The week that was

We have been travelling around exploring coastal and southern Wairarapa last week, when we heard the news of the terrible earthquake that struck Christchurch.  The rural areas we were travelling do not have internet connections and cell phone coverage was very patchy.  Luckily a quick phone call to son Michael who lives in Christchurch assured us that he was unharmed, but very understandably suffering from frayed nerves.  TV reception was also hard to get at times, so we had to rely on the radio to keep up with the terrible news.  Our hearts go out to all in Christchurch, as they slowly try to get their lives back to some sort of normality.  It will be a long slow job, I imagine.

On a lighter note, I have been doing a little stitching on my redwork heart blocks during the last week.  We are currently at Waipawa and visited the Central Hawke’s Bay Settler’s Museum.  The mangles, concrete tubs, washboards  and butter churns on display all spoke of the hard physical labour require to run a household in those early days.

  Women’s work is never done

I am always drawn to the old textiles and linens and the museum showed several room settings.  The master bedroom had a lovely assortment of fine hand stitched underwear and nightgowns. 

 

Next was the nursery with the single bed, cot and bassinet made up with lovely old linen.  There were so many beautiful items but the photo does not do them justice.

 

Here is a close up of the hand made doll in the bassinette, surely some little girl’s much loved dolly.  Pinky the rag doll appears to me made from a loose woven cotton and has details marked with pen.

Pinky the rag doll

And then I found the quilt.  It may be old, ripped and stained, but it looked so beautiful folded up on the old wheel chair,  just waiting to keep a patient warm and cosy.  That is what quilting is all a bout, isn't it?

The cosy old quilt