Fabrics, projects and thinking out loud

 
Lots of fabrics, lots of projects - to much of a good thing? Yes and no, if that makes sense 💓

I have less space, so I need to be more organized than ever, which will be a bonus in the long run.
It has not been to organized lately though, and now I am going through unfinished objects. 

A big blessing is that I have a lot of beautiful fabrics that I want to make into care quilts.
I think of it as paying it forward 💓

This month it is 3 years since I had a very bad fall and crushed my left shoulder and upper arm so badly that the surgeon did not give sewing or normal use of the arm any good odds.
It has taken me these 3 years to train my arm to be able to do all that I want to do + sleep at night.
Hours of physiotherapy and exercising every week have paid off beyond what anyone could dream of. 
Go me! 😍 Did I mention I have a very skilled physiotherapist? He is the best.

Today I am counting my blessings - I have so much to be grateful for,
and so many reasons for paying it forward! 


 💓 Hanne 💓

Morning coffees and stitching in the slow lane

I have so enjoyed my morning stitches this week. 

My hands have been sore and troublesome. It is winter, and winter and I are not the best of friends. 

Before Covid, we used to spend time in warmer climate a week or two during winter. I really hope that can be reality again next winter.

See what happens when I am just stitching away? Two different sizes! 

Since I did mark the cutting point on each, there is no workaround. I have already enlarged the right motif and traced it for stitching again.

. 

Applique did not happen this week as planned , but I have gone through some om my unfinished object boxes, and I truly can see a trend. 

Several of my half done projects have elements of applique. 

Stonefield will be on hold for a little while yet, while I sort out a couple of the other projects that lacks less. One of the less work intensive projects is Raspberry Tea Quilt from Sue Daley. 
I lack 4 applique blocks + joining. I can do it! I know I have done one of the four blocks, but I can not find it anywhere, so it is time to suck it up and make four.

A goal I have for 2022 is to use fabric for care quilts. I am part of a lovely group that meats twice a year for a day retreat weekend.

I like best to make quilt tops, others do machine quilting, some do cutting - we are a great team.

The other day I cut and made this care quilt top. I honestly can not see in my soft pink stash that much have been taken from it. I can easily make more without running out of soft pink.....

It was nice to work on my sewing machine again. I have some catching up to do 💗

TGIF - wishing you a good weekend! 

Hanne

Where did the week go?

The Nisse-angels turned out very cute, and it was fun to mirror image one of them. 

The right one  I got from a very generous person, when she gave up stitchery. It was pre-printed on muslin. 

After having done the embroidery, I put it on the copy machine. These designs come without paper copy. I might want to make one or more of this  design in the future. With a light source and a Pigma pen it was easy to mirror image and trace on fabric.

The design is Norwegian, by Langebraaten Design. I do not know if she is in business anymore. 

The small stitcheries are coming along too 😊

The designs are from Hatched and Patched, Anni Downs.

The heart is a size bigger than the other designs, so I shrunk it to fit the size. 

I still have more of these lovely small designs, and I still am smitten with them .

Since I have some preprinted, not yet done, and some already used, I am drawing on unbleached muslin, to match the original fabric as close as possible

Draw up a chair if you like, and bring your favourite mug -
I have fresh baked sweet buns and coffee to share.

I am sort of pondering making the upcoming week applique week.
Just for the fun of focusing and see how much I can get done.


Hanne 

Taking Stonefield inventory

 After seeing Sylvia's gorgeous Stonefield top nearly done last night, 
I had to dig out my project box and take inventory.

I need to go through all the zip lock bags and see what I have done and what I have left to do.
These are the blocks from Month 1, all done.
The box has been closed since we started to sell our house in spring 2019. 
Now it feels like visiting with old friends. I am so grateful for the inspiration you gave me, Sylvia.

After spending time with many lovely quilters from around the world online,  both last night and this morning, my mind is bubbling, wanting to sew more 💗
Thank you Chookyblue for hosting the gathering on Zoom. 
It was so great to stitch and chat and put faces to the names. 

I have been fiddling around with my blog settings as I have not get any comment notifications. 
At least I have found out how to be able to respond to comments in the comment section. 
Whether I will get notifications on mails, time with show.

Take care and have a good day, wherever you are! 

Hanne 

Happy new Treasure Hunt year

 

Happy new Treasure Hunt year!

I know it is all in my head, but it feels good to write 2022 and look forward to spring.

I hope we will get many good days and lots of sun and fun.

I hope we all will be able to travel and visit again before to long.

I am very fond of Advent, the last weeks before Christmas, and in 2021 I was able to keep up with these beautiful small stitcheries above.
The designer is Helen Stubbings, Hugs ´n Kisses.
It was designed as an Advent mystery, with 1 design every day, on mail. 

I have an idea of what to make from them, but I do not think that will happen on this side of summer.
Maybe I should set a goal of having something finished for next Advent 💜

I call 2022 my Treasure Hunt year.

