O' Peppermint Tea

I feel like I am onto a bit of a roll with making tea cosies. Last week I went hunting for quotes about tea (ain't the Internet a wonderful thing!) and found some absolute beauties, including one about peppermint tea and before I knew it a new tea cosy was born. One of my stitching friends had a birthday looming and she is a peppermint tea devotee - so there was really only one possible result... The Japanese fabric was an obvious choice as she has lived in Japan, has made numerous wonderful Japanese quilts as well as having kindly given me some great textile treasures from her time well spent hunting out the temple sales.

I couldn't resist using an old piece of indigo that has mending on it from its previous life - I love the thought that someone else has so valued the textile that they have spent time mending it for further use. It also brings to mind the wonderful textiles from Sri Threads that I just love browsing.

The back was made from a Japanese Noran, or door covering, which was the perfect base for the quote from Astrid Alauda -

O' peppermint tea -

two delights per sip

as steamy hot as passion

cool as a wintry lake dip

Happy birthday Jill!

Picking up the Casualties

I've been as shocked as everyone else about the terrible bushfires in Victoria, and generally not feeling that I had anything of substance to contribute on this blog. On the weekend however I had a few hours to spare up in the sewing room and, having reflected so much on the need for aid and compassion, found myself drawn once again to the tea cosy. There is something comforting about them I've decided - the sharing of tea in times of distress, taking the time to talk and listen.

So here is the tea cosy as a form of first aid - There is a famous quote from one of our ex-Prime Minister's, made in different times and different circumstances, but they seemed the perfect words for the back. Incase you can't read them easily, the back panel is inscribed with the following -

"But what say we have a little breather and then we set off on the road again after

we have picked up the casualties and had a cuppa...."

David Lange, Prime Minister of New Zealand, 1984 - 1989.

It all came together quickly and is just the beginning of what may, I suspect, become something of a regular feature in my creative life. In the meantime my thoughts continue to be with those in Victoria who are so in need of our compassion and assistance.

And then there were two

I've been meaning to post this for a week or so to show you the second art installation which has appeared in the trees down at my local botanical garden. This has been installed by Sayaka Ishizuka who is the Wellington Asia residency exchange artist-in-residence and is called Whispers.It's right next to Heidi Threlfo's installation and they both provide a great start to my day on the way to the office. And here's Heidi, next to Home, one evening when she spoke about her work.

I'm not sure how much longer they will both be there - definitely worth the visit if you are in the area.

Time for Tea

I'm in a small group which has agreed to make a journal quilt each month this year using scraps from what ever we have been working on that month - today is reveal day for the January journal quilt and I have just confessed my failure to the group. I have failed to make a journal quilt of the required size and instead come up with a Journal Tea Cosy!

It was inspired by the ideas behind my 'Friday Morning Coffee' quilt - sharing friendship over a cup of something, whether that be tea or coffee. It uses an old piece of stitching on the back that I recently found in a op-shop while on holiday - it really is the oddest shape so this seemed like a good way to use it.

I'm sure that the germ of the idea for this lies with the very talented Tara Badcock, who is an Australian textile artist and self described teacosy revolutionary. I found an article about her recently in Textile Forum (Issue 1, no 85, 2007) which led to me searching for her on the Internet - isn't it a wonderful thing! And there Tara was complete with blog and lots of wonderful tea cosies. Do have a look - its really special. How I'd love to have one of her creations to grace my dresser!

And here, for you enjoyment, are two vintage tea cloths which are well on target for the tea theme of this post. Boil up the jug, make a brew and enjoy.