Have a good Memorial Day !

We don't celebrate Memorial Day in Norway,
but I appreciate your celebration.
Our war losses are remembered and honoured on
our National Day, 17. May,
with speeches and flowers on the memorial monuments.

To all of you celebrating today, a good Memorial Day !

Not a very productive weekend

I have done a Sort and Fling on my sewing table, even if it does not show at the moment ;-),
organized, thumbed and enjoyed my quilt books,
surfed the blog ring,
appliqued 1 DJ block
and pieced the 2 Nearly Insane block you see here.

That is my story and I am sticking to it !

Today's goals

It has been a busy day - life interfering with quilting again.

Setting goals feels good, so I will do it today too.
I can promise the list will be short and sweet ;-)

I want to finish the 2 DJ blocks from yesterday, possibly start on the next 2 so I can send them over the weekend, if not before.
We will be making blocks as long as we think it is fun.
I guess we will continue through the year - time will tell.

I also would like to do 2 NI blocks - my comfort snack these days.

I like the variety of DJ, NI, Dutch Treat and other similar quilts. I am not so good at making a lot of blocks with the same pattern.

I am not a gratitude counter - or maybe I am - in the privacy of my creative corner.
However - today I will count 2 - quilting and friends - I am grateful for both - daily !

Yesterday's accomplishments

Here is what I made yesterday - yes, I really did ! :-)

Binding on the last 3 of these 4 table mats for DD1's boyfriend.
I gave him a gift certificate for Christmas (!!) for 2, as I have given him 2 before, and he wished for 2 more.
I ended up adding 2 more so he now has 6 - for being nice :-) He is my very patient blog helper whenever I am in need. Due to him giving me good instructions it has been a while now :-)
I also found cat fabric to have on the back as you see. This guy loves cats.

Then I did 2 of these - the other 2 are from a couple of days back.
These blocks belong to a Nearly Insane quilt in the making.
I never was to fond of the original colourway, but (re-)fell in love with the quilt after seeing it done in red and white by Reiko from Japan.

Next the Celtic applique block from Quilt University class with Nancy Chong was to be finished !
Celtic applique is not at all me - conclusion after class - but Nancy Chong is a very good instructor, and I have learned a lot about the bias stem maker from Clover, inner and outer curves and weaving the bias strip over and under to make the design look right and good ! Good learning curve ! Learning is never wasted :-)

As you know, I already have a full and finished Dear Jane quilt, but I am enjoying a one on one swap with a friend. We have swapped before, in autumn colours, and this time summer colours are the palette. We both make 2 and 2 blocks alike - keep one set, send the other.
These blocks lacks the final applique around the curves.

Setting goals for the day

Time to get busy as a bee again !

These are the goals I want to meet:

• Do the binding down by hand on the last 3 placemats for DD1's boyfriend.
• Finish the Celtic applique block - YES !
• Make at least 2 Dear Jane blocks - if I can make 4 it would be ever so good !Well - I managed to make my way through more than half of the first 2 - hand applique left to go.
• Make 2 Nearly Insane blocks in red and white

Report will follow.......... :-)

Conclusion for the day :
It was good to have a list to stick to - made me go an extra mile :-)

The post office has great charm

The postal system in Norway claims that Norwegians sends less letters and packets than before,
and that internet has decreased their income.
I can not relate to this statement,
as I can with hand on heart say I have never sent so many cards, letters and packets as I do now, to friends around the world.

As we speak I have four letters / packets to be taken to the post office, 2 domestic, 2 abroad.

The above 4 four patches are also going to travel, for a friend who is making a comfort quilt for a child in need. May they bring comfort to the seamstress and to the little child and her family !

Another finish !

