samsy

Hand quilting with Aunt Becky's finger protector

2011-11-23T17:10:00.000+01:00

A few years ago I learned to hand quilt in a new way. Before this I had always (since the mid-nineties) used the rocking motion to quilt. Then I stumbled across a video by Jean Brown. She showed how she quilts. I had to give it a try.

The bent metal plate is kept under the quilt, protecting your finger as you push the needle back up again. (The pic above shows the back of the quilt shown in the first pic) I suppose this method is related to spoon quilting, which I have yet to try. In the beginning, learning to quilt this way I felt like a beginner again. Some hours learning again had to be invested. I find it was worth it. Being able to quilt for a considerably longer time at a time, without pain and fingers with calluses, I find amazing. Also I like my stitches, and think they show better on the back of my quilts. Another great plus is that it is not exaggerated to say that the quilting is more time efficient. I love the process of quilting, and do not care if things take a long time, but quilting this way allows me to handle more UFOs.

Jean Brown's demonstration of the technique can be found here. I appreciate that we all have our own preferred methods. This is just one happy quilter's ramblings... And I do not know Jean Brown, but I am grateful to her for showing a great way of avoiding sore fingers when I get to do what gives me much pleasure.

Gift delivered

2011-09-23T19:40:00.000+02:00

A quick shot of the back of a small quilt I made for a dear old friend. ... before ironing .... very blurred, I pushed the button just as the seven year old holding it up decided she was tired of being of help;)

... and after ironing.

If I had had the time for more quilting, I might have kept the white border. These borders are there to ease quilting in a frame. But alas, there was no time - the gift had to be finished before a sewing appointment.

Some favorite fabrics and colors in there...

Almost done - there remained frenzied last minute sewing down of the single binding. There was no time for last show off pic;)

Folded for gifting - it was very well received, and I'm very glad:)

All hand sewn - including binding
All cotton - except for wool batting
Have a beautiful week end

This summer

2011-08-23T09:24:00.001+02:00

I learned from a dear friend how to make ginger, lemon and honey tea.

we spent lovely times at beaches near and far

cherries were picked

and gese were made

It has been a good summer - despite the mourning process we all have gone through after happenings in the Oslo area on July 22nd. We were not personally affected by the tragedy, but we were nonetheless nummed by the evil nature of the events.

Now regular schedules have resumed, and we are preparing for autumn activities and winter journeying.

... which calls for some hand sewing preparations ...

Take care

Windmill quilt

2011-06-24T22:56:00.000+02:00

In March I put in the last quilting stitches on this project that has been undergoing a process for about thirteen years.

A few days ago sewing down the binding was almost done too. It is a strange feeling, ending a process. It is almost like saying farewell to a friend.

My pretentious working title for this quilt was 'Winds form the east'. My husband is Swedish, and I started making this when we had just met. It is a leftover quilt - made from fabrics after the making of this one.

I like the back too. After it was finished I threw it in the washer, and I find that the cotton batting has worked its wonders nicely.

The windmill blocks are quilted with lines half an inch apart. When I started working on the borders - oh, the initial woes of choosing patterns for borders - I decided I wanted to keep working in 'half inches' The pattern I landed on, so to speak, was one similar to the orange peel pattern. I outlined the peel shapes, and quilted free hand around them. As I progressed, the half inch increment narrowed down to a 'scant' quarter inch. In a way the quilting took over and started living its own life.

Choosing border, backing and binding fabrics I had good help from Trine Bakke at my favorite local quilt shop, Lappemakeriet.

Good help was also given by a dear friend, who helped me baste it before quilting. To my 'horror' I discovered my backing was not large enough. Looking through my friend's scrap basket we discovered backing fabrics from a quilt she then recently had finished. It was perfect for this backing, seen in the pic above to the right.

Hand pieced, hand quilted. All cotton, fabrics, batting and thread.

Measurements: 56x48 inches.

Corner block - one of my favorites. Looking at this quilt, I see my color preferences have gone through some changes over the last decade or more, but the fabrics and colors in this block I could have picked out yesterday... See you.

Sisters

2011-05-13T21:45:00.000+02:00

Two blocks - same pattern, inspired by the George coverlet at the V&A. When I drafted the pattern, I did not care too much for the center, so I made a twist of my own - a star.

While I was at it, I made another with a different mood.

Two sisters - same origin, but different. I have not yet made a smaller version of this pattern.

Finally, a week ago, our cherry trees were in bloom - now the surrounding ground is covered in white petals. Now our apple trees are in full pinkish bloom - spring is exploding before our eyes.

Inspirational book

2011-05-04T00:36:00.002+02:00

I now know what I want to be when I grow up - brodeuse!

It is a wonderful, wonderful book. Just have a (little) look.

Thank you so much for the kind words about my embroidery! I have some more learning to do to acheive anyting like the picture above...

I'll be back with a more quilt related post later.

By the way: I'd be very appreciative to know if anyone has any impressions of Dublin, Ireland. Any tips about interesting things to see or do? Tudelu!

Doodeling - learning by doing

2011-04-29T15:34:00.000+02:00

I have had some wonderful hours with hoop, linen and floss in hand. It is an immensely soothing activity, and I long to do more.

A long time ago I tried my hand at embroidery, and had forgotten its charm. Now I am hooked again:)

It might become a framed memory, but I have yet to find the right frame.

After what feels like the longest winter in a long time, we are enjoying the springing of spring.

On a different note, a little while ago David gave me an award. Thank you!

I get a bit nummed when this sort of honor is bestowed upon me, so I humbly direct you to a post written after I had been tagged some time ago - here.

I am off to fetch the kiddos. Have a lovely week end

Bunchin

2011-04-04T10:32:00.001+02:00

According to my Process Pledge I'm posting a basket I'm working on.

I was inspired by Taryn's Red and White online exhibition, and decided to make a red and white quilt. This will be the center applique block - the other blocks will be shoo flys and four patches.

The grey item looking like a bag that is holding the applique block in place (how I love long sentences) is my rendition of a 'Bunchin'. In last year's class I saw Ms. Saito using a bunchin - a weight - to hold her applique work in check while stitching. She sells them on her site, but they weigh 1,3 kilograms, so the shipping is a little expensive, I think - I mean for merely weight....(I would rather buy her books...) So I made one from cloth and 'bird sand'. Mine weighs 1,4 kg (that's how much I had left of the sand) It works like a charm.

Happy Monday!

Thinking of the Japanese today

2011-03-11T13:52:00.000+01:00

Friday bliss

2011-02-25T13:56:00.003+01:00

Oh, James Taylor, how you brighten the day...

Home with a bad cold. But nothing seems drab and dreary listening to that voice of his. Now if only the 'plugs' in my ears would go away soon so I could hear it better ;)

Reversible Zakka Pouch Tutorial

2011-02-18T13:15:00.000+01:00

Here is something I have been wanting to do for almost two years...

To save some space here, the tutorial with photographs is
over here.

The recipe is as follows:

You will need:
For outside and lining:
4 strips of fabrics for the front, each: 3'' x 12,5''
4 strips of fabrics for the lining, each: 3'' x 12,5''

The draw string closing fabrics:
2 strips , each cut to 4,5'' x app. 19''

For the 'yo yos':
2 strips of fabric, each cut 2'' x 10''
Medium thick plastic
Surgeon's tape

For the stopper:
1 piece of fabric: 2'' x 3''

Batting, thin yet sturdy polyester batting:
For the bottom:
1 square 4'' x 4''
For the 'body' of the pouch:
1 piece 6'' x 16''.

