finally some embroidery

It doesn't seem like my trip to India was 6 months ago - it really is time I recalled some of the wonderful embroidery. In this small selection, some of the pieces were new or being worked on, some are old, from collections. Everything is so colourful, and the old pieces still retain their very vibrant colours. The pieces are very densely stitched, with each region or clan having favourite andtraditional patterns and stitches.

 Our lovely hostess at the family hotel wearing her own work. I am sorry I don't have her name.

 The detail of the mirrors added in the above photo

Each round 'spot' is a mirror

The stitches are simple - generally variations of straight stitch, chain stitch and blanket stitch. The items include clothing, camel rugs, carry bags, quilts and cloths for wrapping and carrying.

 Next is the colourful interior of a house with items for sale - making a choice was not easy!

And now my attempt. We did a workshop in Bhuj -

- Our teacher works on my piece to shown us how to do it, above, and below, I have since finished that central motif 

- and the first of the corner motifs. Hopefully by the end I will have mastered putting in the mirrors!

still got that holiday feeling

So far I am enjoying retirement and not missing work, but it does all still have a holiday feeling, and I find myself dabbling in different things rather than beginning large projects. I have done one small quilted piece and am working on the embroidery workshop piece started in Bhuj (India). I forgot to take a photo of that - perhaps I will wait until it is finished.
The little quilt is for the next 10 years in my scrapbook 'pages'. We went to age 50 with the initial project. It will soon be time for yet another as I am half way into the next 10 years...

Highlights in this one were winning my first blue ribbon, moving house, travelling to Uluru and around the world, and being president of the state quilting guild. For the light background I uesd a piece I painted in an Alvena Hall workshop I went to during that period.
 

I have been doing even more woodwork, working to get a second bench made in the garage/shed - it is the garage when the car is in it, and the shed (every man needs one) when things are being made or repaired!

I am a bit late with this post as I did not have a computer for 3 weeks while it has been upgraded. Now I am trying to simplify the mess of files and photographs which have resulted from previous upgrades and network changes when we said 'put it there and we'll sort it later'. It is no wonder the old computer was barely chugging along!

We live quite near the end of the recently electrified and extended rail line and I finally tried it on the weekend. It was great. It beats driving and paying for parking. They say it will eventually be extended to Aldinga. I hope that isn't too far away, because we should be even closer to the next stop. The views along the suburban corridor are much like anywhere, but their are great views from the bridge over the Onkapringa River and the water treatment ponds. There were about 40 pelicans on one pond.
No chance to photograph the pelicans but these are friendly scavengers from the beach the other day.

 Not prize winning shots but I like the spread wings on this one.

How do they stay so white?

In the city I caught up with my fellow Indian travellers and we checked out the Islamic textiles and lace exhibitions at the Art Gallery. Some beautiful pieces and some really amazing painted lace prints.

This is a close up of one piece. A bit of inspiration there.

A few weeks back we had some brilliant sunsets. These are taken from our drive way, where we look down over the sea.

It is cold and a bit showery, but I doubt it will spoil the enthusiasm at Quilt Encounter this week. Have a great week everyone. I am not going this year. I am hoping to get to Sydney to see their Quilt Exhibition instead.
To finish for now, here is a splendid acacia I spotted the other day, loving the winter sunlight.