Another one

I found this block on my desk when tidying - I guess I am on NI block overload or something :-)

This is the block for Sunday, pieced yesterday.

I have picked a block to do right now.
I have coffee and a tidy desk - a good start :-)

Tuesday report

This NI block is for Saturday really, pieced on Sunday.

If you see someone spinning outside your house, with a tail of smoke, it can be me.
I can not remember being so busy for a long time.
A lot of activities in and outside the home, some quilt related, some not quilt related.

Being a teacher, being a student, being a friend, being a mother and being a spouse - multitasking galore!

Ah, she made purchases too :-)

2 x 12" pieces, full width of fabric + a spool of thread.
I bought a 20" piece of Osnaburg this weekend too, for stitchery. Osnaburg is a low thread count coarse cotton weave.
The Osnaburg will be put to use this evening, to prepare for a future class I am attending.
The red fabrics speaks for themselves, don't they ?

My caffeine level is under working level - I need to put the pedal to the metal Now!
Onward Ho!

Thursday and Friday blocks

These are the Thursday and Friday blocks.
I had a sort and count in my blocks box on Friday and I now lack 22 blocks, and that is before I have done the Saturday and Sunday ones.

Now to pick a block to work on.

I have fresh coffee if you want some. I don't mind at all if you bring a cookie :-)

Tuesday and Wednesday blocks

Step by step I am getting closer to the end - approx. 3 weeks more - just in case you are bored stiff by my red and white blocks now.

I am not bored yet, but I have a gazillion new projects spinning in my head - from stash off course :-)

Girls day out

Gave og Interiör (Gift and Interior Design) Vendors Fair -

a cascade of colours, shapes, trends, textiles, clothes, jewellery, home decor, flowers, cards, trendy toys, gizmos, gottahaves.

A well of inspiration and impressions - something for all - for the soft at heart, for the more black and shiny lovers, the futurists and the retro lovers - cotton, silk, wool, gold, silver, pearls, diamonds, shiny bright plastic, exclusive paper ware, stone, metal......

The best thing of all, since this is a vendor's fair - no direct shopping, so the plastic card could rest and whole lot could be taken in by the senses.

May Britt and I hung around for the best part of 9 hours (!!)
Some business, a lot of pleasure! Thanks for a lovely day, May Britt!

Busy Monday

Today's NI block was not on my favourite list - it has inset seams, and by machine they are not very easy.

I know they are supposed to be easy by hand though, but I am not a hand sewing fan really - yet.

This is # 1 of 3 NI blocks with inset seams - the next is fairly like this one, a tad harder, but the last one I am sure I will procrastinate to the last minute. On a scale up to 10, it looks like a 12, 4 x 45 degrees stars + sashing in a 6" block.

My block turned out to my satisfaction though and I am one block closer to be finished :-)

I am about to make myself a new toiletry purse. Not that there is anything wrong with the black one - not at all - it is in use for teaching purposes and I need one to use for sleepovers and travels this spring!
I am teaching bags and purses at the moment, starting today, and I think it is great fun.

Does this woman use red in every item these days ??
I guess I more or less do :-)
I think I get energy from red these days - it is my power colour,
and red makes me smile - red roses, red hearts, red lipstick, red fabrics, redwork.
I did not tell you I found a lovely red thin knitted jacket on sale today ? I think I look very good in red :-)

What is your power colour ?

Prolonged challenge

The weekend has been busy, with family, friends, cakes, coffee, more cakes and more coffee.

I have kept up with my NI blocks through the week, but my weekend challenge suffered under my social life - which is no loss at all, come to think of it!

Since I gave myself the challenge I will prolong it by 1 week - remember, I am in this for the fun :-))
I have already put the makeup purse to use and it has already made its appearance in the social life.

Stash wise I have sewn 9 NI blocks, so I am not behind on my 1 a day goal, and one Wisp is done - work in slow progress.

Like last week I have not used much fabrics, but I have not bought any either, which is a win situation altogether :-)

First Challenge finish

Yeah ! A finish :-)

This little makeup purse is 6,5" x 7.5".
I planned to make it smaller, to fit in my black leather bag, but with the stitchery being like it is, the size gave itself.

A quilter can never have to many small purses, can she ?
For all the stuff we carry around in our bags and totes.

This one also auditioned for yo-yo embellishments in the corners, but it was a bit over the top :-)
On this one less is more!

Lovely gift - Gorgeous gizmo

I was one of the lucky winners on Darlene's blog earlier this winter, and now the gift has arrived.

Thank you Darlene - this is a absolutely lovely gift!

A charm pack of Flirtations fabrics by Moda + a yo-yo maker from Clover.

As you see I had to try the yo-yo maker right away, and I will embellish the tote in my weekend challenge with them.
Oh Darlene, I think you have lead me into something I don't see the end of!
My head is spinning with ideas for yo-yo embellishments :-)

I bought a small yo-yo maker when Leanne was here this autumn, but I had not opened the packet yet. I just did, as you see.

