Friday 19 July 2013

REMEMBERING MARY ELLEN HOPKINS

Just saw about the heatwaves the Northern Hemisphere is having and can't quite believe it.  Even the UK has been on the news.  I must admit that we've just experienced our warmest July day here near Melbourne.  We've also had more frosts than we've had for a few years, so I'm thinking the weather all over is rather crazy.

This is my first A is for Applique block that I'm doing along with Lucie the Happy Quilter.  Hope to get started on my next block soon and do some more on my Christmas QAL.
Today I need to clean the oven, (spilt something yukky in there) catch up on washing all the linen and more vacuuming and mopping.

Again my photos are placing themselves and they now don't want to move, so I hope you can follow this post OK.  I will post again tomorrow with our day out with the grandchildren, although I've only a few photos, because my battery went flat at the start of the day.  Very disappointing.



I've just learned that Mary Ellen Hopkins passed away on the 10th July, this year.
I remember Mary Ellen's workshop that I attended in 2000 was so much fun.  I have many of her books and had them all signed, along with many other participants.  I also shared my birthday with her, though she was born many years before me.  She had so many amusing tales to tell, that I'm sure she lived a full and interesting life.  Below is a photo of me taken with Mary Ellen in 2000.  It is not a good one, as I had to take a photo of the photo.  My picture is a shocker and I seem to have blurred it a bit while trying to snap it.

Not a good photo, but at least it brings back memories of a wonderful weekend.

The little quilt below is one we all started called Bricks and Mortar and I am using it to cover my legs on cold nights.  Some made theirs a lot larger.

Bricks and Mortar Quilt.



The quilt below has blocks made by other participants as an exchange after we all went home.  There were supposed to be 14 exchanges, but I added a few of more of my own as a couple didn't end up sending anything.  They were a bears paw block design given to us by Mary Ellen.  My setting was an idea from one Sharyn Craig's books called  "Setting Solutions".

Friendship Bear's Paw.

First daffodils and wattle in the studio.

The little wall quilt that is hanging in the hall this month, was started during this workshop. (posted at beginning of July).

Best go and catch up on the housework as mentioned above and hopefully have a little more time tomorrow to get on top of my blog, others and some emails I must reply to.

Thanks for any comments I haven't replied to and have a great weekend.
Susan.

12 comments:

  1. The quilts are beautiful, Susan. :o)

    I wasn't commenting on blogs last week so this comment might seem out of step but I wanted to tell you anyway.

    To get your date header to be at your time rather than US time, go to "design" at the top right corner of your blog and click on it.

    Then go to settings - at the bottom of the list - and then click on "language and formatting".

    Now change the "time zone" to your time zone and then click on "save settings".

    That will make your posts post with the date and time you're expecting them to.

    I hope that helps. :o)

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    1. Thanks Anne. Done that. I've been doing a bit of catch up as well, after family have departed. I've not commented on some blogs and not done too many replies on mine either.

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  2. The best thing about your meeting with Mary Ellen is that you have good memories of the workshop. I love both quilts and the picture of the two of you. There must be something about quilting/sewing/crafting that is good for our well being. Love your daffodils, too.

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    1. Thanks Joanna, and later I'll probably have some unusual daffs to show. I've been a bit slack with sewing of late, but I hope to get a little more done in the coming weeks.

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  3. You've got some lovely memories all sewn up in those quilts, they're beautiful. A lovely photo of the two of you together too. It's another hot day again today, I just hope the weather holds out while we're on holiday.

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    1. I hope it holds out for you too, as Cornwall is beautiful. I have a very dear friend there and we usually spend time with her when in the UK. Lanhydrock house is a good visit, as is Rosemoor and Cotehele. All have beautiful gardens.

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  4. Your quilts look nice, its strange seeing daffodils and snowdrops for you and its your winter, is that right? Cloudy today which has been a bit of relief when we are just not use to it. The dogs are happier today anyway. It is so nice to finally have proper summer weather though!

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    1. Yes it is our winter, but the bulbs are flowering at about the right time this year. We've just experienced our hottest July day in Melbourne and now our coldest in 50 years. How strange. We live about 60kms east of Melbourne.

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  5. Well the heat has upped and left Yorkshire yesterday, although it's still hot and blue skies down south. To be honest it's a relief to be in the garden without sweltering!

    Mary Ellen Hopkins sounds like a remarkable and inspirational woman. How nice to have those memories and connections with her. x

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    1. Thanks Gillian, glad your heat has subsided a bit.

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  6. Hiya Susan
    I love all your quilts. I'm particularly fond of the Brick and Mortar one. I think that might be a good candidate for a scrappy version. Now as for your "A" is for Applique block, well I think it's a brilliant example of what we can do when we have a go. Well done girl. I look forward to seeing your next effort. It's great to participate. Now I had better get on with July's theme block.

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  7. Thanks Lucie. Yes, they were sort of scraps and fat quarters we had to take with us for the weekend. As we didn't know what we were doing, it was hard to work out what to take. With a busy week coming up I'll draw up my next block and see what happens.

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