You will also need a piece of string measured to 22''.

*********

I will be making an*other or more from the tut myself, and add corrections as I go along.

Have a beautiful week end.
U

No words Wednesday - almost

2011-02-09T21:10:00.002+01:00

Memory of a colourful Monday spent with good friends.

Pockets and a huswif

2011-02-03T11:10:00.001+01:00

A few years ago I did some sewing for a Danish designer and shop owner Helene Juul. She has an affinity for the treasures of the past, and does wonderful work. She wanted to display ways to use reproduction fabrics, to entice her customers to make practical and beautiful items. I was honored to be able to help a little. She sent me lovely fabrics, and a booklet by Edyth O'Neill. Inspired by Mamifleur's recent lovelinesses, I show the samples I made then, a pocket and a huswif from Ms. O'Neill's booklet.

And the one I'm currently working on, for a friend, which is supposed to be a surprise... well well ...

Merci - amitié.

Winter sewing

2011-01-09T13:56:00.000+01:00

This is wonderful. Real winter. The kids love it. Everything is quiet and embracing. So much better than the cold cold days before this blanket came. We had some days of minus 18 degrees celsius.

And it inspires to colorful activities indoors. I am slowly working to complete the flying geese sashing rows. There are still a lot of geese and skies to be cut. These are mere a beginning.

Barbara Brackman is graciously hosting a block of the week quilt along. These are my first blocks. Being a lazy daisy and discovering the measurements for the saw tooth part of the star were the same as the geese above, I decided to use some that were already sewn. I was pretty happy with the result. When I had deciced on which cornerstones to use, I discovered there were some of Ms. Brackman's fabrics in there - the cornerstones and the red 'goose'. I look forward to the next block! Which will it be?

Dreaming of ocean waves. Only two half square triangles of a myriad. I will try to piece these without marking sewing lines - according to Jinny Beyer's method - eyeballing the seam allowance. But in what color scheme?

Also longing for the first bicycle ride this year...

See ya!

Another pair and a small bag

2010-11-14T16:15:00.000+01:00

Again the same block and two sizes. This is another block from the 'George coverlet' at the V&A in London.

I found it so exhilerating that the maker decided to make a block looking oval. It was challenging but fun to draft it. Here they are in all their unironed charm;)

Finished size about 11 inches.

And about 5 inches.

I'm experimenting a bit in making small bags. I wanted to make a rounded bottom. It did not turn out as I had wanted, but I like it all the same. The experimenting goes on...

Made just about only from scraps:) Enjoy your Sunday

Curtains

2010-10-07T17:51:00.001+02:00

My DH built a storing system for our clothes in our previous flat. I made curtains to protect our textiles from dust. When we moved the curtains were stored away. Last month I finally found them again. They had been 'gone and lost' for a long time. I found them when we were going through our stuff after our water leakage 'disaster'.

They were found at the bottom of a carton, wet and stained from a hand carved door sign we bought in Kenya in '99. There were some clear stains, but it did not smell badly. I held my breath and threw them in the washer. I had lined the curtains, telling myself then that I could make them into quilts when or if I ever got the urge sometime... Maybe I will some day.

Detail of the stains the wooden sign had made. I do not mind the patina it has gotten through the rough treatment it has undergone. It just adds to the story of the curtains, as I also cut my pinky finger badly - resulting in six surgeon's stitches - while making it. The stains kind of remind me of water marks on old letters. I like that thought!

I was inspired to make this pattern when I saw an advert for fabrics in APQ magazine. They showed a quilt made by Shar Jorgenson, and I found the pattern, I think, through The Quilter's Cache. It was challenging and fun to make.

September

2010-10-07T17:39:00.000+02:00

The last butterfly of the season

A new friend came home with us from a trip to Riga, Latvia. Everything enchanting.

The first homework done.

Loving the process.

Rose Star Trellis

2010-08-30T19:12:00.000+02:00

... a pattern found in American Patchwork and Quilting autumn 1995. I was starting out quilting, and needed to find a project I could sew by hand.

I figured out I could manage to follow this pattern and sew it by hand. This was before I found out that what 'one did' was to use a running stitch, so the blocks are done using back stitches. When the blocks were to be sewn together, I lost momentum, and the top was assembled by machine.

It is lap sized, with wool batting, but in very rare use, as I know the fabrics in the blocks will bleed terribly when washed ... The last borders to be quilted were done the summer of 2000. This was my first quilt this size. They only got bigger from here, lol.

We are hanging on to the idea of summer, but the days are getting more and more chilly. Take care.

Bill Volckening - collector of quilts

2010-08-26T11:52:00.000+02:00

Beauty Secrets from NW Documentary on Vimeo.

I keep asking myself why it is that seeing someone take a piece of cloth out of a box makes me gasp for air...
Found at Pepper Corys blog. The quilt she displays in her latest post just makes me smile!

See ya!

I love August

2010-08-20T20:58:00.000+02:00

The apples in the garden are just ripe enough for tasting good in cakes.

Exploring the surroundings and the wonders of bees.

Log cabin blocks slowly evolving. Now there is one more batch like this to make, and I will start constructing the bag we were taught to make by Yoko Saito in March. To make the fabrics we received in class last a little longer, I have added some taupes from my stash.

Many thanks for stopping by. Last month was pretty busy with kids at home, a house needing repair and general holiday making. And then August comes around, and things settle for a more calm and regular pace. I have not been able to thank everyone properly for your kind comments about the small diamond quilt... Thank you!

Found this today!

2010-08-19T15:00:00.001+02:00

Yoko Saito has been to Florence again. It looks like the ladies had a great time!
I also found the blog of the Agomago quilt shop that arranges the workshops.
Rainy and sunny here today - and some slow sewing:)

Summer idleness

2010-07-30T21:51:00.002+02:00

We are having a wonderful and slow summer. I find my creative juices tend to take a rest during the refreshing yet busy time that July is all about. June was a little different - here's one result of that:

A small quilt that first was intended as a pillowcover. It was quilted when I was pregnant with our first child - seven years ago (yikes).

I free hand quilted the borders and setting diamonds. It was a lot of fun. I decided on circles in the borders, and suddenly one circle turned out as two smaller ones. And then it sort of evolved into a Volkswagen... Or maybe it's only my eyes that can see it...

We just came home from a lovely week in the Swedish countryside. This was our kitchen window view.

Making a block

2010-06-27T13:11:00.002+02:00

Inspiration: The center Mariner's compass block from the V&A book, also featured in Kaffe's museum bookThis time I tried to copy the colours, something I rarely do. The block is so lovely as it is.

Drafting. These are the shapes I need. Then I copy them onto see through plastic, making holes at the 'intersections' with a sharp point that I have warmed the tip of, by a candle light.

I then draw a point through the holes onto the reverse of the fabric and draw a line from point to point. When the pieces are cut with a quarter inch seam allowance, I lay them out on a cloth, pin them, and they are ready to go, everywhere I go.

Done. Now it needs backing pieces. I haven't made those yet... This was not really intended as a tutorial, but it gives an idea of the process. Take care.

Such friendly flowers

2010-06-26T11:45:00.002+02:00

... don't you agree?

