Autumn Colours in Rankin Cottage

Who can believe it’s autumn? Certainly not with the weather we are having, but some of the trees around the town have started to show their autumn colours. And believe it when I say it won’t be long before the slight chill we are feeling in the mornings becomes a serious frost.

Even though we would like to hibernate during the colder months, there is still a lot to do around Bathurst. You only have to look at the Autumn Colours booklet to see that not a single week goes by that doesn’t have something on to keep us all interested.

And here at Rankin Cottage we have joined in the fun. We’ve had our first Autumn Colours event – Learn about Applique – and it was a great success. The people who came along joined in to applique a heart, or a star, or a flower, and made a mug rug (fabric mug coaster). Special mention must go to the 7 year-old boy who had a ball making his applique star mug rug.

Our next event is on 2^nd April, between 11am and 3pm, when we will be demonstrating and teaching crochet. Crochet can be used for so many things, with amigurumi being particularly popular at the moment. You can also make little coats for your coffee mugs, tea cosies, even combine the bunting fad with crochet and make your own crochet bunting! Come along and give it a try.

Then on Saturday 7^th May, again between 11am and 3pm Rankin Cottage Crafts will be demonstrating and teaching knitting, particularly baby items. Don’t those little ones look gorgeous in hand-made clothes? Knitting is also a versatile skill to learn – not just clothes, but also toys, and practical things to use around the house, like dishcloths, can all be made by knitting.

So, don’t start the winter hibernation until you have been out there experiencing Bathurst’s Autumn Colours.

Craft as Therapy

Whew! We survived our 30^th birthday celebrations, and are now back crafting as if our lives depended on it. Actually, crafting is what we do best, and whilst we enjoyed our birthday, it’s great to get back to those knitting needles, crochet hooks, embroidery flosses, and the ever-growing stashes of fabric and yarn.

If you ask a crafter what they love about crafting, chances are most of them will mention at some point that it is “like a friend, who you can sit down and spend time with” and “like therapy, where the rest of the world and all its stresses and responsibilities disappear for a while”. Pretty much, we all feel happy when we are crafting.


And here are some of the results of that time spent in “therapy".

This time of year is a great time for crafting – it is cold outside, but the place we go to do our craft is usually nice and cosy. Every now and then, you can emerge from the craft cocoon for a nice cuppa, before heading back there.


We’ve produced any number of scarves, beanies, socks, mittens and bedsocks – not all of them are pink!

We have cardigans, jumpers, and gloves, for all ages.

We have an enormous sense of pride and satisfaction from creating these things that we hope other people will enjoy, almost as much as we enjoyed creating them.

But best of all, we are getting back our sanity, from spending quality time with our “friend” and “therapy”, craft.

Happy Birthday to Us!

It has finally arrived – our 30^th birthday. We’ve been working towards this for many months so it’s wonderful for it to have finally arrived.

During June our celebration includes demonstrations each weekend of various crafts (see our calendar for details of what’s on). We have had a small group of people who have attended these demonstrations, and have had a go themselves! Don’t these ladies look like they are enjoying trying out candlewicking?









We put up a memory board with some of our history on it, and surrounded it with items showing some crafts from years past – remember decorated straw hats, fabric-covered photo albums, and smocking?

And we decorated Rankin Cottage (with a bit of help from long-suffering partners of crafters, and a mystery yarn-bomber) – it scrubs up pretty well for a building that is over 170 years old, and certainly looked cheerful.


Our Big Day, though, was Sunday 14^th June, when we had an afternoon tea after the ceremonial cutting of the birthday cake. Mayor Gary Rush said a few words, and then introduced Rose Bolam, who did us the honour of actually cutting the cake. Rose cut the ribbon to open Rankin Cottage Crafts 30 years ago, and we were very pleased she could be there for our party.

Actually, we had a number of other dignitaries attend – Councillor Monica Morse, who often pops into Rankin Cottage; Betty Ives, a Bathurst Living Legend, and patron of Rankin Cottage Crafts; Jane and Robert Rawlings from the Daffodil Cottage building extension fundraising committee, to whom we made a donation; some past members of Rankin Cottage Crafts; and many of our current members, including Marcia Cubis and Pam Parsons, who were made Life Members on the day.

After the formalities, since the weather was so nice to us, we had our afternoon tea party in the back yard of Rankin Cottage. All in all, it was a lovely day.

Happy Birthday to us!!!

History and Nostalgia

May and June are all about looking back at our history, both as part of the celebrations for Bathurst’s 200 years, and because Rankin Cottage Crafts has been in existence for 30 years – what an achievement for everyone!

We’ve taken the opportunity to get involved as much as possible, and spent an enjoyable, although very cold, couple of days demonstrating heritage crafts as part of the Colonial Fair on both the actual Proclamation Day of 7^th May, and the big affair that took place on the Saturday. Don’t we look the real deal!

Back at the Cottage, we have our usual fireplace display, but this month we are focussing on heritage items – it is amazing what old things people still have. Some customers have had to ask what various things are, but some have been a bit nostalgic, as many can remember things from their own childhoods, or from memories of their grandparents.

Life back then was simpler, but it was also harder. Can you imagine ironing with those old irons that went on the good old combustion stove? I have clear memories of my grandmother using them in her kitchen, and she even ironed the sheets with them!

Here are a few specific items people may remember – the good old party-line telephone, a cast iron meat mincer (be careful not to mince your fingers), a carriage light, a (small) saddle bag, and what good household would be without the louse powder (for the chooks, of course).

Rankin Cottage is very proud to be able to be part of the Bathurst 200 celebrations. We have our very own Living Legend in Betty Ives, who also has her own figure in the Peoplescape installation. Betty’s status will be recognised in July with a tree planted in her name as part of the Bathurst Living Legend celebrations.

