February focus projects

 

Since I picked up this Ufo in January, I decided that it is it's time to be done 🎄
It's a candle mat - the hexies are 1 inch.

My main focus project for February - with a deadline - is this lap quilt top, 48" by 60"

It was never an Ufo, but it is on my to do list for my care quilt group's get together next weekend. 

We do have a lot of fabrics in the group the participants can pick from, but for me it feels better to use from what I already have at home.

I am sure I am not the only one having more fabrics that what I can use for many years......

These care quilts do not make the biggest dent, but it does make a difference in my fabric collection over time. Before, I used to make my care quilts A to Z, but I do not do that anymore.

We have some lovely ladies in our group being good at machine quilting, and have that as their task in the group. So, hence that, I can do what I like best, making quilt tops.

My arms do not like using the sewing machine for more than 1-1 1/2 hours maximum a day, so I have made a progression plan to be done in good time. It works like a charm so far 💖

Wishing you a wonderful day where you are 💖

Hanne

Pink care quilt tops

 

I am not running out of pink fabrics anytime soon.........

Over the last years I have been going through my fabrics more than once. Since before Covid, I have not been buying much, and what I have bought I have bought because I really really love it and plan to use it, not save it.

I have always had a soft spot for fabric on the red spectre - from pink, through most shades of red and to orange. 
I have also used a lot, but not enough to keep up with the buying, apparently 🙈 
I am trying to use as much as I can, to make care quilts / charity quilts. 

The first quilt top above is made entirely from my scrap boxes - every piece cut 2" by 3,5"
The second quilt top above is made from my collection of lighter pinks fabrics.

I am part of a charity quilt group, where we all can do what we enjoy the most. I enjoy making quilt tops the most, so that is what I do.  Others like to do machine quilting the most, so I can keep on making tops as much as I like.

Compared to when we lived in a house, the storing space here is not much to talk of. 
I want more space in my sewing room slash guest room. 
I have a plan for that, which includes several charity quilt tops on a regular schedule.

Hanne

This and that

It has been a long time since I did much sewing machine work, and even longer since I did any machine quilting to speak of. I need to use from my fabric stash, and I like to make care quilts / charity quilts for children. My local university hospital has asked for quilts for baby ICU, and the sizes they ask for are doable for me on my domestic sewing machine. I do enjoy using the Double Dresden ruler to cut the tumblers. I have some other templates from the stone ages - Quilting from the Heartland -, but they are in set sizes. 
Set sizes are seldom the size I really want to work with.....

The after math of covid is still present, so I am taking it easy. I will not win any speed contests, but I do enjoy the process, which is a good thing and what it is all about here in Quilt Corner.

 
Finding that I had 8 spools of the same colour of the same machine quilting thread just make it as clear as mud that I really need to use from all kinds of stash for a long time 😂

This is from the prepping process of Kathy Schmitz' latest Christmas pattern. I thought I should get a lot done through Easter, but that did not happen. I have appliqued some trees and stitched a little here and there. I am thinking about digging out all my Christmas half done projects and see if I can get some of them done in good time for Christmas this year. That would be something 😁💓

It is lighter and brighter in the evenings here now. I love spring and summer. I hope we get good weather for outdoor stitching!

Wishing you a lovely day where you are - take care 💓

Hanne

Time flies

Time flies, whether the days are adventurous or not 😊

Recently I got a box full of fabrics sent from a friend who is pairing down. Since I like to sew charity quilts and my 2 grandchildren are boys, I think that using all the typical girl colours would do my sewing room good. I am sure you know what I mean 😍

I bought Jen Kingwell's last book and template set recently from Quiltegården in Norway,  

and I wanted to give the Wensleydale quilt a try.
I see that one can buy foundation piecing papers now too, so I found I would give it a try to draw them in EQ 8 and print my own papers, just for fun. It worked perfectly.

I must admit I enjoyed using the templates and sewing machine more than I enjoyed the foundation paper piecing. I think it has to do with the size of the blocks.

Valentine's Day and February ask for hearts.

I saw these small heart place mats on Instagram, and I just had to treat myself to the cute pattern. They are designed by Minki Kim. Look her up on Instagram and/or YouTube. 
She makes the cutest designs.

I am aiming at finishing them with machine quilting, hand quilting and bindings through February.

They are perfect for February, spring, summer, anytime 💓💛💚💙

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, wherever you are! 

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

3 birds with 1 stone :-)

1. This has been an Ufo for a long time - now it is done - I am doing a happy dance :-)
I am tired of moving this Ufo around the Quilt Corner!

2. I have signed this quilt up at my guild Tåsen Quiltelag's Ufo Challenge as 1 of 5 Ufos for the
summer, due the first Wednesday of September.
1 down, 4 to go! Go me!

3. I have decided to give this quilt to my favourite charity cause, Tepper Som Varmer ( Warming Quilts ) - to children with cancer and other long term diseases.