Another Calico Garden block. Only two left to go, and there is no more procrastination about setting and layout...

Geese

2010-06-13T18:00:00.005+02:00

I have been cutting some fabrics and sewing on my trusted Janome. I love this quiltalong that Anita is hosting. I have for a long time avoided the flying birds, because I have had the idea that sewing triangles together would be heartbreakingly difficult. Well, I find that meanwhile I have gathered some experience, and that I am able to do a fair job with the birds. The geese fabrics in the bottom block and top right are from V&A exhibition fabrics by Liberty. I took a deep breath before finally cutting them. Five done - eleven to go. Tudelu.

Rainbow

2010-06-13T17:51:00.001+02:00

A few days ago I received this delicious set of rainbow colors. The lovely Debs had a wonderful give away, and I was one of the lucky recipients of this rainbow in cloth. My head is spinning with ideas. Debs has made a beautiful quilt inspired by the rainbow quilt made by Purl of Soho. She has a company that is encouraging people to start sewing. I love the idea and concept.

These fabrics will have to be made into a winter's project - one to keep my mind focused on colors while dreaming of another spring. Thank you ever so much Debs.

Perspective

2010-05-27T20:46:00.004+02:00

When you see this block, how big in diameter does it seem to you to be?

And when you see these two together?

Being at the V&A in April was truly wonderful, and seeing the blocks in the George coverlet was mind blowing. As I have mentioned before, the blocks were so small, about four inches. Also all the different patterns this seamstress had come up with was so nice to discover. It was like encountering the aunt or grandmother of Mrs. Jane Stickle. Oh, that is a presumptious assumption, but who knows? One thing they would have had in common, though, would be their love of creating patterns.

The blocks above I made after returning from England. It was one of the rosettes of the coverlet I had not seen before. I drafted the bigger the same size as the other circles, and then gave the smaller size a go as well. Can you guess the size? I decided not to break my fingers making it, knowing there are other more intricate patterns to draft and sew up, so I landed on a five inch finish. That would make the one about five and a half. The bigger one? It is about eleven inches in diameter - finished. Using my compass and quilting rulers I draft them. It is a joy to make my own patterns - from scratch so to speak, from "circle one". I don't know how many I'll make or how to put them together - just plain loving the process.

We are having some chilly but beautiful days, for the apple blossoms to come out from hiding. Just because. Now the compass is beckoning... Oh, and a link to an Austen aficionado reviewing the exhibition.

Happiness today

2010-05-15T15:32:00.003+02:00

Finding these videos.

Inspiration to get all the projects done:) Bach and his contemporaries and patchwork in true harmony.

When the world seems smaller

2010-05-12T21:48:00.003+02:00

This week I happily could pick up a parcel at the post office. I grew up in a time – I sound a hundred years old, but it was only twenty years ago – when receiving something from America was a great event. To imagine getting something from The Far East was not something … we did – really. Times change. This book was in my parcel. It is so beautiful. One can only ponder on what Yoko Saito might find in her imagination to thrill us with next. … or not, for seeing these projects and dreaming of making some is bliss …

The latest circle. I will soon have to “square up” these blocks. The search for background fabric has begun:) Little pumpkin had her tonsils out yesterday, and we are stuck at home for a couple of weeks. I hope to get some sewing done. See ya.

Spring

2010-04-30T22:51:00.001+02:00

Quilts 1700-2010, V&A April 2010

2010-04-27T00:22:00.003+02:00

What can one say? I’d say: Go if you can. Buy the book if you can’t. And this: I for one want to go back.

The quilts were beautifully and thoughtfully displayed. The show provoked smiles, thoughts of empathy for the makers and deep respect for the craftsmanship performed yesterday and today.
Representing the latter category: Natasha Kerr, whose installation is on the cover of the book/catalogue.

The six years of hard work Sue Prichard and her colleagues have put down have paid off. – In the highest number of preordered tickets in the history of the museum, but not least in the interest in and pride in the cultural heritage of quiltmaking that the exhibition has promoted.
It was a thrill to see the quilts from Kaffe’s museum book in person. The one above was a coverlet probably made in 1829, by Elisabeth Chapman. The top had been attached to a board with cut out squares, that were like windows to the back. It was displayed in a glass monter so one could see both the front and the paper pieces still there in the coverlet’s back. Some of the pieces had beautiful hand writing on them – fragments of letters.

And the main reason I went to London this time: The coverlet “King George III reviewing the volunteers” I was amazed to see the size of the small rosettes – I measured them with my 6 inch ruler (yes, I brought it with me) to be about 4 inches in diameter. It is a most intriguing piece of work.
Taking pictures was not allowed. Here are some links to British bloggers who were invited to a special preview before the official opening of the show:
http://cottoncocktails.blogspot.com/2010/03/v-quilts-1700-2010-preview.html#comments
http://aquiltersjournal.blogspot.com/2010/03/quilts-2010-at-victoria-albert-museum.html
http://aquiltersjournal.blogspot.com/2010/03/quilts-1700-2010-victoria-and-albert.html
http://makedoandmendquilts.blogspot.com/2010/03/quilts-1700-2010-at-victoria-and-albert.html
http://susanbriscoe.blogspot.com/2010/03/v-exhibition-thoughts-on-king-george.html
There are many more impressions whizzing through my brain. Maybe some will come forth in future postings.
For now – good night.

London

2010-04-26T19:21:00.002+02:00

Nice weather. Lovely buildings.
Window shopping at Harrods.

Wonderful food from all over the world. Here: Lebanese hummus with lamb.

Kensington.

I long to go back.

Restless

2010-04-25T17:32:00.002+02:00

I want to write about our trip to London, but my thoughts are not yet quite sorted. Yesterday my head was spinning, and I could not figure out which project to work on, if at all… And then these prepared patches fell out of my DJ book. OK. Better. A project I could manage in a day.

Done.

This morning

2010-03-31T13:03:00.002+02:00

After a few days of playing the who-finds-the-bucket-first game, life has calmed down. So much that a little quilting could be done. The internal rush to get the borders finished has begun. It feels good to be almost there.
This time two years ago these snow drops gave us joy. The snow disappeared this week – very late – and yesterday I spotted the first snow drop’s head. I will have to venture into the rainy garden today to see the progress of our little white headed friend. Maybe some friends have joined her:)

Yoko Saito

2010-03-28T19:49:00.003+02:00

A week ago I attended Yoko Saito’s class at the Norwegian Quilter’s Associaton’s annual meeting. It was a class with a master.

Despite a rather bad interpreter, we all felt she came across as a warm, generous and humorous woman. When it comes to her enormous skills and artistry: Had quilting been generally accepted as the artform it truly is, she would have been given the title professor a long time ago.
Here are some impressions of the two quilts in the exhibition area. The workmanship is astonishing, and the use of motifs shows the mind of a truly creative soul.

Baskets – she told us of her love of baskets, and that she is now studying the making of Nantucket baskets.

The “Talking houses” quilt below hung in the class room. Ms. Saito I believe has set a goal – to gently encourage a younger audience to pick up their needle and thread. The houses in this quilt were made during a period when she went to – if I remember correctly – shopping malls across Japan. She had a stand and sewed up a house on each occasion. Her view was that Japanese quilters had come to a level of artistry, that younger people might be “scared off” and think it too difficult an art form and never give it a try.
Full pictures of the three quilts are shown in May Britt’s post here.