When I was at it I did the next Crazy patchwork RR too - which arrived to me early, due to the person before me in the round being away on vacation.
The owner of this background, May Britt, asked for brown decor.
My decor on these are the flowers and bird house on the big heart and the seam with pearls on the small heart.
The mother of pearl like pearls do not show much in the photo, but they look good - like pearl laces.
I have used mouline yarn and have mixed strands of thread so get various shades - like mixing one strand of brown, one stand of green and one strand of dusty pink for the French knots on one of the flowers.
I guess May Britt has plans for these hearts in her new apartment. I think they are turning out very nice. :-)
I will do the journals now, for both RR rounds, pack them in one packet and take them to the post office tomorrow, to send to the next person on the round.
I am three weeks ahead of schedule ! :-)

Finally a finish :-)

Time has been running,
and suddenly it is time to send the next Crazy Quilt RR to the next person.
3 weeks goes very fast if you have a full schedule, like I have been having lately,
and the sending date is this upcoming Monday.



This is Synnöve's background, and she has also done the lovely silk embroidery in the upper left corner.
Synnöve says this is fabrics from her late mother's dresses, and with that in mind I thought more flowers would be nice :-)

This is my contribution:

Friday stitches

I am moving in the right direction sewing wise,
but at slow speed. Slow and steady also make a difference, in the long run :-)

• The 4 tablemats are machine quilted and ready for binding. The recipient saw them on Wednesday and like them very much. I found a piece of beige cat fabric for the backing, like the blue on the front, and it is perfect for a cat lover :-)
• The Celtic applique has got it's daily thread.
• I have been working on the class blocks, but have not done as much as I hoped. The class ended yesterday. I am getting better at the technique, and enjoy the result. We are having a get together from class in a month - a good incentive to keep on working on the blocks and the quilt. We got a lovely tutorial on primitive long stitch hand quilting in class yesterday, by the hand quilter who has done the class quilt - not the seamstress / teacher. It was very inspiring !
• DD2's quilt has not got a stitch done.

I will keep on working on these 4 project for the weekend + a Crazy Round Robin that has to be in the mail Monday the latest.
I have a plan - now, onward ho !

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action."
- Frank Tibolt, Author

One happy confirmand and her family in their best clothes :-)
Sunday 14. May 2006

The confirmand got her bunad in pieces, from her grandparents on DH's side,
to be put together for her 18th birthday in 3 years.

I have embroidered mine myself and DMIL and DFIL have embroidered DD1's bunad.
DMIL has embroidered the bunad and
DFIL has embroidered the skirt in the smallest possible cross stitches.

I need a kickstart !

DD2's church confirmation went very well - thanks for all the good wishes :-)
The last guests left yesterday.
My aunt really liked the Bento Box quilt made from fabric given by her.

I am in a vacuum sewing wise.

Trying to get my sewing corner back in some kind of working order,
after having it stripped down to nothing is not easy,
and even if I want to sew I can not find the peace to sit down,
as nothing is in it's proper place, and nothing is calling my name.

I better give myself a kick in my (_Y_)
and start sewing - I have a lot on my list for May !

Where do I start ??

I better make myself a To Do list and stick to it :-)

* Cut and piece 4 table mats for my "DSIL". 2 for late (very very late) gift and 2 more because I would like to give them to him. These are really fast to do, and here is a photo of 2 he got autumn 2005:

To my relief I see I have machine quilted the 2 first meandering style, which is faster than quilting in the ditch.
I do not have all the fabrics I used for the first 2, but I think I still have a small piece of the blue cat fabric, which is the most important one.
One can hardly call these stashbusters but they will be made from fabric collection.
I actually passed on a free freight offer in a Norwegian online shop just a couple of minutes ago. I still need to shrink my fabric collection. It is my plan and I want to stick to it !!

* I will make 2 blocks for my circle quilt - the big block.
Next and last class day is Thursday this week.


* Make a couple more blocks for DD2's quilt


* Do a thread or two on this applique block
It is easier to have plan in photos and writing - I actually feel like starting now :-)

This is my plan for today, and I will do my best to stick to it !

Small finishes also have great charm

Where did the week go ??

Spring allergies has got the best of me this week, the pollen count being all time high, as well as preparing for the class I am attending and not to forget preparing for DD2's church confirmation on Sunday.

Since pollen has my nose running, eyes itching, mind blurred ( more than usual ;-) ) and all, I set my goals low sewing wise.

