Wednesday 19 June 2013

Letter X

Some of you may have been wondering if I could find an Australian plant starting with X? It was quite easy as Xanthorrhoea ( grass trees) are very much part of the Australian landscape -trunks blackened by fire with a skirt of grass like leaves and spear like flower spike. The most common name for these grass trees when I was growing up  was "black boys, because from a distance they looked like Aboriginal boys holding  upright spears. This name now could be considered offensive, so grass trees they are. 
 Xanthorrhoe were useful  to the Aboriginal people in the past. The flowering spike was  the perfect fishing spear. It was also soaked in water and the nectar from the flowers gave a sweet tasting drink.   In the bush the flowers were used as a compass. This is because flowers on the warmer, sunnier side of the spike (usually the north facing side) often open before the flowers on the cooler side facing away from the sun. 

My X tag is a free machine stitched tag - with a felt trunk and spike on a hand dyed fabric base. Looking forward to sitting down to look at all your X tags ... fascinating to see what your clever minds come up with! 

15 comments:

  1. I think your stitched tags are really fabulous and I love learning about Australian flora. Lovely!

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  2. Fascinating read and an absolutely wonderful tag! I am learning so much from this "x" challenge!

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  3. Very interesting to read this post. I thought it was a lovely painting until I read that it is machine stitched on textile. Even more to be admired. Love it.

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  4. Fantastic tag, and a very interesting read! Valerie

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  5. Beautifully executed tag and very interesting! X

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  6. Another fascinating read AND a gorgeously creative tag - I love the way you've used the stitching to give a grassy effect :o)x

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  7. What an amazing plant and also an amazing tag! Love the stitching. Carolyn xx

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  8. How neat-- looks like fireworks in the sky.

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  9. Beautiful stitching and an interesting read, I'm looking forward to seeing your tags all together, Jane xx

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  10. Stunning needle work... Love it!! Hugs May x x x

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  11. Amazing and with beautiful colours too! :0)

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  12. Beautiful tag with lovely stitching. Interesting information for us all, too!
    Jane x

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  13. Gorgeous! Australia has always sounded to me like a very exotic place to visit with all its unique animal and plant life. Blessings!

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  14. Quite brilliant, I love the subject you have chosen, and you did a fabulous job with the machine stitching.

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