And some are maybe a bit sceptical to hand piecing. So we were given a kit of wonderful taupe fabrics, told to cut with scissors strips and piece them together to small log cabin blocks. It was such a pleasure to sit with fellow enthusiasts and piece quietly. No buzzing sewing machines, no running back and forth to the ironing boards. Just stimulating conversation all around. And respectful and assertive tutoring from Ms. Saito and her wonderful co teacher Satomi Funamoto.
A picture of our class is shown at the end of Hanne’s lovely post.
Here are my log cabin blocks so far. I love that these humble blocks once assembled and appliqued to each other will make up a beautiful bag.

Slowly I am adapting to Ms. Saito’s sewing technique. She is sewing with such incredible speed.
The technique is demonstraded here by one of her students.

Another detail of one of the quilts.
Now I’m back in real life, and I have to run, because my kids are sick. Take care. More later.
Oh, one more thing: Emily was there too! She has written a wonderful report here.

“King George”, its maker and Tracy Chevalier

2010-03-18T16:22:00.002+01:00

Thanks to Jette at Parttime Perfectionist I found this beautiful, beautiful clip about Tracy Chevalier and her encounters with quilts at the V&A.

The film about Tracy Chevalier at the museum storage shows her seated beside the quilt “King George III Reviewing the Volunteers” writing notes. The quilt is featured in Kaffe Fassett’s museum book. And I’m currently making some of the circles. The only guide I have had so far, when it comes to patterns and size, is the pic above from Kaffe Fassetts museum book. To my astonishement - and amusement – when seeing the blocks in the right perspective, I discovered the blocks are so small. I tell you much smaller than I had pictured in my mind. They must be about 6 inches in circumference – and I’m making mine 11!
It is also wonderful to hear more background information about the quilt. The maker incorporated herself in some of the appliqued blocks. “So funny,” Tracy Chevalier comments. I agree!

Here’s the one in the works these days -back and forth to my job, peacefully sewing on the train.

Works in progress

2010-02-27T14:31:00.001+01:00

Here’s a doll friend of a good friend of mine. Isn’t she pretty? She is in progress. I should have snapped a shot of the back of her head, because she has embroidered curls there:)

This is what I’m currently enjoying working on. Waiting for some snow to disappear – stitch by stitch. I hear they have snow drops in Holland. –sigh-

Hand sewing again

2010-01-26T14:30:00.001+01:00

There has been some months of hand sewing hibernation. The joy of it just woke up again.

Thread, needle, leather thimble and a finger pin keeper – recipe for a good train ride.

I am reproducing some blocks shown in Kaffe Fassett’s V&A Museum Quilts book. I am dreaming of going to London to see the museum’s quilt exhibition this spring/summer.

Preparing the pieces is time consuming, more so than the actual piecing. Listening to BBC Radio 4 makes the job more pleasurable. Currently there is a series of programmes about the great-grand-niece of Ludwig Wittgenstein and her inherited box of family memories. A delight for the ear.

Cute

2010-01-24T01:02:00.002+01:00

Ilse

2010-01-13T11:41:00.001+01:00

Meet our new friend. She was hatched and patched during some lovely times at my friend’s house.

Now she sits on our kitchen shelf – cheering us up.

Pattern: Dorthe Jollman

Have to run – we are getting more firewood today!

Sunday

2010-01-11T22:42:00.001+01:00

There were places to go. Then the car broke down. The battery took a beating by the *chilly* weather. So out she went with a camera in hand.

Our neighbour’s pear tree. In a few months (I keep telling myself) the branches will be heavy from blossoms and not snow.

Something to make our life worth living these days – keeping us warm.

Another draw string bag – where I can only just fit my recent crochet work, a shawl. And mittens – lovely warm mittens, given to me by my uncle.

This, that and the other

2010-01-08T13:51:00.002+01:00

I had to have a go at Ping Penguin’s small draw string bag, after having seen the one Jennifer at Moving Hands made. Her post today also made me draw out some temlates for a hand sewing project I want to attend too hopefully soon.

Always a start. Some of the shirts finally made into sample blocks. Well, there are three works in progress on that flanell wall. As the days are getting longer and brighter, I m.u.s.t move on with the progress. And I WILL!

Yet another project – soon to be finished. A belt to keep up our sunshine’s trousers in this cold, oh so cold weather. (-17 degrees celsius) brrr
Hester: I wanted to thank you for your lovely comment the other day. The only way of doing so seems to be here. I can’t find your e-mail adress. I so enjoy you and your friends’ blog. Again: Many thanks! … I wish I knew how to read Dutch – the google translator does not seem to be good enough …

Fat bottomed pear

2009-12-12T20:58:00.001+01:00

I won’t go into how I somehow feel a little related to this pear – hmmm;)

Another one of these that I mentioned here. This one is for me, she said unshamedly;)

See you in January – I think.

Dessine-moi un mouton

2009-12-11T23:37:00.001+01:00

One of my beloved aunts needed a tea cosy, and I volunteered to make her one. And off I went, and under my arm was her sloppy and a little sad tea cosy for reference and guide.

It was my first tea cosy experience, so to speak, so the edges got a little uneven. Therefore – to best secure the warmth of the tea, the cosy needs a little punch for full coverage;) The result, shown above, reminds me of the shape drawn by the pilot in ‘The little Prince’ It was the only shape that the little prince was happy with, for inside he imagined there would be a sheep (mouton) I enjoy the thought of the ‘hat’ covering my aunt’s tea pot on her breakfast table, wonky as it may be – punched and all.

I loved stitching big with embroidery threads. Hope to do so again soon. Oh, yes for there’s my tea pot. It looks like it is in need of some warmth too!

A big thank you to everyone for stopping by and for taking the precious time to leave me lovely words. Blogging is wonderful!

Take care.

Una

A new family member

2009-10-31T20:47:00.002+01:00

Snuppa
Curious, playful, placid – loved.
I think we are about to be adopted =^__^=

Alma Svensson’ apron

2009-10-14T14:24:00.001+02:00

This small quilt represents my time as a mom of two toddlers. My children were three and one and I was at home with both of them one day. They were watching a film about Emil – one of Astrid Lindgren’s many well loved characters.

To the eye of a grown up the set and decor is a joy - the clothing, and interiors of early 20th century Sweden. And of course the log cabin quilts covering the beds. Even Lina, the maid, has a quilt.

I grabbed my bin of scraps and found a favorite blue and white stripe for borders, similar to Alma’s, Emil’s mother’s, clothing.

The whole thing was put together in those few precious moments of quiet time. A+J were happy watching their movie, and I was peacefully sewing.

I never found the time then to quilt it by hand – finding time for that seemed an impossible task… My skills in machine quilting were not very good. So it is roughly quilted by machine.

Now it is an entry in Park City Girl’s Blogger’s Quilt Festival. Go have a look at all the wonderful quilts!

… and the color inspiration

2009-10-09T11:35:00.001+02:00

A summer dress. That would make it a summer quilt – no? Or perhaps as a memory of summer…

OK. I’ll leave it at that. To go listen to some more fab radio at BBC radio 4.

My daughter’s quilt

2009-10-09T11:24:00.001+02:00

… or learning by doing.

