Ahhh! Something normal.

I am welcoming a normal day after much goings on, and more coming up, but for today I can do something I haven't been able to do since October. Yes! I know! Sooo long ago now, and this morning has dawned fine and dandy after the remnants of cyclone Pam passed over yesterday.

We got off very lightly, being on the West coast, but we had battened down the hatches and stripped the veranda of shade sails etc, so here I sit at 7am out in the open. It is getting cooler in the mornings, necessitating socks , but I do love to watch the day break.

I was sooo excited about today's activities, so Yesterday I go to and decided to sort my blue suitcase of stitchery dooos, ready to take.

Can you believe it hold sooo much stuff. All essential I assure you! 

Hexie papers of various sizes, fabrics, and bags of embellishing bits and bobs.

More fabrics.

Many WIPS. A girls got to have a choice according to mood on the day.

Looking much better and ready to go.

But I think I need this other sewing basket as well. It's holding more WIPS and the buttons I'm thinking I might use. True!

So! Let's be off to our village quilt group meeting. So lovely to see all the girls again. This is just one table, minus the early leavers. There were about 20 today.

We had a demo on mod podging serviette flowers onto fabric. Very effective. That's a food cover with lemons printed on with this method.

Lesly was doing this glorious embroidery. I'm sure she said she bought it in Hungary, years ago.

Bev is still stitching these wavy stars that I made the pattern for back when we had the shop.

Quiet stitching, chatting, sharing, caring, and lots of laughs.

Ooooh soooo goood to be back.

Joyce won the block of the month. Of course I am not up to date with this and won't be able to be for some months with our travel plans. 

I am looking forward to us taking off in the bus for a couple of weeks up North, from the 29th then our Alaskan cruise mid May, but I am also looking forward to being settled at home again and getting back into our normal patterns again.

I have doily projects aplenty cramming my mind.

Not to mention crochet projects to finish and begin. This is my super nova mandala that I have actually finished and took to the meeting today for show and tell, along with my Dottie Angel apron I showed a while ago. I am so thrilled with this, and there is more in the wind.

I will leave you here today dear friends and wish you happiness in all you are doing.

Blessings and love, Trills.xxx

The Trons.

We had a special visit from The Trons on Sat for Kerry's 70th birthday bash. 

The brainchild of our #1 son Greg, with the support and encouragement of his partner Adrienne.

Controlled from the ancient computer in the background

The two guitars are played by hands and fingers made from his Dad and uncles Michano set from over 60yrs ago. There are two drums, two cymbals, a key board, and the voice from the speaker. 

Do you see the small green suitcase on the right. It holds some of the important equipment needed,

AND it was Greg's school case from when he first started school in 1972. Who do you think he takes after?

Folks were suitably mesmerised by the antics.

As the band rolled out tune after tune, getting quite boisterous at times, almost like a duel between the band members.

We were so lucky that the weather held out for most of the day, though the wind did play around with the tent a bit.

Friends and family caught up with each other. Most of us getting on a bit so it's always good to have a get together for a good occasion.

Good old friends that go back over 30 yrs.

But The Trons stole the day, and we were thrilled to have them there. They have been to Paris and Vienna, among other places around the world with their own CD and DVD and Utube coverage.

Yes I am one proud Nanna of THE TRONS.

That's my brag for today. Now I feel a little foolish, but I wanted to record this for posterity.

Thankyou for your indulgence. Blessings and love, Trills.xx

Doily heaven

Monday was another day of doilies waving gently in the breeze, but rain was forecast so vigilance was called for.

And the rain came down, but not before I had rescued the clean doilies that were mostly dry. So another joyful ironing session on the to do list.

But right now I'd like to take a closer look at doilies and their stories. The internet brought up very little, so I'm just going to talk about those I have and my ponderings.

First let's have a better background. A piece of thrifted maroon velvet is mush better. This is a very sweet little piece with the filet crochet centre, then fragile knotting and a frilly edge. I wonder what it was for. Was it part of a set. Who made it?

I do like this pattern and it's quite chunky. I'd like to try and copy it but those circles look a lot of work, tight double crochet around them and the centre.

This is so dainty and pretty. I'm not sure what to do with it. Some I think belong behind glass in a frame. I think they would make Great Wall art. I have several like that.

Even what I call commercially made ones like this beauty. Or is it?

It does appear to be crocheted and I don't know of any machine that can do this yet.

Look. There are definitely trebles there. I wonder who made it, and was it for a commercial company. 

I do wonder, and fret and worry about these situations. I prefer to imagine these lovely ladies in lesser developed regions, gathered together in their village laughing and chatting as they craft these beautiful pieces as a way of earning a living to feed their families. 

There are sooo many store bought crocheted items these days, so where are they made. Where are the factories of crocheting ladies. There must be a lot. Are they treated well and paid fairly. I'm afraid to say probably not.

Some groups are working to help artisans of remote cultures, like these lovely ladies in the mountains of Peru with their special Alpaca knitting. This is a Fair Trade leaflet that I treasure as I would just love to visit these ladies and sit and knit with them. The thought of it make my heart sing.

There are tours of these communities evidently, and I'd sooo love to go, as I'd also love to meet and join ladies in Asia where I think most of the crochet doilies come from.

There are so many styles and shapes etc of doilies, so I just trawl through a few for you.

Some so very fine with such fine thread I don't know how they could see to do it.

Some not crocheted, maybe made by machine, though this is evidently an old traditional style of a certain type of lace making.

At our quilt show back last October, where I displayed my doily lampshade in the upcycled section, a very knowledgable lady was telling me about all the different type of lace and stitching were in the doilies I had used. I wish I could remember all she said. She didn't like what folks were doing with doilies these days, but did approve of my lamp.

But she didn't approve of my smock and the skirt that I had decorated with doilies. Ah well! One out of three ain't bad.

Now, this one is fascinating. It is made with crochet and knitting.

Can you see where the maker has alternated between the knitted filled in tiers and the lacy crochet joining rows.

This is another example. See the knitted boarder, with crochet edge

And the crochet and knitted body of this delicate old table cloth. As usual, I ponder on the maker, spending quiet times, concentrating closely over her work. How long did it take her. Was it for a special occasion, like a wedding present, or for her hope chest maybe. How old is it?

And this exquisite beauty IS destined for a frame. It is sooo lovely, quite heavy. It too has a story I can only wonder about.

The cupboard is definitely not bare. Some months ago I set myself the task of getting my stash, soaked, washed, ironed and stored in one place instead of spread in various baskets etc. I'm catching up, I think.

Of course there are the embroidered doilies too. We'll have a look at those another day.

Bye for now, and abundant blessings to all who pass this way. Love Trills.xx