Scrapping galore !!

OK - I know I am nuts, but I am giving myself a challenge, 96 scrap blocks in total through February, counting the 18 I have done so far = 78 to go!

Sometimes it is so good to do something a little "brain dead" like these strip blocks.

96 blocks will give 4 quilts for Warming Quilts / Tepper som varmer, and will hopefully make a dent in my scraps and strips !
Even when I am to busy or tired to do something intricate, these strip blocks are easy to make - a foundation, 10" square, old sheets are lovely for the purpose - the mid strip is cut 2" - a dive in the scraps, filling the foundation square from the mid strip out, strip by strip, all kind of strips, wide and narrow, until the foundation is all covered with strips - I am then using my 9,5" square ruler to cut the block to size - Voila !

I am looking forward to see a pile of these blocks by the end of February - I wonder how 96 blocks in a pile will look :-)

Happy strips to you too!

It was my rebellion gene kicking in today!
To much deadline and “serious” work going on here lately, so instead of a could have / should have project I felt like doing something fast and fun, like sorting through my green fabrics and working with the most dated of the kind.
If you have been quilting for some years, you will probably recognize several different fabrics :-)

A torn duvet cover is used as foundation.

All in all I need 24 strip blocks to finish this quilt top and my goal is to do so by the end of February. No hurry, just some blocks every now and then, for fun!

This quilt will get sashing between the blocks, and maybe a star in the corner stones ?
When done, it will be donated to children with long term diseases.

I have challenged a friend to finish 3 donation quilts before May 1st.
If you want to join in too, feel welcome – the more donation quilts made and donated, the merrier :-)

Hanne

Warming quilts

I have finished the top I started at May Britt’s Warming quilts sew together in Elverum and it is sent to May Britt to show on the local quilt guild Show & Tell tonight.
It made but a small dent in my black stash, but when it comes to the backing I think the stash reduction will show better in the black fabric box :-)
My goal is to empty the black fabric box through 2009!

We really was a productive gang that Saturday, at the sew-together :-)

The local newspaper made an article about us, with photos!

Some of us will meet at Bente’s (to the outer right - no blog) the first weekend of May!

I have a plan for some strip reducing amongst us before that – I just have not let everyone in on the plans just yet :-)

This has so far been a month of many deadlines, some to share, some not to share (yet).
Not a quiet moment in the sewing corner, except from my morning tea moments.

Hanne

Sorting blocks

My desk looks like a bomb several bombs dropped, but instead of tidying I am sorting the small stuff so to say, like blocks, photos, unanswered mails and such.
Procrastination, procrastination ;-)

Here are more of my Dear Jane block, from top – autumn colours, stitched (shrinked to 3,5” finished) and Christmas blocks.
The autumn blocks and the Christmas blocks are swap blocks too, like my sherbet blocks in a previous post.
No, I am not a swapper at heart, I just swap with my dear friend Val in Canada after rules we have made to fit us both :-)

I think I will set my timer for 15 minutes and de-clutter desk! Or maybe just 10 minutes…….

Hanne

Oh sweet temptation :-)

What can I say ?
I can resist anything but temptations ?!?! :-)

One look touch at Lappemakeriets new BOM and I was sold!

Yesterday the first packet arrived in my mailbox and late last night, before bed, I just Had to open one of the little packets and prep one block.
The ladies at Lappemakeriet do such a wonderful job presenting their BOMs and the kits – I absolutely Love It!
I am sure you know how it it – one thing leads to another, and before I knew it I just Had to start.

First I prepped with English Paper Piecing, which still is the most common way to do Grandmother’s Flower Garden around here, but the dark fabric is thick – Japanese homespun – so I decided to try to piece the American way instead.

Sewing on the line is more compatible with my stiff hands than folding, basting and then sewing.
I used the cardboard hexagons as drawing templates instead – easy as pie once you get the hang of it!
With the help of a white Clover gel pen the drawing was fast and easy, and with one eye on the sewing and one eye watching late night TV the flower was done before I knew it.
I just had to do one petal, and then just one more and so on :-)

I must admit I still have the 2008 BOM from Lappemakeriet neatly in piles, but now that I really have cracked the code of American piecing I know I will start this one soon too.

I (think)I have room for another start as soon as I have finished a couple other projects :-)

Hanne

My next 2 projects in the making

I like to pick only a few projects to work on at a time, preferably one for machine work and one for hand work.