Last month my girl and I had a blast choosing fabrics for her first bigger quilt. I was feeling half an inch of guilt for not having made something for her in a long time. Oh, well. She went through the piles of fabric in our book shelf. And pulled out some oranges, pinks and a red/white dish cloth she had to have in there. Also some blues had to be added – nice to see her pinkish taste slowly changing. I added some of my favorites in tune (or so I thought) with her choices.

Having found Diane Gaudynski’s blog some time ago, I’ve been inspired to give free motion quilting a go – again. My abilities as a machine quilter will most likely never reach anything close to her level of artistry, but I sure enjoy the free motion mojo. Diane suggests novel quilters to try their hand at bigger tops. So I had to try it. American Patchwork & Quilting magazine featured a nice blue and white quilt in their August 2006 number. I reduced the size a little. It’s about a 53 inches square.

I think Diane Gaudynski has a nice idea about starting out big(:)). I learned a lot as I went along. It was a lot of fun. I goofed up majorly (is that an adjective?) in places. I don’t care. I only hope my daughter will like it.

And she creates her masterpieces on her regular (?) sewing machine. An intriguing thought.

Sewing down the binding is soon done.

I pieced squares for the back, something that would have been impossible if it were to be hand quilted.

Please bear with me for indulging in such an amout of pics.

Just taken away by the joy of being able to show something being very close to being finished – in less than two months from start to finish. Pretty revolutionary by my standards (LOL).

Take care. xo

Shirt madness

2009-10-06T18:23:00.000+02:00

Call me mad - I'd be the first to admit to such a label. After seeing Anita's progress on her version of Kaffe's Shirt Stripe Boxes quilt I had to tag along. I went to our local thrift shop and found some beautiful men's shirts. To say the least, I went bazookas. For 20 shirts I got 20 per cent off. The gentleman in line in front of me was wondering if I was going to dress up the whole neighbourhood. I did not dare tell him my intentions with my scoop;]...

Now I have to get myself a ruler to cut them with. I am really looking forward to starting this project. It has been on my mind too long - practically ever since the book came out.

Still thinking

2009-09-15T21:29:00.000+02:00

Here's another long term project. I think I have found the sashing fabric I want to use. But I am wondering if it "kills" the blocks. I really like the fabric, but is it too much - too busy and dark?

The decisions in quilting are both exciting and a bit of a burden... and still a blessing - they inevitably make you grow! I have blogged about this WISP before... It is an adaptation of a quilt shown in the 1995 version of Austen's Sense and Sensibility.

Still thinking. It is a project I enjoy sewing by hand. ^^Smiles^^

Charm

2009-09-12T12:12:00.001+02:00

Some charm hexagons in slow progress.

We are heading for a family get together – we spend a day at my uncle and aunt’s twice a year working in their garden. Lovely. Now some children need to be helped out of their bath… Take care.

September mornings

2009-09-11T10:29:00.001+02:00

Trying out a new way of blogging. I think I like it.

August in retrospect

2009-09-09T22:06:00.000+02:00

We had some small carrots in the garden. Sown by father and daughter in early spring. Delicious but few... Much like the days of this summer... This week though is a reminder - an Indian Summer indeed. And a child's quilt is in the making. Can't wait to start quilting it on my small machine. Learning by doing, as they say. Cheerio.

Flea market fancy

2009-09-05T23:35:00.004+02:00

We had a nice outing to a local school's flea market today.

The rooms were a little dreary, but there were some - at least to me - treasures. Some stoneware and glass from Finland, France and Norway.

And a lovely hand embroidered tabletopper and some damask napkins and tablecloth.

Bowls made in China. They seemed a little old, to my untrained eye.
The lady (I'm guessing) who owned these now rare Norwegian glass container had obviously been busy making jam...

One of this year's last summery days...

Crazy

2009-09-04T00:28:00.003+02:00

... for making these pouches. - Sewing them, quilting them, cutting them to size, then assembling (putting in a zipper - yoohoo I'm over the fear!), and giving (this one) away to a dear one. All from my box of scraps (ok, not the zipper, but the wool batting(!)). Utterly satisfying. Cheers.

Almost done

2009-08-30T06:59:00.003+02:00

Now I don't know if I should chop off the *excess* triangles or fill in with half hexagons... What to do with the sides I really do not know. The hexagon stars are made pretty randomly from left oves from another project. Symptomatically this seems to get finished before the *original* top. It feels good to have put (almost) all patches to use:)

Here's some lovely music. A Norwegian jazz singer, Solveig Slettahjell, on one of Friday night's must sees up here.

Today we are taking care of sore throats. TC

Oh - I just did

2009-07-31T20:53:00.003+02:00

Starting to cut some triangles, that is. And sewing them together. I just had to:)!

And I started this little project as well. I can feel August coming along soon - the most craft intensive month in this household...

If no one stops me...

2009-07-31T20:52:00.004+02:00

... this is what I'll be starting in a little while

From the October issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine

And this: Better Homes and Gardens - Grandma's Best Full-Size Quilt Blocks

In progress

2009-07-29T15:46:00.003+02:00

To the Virgins, to make much of Time
by Robert Herrick

GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying :
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer ;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may go marry :
For having lost but once your prime
You may for ever tarry.

Summer

2009-07-22T15:30:00.003+02:00

At the beach

In the mountains

At home

Stars

2009-06-25T21:12:00.003+02:00

Here is a quilt I managed to finish in 2000. The pattern is an adaptation from one of Marsha McCloskey's. It is machine pieced - except for one block, that I pieced by hand. Can you guess which one? I thoroughly enjoyed hand quilting it. The quilt is in almost daily use - when it is a little bit colder than these days - we have temperatures in their 30's (celsius) I don't know the exact size (I am too lazy tonight to measure it...) but it covers a 200x180 cm bed - well almost...

Let's see if I can get blogger to cooperate and show some detail shots. Tudelu.

Åsa Wettre

2009-05-24T00:36:00.005+02:00

Nordic Quilters had a meeting in Gothenburg this week end. I took the opportunity to visit relatives in said city - and to experience a little of quilting life as well.

When I read that Åsa Wettre would be showing some of her collection of vintage quilts, I had to go and see her exhibition. She is a renowned quilt historian and the founder of the Gothenburg quilt guild - Lapphexorna (since 1987). Twenty years ago she gathered old Swedish quilts from the collections of museums, her friends and acquaintances - many enough for an exhibition. It was supposed to be a single event, but has been on the road almost continually since then. Last time it was shown was in the Tokyo Dome in January 2008 (Do you remember, Lea...) I have seen it twice, in Mölndal (Sweden) and at Blaafarveverket (Norway).

Today I had the honor of saying hello as I bought her book. She was truly a sweet lady! And she told us (I think she talked to practically everyone stopping by!) that she is writing a new book about more old Swedish quilts. I can't wait for it to be published!

Here are my impressions:

I also had time for a lovely walk in Trädgårdsföreningen - a botanical garden right in the middle of town. A beautiful oasis. On the train back home I was able to sew a little.

Nine patch quilt top

2009-04-30T12:51:00.005+02:00

Having the day off, I took some pics of my nine patch quilt top. ...With a black bird's song in my ears.

It was inspired by a quilt shown in one of Roberta Horton's books. Of course I could not resist using a lot of colour, so much unlike the original which was made in muted, beautiful colours.
It was made by a group of ladies.

Oh, well. I tried to find the book, to show the original, but I could't find it.

