Scrap quilts are often the most interesting to make. This small quilt (24cm x 29cm) was fun to stitch. As usual, there’s a story behind it. For many years, my friend Lisa Walton has been selling her hand-dyed fabrics, both in separate pieces and in kits. She often has scraps left over from cutting these […]
Welcome
Hello! I’m Erica Spinks and I’m so pleased you are here.
Welcome to readers who have followed me from my Creative Dabbling blog and to all of you who have just found me.
I write mostly about gardening, reading, writing, quilt making and creativity.
In my garden column: November 2021
Look, it’s raining – no, it’s not – yes, it is. Such is the nature of the weather today. Showers come and go and I swear I can see plants growing. I was able to weed part of my flower bed this morning in between showers. My lifetime scourge – kikuyu grass runners – have […]
Why we need stories
Stories sustain us. They allow us to encounter times and worlds we will never see for ourselves and experience the lives of other people. They can provide information and solace. They can take us away from our own lives and widen our perspectives. Stories can make us cry and laugh. They can provide relief from […]
In between showers
Our Bureau of Meterology’s (BOM) prediction for spring was right. Predicting rainfall above median, we’ve had a period of sunny or cloudy days interspersed with showers and several storms. The BOM says this will continue through to January. As I write, it feels as if something’s about to happen. A wind change, more showers or […]
Soft comfort
I am wearing a jumper that is unravelling. Knitted with black chenille yarn, it is soft, light and completely synthetic; it comforts me. It is also looking untidy, as loops of the yarn become snagged on various things in the house. Perhaps I will use a crochet hook to weave the loops to the inside, […]
I miss jacarandas
I was born in Sydney and, until two years ago, lived my whole life there. I grew up with a sense of wonder for the jacarandas that are throughout the city. When I studied at Sydney University I, like thousands of students before me, recognised the beauty of the jacaranda in the main quadrangle. Sadly […]
My book of the month: October 2021
Oh, this is a goody. Pamela Hart (who also writes as Pamela Freeman) has branched out into mysteries. This is the first in her Poppy McGowan series and the sentence on the front cover sums it up: “Renovations are hell – and that’s before you find the body beneath the floorboards”. I read this book […]
Two years ago today
We moved here two years ago today. It was a beautiful Southern Highlands spring day – sunny with a light breeze – much like it is today. The day started early as we packed our cars, mostly with bedding and plants, and parked them in the street to keep the driveway clear for the removalists. […]
Sewing small
A great way to try out a new quilt idea on a quilt is to work small. I’ve experimented with making A4-size quilts in the past. They are easy to finish, which always gives me a feeling of accomplishment! This is my Limeade quilt, named for the colours I’ve used. Each square is an inch […]
Not likely to forget these flowers
I like blue flowers in my garden. I also like flowers that look after themselves. That’s why, last spring, I flung the contents of a packet of forget-me-not seeds in a bed in a dull corner of my garden. At this stage, those of you who are familiar with the plant’s behaviour may be recoiling […]