Today is Australia Day which is a public holiday which commemorates the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet which had been sent to establish a British colony in the country that would become Australia. The country was already settled by the Aboriginal people. Over the years Australia has become home to many peoples from all around the world and Australia Day celebrations usually reflect these different cultures.
In recent years there has been more and more discussion in the Australia-wide community, that January 26 represents Invasion Day to the indigenous people and that the date should be changed, so that the Australian national day is separate from the anniversary of the First Fleet. And who knows if that will ever happen? Until then, the day will be filled with people gathering in parks, beaches, private homes to celebrate with BBQ s, lamingtons, pavlovas, TimTams, Vegemite, meatpies and all the other Aussie 'things'. 😉
I was fortunate enough to be born in Australia but I thought I'd show you 'what this Aussie is made up of'...
Still on the subject of Australia; the other day I saw a Swap that was coming up on Instagram. It didn't involve (frantic to get finished) sewing, just send 3 six inch squares to 8 other people in a group you would be put in.
The fabric should represent your country in some way...
Too easy! I knew I had a zippered bag full of Australiana fabric, so I was 'half way there' 👍. I signed up and when email arrived with the details of my Swap buddies, I was the only Aussie with the majority being from the US, 1 from Sweden and 1 from NZ. Then...
A search through my fabric stash didn't reveal a bag of Aussie fabrics...oh dear! But I did find these...luckily they were categorized differently and in other zippered bags.
It needs a good iron, but this is a fun, novelty Australiana fabric...
A fabric design copying the style of indigenous art...bought at a craft show years ago and still in its cello bag.
A perfect representation of an Aussie summer...
A fabric design with maps overlaid with images of old Holden cars, FX and FJ models from the 1950s.
Australian placenames...
Aussie animals fat quarter in my 'Children's Novelty Fabrics' storage cube...
Often farm themed fabrics are not Aussie...but this one is! ( also in the Children's Cube)
And then I realised that I had some Jodie Carleton fabrics; a few 5 " squares and hexies have been cut out of each fat quarter but still plenty left to cut some 6" squares. Jodie is an Australian who not only designs a great range of craft patterns (especially her felt animals) but a few years ago she started designing ranges of fabrics. So fabrics designed here would be an excellent representation of my region.
So... Murphy's Law would suggest that as soon as I mail all these squares that I will cut out of the pictured fabrics, my bag of other fabrics will turn up. 😏. No problem though, while looking for it this morning, I found so many delightful fabrics that I'd forgotten about...especially some that I can do some baby/toddler sewing with. So that's always a bonus and time looking then, is not really wasted is it?
In recent years there has been more and more discussion in the Australia-wide community, that January 26 represents Invasion Day to the indigenous people and that the date should be changed, so that the Australian national day is separate from the anniversary of the First Fleet. And who knows if that will ever happen? Until then, the day will be filled with people gathering in parks, beaches, private homes to celebrate with BBQ s, lamingtons, pavlovas, TimTams, Vegemite, meatpies and all the other Aussie 'things'. 😉
I was fortunate enough to be born in Australia but I thought I'd show you 'what this Aussie is made up of'...
Still on the subject of Australia; the other day I saw a Swap that was coming up on Instagram. It didn't involve (frantic to get finished) sewing, just send 3 six inch squares to 8 other people in a group you would be put in.
The fabric should represent your country in some way...
Too easy! I knew I had a zippered bag full of Australiana fabric, so I was 'half way there' 👍. I signed up and when email arrived with the details of my Swap buddies, I was the only Aussie with the majority being from the US, 1 from Sweden and 1 from NZ. Then...
A search through my fabric stash didn't reveal a bag of Aussie fabrics...oh dear! But I did find these...luckily they were categorized differently and in other zippered bags.
It needs a good iron, but this is a fun, novelty Australiana fabric...
A fabric design copying the style of indigenous art...bought at a craft show years ago and still in its cello bag.
A perfect representation of an Aussie summer...
A fabric design with maps overlaid with images of old Holden cars, FX and FJ models from the 1950s.
Australian placenames...
Aussie animals fat quarter in my 'Children's Novelty Fabrics' storage cube...
Often farm themed fabrics are not Aussie...but this one is! ( also in the Children's Cube)
And then I realised that I had some Jodie Carleton fabrics; a few 5 " squares and hexies have been cut out of each fat quarter but still plenty left to cut some 6" squares. Jodie is an Australian who not only designs a great range of craft patterns (especially her felt animals) but a few years ago she started designing ranges of fabrics. So fabrics designed here would be an excellent representation of my region.
So... Murphy's Law would suggest that as soon as I mail all these squares that I will cut out of the pictured fabrics, my bag of other fabrics will turn up. 😏. No problem though, while looking for it this morning, I found so many delightful fabrics that I'd forgotten about...especially some that I can do some baby/toddler sewing with. So that's always a bonus and time looking then, is not really wasted is it?
7 comments:
What a great idea for a swap, I loved your fabric choices.
Maria, I have never seen any of those fabrics before. How fantastic! Hope you enjoyed the day. It was a quiet one here.
I love the fabrics you just happened to have on hand. And your reasons for choosing them. Those who receive them will love them! It got me thinking what I would choose to represent where I live. All I came up with was something similar to your beach fabric and maybe something with palm trees!
Love the fabrics. Cool idea for a swap. I look forward to your post on what you received. I have often wondered what my DNA would show. I am of Polish descent and have always wondered how your DNA could tell your ancestors origin.
I was just watching a news segment on Australia Day and the controversy of changing the date to a day in May. I immediately wondered what you would think about that and here you posted about it. Some in the USA have issues with celebrating Columbus Day at all. (He sailed from Portugal and was said to be the first to discover North America). It seems there is controversy everywhere across the globe.
xx, Carol
Hmmm, my comment seems to have disappeared.
Love the fabrics you chose for the swap, especially the one that mimics the art of your indigenous peoples.
God bless.
Some really interesting fabrics, Maria. I love the one with the farm animals on it! Meg:)
What a fantastic stash of 'Australian' fabrics and a great idea.
Amalia
xo
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