2020: What a Rodent of a Year!
Well, I think it is safe to say 2020, the Year of the Rat, has not gone to plan. I, for one, will be happy to draw a line under this year and recycle all my 2020 New Year’s hopes and plans for 2021. Easiest New Year’s resolutions ever and environmentally friendly too! 😀
But for now I’m hanging in there, and I hope you are too. There’s still some fight left in this Chameleon! And in a defiant act of self-defence I am finally releasing the Lunarcy Quilt pattern. Take that 2020!
This post includes the first installment of the Lunarcy pattern – a pdf for the Lunarcy Quilt fabric requirements and the basic quilt construction. The appliqué files will follow in fairly rapid succession. The reality is that Lunarcy will not be a block of the month anymore, as I would still like to wrap it up when I originally intended – around the beginning of the Year of the Ox (in mid February 2021). So the patterns will be released far more frequently than monthly to make up for lost time. Of course, they will still be free, and still available on the Clever Chameleon website until it is all over. Just now you don’t have to be quite as patient! How’s that for positive spin? 🙂
So, hold onto your hats, batten down your email hatches, and enjoy the lunatic Lunarcy Lunar Calendar ride. Welcome to the Chameleon’s 2020 BOM, truncated in time but not awesomeness. And here’s to the rest of the year that must surely be more fun than the first part!
A change of colour, a change of pace, a change of season….
A Chameleon’s life is never dull! For our latest adventure we have spent the past couple of weeks away from home for the children’s schooling. The kids normally receive their distance schooling through the internet, but every so often we get to visit their teachers and classmates in person. And, importantly, I get a few hours to myself for several days running to do adulty things. For instance, work on the Lunarcy patterns! Go fabric shopping! Nanna nap.
I also get to spend some time in a slightly less arid landscape than Arkaroola. The kids’ School of the Air base is on the coast at Port Augusta, at the southern end of the Flinders Ranges. Here’s a taste of Spring on the edge of the Outback……
On our way into Port Augusta we were lucky enough to see the Coffee Pot running. Between Port Augusta and the next town (Quorn), there is the historic Pichi Richi railway which supports two steam engines. One is this 100+ yrs old Edwardian steam motor coach dubbed the “Coffee Pot”. It was stationed at the Woolshed Flat waypoint as we were passing so we stopped briefly at the viewing area.
It is an odd but cute little engine that only holds 22 passengers under usual conditions. I presume even less in Covid times.
Speaking of cute and little… Spring was springing hard at my father-in-law’s place when we arrived. Keith has just hatched this motley crew of bantam-crosses. The chook is a good mum; these chickens are actually from two clutches, hatched a week apart, but she loves them all the same regardless. Except maybe the brown one, who likes to ride on her back.
And Spring was arriving most vigorously at the Arid Botanic Gardens too. The large lizards in amongst the flowers in the slideshow below are Shingleback Skinks, more commonly known as Stumpies (on account of their short tails), or Sleepies (on account that they are slow-moving) or even Blue-Tongues (because they have). On our visit, the Stumpies were not so much armoured lizards as enamoured lizards. Albeit slowly.
The Stumpy lizards were not in the least bit interested in us. While still wild, the Arid Botanic Garden lizards are obviously used to sharing their space with people. While the Chameleon was pleased to see his cousins, one actually yawned while I was taking his portrait. A bit rude, we thought.
And the lovers in this short footage (G rated – unless you are a lizard, then it’s probably more PG13) paid us no heed either.
Apparently this is affection, not fighting. According to a Klingon….
Cross-species prejudices aside; with a little googling, I discovered that Stumpies live to be 50 yrs in the wild. That is an impressive enough fact, but then I found out that they are also predominately monogamous. Not for just a season, but for life – or at least 20 years or more! Truly, I am not rattling your scales! Apparently they use scent to find each other once a year, hang out for a month or two and come together in this elaborate slow-motion dance. I don’t know how long this actual ritual lasts – they were at it when we stumbled upon their motel room, and were still spinning when we moved on. The babies will be due around mid February….. right on the 2021 Lunar New Year!
And since all good quilters’ minds turn to quilts at the first mention of offspring….. it must be time to share the Lunarcy.
This quilt pattern is very kindly supported by Island Batik, who supplied all the fabrics to me for the sample. The fabrics I used are detailed in the pattern, and are all from their Foundations Basics and Blenders collections. This means that if you wish to use any or all of the same, they are still available through your favourite Island Batik stockist.
The Lunarcy Quilt measures 75.5″ x 94″ and is designed for a single/twin bed. Part 1 of the pattern lists the fabric requirements and details how to put the quilt top together. It is your choice whether you prefer to do this before or after the appliqués.
In addition to the construction file, there will be 13 appliqué files. Twelve animals, and a thirteenth file for the tree branches and flowers that are used repeatedly in the pattern. If you wish to just make a wall hanging or a cot quilt with the animal of your choosing you will only need the animal file and the flowers/branches. Each individual block is just under 20″ square, giving you a good size centre medallion.
I hope you enjoy making something from this pattern and I’d love to see what you’ve made. If there are any problems with the file, please let me know.
Now, for some more ideas to put a spring into your step
Party 1: A Garden party to end all parties!
Firstly, the Garden Party Row Along at Seams to be Sew starts today! Marian runs this marvellous event annually, and there are free block patterns (50 this year) and lots of prizes to try to win too. I love this event, and you can see what I prepared for you on the 24th of September.
Here’s the schedule for the first week:
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Blue Heron Quilting | Carolyn Butterfield | Made By Marney
Pumpkin Patch BC | The Devoted Quilter
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Bobbin In Quilts Blog | Kissed Quilts | Patchwork Breeze
Songbird Designs | Stitchin’ at Home
Try not to miss visiting any designers!