I finished 13 cornerstone blocks for class and have the rest, 7, in half circles ready to be sewn together. I have familiarized myself with the circle technique, and that is good :-) These blocks are 3.5" finished. I have not cut them to size yet.
I still have to work more on the big blocks, but this weekend will be busy with church confirmation, guests and food.

In Norway church confirmation at age 14 is the next big event to a wedding, and we are are having 29 guest for formal lunch with white table cloths, silverware, candles and all. 2 of the guests are coming tomorrow and staying to Monday.
We have to move all the furniture out of our living room to make room for the tables and chairs for the 29, and the sewing corner will be packed down. How will I manage ?? Where will I put all my things ?? Oh trouble ;-))

Wednesday next week, 17. May, is Norway's National Day, and it is a very formal day as well with dressing up all day, children's parades and all. No hope for sewing then either. One of my 2 sewing free days of the year. Christmas Eve, which is the big celebration day here, full of traditions through the day and evening, and 17. May.

Next and final class date is 18. May.

A little redwork angel from a stitchery workshop I attended last Saturday got finished today. We brought our own patterns and got a lesson on different stitches.
I guess I have embroidered to much in the past. I knew all the stitches, except a clever way of doing running stitches as an open backstitch, like in the wings. It works well on small running stitches through fabric + batting. I can not find the pattern. I think it is Australian - Angels in Diguise comes to mind. I told you my brain is more than normally blurry, eh ?

I had one more postcard on my to do list.
I sent an art postcard from shop to the person in need of a hug, but still I wanted to finish this postcard, and it is nice to have one in the drawer for another occasion in the future.

How to do the curves - and more

I found how you can do the curves as we do them in the class on HGTV - no pins or basting involved :-)

The principle is the same whether you are working on small or big blocks.
I ran into a brick wall with the big blocks, but instead of coming to a halt due to lack of experience, I decided to work on the cornerstone blocks, which I also chose from Dear Jane CD,
and printed in 3,5" size. My brick wall was the gluing and positioning without any shifting. Can you tell a blocks shifted badly ? ;-)

I have since then found another glue to use, so I will bring the glue to class, so others can see the light too. I guess there are more than me who has had a sticky time with the spray basting can and rather will prefer to use a glue stick of the reposition kind :-)
1/4" seam allowance does not give room for much misplacing, but with a basting spray in hand sure gives you some sticky fingers .......

The teacher, Rie, has tried many kinds, but she did not know my kind, so I promised to try it out for her.
I nearly always have this glue in my sewing box. You never know when it can come in handy ;-)

The foundation paper piecing without sewing through the paper is easy.
You have to use freezer paper, draw your block on it, and instead of sewing on the line,
you will fold the line and sew next to it.
You can in fact use the same freezer paper foundation many times, but you have to work close to an iron, as the freezer paper will need to be ironed down as you go.
The good thing about this method is that it will be no paper to struggle with in the end and it can be used for both machine and hand piecing.

The block I will use for my corner stones is Dear Jane B2 Sweet Tater Pie, and I have modified it to suit my need, by deleting the lines in the outer sections, so the block kind of floats.



This is the original Dear Jane block



















And this is my block

















I am really working up a confidence with this method, and today I have finished 3 blocks and am working on the next 3. I need 20 of these small corner stone blocks.
I found it faster to work on more than 1 at a time and have made 3 freezer paper foundations.

At least I have also worked up a confidence to taking on the badly shifted block big block and correct it, and work on with the big blocks too - tomorrow.

Maybe photos later today - of the small blocks :-)

A true challenge and a short time schedule

This is Rie Norum's quilt, The Starboat.
It is so beautiful!
I am attending her class on it for 3 Thursdays in a row, and we started this previous Thursday.
We are doing foundation paper piecing without sewing through the paper, which by the way Rie first learned from me in a Dear Jane class.
She has taken the method a long step further and added circles without pinning, on sewing machine.
Rie is a very pleasant person, the handouts are outstanding and this is Great Fun !

For several reasons I have not attended classes for a very long time,
but when I saw Rie was teaching on day time I could not pass.