These sherbet coloured Dear Jane blocks was a swap I had going with my very dear friend Val.
Over the years we have swapped blocks by making 2 and send 1, so we both had a fairly good mix of blocks.
The sherbet blocks did not do it for either of us in the long run, so we changed to swapping Christmas block instead.

The blocks have since then lived in my Dear Jane block box - must be 4-5 years by now - I think.....

The layout you see here is my new and fresh spring / summer / all year tote!
The sashing and lining fabrics are in the washer as we speak.
With the blocks laid out like this I like them very very much, and with the sashing fabric it will be a heart melter indeed - and not at all invisible in a crowd :-)



No wonder stitchery did not hit a string with me when it was sort of re-introduced a few years back.

This redwork embroidery is 15+ years old and done with stem stitches.
I do not and did not like the way stem stitches do not follow a steep curve, so this was tucked in the bottom of my embroidery project zip lock bag.

Redwork is also part of Norwegian embroidery traditions, but in my mind traditions are changing to fit the age we are living in, as are we, so I am frog stitching this one - rip rip - and will do it as I do stitchery these days, with back stitches and and stabilizing behind the fabric.

I am looking forward to finish this 14" square and frame it with fabric.

What I will make ?
Maybe a table topper ?

Finish # 2

Yes ! It is DONE, and looking Good !

I replaced the oval box kit with a square one, which I am familiar with from before, and which includes little to no gluing, but a lot of hand sewing.
I don't like gluing fabric much - I am a bit messy around glue I guess ;-)

The box is 6" by 6" by 2,25" and it is a versatile size for storing small Christmas stuff like gift labels and beautiful silk ribbons, or maybe a small Christmas stitchery in the making through the red days of Christmas. Time will tell.

Right now it is my eye candy :-)

Now I am very happy with the 15 years of procrastination on this one - hehehe.

Tuesday progress

Now the chicken stitchery is done, and it has been washed, and it drying as we speak, as is the framing fabric.

This morning the power went out, so I was stitching in candle light, with a head light on.
I guess you can call me hooked when I was stitching with a head light on, as it does not exactly enhance my looks ;-)

Since I am now very close to done with the first two WISPs (work in slow progress) of the year I have picked a new of the kind, to be worked on besides my “behind the scene” projects.

This embroidery kit is positively more than 15 years old, and the embroidery has been done for at least the last 13 years, probably more.

I could not wrap my head around making the fabric covered box. I tried and failed, but was not ready to just frame the embroidery.
Now I think I know how to do the box – I think I can understand the instruction sheet – or I will play it by ear. I have not opened the cardboard kit yet though.

And more

And

And more again

And more

Even more :-)

Mind games ?

More again

More :-)

Lovely ladies are working hard :-)

Anne Ida is busy

Greetings from Elverum

Hello from Elverum :-)

Tomorrow we are having a big sew-together for Tepper som varmer (Warming Quilts) for children with long term diseases.

We are having a lovely time at May Britt’s, and have enjoyed a lovely dinner with red wine on the side :-)

 

I have brought red and white and black fabrics. Maybe this is what I will make tomorrow ?

I have EQ6 on my laptop and just made this quilt on screen :-)

Hanne

 

Christmas in January

Today I received a notice from the post office a packet to big for my mailbox was waiting for me.
Little did I know that I was in for a second Christmas !

First I opened the card - it told me I could wait for Christmas 2009 if I wanted to, or I could celebrate an early Christmas :-)
I do have a fair amount of self control (sometimes) but 11 months of waiting is a long long time - hehehe.

The sender of this box full of exciting packets is Pat, Bits and Pieces.



Little did she know that I admired her cute cat wool applique the other day, and now I am the very happy owner of it -
it is like Christmas, birthday and 17th of May - Norwegian National Day - all in one.
Pat does absolutely beautiful work, as I know from before! I am so proud to own this applique. I will treasure it forever!!

I have always wanted one of those wooden signs - they are soooo cute, but I did not see any when I visited USA in the spring.

In the packets I also found the beautiful heart fabrics, white and red, a bottle of Best Press spray - I am looking forward to try it out - a very cute cat on skies and a bar of Hershey's Milk Chocolate!

Pat - I am absolutely speechless - even if I have written many words now.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart !!

A Happy Dance

My DD2 is back from Mali, Africa, safe and sound, happy and full of impressions!