The plan was to use small yo-yos instead of embellishment buttons on the tote project that since then have just been in my BOB (box of blocks). I regretted not buying the bigger size right away.

I see the big and the small yo-yos together also gives new possibilities - oh dear - these yo-yos seems addictive, like chocolate.
I even used a not so loved fabrics for this test drive of the yo-yo makers and they turned out so nice!
Humming the tune Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.......lalala :-)

Friday already !? Weekend challenge

One block for Thursday and one block for Friday :-)
I am marking on a spreadsheet as I go, and by the looks of it my count is wrong. I have probably made a block twice without noticing.

I tried to blog yesterday evening, but Blogger did not feel to well by the looks of it, and would not cooperate.

I did not sew other than half a thread of redwork yesterday.
I had all day lunch guests, and we laughed and chatted more than we stitched.

I served them a traditional "peasant" meal - fresh baked whole grain bread, still warm from the oven, strawberry jam and Norwegian brown cheese.
The house smelled good from the fresh bread when my guests arrived.

I am very fond of baking bread, bread rolls and other yeast doughs goodies, and I have started doing it again after a long break.
I want to learn to make traditional Lefse as well.


Here is a challenge I am giving myself over the weekend:
I want to make something from all of these stitcheries - a makeup purse, a toiletry purse half done for a class, and a tote.

As you see I have already framed the girl and I have picked the rest of the fabrics for the makeup purse she will decorate.

It will be the pedal to the metal - ready, steady, GO!

Wednesday blocks + Svele

A milestone - 70 Nearly Insane blocks are done !
17. December I had 43 blocks, so this really is progress.
28 to go!

Svele anyone ?
For dinner today we had tomato soup, and thin pancakes / crepes are a good companion to eat after tomato soup.

We are not using much milk in the cooking here, and I had none when I wanted to prepare the pancakes, but we had thick sour milk also known as Kefir, so I decided to make Svele instead.

Svele is traditional thick sour milk pancakes and they are very much used in the area my family come from, up on the north west coast.
They are semi-sweet and are often used as a cake or waffle, served with butter and sugar, sour cream and jam, or butter and traditional Norwegian brown cheese.
Today we had Svele with maple syrup after the soup - delicious!

Here is my recipe:

3 eggs
3 dl sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate (natron)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 litre sour milk
8-10 dl plain wheat flour

Beat eggs and sugar white, add sour milk, bicarbonate and baking powder and add flour until you have a thin dough / thick liquid.
Let the dough rest a little while before you start the baking. Bake until brown on one side, turn the Svele with a spatula and bake on the other side.

Brew coffee or tea and enjoy your Svele :-)

Tuesday blocks

Now I actually in front of schedule, by 1 block, and that is so nice :-)
I know I can not sew a block a day all days, and the blocks left are more difficult too. It is good to have some slack.

These blocks are addictive - I want to do more - tomorrow :-)

I like Mondays!

I like Mondays - I really do !
Mondays are like white paper and a box of crayons, fresh for me to use like I want. New week, new chances :-)

Today has been the first ordinary Monday since mid December - just plain everyday life - ordinary activity, like laundry, cooking, sewing and more, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.

As you see I now have 2 more NI block to my name - one for yesterday and one for today, and now I am not behind anymore :-)

This stitchery cushion is also finished today!
I will count it in May Britt's WISP (work in slow progress) count.


I started it in January 2007, bringing it to hospital to do when waiting for my surgery.
Not a stitch taken that day or the week after, not until I came home and could sit in my own chair, with good light and my candle and coffee :-)

I was not happy with the way the cushion front turned out the other day, so I picked the fabrics off and re-did it with fabrics I got in my Christmas calendar, re-using an old cushion back that looks as good as new.
The backs do not fade and all the button work is already done.

The stitchery is a pre-printed Lynette Anderson design, The Allotment.

More blocks

Block for Saturday

Block for Friday

You would be surprised how little fabrics actually are used for these blocks, which by the way is a true wake up call stash wise......
I could make sampler block quilts the rest of my life without buying anything but backings.....

So far I have mostly pieced these NI blocks out of 2 zip lock bags of scraps.
I do have a good selection of reds, but if you look closer you will see that I use the same fabrics in block after block, in different combinations.
It is in fact the red on whites and the white on white background fabric that makes the blocks glow.
I now have 64 blocks and 34 to go!

Stash report this week : 6 NI blocks made, nothing purchased at all.

Catching up - Thursday block

Today's block # 2, the block for Thursday.
Onward ho!

Catching up - Wednesday block

This is Wednesday block, done today :-)

Yes, I am playing catching up, even if I usually do not do that.
I have booked machine quilting for this quilt, sending it out in early March, over the big pond, so no excuses are valid for not being done with the whole quilt by then.

Yesterday was a brainless R&R day here, not a stitch taken.