I started making it in 1998, and I remember sewing one of the blocks while newly engaged to my husband in early January 1999.
Without borders it measures about 80x115 inches (205x240 cm).
Pieced by hand.

A lot of borders to be attatched...

Thank you Lea and Taryn for your kind comments! Take care.

Note to self

2009-04-21T14:01:00.003+02:00

Ignore your fear of messing up, and get it DONE already!
I need a kick where it hurts the most - to at least start finishing this top. It has been laying in the cupboards for almost to ten years. It has been sewn by hand, and I fear sewing on the borders. From experience I know it will be a challenge to make the border and top fit, in order to lay flat. There - this helped. I am a little more determined now, thank you!
A spring gathering of small flowers from our garden. That sounded a little posh, but we are so much enjoying being able to spend time outdoors again!

Zakka fun

2009-04-20T09:42:00.004+02:00

These last few weeks I have been in a sewing frenzy daze. Sewing small pouches is so satisfying as they are FINISHED in reasonable time - unlike my other quilting projects which feel take FOREVER. So these pouches are a result of a very inspiring evening (which turned into night/early morning) at a dear friend's house a few weeks ago. Thank you I-L! Among other things I learned how to sew in zippers and to make stoppers/embelishment for drawstring pouches.
The small pincushion is made from Trine Bakke's book.
I appliqued a thimble to this small pouch, so that I know where I keep my quilting thimble and Aunt Becky quilting tool. The pouch pattern is included in Lise Bergene's book.This is reversible and constructed of four strips of 3" cut fabrics. My friend's Japanese co-worker came back from Japan with a pouch similar to this. Her friend had made it for her. I-L had to figure out how to make one. She did and showed me how. I am thinking of putting up a tutorial here a little later. (When my sewing machine is back from holiday at the service man's) I had to make one of these. I loved making it!
... so much I had to make a bigger one, with draw string closing. It turned out to be a present for a good friend, who really deserved the gift. We always have such fun times together. A small zakka bag for a good friend... I am looking forward to making another when my machine returns.

Spring sewing

2009-04-15T23:52:00.004+02:00

An applique block part of a sampler I have been working on for some time. Only a few blocks left.
Leftovers - I love leftovers. This top will be made solely from scraps - except for the sashing blocks. When the main blocks are ready I will have to cut more paralellograms to finish the top. The picture to the right is a photo of an old quilt I found online some years ago. It has been in my folder for quilts I (some day) want to reproduce. The paralellograms are fascinating. They can form both stars and diamonds. Such phenomenons trhill me!

Cordless

2009-03-29T23:09:00.005+02:00

I usually do not feel bad when this blog has been neglected for a while. I write when I feel I have something to say - and when the light is good for documenting and showing something. But when a small black cord has gone missing I am not granted the right to blog. That is how it feels. I cannot post images still in my - ehem our - camera. So here goes. I will try to find something in the folders in the machine and see what today's post will be about. Just give me a second...

Oh, yeah! This is my "Everybody's doing it"-post. In May last year I started what will be a long journey. I bought my copy Brenda Papadakis' book about Jane A. Stickle's quilt in May 2000. I did not think I would start making my own version, but after seeing the beautiful quilts out there popping up "everywhere" I started out too. I have no deadline to follow. I make blocks in random order, and when I feel the urge and for pure enjoyment. The blocks are made by hand, and I follow Jane's colorscheme. If I cannot find the exact color, I use what I have colorway wise. That way I feel I am making it my own.

The other blocks are some finished New Jersey triangles. After I had started making the blocks I was thrilled to find out they could be named thus, since New Jersey is the only state I have some real connection with. I spent some time there when I was 13 years old. The Jersey shore - yay!

My sweetie was just waiting to flip them off the flanell - and she did, I can tell you. Now where is that cord... argh...

Hobbyhorses and a crown

2009-03-05T09:16:00.002+01:00

Our kindergarten princess needed a crown for a dress up party. Her father made her one.
Most of February was spent indoors in our family. We took turns at being sick. So a little fun had to be made. I still have to find a way to secure the body of the horse to its head... From this book.
Take care.

Calico Garden

2009-03-04T20:47:00.006+01:00

I started my Calico Garden journey about nine years ago. The patterns were included in the wonderful book "Enduring Grace - Quilts From the Shelburne Museum" by Celia Y. Oliver. I just love the little quilt. I think when photocopying to enlarge the pattern sheets I made the copies a little bigger than prescribed for. I am not sure, but I think I did. It was one of my first attepts at applique work, so I suppose I made them a little easier to make by making them bigger. The quilt was made by Florence Peto. She used vintage fabrics, and so the quilt is a historian's dream for studying fabrics. Her idea was that by incorporating precious fabrics she would preserve them. Here's how she described the quilt in a letter to the Shelburne museum in 1951:
"It has always been my desire to preserve fascinating old fabrics. One time I bought up whole cartons of scraps - none of (which) were over two inches square! But they were charming, ... obviously handsome examples of early hand-blocking and early copperplates as well as English and French calicoes. Calico Garden was (made) to use up the tiny pieces. (All the little designs are original with me.) I made the little quilt first and later, from the rest of the fabrics, a large quilt. ... I called it a 'Mother and Daughter set' All the materials are old except the white broadcloth background and the small flowered yellow backing."

I can just dream of finding "cartons of scraps"...
I had not read the exerpt above too thoroughly. I had no idea there existed a bigger quilt. But just yesterday I found an image of the mother quilt here:

Here is also some online information:

And here are some lovely versions:

I think I will be using the greyish Jo Morton fabric as sashing, and just some simple square in a square corner blocks. Just thinking out loud...

Beginnings

2009-02-27T13:19:00.003+01:00

One day in 1995 my mom showed me how to cut fabric squares with a rotary cutter. This was the result. It is my first quilt.
Some may call it a potholder, but it is quilted, and one normally does not frame a potholder, does one? Even though I was uncertain about whether I liked the colors and placement, I DID frame it;) Today it is a reminder of how strongly I felt that this was something I wanted to do more. That I needed fabrics of my own, was also obvious.
I bought some fabrics, and not very much later I put them to good use in this pillow. As you can see it now needs restoration. It is my first - and only - pillow. I was so baffled by the fact that the stripes in the mitered corners made such a nice pattern, that I never thought I would be able to do it again. Silly - I could just have dropped the mitered corners the next time around. I think I will...

Thank you for your sweet comments about the flower applique and my daughter's embroidery - and for stopping by! Always.
Una

Be still my beating heart

2009-02-24T23:52:00.003+01:00

Some moments in life... My little sunshine just lit up when she discovered she could draw on fabric: A rainbow... The joy!

Just thinking

2009-02-24T23:45:00.004+01:00

Drafting - signs of spring

2009-02-12T19:03:00.003+01:00

Drafting round blocks from the V&A Museum book by Kaffe Fassett. And a true sign of spring in these parts: The February issue of CL.

Work in progress

A world in white

2009-02-10T15:58:00.003+01:00

Can anyone longing for snow please come and pick up a bucket or two full of the white stuff. It will only cost a chat with a hostess with a running nose and a hot cup of tea. Anyone (question mark - this keyboard is falling apart) ... Yearning for spring to show up under all the whiteness - which is beautiful, but oh so cold.
On a different note - another project I want to work more on. It has been laying about for a long time. The blocks can be sewn togehter at any time, and then it will be finished. But I want to make more. Quilt as you go. What made me pick it up again, was the lovely images from the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival, posted by bemused, moving hands and moonstitches. Just so inspiring! One day, Tokyo, January, me.