Her daddy and I got this cute little wooden elephant, 2,5" tall.
The background is one of her fancy African pants.
Cool fabric, don't you think ?
She has promised I can have it when it is worn out, if it ever gets worn out....
Then I can cut out the good pieces and make her something nice :-)

Another reason for a happy dance - I am feeling so much better, after being under the weather for weeks.
1 allergy pill and I am on the mend already.
I wonder why I have not thought about it before ??

A finish

I finished Mr. Bunny on Monday evening, and now he is greeting guests on the front door wall, outdoors.

I can see from the kit that his guy has lived in my cupboard since 2004. It is good he gets some fresh air now :-)

May Britt and Kris - I have updated the finish list on my sidebar.

I found my stitchery pattern, and now the stitchery is coming along too, one thread at a time.
I really should stop putting things in smart places, don't you think ? ;-)

If you by any chance think I am just doing stitchery and small work these days, you are not right.

I am not at liberty to show you what I am working on "backstage" right now.
I am not to fond of deadlines, but sometimes they are speeding up my work too!

Monday morning rambling

The first Monday morning in January 2009.

DH is back at work, DD1 is back at school and DD2 is away from home for another week.

It is a bit strange here today - DD2 is in Mali, Africa, with a youth group from church.
They are visiting a well drilling project founded by our church.
They left at 4 am New Year's morning and will be back Monday 12th, in the evening.

Even if she is away, I got up before 6.30 am today and followed my usual morning routine of candles, coffee (or tea) and a thread of stitchery.

I am running into some halt moments on my stitchery.
I can not find my pattern, and the iron on markings are rubbing off where I am not done......
I can remember putting my pattern somewhere smart (not) last summer.
If you happen to stumble over my pattern somewhere, please let me know!!

Earlier that would be the moment a work in progress would turn into an Ufo for a long long time - not now - I want this one done, so I can hang it on the wall under the other Leanne's House redwork stitchery, this January !!

A craft project is two steps closer to finish too :-)

I used to be a true perfectionist, and seeing how these plywood parts were painted and sanded along the edge, looking ever so perfect, I gave up before I started.....
Now I used the paint I have - not the colours mentioned in the pattern, which I did not want to buy whole boxes of - I don't need them in the future, as far as I can see.
I mixed and got good enough colours :-)
I diluted the paint so they got a more see through look and will sand the parts to age them rather than to make a perfect 1/8" sanded off edge around all the parts.
I am exercising my freedom of creativity. It is not easy for a former perfectionist ;-)

I think I will cut out the rabbit's pants and shirt now - I am on a roll!

Saying for today:

I'm creative - you can't expect me to be neat too!

One Project a Month Challenge

May Britt and Kris started this challenge right now, and I have a very very very soft spot for challenges you know, so I was the first one to join :-)

This challenge absolutely spoke to my heart, as it is about all craft products in our possession, and I see hope for very aged cross stitch embroideries and kits.

Top left - my box of blocks, where left over blocks and finished stitcheries are put. I know I can make several finished products out of it, even if I by definition don't count the box content as Ufos as such.

Top right - my Ufo box - with quilting Ufos that is. Less than 10, but several big projects. On the photo it looks more stuffed than it is, as each Butterfly Garden block has its own zip lock bag.

Bottom left - my embroidery Ufos! The Santa must be 20 years old. It was to be mounted on a fabric covered box, and came as a kit.
I could not wrap my head around the instructions back then - I can now, and I will finish this one shortly!

Bottom right - my kits - mostly Tilda kits, here represented by and angel and a door decoration Easter rabbit. I have more, I have more.........

I am going away for the weekend and bringing this stitchery.
Not that I think I will get much done, but as a true quilter / stitcher I never leave home without something to keep my hands busy - just in case :-)
This stitchery is aiming for being my first January finish!

I am out of here very soon - Have a Lovely Weekend All !

Happy New Year

It is just past midnight on the second day of the new year. 2 new days in a new year lived through.

I am one of those loving a new year!
Not filling it with resolutions, but filling it with new days, like new paper and fresh crayons.

Some goals are set though, but not of the eat less, exercise more kind.

Amongst my goals are to enjoy myself and think good thoughts every day.

I wish for me and you all that
we will enjoy many sunsets and sunrises and count our daily blessings
like

* warm beverage in the morning
* good friends
* good tools
* smelling the flowers
* take pride in who we are, what we do and be good to ourselves.

Find strength to make decisions that are good for us and have our own best interest at heart, as well as being the best possible version of ourselves to those we love.
Find courage to stand up for ourselves if necessary!

Happy New Year!