Rainbow Scrap Challenge for June

The colour that was designated for June was not any one colour in particular, but “pastel”.  This posed a bit of a problem for me, as I have precut all my colours and there are no pastels.  I decided that the closest I have is Aqua.  That has now presented itself to be another problem, as the July colour has now been selected to be Aqua.  Oh well, I’ll just have to do another substitution next month as well.

As we would be travelling for much of the month, I had packed my precut blocks to take away with me and hopefully find time to set up my little machine and make them on the road and then just make the crumb blocks once we returned home.

The opportunity didn’t arrive until towards the end of our trip, when we camped at Cranky Rocks Nature Reserve, near Warialda in northern NSW, and decided to have an extra day there to be lazy.

I set myself up outside, with the company of the chooks that roamed around the campground.  A rather lovely setting.  My own version of the Chookshed.  If you know, you know.  LOL

Anyway, the solid crosses blocks and the black and white potato chip blocks were pieced while there.

Yesterday, I finally pieced the two crumb blocks that were needed.  I already had one I had made previously.

I have only four more colours to make before putting the quilt tops together and am very happy with how they are turning out.

I’m linking up with So Scrappy.

A Very Simple Little Project

While we were travelling, we stayed with some friends at Rockhampton and they have done some serious downsizing.  As a result, a few fabrics came home with me.  So that they don't just get moved from one cupboard to another, I will endeavour to use them fairly soon.  I thought I would start with the easy, obvious.

This little prequilted cot panel had been purchased probably in the 90s, or early 2000s.  All it needed was to be bound.

I had a little look in my stash and found a lemon homespun that matched well.  It came from a on shop or such at some stage. 

It didn't take long to get it done.  By the way, the lemon thread was in Mum's collection.

Therefore, really, all it took was an afternoon of my time and we have a sweet little quilt to donate.

Another June Finish

It seems that I am on a roll, already having a second finish for the month.  In my June Wishes post, I said that I would like to finish the Solid Fat Quarter Quilt and that it would take all of one day.  Well, I made that happen.

This quilt was my planned project for Scrub Stitchin', using fat quarters that I had purchased at a charity market stall and a very simple, yet effective pattern.

I managed to get the top pieced while there, which I was rather happy about.

Once we returned home, I made my Main Goal for May to have the quilt completed.  Well, sadly, that didn't happen.  

I did get it quilted, but was too distracted with other things to get the binding on.

Happily, now I can share a fully completed quilt.  It may be later than wished, but at least I can tick it off the list, and yes, it only took one day.

My quilt holder upperer did a stirling job as usual, having to balance on a stool, as the quilt is so long.  You can see the backing in this photo and I used the same fabric for the binding, which was added by machine.  

This quilt will be donated.

QUILT INFORMATION

Measurements -72" high x 47" wide

Pattern - Color Study by Kristene Peterson from Fons and Porters Scrap Quilts Magazine (Spring 2013). A very simple pattern using 2 1/2" strips.

Fabrics - Fat quarters purchased at a charity market stall

Quilting Design - Basketweave by  My Creative Stitches

Batting - Cotton/Poly

Backing - Left over wideback from Spotlight.

Thread - Glide - Medium Grey

My First Finish for June

My main wish for June was to complete the red knitted scarf I started at the beginning of our holiday.  Happily, I can report that it was completed before we returned home last Wednesday.

Let's recap.

I bought this lovely red sock yarn at the Heritage Trades Trail back in early April.

I started knitting it while watching Mick play bowls at Cowra, as it was nice and portable.

I continued to do a few rows most days, but definitely not every day.  It was something I could work on while we were visiting friends and chatting.

I took just a couple of "in progress" shots while out and about.  Just a small taste of some of the places we visited.  There will be more as I get my posts written.

Rockhampton at the end of May.

This is at Moura.

And another at Carnarvon Gorge.

It was finished while having a lazy day near Warialda.  Probably all places you have never heard of.

Once back home it was time to style it on my lovely old dressmaker's dummy.

A bit of fun trying the different styles.  The first is how I will probably wear it most often.

Now it has been packed away with the other four I have made using this pattern.  You can tell that they work well for me.

Roma - The Rest of Day 1

As I said in my last post, there is a lot to see at the regional town of Roma.

After we left The Big Rig we had a look at the sculpture park that runs beside the main road into town.

There is a sculpture competion and exhibition that runs from June to September each year, so we were just a bit early to see the new entries.  However, there were some beauties on display from previous years.  Here are just  few that caught our eye.

Notice the top knot pigeon sitting in the top of the bottle tree.

Aren't there some clever people.  Mick reckons there must be no scrap metal laying around these days.

Having heard about the "Largest Bottle Tree in Roma" we had to find it.  Fortunately, it was well signposted.

This gives you an idea of its size.

The Queensland Bottle Tree is a native of Queensland and no relative to the Boab Trees that grow in Western Australia or elsewhere in the world.  It is related to the kurrajong tree and they both have similar seed pods and are extremely drought tolerant. Bottle Trees in the wild are now protected.  We always enjoy spotting them in paddocks on our travels.

Speaking of Bottle Trees, we've never seen so many as in Roma.  They even have a living war memorial "The Hero's Avenue" made up of 93 Bottle Trees. 

Each one has a brass plaque commerating a local serviceman from WWI.  The avenue was planted between 1918 and 1920.

Of course, we had to have a wander up and down the street to check out the old buildings.  There are some fine examples.  This splendid old pub, which no longer trades as a pub, is gorgeous.  During WWII a look out was stationed in the tower to keep an eye out for Japanese war planes.

The court house's clain to fame is having been the site of the trial of the bushranger Captain Starlight.  It's interesting how he was captured ...... all due to a light coloured bull.

This building was quite a landmark, especially with its shamrock features.  There is a brochure talking about the historic buildings in the town.  However, it seems to talk about locations and what used to be there, rather than what is there now.  Consequently, this one did not even rate a mention.

Mr Google came to the rescue.  It is the "Hibernian Hall".  It was established by the Hiberian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society (H.A.C.B.A.).  There were a large number of Irish in Queensland, encouraged to emigrate by the Catholic Church.  Often branches of this society were set up to support people within that community.  The Roma branch built a hall in the early 1900s, which seated 750 people, but it burnt down in the 1920s.  The current building was constructed in 1932 and used as both a hall and cinema.  It was purchased by the Roma Council in 1976 and is still used today.  The library is in an adjoining building.

Golders is an institution in these south west Queensland towns, being a supplier of all sorts of country clothing, footwear, hats and toys, of all things.

I did like the mural on the side of the building.

And, of course, no visit to Roma is complete without a visit to Ace Drapery, especially if you are a crafter.  As soon as you say you are going to, or have been to Roma, you are asked if you went to "that shop"?  Well, yes, we did.  There is also other craft items, haberdashery and household items, but we didn't venture too far in.  All rather overwhelming.  Apparently, the owner can locate whatever it is you are after, but where do you start? 

And that about sums up the rest of our first day in Roma.  Told you there was lots to see. 

More soon.