Back to the pleasure of the NI blocks - hopefully posting more blocks today :-)

Carpe Diem

carpe diem
Main Entry: car·pe di·em
Pronunciation: \ˈkär-pe-ˈdē-ˌem, -ˈdī-, -əm\
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, literally, pluck the day
Date: 1817

: the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future

source: Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

My plans for the day:

Exercise and physiotherapy - good for the body
Coffee with friend - good for the smile muscles
Sewing - good for everything :-)

Enjoy your day too :-)

2008 restarted

Grief and joy go hand in hand through life, and without one the other will not be whole either.

Today is dear father in law's funeral day, and tears and smiles has been present - tears of grief and smiles of happy memories from times gone by, shared with family and friends of our family.

Creatively I am restarting 2008 and I am sure you know what I mean :-)

I don't have many resolutions for 2008, but a few are on my list:

• I will use my favourite perfume every day.
• I will find moments of flow every day - the moments that gives joy and peace in mind.
• I will enjoy my daily thread(s).
• I will use more fabrics than I buy.

I am very behind on mails and comments, but promise to catch up before long!

I have enjoyed many blogs without leaving many comments lately. I will stop by again very soon and let you know I did so :-)

I see I have been awarded with a very very nice blog award - Thank You! - I will blog about it later, when I have picked the ones I will award - or maybe I can award even more blogs when I have been rewarded more than once ? :-)

I think I will enjoy some sewing now - see you again soon :-)

A quiet day

A lot of things going on this week with the funeral and all.

I have enjoyed this day in my sewing corner re-charging my battery. It has been so nice to enjoy fabrics and stitches!

One NI block for yesterday and one for today.

I picked the easiest ones this time, feeling a bit like painting myself into a corner, but the feeling changed, as the easiest ones also have to be done, right :-)

I have also spent some time working on a cushion with stitchery.
The framing with grey-ish blue and grey-ish purple did not turn out to my taste, even if it looks good, so tomorrow I will un-sew the cushion top and use light green instead.
The grey-ish colours did not match my other cushions well.

Better redo the top now than spending a time regretting not doing it in the future !

TTT

TTT - Things Takes Time
I guess you know all about it too - how the best laid plans runs out in sand and how life interferes with quilting and all that ?

Since the upcoming week will be busy with funeral and all, I am aiming at finishing 1 NI block a day, average, and will pat myself on the back if I make it :-)

Stash reducing wise these small blocks are a laugh, but they keep me busy indeed, and I have not been shopping at all, so even these 5 NI blocks have reduced stash - believe it or not :-)

I have baked bread today and I think I will keep at doing it regularly - I love the smell and the taste of home baked bread.

DD2 and I have also given the smoothie maker we got for Christmas another test run, with berries from the freezer. It was fun, and I am sure berry smoothies are healthy this time of year, bursting with vitamin C.

Saturday blocks

2 more blocks done, so now, day 5 in January, 4 blocks. I am slowly catching up :-)
Who can resist this furry helper ??
I emptied a zip lock bag of small scraps on my desk to do the strip block to the left.
My beloved grand-cat liked the look of the pile and I think she had an urge for close company and belly cuddles.

I wonder who will be nearly insane from seeing these red and white blocks first - you or me? LOL

Small blocks and small steps

In order to be able to finish the NI quilt blocks by the end of January I have to finish an average of 1,5 blocks a day.
Without spelling it out in capital letters - I am behind...... by 4 blocks now, but I will catch up - promise, promise :-)

January 4th is dear father in law's birthday - the first without him present. That feels strange for us all, and we are missing him a lot today.
His funeral will be Thursday upcoming week, plus moving of his body from the nursing facility to the ceremony place on Monday. A small sermon on Monday and The Sermon on Thursday.

My father in law liked my sewing a lot and today I have thought about him a lot while sewing.

He was very skilled with the embroidery needle himself - doing miniature cross stitches, embroidering National costumes shirts, both for sale and for his female grandchildren, a hobby he took up when he became a senior citizen.
I got the rest of his embroidery floss some months back and will use it in stitchery, with love.

To all that have left comforting comments to me and my family, both on the blog and by mail:
Thank You Ever So Much.
We are very touched by the outpouring of love and care from known and unknown friends.

In memory

In the summer of 1953, to celebrate his firstborn son born in late autumn the year before, a great man planted this tree.

As you see this is a grand tree, tall and proud, as was the man who planted it, if not in physical height so in appearance.

Tonight, on New Year's Eve, the beloved tree planter passed on, just before 8 in the evening, giving cancer a tough fight for 2,5 years.

This summer, the youngest son of the proud tree planter, aka my dear husband, and I, had the pleasure to take the proud man and his beloved wife on a trip and sit by this tree, drinking coffee, eating cake and having a lovely day with family.

I will treasure this moment forever !

Rest in peace - you left many footprints in our hearts!