I received a lovely big thick envelope today in the mail all the way from Europe.   It is my first ever Quiltmania magazine.   I particularly wanted this edition as it contained an article about Christina Henri's Convict Bonnet Project.   A few years ago I heard about what she was doing through the Queensland Quilter's Guild and decided to make a bonnet to go towards her project. 

I adopted a Convict, Johanna O'Leary (my mother's maiden name and no relation that I know of) and made her a bonnet.   It was quite a moving experience to make a bonnet for a woman who probably would never had anything new to wear in her life.   All bonnet makers were encouraged to embellish their bonnets in their own way, either fancy or plain, the only stipulation was that the bonnet be made out of white/cream cotton fabric.   The pattern was supplied, it was replicated from a bonnet pattern of the 1800's.

As far as I know Christina Henri is still wanting bonnets for her project - she needs 25,566, one for each convict woman who was transported to Australia.    If you are interested check here:
http://www.christinahenri.com.au/

This is the bonnet I made for my convict.   I had not done any embroidery for some years, but I thoroughly enjoyed this process, and embellished it with Hearts & Roses,  the project is called Roses from the Heart.

Johanna O'Leary sailed out of Dublin of 28 December 1851 and arrived in Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) on the 22 May 1852.   She was one of 172 females who sailed on the 'John William Dare', ( it only made one voyage) and the trip took 146 days.   When the ship arrived in Australia only 169 disembarked - there were three deaths on the way.   The ship's Master was Thos Walters, and the Surgeon was Robert W. Clarke.

As many of you know Queensland has been devastated by the worst floods in 100 years, and now parts of Victoria are being inundated.   When major civil distasters occur many people step up to help out in many different ways.   Quilters do what they know how to do, to provide comfort and warm especially when people lose all their possessions to fire or flood.

I discovered through an email from Kiwiquilts that quilters are stepping up again as the need for bedding is now what is needed.   Blocks are being requested to make quilts for children and adults.
Here is a link about this latest quest
http://sewmanyquiltstoolittletime.blogspot.com/

you can send any donations to:
Jan Mac Fadyen
35 Trevaskis Road
Kialla East
Victoria 3631
Australia

and there is a tutorial on how to make QAYG (quilt as you go) blocks
http://kaiteyarngarden.blogspot.com/
go to the post dated Friday 7 January 2011.

Finally my little mate Miss Mini.   She has come to live with me this past week after being reluctantly surrendered by a woman who had to travel back overseas to look after her dying mother.   She had been in a shelter for about a month, she's about 8-9 months old and is just the most perfect little Miss!   She has settled in very well, already has the two dogs under control LOL and has developed champagne taste where her food is concerned!!!   Who can blame her......