Pom mamma!

2009-01-06T19:13:00.004+01:00

We have had quiet days - and are now slowly getting back to earlier mornings. Bringing the children and ourselves back to our "institutions". Some late night sewing has resulted in two small wallhangings - some small surprises can be, and have been, hung from the balloon's basket. Oh - that is one thing that has to come back to normal as well - our blood sugar levels!

And a slight change of plans. My friend's baby decided to play us all a trick. So girly it is!! These booties and colour coordinated bib (!) have to be delivered to their rightful owner soon.

Amelita

2008-12-06T01:46:00.006+01:00

This is Amelita. She has made all the molas I bought in Portobelo, Panama in Jaunary last year(2007). She sold her wonderful work at a small marketplace there - along with other Kuna artisans.

We asked if we could have a photo taken, and she immediately picked Amanda up for a photo-op. We had been there once before to admire and buy some molas. I do not know why we ended up at her table, but it probably was Amelita's obvious pride in her work and her meticulous and beautiful workmanship. So now it was the second time we were there, and the second time I purchased from her stall. The lady in the stall next to hers apparently (we don't speak much Kuna) chaffed her a little enviously, and turning to me, pointed to herself and said: Mañana! Well, it was one of our last days on the Caribbean coast, and our last visit to Portobelo. But I wish to go back.

Among the Kuna, the women are the ones wearing traditional clothing, at least outside the comarca. If you care to look a little closer, you will notice the broad centerpiece of Amelita's blouse. I have later read that the women cut off the center part of blouses to replace them with their molas. The first day we were there, Amelita wore another 'centerpiece', that was made in two layers, one black, and one pink. I will have to refer to the pattern as a sort of maze or labyrinth. It was just striking. I will never forget it, and my dream is to learn how to reproduce it - one day from that memory.

Later, when we spent some days in Panama City, we actually saw more from the Kuna people than on the Caribbeean coast, which is closer to their 'homeland'. Their craft is also their livelihood, and tourists provide them with a market, and since Panama City is where most tourists are in transit, the Kuna go there to make their living. So on the street corners and benches of the old town in PC they sat and sold their goods that were on display next to them while sewing on their next project.

Here are more of the molas I brought back home, from a warm and colourful equatorial land to a cold and grey January in Scandinavia. As you probably can reckon, the Norwegian December light does not make the colours come alive as strongly as the Panamanian sun would. Hence the rather bleak rendition of the said colours.
Thank you Jan, for encouraging me to show these molas! They bring back memories of a true artist - Amelita.

A baby present

2008-11-23T23:57:00.003+01:00

... for a baby soon to be born. A good neighbour and friend is having her third child. She suspects it is yet another boy - she has two precious ones already. So a present had to be made. The picture is cheating a little, since she already has similar shoes that I made two years ago. I just love making these bitty booties, and I thought the picture would not be complete without some in it. Tee hee. The small ball is made from this pattern.

Now let's hope she is right, or I will have to make some versions a little more girly ;)

The art of the Kuna, Panama

2008-11-22T13:57:00.003+01:00

Two years ago our small family - two adults and two toddlers, then one and three - left the dark and cold season here, for the light and warmth of Panama.

At the time we left I had a vague idea of an indigenous people that I had heard made appliqued "pictures". When we arrived at our first overnight hotel in Panama City, the hotel dispalyed some of them, and I thought they were a treasure they showed, and that I never would be able to see them in person. I was right about how precious the Kuna art is and wrong about never being able to see them.

We spent seven weeks on the Caribbean coast - not far from where the Kuna have their own community. The women own the land, which is recognized as an autonomous territory or comarca.

The handwork of the women who make these Molas is just incredible. The work is reverse applique, combined with the smallest embroidery/quilting stitches. These pics are of two of the four I got to buy.
This with the birds is my favorite. I love the orange border.

The Molas are sold "as they are", so here is a close up of the back. They are made of three or four layers of fabric, and then the top layer is cut and appliqued to reveal the layer underneath. I have not yet attempted at trying my hand at the technique, but one day...
See ya!

Binding fabric found

2008-10-29T13:20:00.004+01:00

This small quilt was originally meant to be a cushion cover. I am not so sure anymore. We will see. I do not have a lot of the binding fabric, so I will have to mix and match a little. But it was nice to find it - in my stash, she added with badly concealed pride - so I can finish a five year old project (!)

The day before yesterday we had the urge to bake some cookies...

Pin cushion swap

2008-10-24T20:18:00.003+02:00

I joined a swap some weeks ago, and Annette from Denmark sent me this sweet pin cushion. It will be perfect for small applique pins. I like it a lot! Thank you Annette!
I sent this pear pin cushion off to Pia in Sweden. My version of Heather Bailey's pears, which I find so cute! In stead of ordering the patterns I impatiently figured out how to draw the pattern. So it is a little more plump and "fat bottomed" than Mrs. Bailey's pears. But I like the size. It's hard to miss with the needles while speedily sewing long seams :D I will have to make myself one as well...

This week

2008-10-11T19:41:00.004+02:00

Rainbows have been drawn, along with "heart princesses" to adorn our fridgeOur view - to the amusement of a two year old.
On commission and a collaberation: A summer crown in October.
Dear Elin: See you soon!
Vi har hatt en deilig høstdag på lekeplassen og på tur. Amanda har vært hjelpsom og gavmild mot sin lillebror i hele dag. J: tatt = takk, tot = tog. A har laget "medisin" av soyasaus og yoghurt. Hun kaller det brunsvart sjokolade(!)

Giving Karen Edvarda away!

2008-10-03T14:29:00.006+02:00

Meet Karen Edvarda! Let us have a give-away, I thought while making her. I will carefully wrap her up and ship her to you if you leave me a note before next friday. (Drawing on Saturday 11th)
We'd love to hear from you - near or far!

She has been given a name and a face since the last time. Her name is a combination of the names of two of my great-grandmothers. I have just found a genealogy site, and it is incredibly interesting to find out how far back the lines go. One is dating back to 1570.

Karen Edvarda says good bye for now :-) So do I as I head off to find out more about my ancestors.

Home again

2008-09-26T14:24:00.003+02:00

Settling down to quilt a bigger quilt is like coming home again. I cannot explain why. All I know is that that is what it feels like.

Autumn is slowly approaching - but still we have some roses in the garden. A has decided to bring the game of tossing leaves inside. And our stove is ready for giving us some warmth.

Habari gani!

2008-09-23T09:25:00.003+02:00

We have been to the land of blue seas and white sands - Kenya. My husband's parents have been residents there since the mid eighties. It was the first time our children saw their house and dogs and turtles and trees to climb. Our three weeks were much needed and our batteries are recharged anew! Here are some glimpses. Bahari ya Hindi - the Indian Ocean - just a five minutes walk away!
One of the glorious Baobab trees surrounding the house - in a sunset no less. These trees are a favorite of mine - maybe because they also are called Elephant trees, maybe of the part they play in The Little Prince, by Saint Exupery...
The children have fed giraffes and ridden a turtle, which we really could not take home for our garden. Maybe we will have to settle for planting some maize - which is also high on the wish list of a little girl.
Some flowers from the garden - meticulously gathered by that same four year old.
Happy feet - resting with powder coral sand.

