November focus project

 

It is sort of empty and strange since the Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge is done after 10 months. 

I am happy to learn that it will be a new challenge in 2025. 
I am already thinking about what to put on my list.

Another Christmas project will be done before this Christmas. 
It is just 41 days to Christmas Eve 🎄

This project was started last year (or was it the year before?)
It is designed by Anni Downs. 
Now all the applique and stitchery are done, and I am half done with the machine quilting.

Strange things are going on with Blogger.
I got no mails that comments has been left on my previous post. I therefore chose to answer the comments directly under my blog post.
Anyone else experiencing the same?

 💗Wishing you a lovely day where you are 💗

Hanne

July tally

 

This was my Chookshed Stitchers Challenge priority work for July. 
I am very happy with how these placemats turned out, and my oldest daughter is very pleased with them too. Since we both have been on different summer activities, she has not received them yet, but I have kept her updated with photos. She needed 5 placemats - I made 6 😊

The yarn stash shrinking will be an ongoing activity for a long time. 
I finished my striped socks, for myself, and I made a pair for a young man with far bigger feet than what I have 😀
No adding to my yarn drawer, and I am passing all sales with a smile.

My grandsons, age 3 and 5, think Paw Patrol is super cool.
When visiting in USA before Christmas, I bought 1 yard of fabric with Paw Patrol,
I have had a plan, but it has been procrastinated big time.

It did not take me to long to make 2 bags, suitable for carrying Lego when visiting. They both were very excited, and the little one filled his bag with Lego right away.

 

This table topper / tablecloth has been moved and moved and moved around my sewing room, the top nearly finished, for quite some time (as in years)
I found from some old photos that is was started in 2021.
Well - now it is done, and I am so happy with the result. 
I used my favorite blue fabrics.  
I have used English Paper Piecing. The borders are hand appliqued on, so I did not have to cut of anything.  I have machine quilted in every square + border by sewing machine. 
The last stitch in the binding was yesterday afternoon.

I did not expect to get so much done in July, but summer has been very wet and on the colder side this year. Tourist are coming to Norway for something they call Coldcation, since our climate is so much colder than the rest of the world. Good for those having it to hot - not so good for us who live here........ I wish we could get some warmer weather too, but what can we do, other than making the best of it 😊

Now to find what I will work on in August!

💖 Wishing you a wonderful day where you are 💖

Hanne

Happy Easter

It has been a long time since my last post.  

In the beginning of March a dear relative passed away, and my husband and I traveled to the west coast to attend his church service and burial. 

It was a beautiful service and it was very nice to touch base with other dear relatives. 

Unluckily I caught Covid during the travel. 

The sick days was not hard - and the only symptom I had in the beginning was a raspy voice, but no sore throat. I got some long time effects that has not left yet, being very tired. I am much better these last days, and this too shall pass. 

Sewing has been on the back burner, but I have managed to finish a couple of knittings, while watching to much TV 😄

The small placemats above are also done, and I use them frequently while drinking morning coffee or having a cuppa and a cookie.
Design is from @zeriano on Instagram

Some more hearts has been made into blocks. 

 I have had most energy in mornings, for housework, baking, knitting and sewing. I have taken advantage of that. Dear husband appreciates a cookie with his afternoon coffee. I do too. I prefer home baked goods when I have time.

Easter has been very nice so far, staying at home. I hope your Easter have been nice too 💛🐤

See you again soon 💓

 Smiles from 

Hanne 

Small stitches and great joys

 
There are so many things that can make a person happy 💗

I always feel happy in my sewing room, especially when I work with my hands, creating.
It does not have to be complicated - it just have to be something that sparks interest and with colours that sparks joy.

Hearts are always welcome, especially if I can use scraps. 

I started these hearts with my friend Deb about 2 years ago. They were put to the side here, after a while. I need more, many more, so I can make more of these 9-patches.  
Somewhere in my room I have more prepped hearts that I got from Deb. I wish they could make a little sound so I could find them easier 🙈
 
I think KonMari would roll her eyes here. Not that it is so very untidy, but it is pretty hard to find what I am looking for, every so often.
Maybe if I pretend to look for something else, and the hearts with reappear. It is not that long since I know I had that little zip lock bag in my hand 😄

Happy weekend to you!