These blocks are very slow to make so far, but I would love to have 12 by Thursday, so I could start to work on the cornerstone blocks. Rie has used a block from Dear Jane for the cornerstones - G7, Indianapolis, shrinked in size, from original 4,5" to 3,5".
For my 12 block quilt I will need 20 cornerstones, but I don't feel like making 20 G7s - yes I am a chicken ;-))
See for yourself - here it is in Dear Jane mode and Rie has done a small alteration to hers by leaving out the white in the corners.
I think I rather do another circle block and trust Rie will forgive me :-)



The reason this is on a short schedule is that I Want this quilt to be ready for hand quilting soon. I Want this quilt this summer, not in some future !

This is how far I have got - one test block, the small one, and one Starboat block, 12 inch, so you see, I better get busy !



I know I am jumping around lately, but my 1st priority until Thursday will be these blocks, 12 of them, and the Baltimore applique for hand work.
Do you think I have a chance to make it ?
Well - if I do not try I will never know ;-)

DD2's quilt in the making

I got caught up in doing units for DD2's quilt, so I did not meet my previous goals, but tomorrow is another day.

Now I have done so many units I had to lay them out to see how it will turn out. DD2 loves it !
Ooops, can see a layout error, and I guess you can see it too, in the middle block.
The quilt will be this width and what you see is half the height. What kind of borders I will use, if at all, depends on how it looks on the bed and what DD2 thinks.

Setting goals for Friday

It is 6 in the afternoon,
but if I want to accomplish something sewing wise today I have to set some goals !

Here goes:

* Make some more blocks for DD2's quilt

* Do a little on Baltimore applique - like one thread

* Do a little on Celtic applique - like one thread

* Prepare a little on one more postcard for someone in need of a hug

* Prepare for a class I am attending tomorrow with my guild - on stitchery

What I have done today, other than the ordinary Friday exercise and physiotherapy massage is to sit out in the sun - absolutely lovely after a long long winter, and done a good long relax and recharge.

My first postcard

This postcard is 4,5" by 7" and it is 90 degrees at the corners even if the photo is not.
It is for my friend Lene who celebrates her birthday on Monday.
It will go in the mail as it is, no envelope. I put white sheet fabric on the back and have written with a Pigma pen, and it has a stamp like any other postcard.
It is stiff, made with Fast2Fuse.
I guess I will surprise Lene - we have not seen each other for a while,
and a little mailbox joy is always welcome :-)

Updating Priority Projects

Wednesday May 3.

Plans for today:

More blocks for DD2's quilt

Thread on Celtic applique block

Get serious about Baltimore applique block !!

Do preparations for quilted postcard for friend - has to be sent tomorrow ! Will be my first quilted postcard. DONE :-)

Find fabric and prepare for a class I am attending tomorrow morning.It is the class on the bottom of the class list, and I am very much looking forward to attend :-) I am still not sure what colours to use, but I know I will like to use from my own fabric collection for the blocks. Wine red and white on beige background maybe ?

Photos will hopefully follow this afternoon :-)

Tuesday May 2.

• Busy day, but managed to do more threads on QU applique block # 1 (Celtic) when watching some VHSs taped from TV during Easter.
• Made another 9" DJ block for friend.
• Made more blocks for DD2's quilt.

I also am enjoying blogs on the blog ring - more reading to do there. So much inspiration and lovely work all around :-)

A friend of mine lost a friend of hers in Afghanistan lately and are making his family a comfort quilt with this block from Dear Jane, C-1 Trooper Green's Badge, in Canadian colours. The two 9" blocks are going in the mail today for her quilt.




Monday May 1.

• Have made more blocks for DD2's quilt.
• Have made a 9" DJ block for friend.
• Have done several threads on QU applique block # 1.

Priority projects - 30. April

4 Dear Jane blocks in summer / sherbet colours - done !
These are not trimmed to size - on purpose.




DD2's quilt
Progress has been made



Celtic applique
One thread done



Baltimore applique
Placement is marked - goes as one thread