Something a little less ordinary - Retina Photography

Sometimes when a chap is working in the IT industry and has a curiosity about people in general and some in particular, he goes off and does something about it.  Steve Hughes takes photos - affordable, excellent photos - funny, dramatic, corporate, from the air, from the ground, you name it, he has probably done it. http://www.retinaphotography.co.uk/

And sometimes that leads to something else - a site of stories with photos about peoples' weekend passions, some hidden, some much more public. http://www.retinaphotography.co.uk/passions/ 
Steve contacted me asking about quilters and I pointed him in the direction of Jane Andreoli, ex-housing officer, ex-community centre manager and a prolific quilter, quilt designer and textile artist.  And she happens to be a member of Breakaways.  A two part article is here http://www.retinaphotography.co.uk/textile-art-part-one/ and here http://www.retinaphotography.co.uk/textile-art-part-two/ - with a little about Breakaways and what goes on there.

For those who dont know us, we meet in the annexe at Denmead Community Centre, School Lane, Denmead, on Wednesday evenings 7-9.30 at a cost of around £3.00 and we welcome visitors - first visit is free.

Anyway as chance would have it, while doodling around the countryside, having missed the entrance to the Community Centre, Steve found the Fox and Hounds pub, which I just missed being a shareholder of and, being curious, in he went - http://www.retinaphotography.co.uk/community-spirit-in-the-fox-and-hounds-denmead/  - more to follow on that one, by the looks of it.

And eventually there will be an article on my friend Bren who plays with Batala Portsmouth https://www.facebook.com/batala.portsmouth  or www.batalaportsmouth.com/. Batala have just played at Bestival and one of my sons saw them and said there was a respectable festival size crowd around them.  :)  I bet Bren enjoyed herself and I am looking forward to seeing what Steve has to say about her passion!

If you know somebody with an unusual weekend passion, why not email Steve and suggest them? It will be an interesting experience - steve@retinaphotography.co.uk

Wendy's

Wendy made this quilt for her sister - a real labour of love, with those tiny flowery prints and it is huge.  Her sister was very happy with it and Wendy should be very pleased with herself for persevering :)

A miscellany

Our group quilt except that Jane is the only one who has made it so far.  This was laid out on the floor to be layered and pinned

I have a feeling this might be Kim's Music quilt which is spectacular.  Looking forward to seeing it finished.

I think this may be one of Rosemary's but someone will correct me, I'm sure

Rosemary again :)

These are quite lovely and Breakaways has not moved; Rosemary brought the 2nd quilt to my house when she visited ('scuse the mess)

Some of Jane's pictures

Sarah's made for her little boy,of course!

Squares and Pinwheels

I think this may be Ruth's baby quilt

Beautifil pinwheels but not sure whose

Rosemary's I think....

Hexagons

Now I feel that this might be Rosemary's but I am sure somebody will tell me if it isn't and I will amend accordingly.

Chris's Beautiful Japanese Folded Patchwork Quilt

Now these are pics of Chris's beautiful quilt.  Japanese folded patchwork, beautifully made and she has fiddled about and unpicked and tried out different edgings until she finally decided on the straight edge which of course entailed some more cutting and sewing.  It is absolutely beautiful and, like all her quilts, I covet it - well I think most of us do, actually.

Apologies...

..for not posting for ages.  I have been extremely busy looking after two very small people who are now, of course, somewhat bigger than they were.  As a result I havent been able to go to Breakaways for a few months and am just now easing back in, though not necessarily at unlocking time  - sorry, Chris.

I do have a small backlog of photos and some which have been sent to me which I will post when I get a chance and hope to resume on a more regular basis once I have cleared rather a large backlog of things to do.

However, groups such as Breakaways almost run themselves; they are composed of lovely, funny, creative people and of course nothing had changed when I first put my foot through the door again (except that the group may have been quieter in my absence, perhaps - as in volume lol).  I would like to thank Jane and Kim for helping out but most of all I would like to thank my friend and colleague (and the one who deals with the money)  Christine Joiner, for holding the fort so ably in my absence.  And she's still making fabulous quilts, along with all the other things she does.  Thanks, Chris xxx

Batala Portsmouth

I played with this band for several years.  We play samba reggae using equipment made in San Salvador and tunes devised by Giba Goncalves.  Batala is a worldwide phenonmenon and there are new bands springing up all the time, all over the place.  The tunes are good, you can travel if you wish, wherever there is another band and still be able to play with them.  Social life is great should you be so inclined.

Owing to various changes in my life it was with sadness that I handed over my drum, beaters, belts and costumes.  I shall miss it; the songs, the people, the rhythm, the gigs, the friendliness.  The band has seen me through the death of my uncle, the death of my father and various other miseries as well as the birth of various grandchildren and marriages of my sons.

Should you have the opportunity to hear them play - and they are always gigging somewhere, rain or shine! - it is worth making the trip.  Should you be interested in having a go, you will be made welcome.

www.batalaportsmouth.com

https://www.facebook.com/batala.portsmouth 

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=batala%20portsmouth&sm=3

this last one is a selection of videos.

keep on drumming :)

Breakaways in January

Such variable weather.  Amazingly most of us have managed to get to each meeting with the exception of those in flood areas or simply ill..  However, muggins here has usually forgotten her camera so photos are sparse this month

Rosemary has been making hexies.  It is coming along nicely :)

Linda handquilting.  

Dawn bought this kit and did the stitching - lovely colours

Ruth - you may remember she only came for half an hour and stayed.....she has been going great guns.  This is another lovely little quilt :)

Jane brought this in to show.  It was made for the Quilters Guild tombola  for the April 2014 AGM in Portsmouth and was part of a challenge issued by the South Coast Contemporary Quilt Group to make a bag in the style of an artist.  She chose Kandinsky. It is a wonderful bag and I covet it LOL.