Must be going out time.

I have also been to a couple of other exhibitions lately.
A) I went to the Craft and Quilt Fair last week. It was busy!!
I resisted most stalls but did buy some lovely cottons for machine sewing. Gorgeous colour range.

The quits were amazing, as usual. Some I had seen before, at the AQC but there were new things to see also.

Modern Quilt, Amateur, winner of two ribbons. By Karen McGregor.

This one by Neroli Henderson.

B) I visited a retrospective exhibition of Rosalind Byass' at the Box Hill Town Hall. I had done a design class with Ros, through the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria, a few years ago. It was lovely to see her work. Many of her pieces have won awards at various textile art exhibitions around the state.
It was interesting to be in a class with someone who works so very differently from me. That is one of the benefits of workshops and courses, there are people with varied takes on the same topics and it stretches you greatly.

C) I visited Bundoora Homestead to see the One Step Further exhibition, organised by Quilters Victoria. There was a very interesting floor talk. Some of the quilt were not quilts - that is the idea of One Step Further, I realise. But they were far from being quilt-like. All of the works were wonderful, even the quilty ones!

Unfortunately, I can't remember who did this one!

Elizabeth Dubbeld

Rebecca Wolske

Maybe all these exhibitions are what has inspired me to post again. I hope my enthusiasm remains. I like documenting things here, as I have said before. It really is a good record for me.

Tea cosy exhibition at Bundoora Homestead

The biennial tea cosy exhibition is on at the moment at Bundoora Homestead. It raises funds for the Australian Animal Protection Society.
Some friends and I visited today. We were greeted by 'yarn bombing' on the way in, with two ladies sitting in the shade and knitting (it was one of those 'summer isn't over' days).

Inside there was a good collection of tea cosies, over 200.  Most were knitted or crocheted but there were a few that used different techniques, for instance, felted, quilted, machine sewn.

It is a lovely house and always a pleasure to visit.

Coo-ee and old embroideries

When browsing the Embroiderers' Guild newsletter, we noticed that there is an exhibition on at Bundoora Homestead.  It is Early Australian Linens (this is a blog about the exhibition with lots of photos).
My friend and I went along today (6/9/12) to have a look.  We were able to reminisce about the embroideries we did in our younger days, and the ones that we remember our mothers doing.  I will have to go through the cupboards and see what we still have - not that I could bear to part with them, I'll just remember doing them.  Maybe we'll use them again.

Of interest to me was this apron. It reminded me that Coo-ee (you can read about it here) has been around for quite a while - there was even a written record of it at the Napoleon exhibition at the National Gallery Victoria.

There were some lovely other pieces too.

This was lovely.  Apparently it was done by an 83 year old lady, not all that long ago. 

I remember seeing these sets, all ready to be embroidered and crocheted.

You can read more about the collection at Patra's Place of Linens.  And she has other blogs too - I have just discovered her swap card collection - will have to dig out mine now.

Tea Cosy making

Wednesday is the day my friend and I get together to make things and inspire each other in our textile works (and generally have a good time).  Sometimes we go out and get inspiration.  Last week we visited the Buda Historic Home and Garden.
This week we attended a workshop at Bundoora Homestead. We worked in a beautiful old room with a chandelier and a beautiful ceiling.

The aim was to make either a base for a tea cosy or embellishments to add to a base.  We could choose crochet or knitting.
It is years since I have done any crocheting, and I tended to do granny squares and other very flat work.  So, of course, we chose one of the more difficult, textured patterns!

But our teacher was up to the challenge and got us far enough to think that we may understand how the pattern goes together.  It will need more making to get the idea firmly in my mind though. Actually, the two teachers did a good job as most people chose different designs and patterns and there was quite a bit of assistance needed.

As you can see, I didn't get much done and need to practise. 

