A home among the gum trees

I don't know why I thought of the iconic Aussie song when I was stitching this bag, but something must have reminded me of it, so with the greatest respect to John Williamson who recorded this song and made it so well known, and sincere apologies, I give you the embroidered Aussie bag.

I've been around the world
A couple of times or maybe more
I've seen the sights, I've had delights
On every foreign shore
But when my mates all ask me
The place that I adore
I tell them right away

Give me a home among the gumtrees



With lots of plum trees



A sheep or two, and a kangaroo

 

A clothesline out the back

Verandah out the front (I didn't achieve this so please use your imagination here)

And an old rocking chair

Here is my final panel.

As you can see it is nothing like the pattern from the book,

but I thought that as we were a quilting group, it would be appropriate to incorporate a little quilt or two on the bag.

One of our members had the bright idea that it would be nice to have something made by each member of the group on our bags. I am so over making these buttons using a product called ShrinkyDinks, but I have given everyone a pair of boots.

At last it's finished. The amazing thing is that I am the first in the group to complete it and, far from being considered an embroidery renegade as I feared for not following the pattern, some of the other members have also decided to put their own interpretation on their bags. It is enormous and I don't know what I am going to do with it. But at least it is finished and I can get on with other things.

Phew!