Hand sewing and a long to do list

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending some time with Laila and her mother.

This cute mug and the lovely embroidery floss I got as a gift from Laila.
Kose is a Norwegian noun for having a nice, “cuddly”, enjoyable, relaxing time. Kopp = cup, mug.

Laila and her mother came with me to my local guild meeting, where Kristin Eikli gave a very inspiring lecture on Crazy Quilts, with a lot of photos.

I have tried Crazy quilting before and I did enjoy it, and after the lecture I think I will read up on the subject and maybe do some more :-)
You know me – I am an info junkie when it comes to traditional quilting!

If you want to see what we did in our Crazy Quilt Round Robin before, take a look here.
If you want to see more from that Round Robin, type crazy quilt in the search engine on my blog.

Kristin recommended this book:

I have already found it online, but I have not ordered it …….. yet !?

Have I mentioned LOVE quilt books on traditional and historic quilts and methods ?? ;-)

I forgot to bring my camera last night, but my head is full with inspiration and lovely pictures.

A test drive of the mug along with my hand sewing today :-)

I have a long to do list today, but I think a big dose – like in 1 hour – of hand sewing will be a perfect way to start :-)

Then my goal is to cross at least 4 things off my to do list today – none very sewing related.
A lot of paper work involved.

Hanne

Just testing my new phone

New phone needs some testing - and Yes ! - it takes good photos and sends photos well to blog!

I am a happy camper indeed !

I am still waiting for the software for my laptop to arrive.

Am I impatient ?? Ohhhh Yessss ;-)

Hanne

The best laid plans of men and mice

       

Originally my plan was to not start anything new before the end of the month, but then Australian Homespun magazine arrived….

This stitchery by Lynette Anderson is so cute and May Britt and I will meet Lynette on Monday 2nd November!
Check Kathrines Quilte Stue for details if you want to be there too.
Lynette is teaching a class and giving a trunk show.
I am so excited and full of anticipation :-)

From foggy and wet weather we now have got some crisp and clear sunshine days. Crisp and clear autumn days often bring frost. Frosted lavender looks good :-)

Oh, I wish I could curl up like the beloved furball and have a looong nap – it would be lovely, but I better get back to my long to do list.

The laptop is still dead – now with a new hard disk but with the wrong restore software. I am waiting for new software to arrive by mail. Maybe today ?? I am crossing my fingers!!

Nothing is working well on this old computer – it is slow and the programs shuts down all the time. The only thing that works fairly well is Live Writer, so I can blog, and I guess that is one thing I should be grateful for :-)
The old computer will be a good fix-it-if-you-can project for DH this winter – reformatting and rebuilding it – but not before I have got my laptop back in working order!

Hanne

Breeding cows

You know I am a city girl, right ?
Breeding cows are not one of my natural qualities ;-)

During summer I promised a wine cow to my DBIL (dear brother in law) for his birthday. I know you have a saying in America about waiting until the cows come home, and that is a fairly long time, isn’t it ?
DBIL has now waited patiently since the end of July, and it was time to call the cows  home :-)

Yesterday it snowed and even the most stubborn cow would not like it outdoors anymore. The days are dull and the there is not that much daylight on a rainy day either. It is burning candles through the day light, if you know what I mean.

Well – since DH and I are invited for a birthday upcoming Saturday I aimed for 2 cows, and got at it yesterday.
I can not help myself from making a few improvements as I go – that takes time, and when I used spray glue instead of spray starch that also took some time to redo ;-)

You can now see how the udders covers the wine bag tap :-)

One cow with inserted wine bag, one cow without. The sign says Health in every drop!

 
Even the cat is bored in this weather. Here she found her favourite button again. To bad it is sewn on to my sewing bag. The sewing bag is quite wet after the cat treatment.

I think she is thinking naughty thoughts, like what to catch next. Me or the pins ? The pins are no success…. ;-)

My desk is messy, so I better do some tidy up before moving on here in the sewing corner.

Hanne

Doing things backwards

I have always learned to do the quilting first and then the binding, but I want to quilt 1/4” from the binding, so I better get the binding on first then, right ?

I like to be a rebel and do things my own way, as usual :-))

Hanne

A challenge / competition object coming home again

This summer I sort of ran into a challenge / competition hosted by Fabrikkutsalget Brumunddal.

The theme was Sun in the heart – Sol i hjertet – a phrase from a Norwegian song.
We all got a piece of yellow fabric, a spool of yellow thread and a yellow ribbon. The fabric had to be used.

My entry returned home today, with a very nice little note attached to a piece of yellow fabric + 2 small heart soaps with a very nice smell.
Like winning a prize even if my little quilt did not win one of the big prizes :-)

Hanne

Cindy made this kitty for me !!

Can you imagine how surprised I was when I got a packet from my friend Cindy and found this cute kitty needle keeper ?