In the meantime, here at Rankin Cottage we will be busy preparing for the June celebration of our 30^th birthday. We have demonstrations of various crafts each weekend during the month (see here), and a special birthday party, including afternoon tea and a cake to be cut, on 14^th June – our actual birthday. Everyone is welcome, but please contact Pam Shurmer on 6331 7572 if you will be coming along.

Bathurst 200 and Autumn Colours

Fantastic news! Our 30^th Birthday Celebration has been endorsed as an official Bathurst 200 event! Can you tell we are excited? For details of how we will be celebrating, check out our Birthday page.

But while we are busy behind the scenes getting ready for our big birthday, we are also making sure there are lots of items in Rankin Cottage.

If, like us, you have started to notice that bit of a chill in the air, you would realise that Autumn is upon us. The days might still be warm, but the mornings and evenings are telling us to get ready for the colder weather. We might need a light jacket, or ¾ length sleeved jumper, to keep us warm leading up to winter.





And don’t you love the colours of autumn? We highlight those colours in our crafts – in the tea cosies to keep that teapot warm, and in the egg cosies, to keep those breakfast eggs warm (until we eat them, of course!).

For those who like the soft light of autumn, how about some candles to flicker away on the table?

The variety of crafts here in Rankin Cottage is fantastic!

Summer Gardens

Yes, we survived the silly season, and now we turn our attention to the new year.  The Christmas decorations have been put into storage, and it’s time to get some colours other than red and white into our lives.

The Fireplace display here at Rankin Cottage Crafts has been changed to show all the lovely colours you can find in a summer garden. Spring isn’t the only time of year when the garden is lovely to be in!







Our members have stitched clothes to dress the little girls in your life, and hangings to dress the home.











If you want to spend quality time looking after your garden, we have the perfect garden gloves for you.











If you can’t quite see yourself in the garden, or don’t have any flowers to pick, why not try some flowers that don’t require any watering?

It's Time to Jingle Bells!

The countdown to Christmas has well and truly started. Christmas decorations have been in the shops for months (well, it certainly seems that way), and I’m sure some places have already started having Christmas parties.

At Rankin Cottage Crafts we wait until November before putting the Christmas display up, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t prepared for it – have a look at this!

Our members have been busy making so many seasonal items there almost isn’t enough space to put them all. 

and how about this unusual
Christmas tree wreath 

There are handmade decorations for the tree

If you are planning to make your own Christmas cakes and puddings, you will need a suitable apron. 

But if not, we already have a good selection in Rankin Cottage. 

If you aren’t a pudding person, don’t worry, we have other choices too – come in and have a browse! 

More time to craft?

Spring is really with us now, although we all know the weather can take a turn for the worse at any time. Speaking of time, Daylight Saving starts on the first weekend in October, and for me at least, that is when I really think the warmer weather is here.

Daylight Saving is one of those things that people either love or hate. Personally, I love it! It feels like I have more time. Yes, I know that’s not true, and my curtains don’t get faded from the extra hour of sunlight, but it seems to me that this time of year is much more productive. Here at Rankin Cottage Crafts, we have the proof.

Doll clothes. Porcelain painting. Buttons. Cross-stitch. Coathangers.

Not only do we have lots of lovely crafted items, we have a HUGE variety – how many different crafts can there be in one place?

Keeping with the Spring theme, we have flowers popping up in all shapes and sizes and styles.

Embroidery

Toys

Tapestry

The list goes on…and on…and on. Come and have a look.

It's a Floral Fantasy!

It’s the time of year when we all breathe a sigh of relief – winter is over for another year! We can’t quite put our warm clothes and granny rugs away, yet, but things are starting to come to life again.

Everywhere we look, we see the start of spring, and flowers are everywhere, especially here at Rankin Cottage.

We have some lovely little ribbon flowers – no water required.

Or something purely decorative to hang on the wall.

But if you feel like being productive, what could be better than cooking up a storm. Head off to the shops, stopping in at Rankin Cottage to pick up an eco-friendly shopping bag

 and an apron to keep you neat and tidy.

Is Winter Over Yet?

Is the worst of winter over yet? No way! Last year there was a snow fall in August that sent the kids (both young and old) out to play in it.

Here at Rankin Cottage, we know there is still plenty of time to get good use out of winter warmers, so our theme of the month is still all about winter.

If the children want to go out and play in the snow (or just in the bitter cold, if they can’t find any snow), they need to be rugged up. We have some jumpers for little girls and little boys.

 Or if the children are little enough that this is their first experience of winter, we have baby outfits that will increase their cuteness factor – who could resist?

And then when everyone is back inside in the warmth, how about a piece of home-made fruit cake, or home-made strawberry jam on pikelets. Yum!

How to Survive a Bathurst Winter

Winter might have been a bit late in arriving, and the jonquils might have been a bit confused about when they are supposed to bloom, but we certainly know it is winter now!

So do we embrace winter in all its glory? or just look to survive it.

Our fireplace display for July

With the colder weather here, the knitters and crocheters (is that a real word?) here at Rankin Cottage have been working hard to keep a good stock of lovely items to help us survive the season.

If you can, stay inside with a granny rug on your lap. There a quite a few to choose from in the Cottage. 

Have a warming cuppa, and keep that teapot warm with a handmade tea cosy.












If you do venture outside, you must be one of those who embrace winter. But you don't have to be cold - keep yourself warm with a woollen hat, beret, or scarf.

And what could be better than a hand-knitted jumper and vest.

Visit us here at Rankin Cottage, and let Winter know that it won't beat you! We have the heater on.