Hanne

Every stitch counts!

I have been spending a lot of time with this quilt top, Alle Fugler, by Northern Quilts lately, and now it is done and delivered to Merete for machine quilting.
It feels so great to be done with this quilt top!
Last time you saw it, it lacked the lower 1/3.
That part had some machine piecing, some appliqué and some stitchery, all in all 32 units

Hand work and colourful treats always go well together :-)

The beautiful candle is hand painted by my youngest daughter's mother in law.
She is so skilled and she urges us to burn and enjoy her candles.
Much like how I urge the recipients of my quilts to use them :-)

My dear husband never complains when I spread out on the dining room table, as long as I put away the blocks if we invite guests :-)

He likes this quilt very much, so I asked if he would like to have it for himself, as a gift from me, and he is very happy about that.

I will not be slow putting binding on it once it returns home :-)

* Wishing you a happy day *

Hanne

Focus project this week

My goal for this week is to finish this quilt top.

Quite ambitious, as what you see above is 2/3 of the quilt top, and what you see below is the last 1/3.
I have a few more units done, but not to many. I have been working on this Ufo through the winter, and now I am so ready to get it done and send it out to be machine quilted.

I think I can do it - one unit at a time :-)

Always believe something good is about to happen

- Hanne -

Focus project February

I started this quilt, Natures Journey by Anni Downs / Hatched and Patched,  about 1 year ago, with doing appliqué on the border blocks.

I did the most of the big border blocks (6 inches) and after a while something else caught my interest and the blocks were put in a box.

I love Anni Downs' designs and it really was a shame to have this beauty in a box, so I decided to give the project full focus through February.

Since I am working from my own stash - as  you know, I am not a kit person - it really took some time to find the colours that make my heart sing,
I like clear colours, light colours, but not to bright colours.

Work wise, I sort of jump from one month in a block of the month project to another and back again, depending on the finished project. I am not at all good at following someone else's suggested progress.
I am sure that is why most of my block of the month projects come to a halt within months.

After restarting the project I finished the centre appliqué block, then worked on with the checker board border.

Next in line was the appliqué square border between the centre block and the checker board border.

Placing the squares was a challenge too, but it turned out great.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was a dream to work with colours. The winter sun is very bright and gives good colour reading, and sunshine always boosts my energy too!

As the mid section was joined it was very inspiring to finish the last blocks for the applique border.

All the tables in my home has been used over the last weeks - and here is the finished quilt!
Merete at Sy.no has done the machine quilting.

- Wishing you a wonderful day where you are -

Hanne 

Decorating with quilts

Maybe you remember how my old Quilt Corner looked like,
with a big desk on the wall to the left ?
The old Quilt Corner was a corner in my living room -
now it is our favourite relax spot in the house - one chair for each of us.
Dear husband has his computer and his computer stuff near - like in under the table.
I have my sewing box and good light for hand work.

We change the quilt on the wall every so often. Right now Gossip In the Garden is the eye catcher of the living room :-)

I have had so much fun making this quilt and it has also been a great lesson in patience  :-)
The top was made in 8 weeks - and Merete did a great job on the machine quilting!

I love the concept of focus project - I just need to keep on practising my focusing!

I have promised myself to be better at making labels for my big quilts too - here goes:

More applique passion :-)

After being done with the Gossip In the Garden quilt, I just had to keep on keeping on with the applique and it has been a lovely time doing these blocks from Natures Journey.
No one is in doubt anymore I guess - I love Anni Downs' designs :-)

I bought this lovely bundle of fabrics from Kathrines Quilte Stue in Oslo.
I have used some from it, and a lot from my own fabric collection, getting the feel I love the most.

 

Hanne

Gossip In the Garden

Gossip In the Garden is back from my machine quilter - and I love the finished result :-)
I have not yet done the binding, but is will be done shortly.

Merete at Sy.no has done a magnificent job with the quilting and I can not wait to get this quilt on the wall!

It took me 8 weeks to piece and applique this quit from A to Z - and I had so much fun!
I used the fabrics I like the best, from my own fabric collection.

I have developed a passion for hand applique, thanks to good tools, like Helen Stubbings' applique paper + Sewline glue stick + Roxanne applique glue.

Hanne