The last day in April - challenge ending

I feel like I am on a Use or Lose mission this year, throughout my house actually, but especially in my sewing corner and sewing room.
As a result of that I have been participating in a 5 before 5 / 15 before 5 challenge on the Scandinavian quilt list Quilt Skandinavia.

I enjoy challenges, and I have actually finished 15 Ufos, which also includes some of the care quilts this spring.
So, when I say I have finished 15 Ufos and 15 care quilts, they total less than 30 finishes, but more than 20. I have not kept a list, but reported to the challenge mom as I have moved along, so it is a guesstimate right now. Who cares anyway, as long as 15 care quilts can warm 15 sick children and the Ufo / Wisp ( Work In Slow Progress) pile is shrunk by 15 ?

The 15th Ufo finished:

I see that many of my Wisps are Christmas related and that has given me food for thoughts.
Conclusion: Do not start that many Christmas projects in 2011!

5 before 5 / 15 before 5 challenge finished for this year :-)

Hanne

Busy hands :-)

Bente and I decided on doing a couple of care quilts days together, Tuesday to Wednesday this week, and I spent the night at her house.

The last finished triple stripes blocks quilt top I will make in a while.

Another big size hexagon quilt top, lacking borders

Bente's quilt, front and back,  and nearly done :-)

I have cut all my orange fabrics, enough for 2 care quilts.

These quilts to be is going in my project box for another care quilt day :-)

Hanne

Easter

Easter came and went - with lovely days with friends - here they are reading up on blogs and mails, :-)

lovely marzipan treats made by DD2,

lazy moments,

coffees in the sun,

a finished care quilt,

and another finished care quilt,

good helpers making a quilt sandwich for a third care quilt,

AND a finished Ufo :-)

Hanne

A hasty happy decision :-)

After Sue's lecture on Thursday evening my head was spinning and I could not sleep :-)

I knew there were a few vacant spots in her Friday class the day after, on the sampler quilt,
and with help from Merete I got signed up Friday morning, and was out of the house in 15 minutes - that must be a record for dressing nice and packing for a class!
I remembered all but the rotary cutter, which I made without, and had a chance to borrow from Merete if I needed one :-)

Merete and Heidi :-)

We learned very nice tricks for the glue pen Sue uses, and even if English Paper Piecing has not been my thing up until now, I now am convinced to use it much more :-)
The circular rotating cutting mat is clever, as is the thin thread and the use of straw needles.

I had to try the techniques for hexagons the minute I came home, and if you are an observant reader you already know I have made a few of these hexagon flowers by now, as well as started the quilt It Takes Two. The sampler, on the other hand, is still a sleeping project or Wisp.
My head is still spinning ;-)

Hanne

Sue Daley fun

Thursday 2 weeks ago, 14. April, May Britt and Britt came to my house so we could go together to a lecture by Sue Daley, hosted by Kathrines Quilte Stue.

It was one of the first warm spring days, and we sort of had a spring party on the veranda first, with sewing, coffee and biscuits + an easy dinner of pizza outdoors :-)

Kathrine had brought temptations galore :-)

It was nice to have my picture taken with Sue :-)

Bjørg had brought her lovely Sue Daley quilt to the show and tell.

After, Sue gave a lovely lecture on her work and her way to make quilts.
All Sue's quilts are English Paper Piecing.

Here are a good selection of Sue's work, big and small.

It was a great inspiration to listen to Sue, and I absolutely love the fact that Sue makes all her models herself!
Several template kits came home with me :-)

It was a great day!

Hanne

Where to start ?

I know I am behind on my blogging and it is getting worse day by day, so please bear with me. Give me a couple of days and I will be up to speed again :-)

I am going through my camera cards and trying to catch up in chronological order.

You remember  we are having an on-going challenge, May Britt, Bente and I ?
We have a challenge for every time the 3 of us meet.
You might think we are living close to each other, but we are not, so the 3 of us do not meet in person all at once very often.

The last challenge was given by Bente, and it reads:
Some say the bigger the better. I say mini.

The Show & Tell was in Tromsø, in my hotel room, in March.
Bente made the lovely bell pull, May Britt the mini quilt and I the cell phone pouch with stitchery and plug hole for the ear phones :-)

The next challenge is given by May Britt and is due in summer.

Heartfelt Friendship is the challenge. I still have my thinking cap on :-)
I also have to make the next challenge.

Hanne

Easter fun :-)

True to tradition May Britt and I are having an Easter get together :-)

We usually eat Sunshine buns - buns with custard - but May Britt has tried out this brownies cake, with brownies, chocolate mousse and whipped cream. Yummy :-)

Rusken enjoyed sitting outdoors with us, and he enjoyed the view of the world from the veranda.

Bjørg came to spend time with us.

We are all doing English paper piecing these days, after having attended Sue Daley's lecture last week.

My birthday is coming up soon and I have already got some beautiful gifts.
This wool pin cushion is so beautiful and I LOVE it :-)

This pattern and the beautiful fabrics I got from May Britt, and I untied the fabrics right away, to use them in the project below.

The new project is It takes two, by Sue Daley :-)

A wonderful day were had by all!

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is
that they can grow separately without growing apart.- Elizabeth Foley

Hanne