May Britt got one for her birthday and I admired it very much.
Cindy made this one for me and I am speechless and very very touched!

I’ll take ever so good care of her, Cindy, and I have already promised her and Miss Hitty a trip across the big pond in the spring :-)
I think she will be proud to carry my Dear Jane scissors.

Thank you ever so much Cindy!!

Hanne

A to do list has great charm

A to do list makes me focus, even if my list is a tad to long.
First I finished 2 Butterfly garden units and 2 hexagon flowers.

 
Focus row # 5 is done – and so are all the background flowers – 15 focus flowers to go!

 
As you see, binding under work on the Basket Quilt. I am having a head cold, so it was nice to sit with a quilt on my lap.

The 3rd Angel Swap gift is done!
I Will Not join any more swaps!!!
As much as I enjoy making gifts I do not enjoy deadlines, and deadlines have a tendency of ganging up on me.
I have asked friends to keep me keeping my promise, and I will do the same for someone else too!

I hope my Angel Swap receiver will enjoy her gifts when they arrive.
I was just two steps away from keeping what I made – I liked the 3 things very much :-))

On my way to the post office – 2 packets going for long travels. As we speak they have already travelled far.

The Basket Quilt is done now – binding and all :-)
The quilt is my own design and I am teaching it very soon.

24 years and 4 days – who would have thought that 24  years and 4 days ago?
I got these roses 4 days ago from my best friend and husband. Can you see how they form a heart (by accident) ?
I just noticed when I was going to use the coffee table as quilt display :-)

Hanne

Small steps and high ambitions :-)

Now it is so dark in the mornings that I am enjoying my morning tea with candles every day.
Light green now, for hope and light thoughts and longing for spring – or something like that :-)

Small finishes also have great charm – today I have finished 3 hexagon flowers and a Tilda stitchery – not bad!

The high ambition list is as follows, as an end of October challenge to myself:

Through this week I need to finish 2 projects:
* Angel Swap item # 3 and mail the packet
* Basket quilt need binding asap

Through October the remaining 5 projects need to be finished and / or seriously moved forward :
* Bunny quilt – lacking hand quilting and binding
* 2,5” strips quilt top need to be finished
* Tilda redwork stitcheries will be a new and finished table runner
* Hexagon quilt lacks 17 hexagons – I want to finish them
* Butterfly Garden quilt need moving forward

Never a dull moment in the sewing corner – stay tuned for updates :-)

Hanne

More inspiration from the weekend

A model from the shop - design Bronwyn Hayes

 
Let your rubber stamps multitask as stitchery patterns too!

Yes I am a city girl enjoying a city view - I can even see the sea from my hotel window :-) As you know i am living in a flat house at home.

A beautiful customer quilt, quilted by Merete (to the right)

Merete even gets the pantograph quilting to look magnificent by her choice of pattern and thread to match and enhance the customer’s quilt and wish!

 
Animal friends to store wine bags - made by another customer, for sale.

Here are her absolutely drop dead beautiful DJ triangles, all in purple. Thanks for sharing :-)

Quilters, cats and bags - need I say more ? :-)

Beautiful, beautiful!

 
Chef and Quilt Angel (part of the management)

 
complete with tape measure and coffee pot

and a spare zipper, just in case :-))

Alternative “use” for the coat - accessories coat :-))

The room where we had quilt café yesterday was filled with lovely work and smiling highly skilled quilters :-)

Close-up of some of the lovely work - from AnnaKa’s class a few weeks back.

What a cool mug - I wonder if The Goodess had to kiss many of those frogs ??

Where to keep your hand quilting hoop in lack of more hands ? :-))
A quilter should come with more hands maybe ? I am not sure it would look to good though………..

Another wonderful day is waiting at Quiltegaarden!

Hanne

So much fun at Quiltegaarden!

One of my 3 favourite quilt shops in Norway - Quiltegaarden in Trondheim.
A weekend away from home with quilts, quilters, laughter, delicious food, shopping - all in equal priority (maybe except for the food) what more can one wish for ??

Here are some photos from the shop - Inspiration Galore!

I bought the pattern for this red beauty in March :-)

 
And this one too ….. :-)

A quilt from Anni Downs garden book

Simplicity and beauty combined - note the intersections of the sashing!

AnnaKa’s rose quilt

and Siw’s Japanese version - just to die for !!

Lovely mice - have I bought the pattern and the thread ?? ;-)

Butterfly Garden in Japanese fabrics - beautiful!

Leanne Beasley’s design :-) I love this one as much as I did when I first saw it 2 years ago - on my want to do list!

Hmm - this one too - on my want to do list :-)

Goods are beautifully displayed in the shop!

Bronwyn  Hayes’ design

Lynette Anderson’s design

Time to go to bed - it is another busy and fun day at Quiltegaarden tomorrow :-)

Hanne