PARTY 2: You want more party? you party animal!!
Well, we have features from the Chameleon’s last Colour & Inspiration Party to admire…. Come join me for canapés in the Botanical Garden of Quilted Delights.
Sandra of mmm quilts put A Positive Spin on our last party – literally. Check out her latest original design, A Positive Spin. Beautiful and meaningful, like all of Sandra’s quilts.
And look…. it’s a pool party! Unless you’d prefer to jive by the lake……? Glorious!
In another corner of our virtual Botanic Garden, the quilted desert collection is blooming. Kathleen of Kathleen McMusing has released a beautiful new pattern called Desert Blooms. Head over to take a closer look and even purchase a copy if you wish. Way more fun and far less sales pitch than a Tupperware party!
Last, but not least, Nancy of Grace and Peace Quilting made this version of Arrow Point Path for her nephew. If we were really chasséing through the Botanic Garden of Quilted Delights, then this peaceful and structured quilt would be the raked gravel and waterfall feature of the walled Japanese Zen Garden. Beautiful.
Time for You to join the Party too
The Chameleon wants a slumber party, and it’s BYO quilt!
Tell us – what are you working on, or have recently finished in your sewing room? We want to know so we can visit and be inspired. Link up a blog post, an IG post or simply a photo from your computer. See if you can get the Chameleon to turn quilted with happiness. We’d love to see your quilting colours!
- Link up your latest or recent quilt/sewing excitement. All quilt construction stages welcome – finished quilts, quilt blocks – even fabric pulls! Or inspiration sources!
- You have 50 characters in the link description…. tell us who you are and what your fantastic project is.
- URL links are not necessary to link up…. non-bloggers 100% welcome! If you don’t have a URL, you can link up with just a photo.
- Take a moment to visit some friends who came to the party – leave a little love and make their day. And a link back to Clever Chameleon is always appreciated.
- Do it now……. before you forget!
The Chameleon turns rainbow with pleasure when he hears from you. Now that it’s your turn…. Scroll to the end and tell me what you think. Thanks for connecting!
Would you like to keep in touch with Clever Chameleon and the fun quilty ideas I design as well as find all over the internet? You can follow directly for email updates, or through Bloglovin’, Pinterest, IG or FB. All your follow options can be found here. Don’t forget to link up all your current quilting projects on Tuesdays at our Colour & Inspiration Linky parties!
Always enjoy your posts! Congrats on the release of Lunarcy too. And thank you for the peeks at the wildlife and flowers in the area where you live.
Always such an enjoyable and informative read. Who knew on the Stumpies? You can really appreciate the length of their bodies in that video, tiny little legs marching along…what elastic spines they have (can’t keep the yoga in me down). I love seeing Spring’s evidence in your half of the world! Thank you for the feature; I caught a little hint in the opening paragraph… 😉 I should have another linkup a little later today!
Another great post. Thank you for Lunarcy.
So interesting to see what’s going on in your part of the world! Thanks for sharing my Arrow Point Path quilt, too!
Wonderful fun as always visiting with you. Congratulations on the beginning of the BOW (block of the week) of BOBW (block of the bi-week) OR BOWIFLI (block of when I feel like it). Here’s hoping for a successful run of the pattern. I am so grateful for the boost on your blog – many thanks. Now to download Lunarcy for that friend that will need one or more of these!
My friend who lives here in the same small town grew up in Port Augusta, and also lived in Quorn. The outback scenery can be stark, but you captured the flowers, was that a Grevillia with the delicate tendrils? So glad the Lunarcy has arrived, the whole grand finish is stunning.
WOW, So much great information! First, Lunacy Quilt – I’ve been watching you create these patterns from your first Lunar year when I though I was going to have to figure out these patterns myself. I had downloaded a pic of each one, thank God I never did did try. Thank you for the quilt pattern Part 1, I look forward to # 2.
2nd – Our continuing education on Australian flora + fauna. We have many creatures here in the US, even then each part of the states is different but nothing like Australia. Thank you for giving us pics+details. I wish my grandchildren were close, I’d they would get a great education.
I’ve been following for years and loved each blog including Tuesday color. Keep up the creative juices, many people count on you from all over the world. Knowing that people world wide know one through a blog is amazing to me, as one who grew up for years with a black+white TV, because that’s all there was.
That’s a good idea, just move your hopes and dreams to 2021. Loved your photos, the flowers are so vibrant. I was thinking about you over the weekend and looked yesterday to see if I missed a post, so glad you shared today. I have a finish I can share. Thank you.
“According to a Klingon….” Love it! Thank you for the Lunacy Quilt download! Your posts are always great to read through, even more so as I know the areas you are talking about
Wow, what a fun post. Those skinks are huge!! We have skinks at our place, but they are the tiny blue tailed variety. Love your flower photos. Thank you for hosting the linkup.
You certainly have quite the variety of wildlife! My son once told me that Australia has the highest number of poisonous animals of any country. Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s just an interesting fact!
I always enjoy your posts and the wildlife conatained in them! Congrats for getting Lunacy started. “Truncated in time but not awesomeness” is my favorite expression for today!
Hi Dione! The short lizard video reminds me of two siblings playing! Big congrats to you on finishing your pattern in spite of the happenings and COVID. Happy Spring to you. It sure is nice to see the pretty flowers and the new birdies. ~smile~ Roseanne
This has been a real education. Who knew that the stumpies lived that long or mated for life? Enjoy your spring…we are heading into fall in the very near future.
Hey hey, it’s been a while since I dropped in…! I think I gave up on 2020 a while ago, and like your idea of just starting again next year 🙂 Glad you’re hanging in there.. and yay for getting the first block out! xx