Good morning!

2008-08-21T10:47:00.001+02:00

A table mat I finished some time ago without the binding. Did that this week. Could not help but had to use it, before I finished sewing the binding down. I have not done it yet. Saving it for a little later...

Snekkerne kommer og går. Det nye rommet står med pæler til andre etasje. Travelt før avreisen neste uke. Siste dag i dag med litt pusterom, kanksje til søm?

One more try: Thanks to Ma boite a tresors - a small bag

2008-08-20T20:58:00.004+02:00

I have made quite a few of these. They come together in just a few whiffs. Well they do after some careful dechifring of the Japanese explanations. I went with the 'numbers' - 40 cm here and 24 cm there - to make up a rectangle, and so on. I found the photographed pages of this Japanese book here. It went into my folder of favorite pictures, and I found it - rediscovered it as it were - a while ago. They make up lovely small gift bags. I tried my hand at smocking on my first, but it did not turn out well. But I have found it really does not need the smocking to turn out nicely.

Jason M. on a lovely August evening

2008-08-16T23:07:00.005+02:00

Just a quick note on a Saturday night. We have a quiet evening, just hanging around, reading. I found a to me new blog, Linnea Paulina, tonight. She linked to this, and I had to put it up here:

Hope it works.

Random color generator

2008-08-13T14:27:00.001+02:00

Choosing colors

2008-08-13T13:55:00.002+02:00

... is a difficult matter. I landed on the bottom two. Maybe I was wrong. I will never know.

Ragdoll

2008-08-12T20:36:00.003+02:00

Now I think I know why they started to call them ragdolls. Always in awe of the inventive and industrious women and the footprints they made for us to walk in.

Wistfully

2008-08-12T18:43:00.004+02:00

looking out the window. A summer girl not properly dressed yet. Her maker is undecided as to what creation to adorn her with. - Will we have some more summerly weather this season?
Work in progress... This time I have decided which fabrics to make six blocks from. I usually do not plan ahead, but follow my whim as I make the blocks. These will make up some bow ties. Ugly but nice... I like'm
One block ready to be sewn together. I am expecting - full of hope - some time to piece by hand in the company of our children and their grandparents.

2008-07-30T20:08:00.005+02:00

A wall hanging I made for a dear friend and her husband for their wedding eight years ago.

Amanda ville ha to smokker i kveld. Hennes far spurte henne: Du har to ører. Du har to øyne. Hvorfor har du da ikke to munner?

Det er fordi jeg kan ikke snakke med to munner.

Logisk.

July - living easily

2008-07-29T23:32:00.004+02:00

We are blessed with some incredible days and nights. One evening last week - when the rest of the house was quiet - I enjoyed blowing bubbles. My beloved came along to document the colors.

For the first time we have had some young friends staying over night. We all had a lovely time!
Lesson learned: Grown ups should know how difficult it is to fall asleep at night with one of your bestest friends next to you!

Nye lapper

2008-07-20T16:14:00.004+02:00

It was difficult taking a shot of fabrics blowing in the wind. But this is a lot of fun sewing. Just remains from other projects. I wonder who machinequilted the backdrop quilt that I bought on sale at a local shop.

Patches I long to get back to. I printed out some new hexagons, so what is hindering the process? Nothing really - just about ten other projects ... such as quilting the last bits of this border...

... which is immensely soothing! Nice pastime for a rainy week end.

Det regner. TV-dag. Alle slappe og giddalause. Store avgjørelser gjøres ang. to eller en etasje. Ser vi kanskje en lysning? Magen til A fungerer igjen etter en uke med "bæsjeleken" - unnskyld uttrykket, men vi har løpt ganske mye fram og tilbake til et visst rom i dette hus i det siste.

Summer

2008-06-25T16:36:00.005+02:00

We have warm, sunny days again, after some rain - which was good for the woods (there were some terrible fires in the most southern part of Norway) and farmacres, and strawberries. We are enjoying some days off, sewing, strawberrying (eating) and playing in the garden.

I made the quilt in order to sell it at our local market later this summer. It went together in a week. So nice to see something finished. Loved free motion quilting it.

A star for our girl helping out to tidy up!

May

2008-06-15T15:45:00.005+02:00

Late spring, early summer - in one month.

Reverse applique

2008-05-07T23:58:00.005+02:00

Just a quick run through of this wonderful technique. I am not a pro at tutorials, so bare with me.

For a block of four orangepeel segments I cut out four lights and four darks. I then draw my shape on freezer paper, and cut out that shape on the drawn line. The drawn line you can see here, is my basting line.
I then iron, with no steam, the freezer paper to the fabric that will be the *frame* to the shape.
What I have is three layers. Two fabrcs one freezer paper.

I then baste about a quarter inch away from the cut out line.
THEN I cut into the fabric a scant quarter inch inside the freezer paper edge.
Before I start sewing, I cut into the seamallowance, very close to the edge of the freezer paper, all the way around. Then I fingerpress the seamallowance, sort of tucking it under to make a crease. That way when I needleturn the edge, the fabric remembers where to fold nicely.
Please keep in mind that I am left handed.
Hope this makes sense. Please let me know if it does not. Beddy bye boo.

Orange peel

2008-05-05T09:38:00.005+02:00

A new discovery - at least for me: Reversed applique. It is a method that makes accurate and precise piecing. Needless to say a new favorite. I am making orange peel blocks as part of a sampler along with the "Jack in The Pulpit"-blocks in the previous post. Now some breakfast and some triangle cutting. Yes. Maybe the door to the garden can stay open for some time today, as fine weather has decided to pay us a visit. Finally some warmth to thaw our cold souls. Later.

Rearranging blocks - veldig fint!

2008-04-19T11:14:00.005+02:00

Very nice! she said content when she had finished rearranging last week's sewing.

Quirky, me? Never!

2008-04-12T09:43:00.004+02:00

Oh, no she thought - I'm IT. Well, the tag is on me. The lovely Lily wants me to disclose my inner secrets ;-D So here I am trying to squeeze my brain for details. Oh well - here goes.

1. I am nothing without milk in my tea in the morning. A morning without milk is a sad morning in our household.
2. Being left handed I find it nice that it seems that Joakim is left handed too. He draws with his left hand. It does not matter which hand he uses, I know, but that some genes are being passed on, I find amazing. Hope he does not inherit the temper of his mama, though. I also love that Amanda has industrious/inventive sides. Amusing is also when we find that they share the same humour as us.
3. I read several books at a time. My quilts go through the same process. UFO's everywhere.
4. I have a tendency to think I look like the person I am talking to. I do not know why.
5. I hate when (I think) people are looking over my shoulder to see what I am reading on the train, yet I am soo curious about what other people are reading. How stupid is that?
6. I do not like to read reviews or resumés of films in advance, I like to be open minded. I feel I get more out of the film that way. I hate to know too much beforehand, so that I can make up my own mind about whether I like it or not.

The rules for this round of tagging is:
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

I am truly sorry about being a bad sport, but my sportsmanship ends at rule number 3. Anyone reading, inclined to reveal their true selves, feel free to feel tagged! Now catch me if you can! While the kiddos are watching "Babe", I am running off to fondle some new additions to my fabric collection. We love Z and S, don't we?

Oh, my daughter beat me to the race :) See ya!