We made sure that we were using Australian or UK terminology.  I once mistakenly bought a pattern for a scarf that was from the US and, even though I had printed out the comparative stitch descriptions, I kept getting mixed up about what I was supposed to be doing.  I would read DC and do the Australian movement even when I had the US description in front of me.  It was just instinctive to do what I had learnt so long ago.  I gave up in disgust.  Now I may get it out and try again.  I am feeling the need to have some knitting or crochet on the go - it must be autumn.  It will probably mean that I have to write the pattern out - not sure I can be bothered.  I might just find a new pattern.  There are so many around these days and many are free on the internet - but you have to be careful to know what country they originate from, what terminology they use.  Problems, problems.

One lady made a gorgeous pansy that can be added to a base.

Sorry about the focus, I don't seem to have much control with my phone.

The workshop was to support the Tea Cosy Festival that is coming up.  Last year there were all sorts of tea cosies made using a wide range of techniques and materials.  Some were quite practical and some were just amazingly outrageous.  All proceeds go to Cancer Council Victoria. They are hoping to have 500 tea cosies this year.

Fortuitous Timing

Today I visited Bundoora Homestead to finally see the About Time tapestry exhibition.  It has been touring for quite a while, arranged by Ararat Regional Gallery. I thought I had better get there while I had the chance, I have been meaning to go for ages and was worried that I might miss it. It is on till April 15th but time passes so quickly I thought I should go while the going was good.
As I was driving there I passed signs saying Event Parking.  Oh no, I thought, there must be some event on at the park, I hope it doesn't mean I'll have trouble getting into the Homestead car park.  It turns out that the Event was AT Bundoora Homestead - it was a Garden Tea Party run by Darebin City Council.
There were people all over the place, all out to have a relaxing afternoon in this wonderful autumn weather.

I was allowed to take photos around the house but not of the tapestries.

Darebin Mayor, opening the festivities.

There was the Preston Symphony Orchestra playing, drawing classes, croquet on the lawn, a tour of the tapestries with Jodie J Hill (which seems to be part of the Comedy Festival), an artist sitting with her exhibition, tea cosy making lessons and a display. I probably missed some other things, I really had only gone to see the tapestries.

This is a gorgeous stained glass window that was behind the orchestra.

There is an annual Tea Cosy Festival, run in aid of the Cancer Council of Victoria, in May.  You can make a tea cosy and donate it.  Entries have to be in by April 20th.  There is even a workshop coming up where you can learn how to make one.

These were on display, they belong to a private collection.  They reminded me of the embroidery my mother did, and some I did with her. 

A Busy Week

As I was looking back at the week this morning - I was putting off getting up and facing the cold - I realised that I have had a busy week.  A friend and I went to Castlemaine (it was freezing!! our first blast of winter this year) and visited the art gallery.  It was between shows, so we got to see the permanent collection free.  It is an interesting collection and we might not have taken as long to look at it if the special exhibition had been on.

The new show is Geoffrey Stocks Survey and the works were all standing along the floor, waiting to be hung.  We had a peep in and it looks worth a visit.  It starts today.

After lunch, we visited the historic house Buda.  The guide there told us an interesting story about the house and it's founder and his family.  It was built by a Hungarian silver smith who came to Australia in the gold rush.  He had six unmarried daughters who live in the house for many years.  They did a lot of art and craft work including silverwork, wood carving, ceramics, cloisonne, embroidery and rug making.  I am sure there were other arts and crafts included, I have probably forgotten something.  It sounds like it was a very creative family.
There is a textile exhibition coming up in 2012 that you can start working for now.

Then, the next day, I visited Bundoora Homestead with another friend and her friends from the Box Hill textiles course.  We saw the tea cosy exhibition that is in support of the Cancer Council.  There was a very large number of tea cosies - most were knitted or crocheted but there were a few other techniques included also.  I especially liked the series of chickens.

I occasionally revisit The Artist's Way and the journalling in which you reflect on the artist's treats you have given yourself during the week.  I have done very well this week.