My plan is to go through my belongings in Quilt Corner and find the best of the best to work on.
It will not be boring! I see I have many beautiful treasures that could use some focusing and attention.

The preprinted stitchery below is one of the treasures I found the other day, that I really had forgot.

The design is Norwegian, from Langebraaten Design. I am not sure if she sells designs anymore.
Her designs are adorable. This is like 6,5" tall.

Morning coffee and stitcheries in the early morning hours are still my favorite way to start the day.

I have no resolutions for 2022 -
I have only a goal of keeping on keeping on finding happiness in the small things
and find the best in my everyday life.

I wish for you the best 2022 possible too!

Hanne 

Making plans

 

I've just established a box where I can put all my finished stitcheries. 

These 2 stitcheries are from Hatched and Patched, Anni Downs.
I like her style very much and have made several of her big quilts. 

I do have a plan for these small stitcheries too.  
I am treasure hunting in my bags and boxes to find all the preprinted stitcheries I have not yet stitched, and all of the Anni Downs stitchery patterns I can find in the same size.

Since we moved from a house to an apartment in 2019, I find that I still have to much fabric stashed away. 
Due to Covid-19 we have not traveled anywhere for the duration of the pandemic, and since both my husband and I are in a high risk group for developing complications if infected, we stay at home quite a lot.

It is time to put all that beautiful fabrics to good use. 
I want to feel drawn to the sewing machine again too.
As much as I love hand piecing, it does not make a dent in my fabric stash.

Thank you for your heart warming comments on my last post.

The very best wishes for the new year to you and your families!

Hugs and smiles from cold and snowy Norway,

Hanne 

Goodbye 2021

It has been a different 7 months from what my family and I planned for this year

Very soon after my last post in May, my father passed away unexpectedly. 

He was due for a heart valve replacement, and was very nervous for the outcome. 

Luckily for him, he passed away in his favorite place, in his sleep,

perhaps dreaming about the next day's fishing trip with friends.

Sadly, his estate was not in any kind of order. 
It was lessons to be learned from that....

You never know how strong you are, before being strong is your only option.

I am very grateful for my close family and friends who supported me trough a tough time. 

My DH also spent time in hospital in late autumn. 

I could not concentrate much on sewing through these months,
but I have knitted and stitched and meditated a lot.



We also have things to celebrate this year.

Our second grand baby was born in September. 
He and his big brother brings lots of joys to our lives.
 
We have all got our vaccine shots and kept healthy. 

We live in within 1 hour driving distance from the most precious people in our lives,
our girls and their families.


I have set my priorities for 2022. 

One often says that all good things comes to an end.
I am a firm believer that all bad and sad things comes to an end too.

 

As 2021 is almost over, it is time to look forward, and put good intentions to action.

Wishing you a wonderful day, wherever you are.

Hanne 

 

All these little stitches

 

Joyful Journey by Kathy Schmitz has been so fun to do.  

Just give me something to stitch and plenty of black coffee - I will be a happy camper.

I finished the quilt top in October 2020, when I was away with my sewing group for our annual quilt retreat.
I have not hand quilted anything big for a very long time. I plan to hand quilt this one after summer, when it is nice and cosy to sit under a quilt.

My plan is to make this my one of my daily threads projects.

Spring is not working very good this year - it is raining a lot. 
It is perfect for working in my sewing room though.

There is a sunny side to most things in life 

Wishing you a wonderful day, wherever you are 

Hanne

Reaching for the moon

 

Long time no writing.
I miss writing and I miss the blog community, and still I have not done more than thinking about it. 

Actions speaks louder than words :-)

I have been more drawn to Instagram, since one has to jump through more hoops in the process of blogging, but this year dealing with the pandemic and a long, long lock down has changed a lot, in many ways, and if nothing else, time is in abundance.
I am making sewing plans for the rest of the year too.

I am very grateful for the generosity of many of the designers around the world, who have made sew-alongs, and kept us going in our sewing rooms at home, through these difficult months, when we have been isolated from friends and family in real life, due to Covid restrictions.

One can never have to many project pouches. I have made a few, and I will make more. 

This one has a lovely stitchery by Natalie Bird, The Birdhouse, on one side and clear vinyl on the other side. I have not had a pattern for the pouch, but it is quite easy to figure out.


I am happy to say that my family has made it through without being sick, so far. 
I hope you and your loved ones are well too.

Wishing you a wonderful day 

Hanne

Progress in jumps and spurts

Since I am using the guest bed, which already has a quilt on it, it might look a bit chaotic.
This quilt is bigger than what I thought it would be when I started - I must have been math challenged at the time - so it will not work on a table, as a table cloth, but will make a nice lap quilt.
I skipped block 6 earlier, and have made block 7 and today I have made block 8, all 8 of them.

My plan is to finish block 6, 4 blocks, and block 9, 16 blocks, through tomorrow.
I am aiming high, My goal is progress!

I so enjoy seeing my blog friends again - Hi everyone 💓
I hope you are safe!

Hanne