Auckland - the city where I live in here in NZ, is under State of Emergency orders for the next seven days. Yesterday morning marked the start of an unprecedented storm with horrific wind and rain, roads are now closed, houses swept away, cars floating in water, people trying to swim out of their homes, hillsides crumbling and houses teetering on the cliff edge. We are one of the lucky families in that our house is high up and we're not near any cliff face or water line, others are not so lucky depending on which suburb they live in. International Airport terminal is out of action, flooded, also runway problems with flights diverted and no take offs.
Given all of the above I decided yesterday to alleviate stress by sewing, what else!
So look what arrived in my studio
yes, a squirrel by courtesy of Tula Pink and her fabric range Tiny Beasts. I bought this range as soon as it arrived in store and it's been sitting in the drawer waiting for inspiration to strike.
So here are squares ready cut as part of a pattern - Balderdash - by Emma Jean Jansen
I have all the pieces cut right now and being placed on the wall, next post I hope to have something to show.
Actually there are two squirrels making themselves at home here, the other one is the Maggie Pearl quilt using a jelly roll ordered a few weeks ago which luckily arrived on Thursday, enough lights but I need to add a few more strips to the dark group.
Before the storm hit my grand-daughter spent two hours sorting through two bins of my scraps, small and large and also strips. To say that I was very grateful is an understatement, she's going to come again next week. Below are my neatly sorted strips, I see another strip pieced quilt in the near future.
In the early hours of today, think 12.30am with the rain pouring down and the wind howling, I pulled off the shelf one of my favourite books with quite simple quilts but the focus on the fabrics used. The one I marked a couple of years ago is the Tulip Field quilt, there is also a Kaffe book featuring Jane Brocket with the very same quilt design, different fabrics and listed as the Allotment quilt.
Below is Tulip Field
another favourite is Hydrangea
basically squares set on point, I love the time worn look in this photograph.
Well it's now back to the news update to see when to expect more rain, apparently shouldn't be as bad the last 36 hours.
I'll end here with a photograph taken four days ago from the deck of our place at sunrise, we have such a beautiful view and I walk out there almost every morning to begin my day, so calming.
Take care
Maureen
13 comments:
So glad to hear you are safe in your home; but so sad to hear about the devastation wrought by that storm!! I am afraid that global warming is bringing us more and more violent storms now.
Glad you could settle in and get some sewing done...take care and stay safe
hugs, Julierose
I have that Jane Brockett book, too! I love the quilt in all lilac colors (half/quarter log cabin blocks if I remember correctly). The photographs are wonderful and the quilts are as well. Do stay safe and dry as best you can - hooray for being able to sew through the storms (fabric and color are such balm for the spirits). And what glorious stacks of strips!
Maureen, in spite of health problems for you and us, we , and you and John, are safe, warm and dry. Those who have lost so much in this horrendous deluge, it will take months or longer to repair and get back together .Those fabrics are beautiful, I need to pull out my latest batiks, and just look at them, that in itself uplifts my heart.
Good to know you are safe and relatively dry. I've been seeing pictures on facebook. Friends of ours on Schnapper Rock have spent a lot of time bailing out and mopping up. I do hope the storm moves back out to sea very soon.
Those fabrics look great for the planned quilts. How lovely to have your grand daughter to help you sort scraps. Another quilter in the making.
That weather sounds like the repeated storms that hit California about a week ago, unrelenting.
How nice to have your granddaughter help sort your scraps for you. She probably enjoyed as much as you enjoy the results.
I love the Tiny Beasts line and had to purchase some too.
Yes, horrific weather this weekend, glad you are okay. We've stayed safe & dry too. Perfect time for planning more sewing projects! Love your jelly roll fabrics, are they from your LQS? and which collection are they? I thought the allotment quilt in Kaffes book was rather uninspiring, but I like Janes earlier version... more cohesive.
I'm glad you are safe and away from flooding. "As Wanda said, the situation is very much like what happened in California 2 weeks ago. Meanwhile on the east coast we have been relatively warmer than normal and way below our usual snowfall totals. Love the fabrics chosen for both of your projects. Good thing your power stayed on through the wind and the rains.
Pat
What challenging weather! I'm so glad you're safe. Our stashes come to the rescue so often. Thanks goodness we have them. . .
I've been wondering how my quilting friends in Australia have been doing. I'm glad to hear you are ok, but so sad to see what others are going through. It' must be so scary. We are lucky with our weather oddities so far this winter.
I wonder about flooding situations if they happened here. My house is on a bit of a hill so I'd be safe from standing water but there are areas near me, even on my walking route, that would be inundated.
We hardly ever get news about NZ. I had no idea what you are going through. So glad you are safe and able to make good use of the time. As bad as a blizzard gets, it doesn't usually destroy much as it melts. This time however, we had over 40 deaths because people were trapped in cars and there were huge power outages. As usual, your fabric and quilts are awe inspiring.
I'm pleased to hear that you are high and dry Maureen. Glad you have plenty of fabrics and inspiration to keep you busy while it rains.
I’m so sorry to hear about the floods in NZ but glad you are safe. All I’d read about was PM Ardern stepping down.
How wonderful that your granddaughter visited and helped sort fabric. A double treat for you. All your fabrics are as stunning as ever and your plans look good.
Stay safe.
Hopefully the storms are subsiding in your area!
Thanks for sharing Jane Brockman quilt photos, inspiring.
And Tula Pink fabric is full of energy, beautiful, isn't it?
As Ann said it's great that your granddaughter got to visit and enjoy colors and fabrics with you.
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