Brown does not fit into my home decoration anymore - that is the real downside of having old Ufos - my taste has changed!
I love how the quilt looks, so I hope it will warm a child and her family and make them feel wrapped in love.

Hanne

Paying It Forward and Giving Back

As I am refolding my fabric collection I see how much it is, and it is quite overwhelming really, taken in that I love to make tiny blocks and work by hand the very best.

As I have been folding like 1/4 of my stash over the last days - or maybe less than 1/4, I have not yet come across a piece of fabric that I do not love - that is always something :-)

Well - it is time for some serious action - I do not like to have this much fabrics.
It is all to much, as the professional organizer Peter Walsh would say.
There are some colours and fabrics that I do not love as much as others, but I love them nevertheless ;-)

I have always said that we shall support our local (quilt) stores, especially the independent ones.
My local quilt shop is closing shortly, like in about one month.
Marianne has chosen to find other work and I wish her the very best of luck!
She will still be in the business, so I know our paths will cross, but she will not be a shop owner and she will not be so local, but she will have more time to be with her loved ones and  take care of herself.
That is the most important things of all, we all know that!

I am grateful for the years she has run the shop - and I feel blessed to have had her only minutes from my home.
Marianne has always given the very best service and she will be missed!

The short distance to the shop has off course influenced on my fabric collection. It will be easier to keep on track with the fabric diet now that my nearest quilt shop will be further away from my Quilt Corner.
I will however miss very much to have a supplier of everything, like the latest Anni Downs patterns, needles, embroidery floss, batting and what not, close to my home.
Conclusion - I will not shop the closing sale for fabrics - I have what I need and then some!

How to shrink my fabric collection:

I will make more care quilts for children with cancer and other long term diseases.
I found this book in my book shelves - I have a nice collection of books too - I love my books as much as I love my fabrics :-)

I think this book is perfect for some stash reduction in fabrics for fronts, batting scraps and backing fabric.

My sewing has carried me through all kinds of days - through laughter and tears, through pain and through good days - you know sewing and fabrics are the very best pain killers, right?  :-)
Sometimes a good shopping spree combined with sewing has been the cure too!

I feel so blessed to be a quilter, and I feel so blessed that I can do something good for others too.

I know that the care quilts will be very well received, and I can not possibly make quilts for myself and my loved ones from all my fabrics, right ?
I like the thought of Paying It Forward to someone needing a hug!

I will share with you if/when I make fabric purchases through the rest of the year - I am making myself accountable :-)

Did I mention that my dear husband will love my shrinking of fabrics and batting scraps too? Not? ;-)

Stay creative,

Hanne

Small threads of this and that in Quilt Corner

These late summer days are filled with small threads mostly -
Some knitting while visiting with family- isn’t auntie L’s flowers great? She is 92 years old and still going strong with her garden and flowers!

Some crochet watching TV. The potholders were a gift for the same lovely auntie

and more stitchery as good as every day – at least 3 threads or more, every day.

 

I am sure you already have figured out that I love doing these stitcheries?
Now I have done 22 – and there are only 10 more to do.

 

Lately have have started doing some bullet journaling, and I find it is fun, and make me stay very on the straight and narrow when it comes to keeping to my goals.

For the duration of the Olympic Games I have a weekly to do list, which this week includes 4 projects.

The light green dishcloth on the first photo is done - check

3 of 4 stitcheries for United Stitches quilt are done

I am working on my Chimney Log cabin quilt top – it will be a donation quilt, all from stash.
I really need some stash reducing!

1 Ufo – not yet worked on.

The chimney log cabin quilt will be 6 by 8 blocks when it is done.
My sewing machine and my arms are not on good speaking terms just now, but hopefully that will be better shortly!

 

 

Wishing you a wonderful day
wherever you are!

Hanne

Happy busy in Quilt Corner

I am so enjoying my time in the Quilt Corner these days!

I am sorry I  have forgot to blog as I go, but I often think tomorrow, tomorrow......... I guess that is familiar to more people than me?

My Ufo / finishing challenge to myself has been like a blessing, it really has kept me focused and happy for the last month and a half and the challenge keeps on giving :-)

I am working on a few projects at a time and moving them forward, putting all the others to the side.

My daily thread in appliqué is Natures Journey by Anni Downs - above.
The light colours are inspiring to work with.

I am so happy my local shop owner also likes Anni Downs' design - I can not get enough of them!

I know starting many of the same thing, like the doilies above keeps some people focused - me not so much, if at all!

I started these 3 doilies before Christmas thinking they would make good Christmas gifts, or 1 for me and 2 for gifts.

As I guess you have figured out that did not work ........

The original pattern is from Helen Stubbings and I think it is very cute, but making 3 of the same continuously - not so much, again, so I found some other stitcheries to put in the middle of 2 of them.

Merging designers was a good thing too, and I had fun finishing these doilies at last.
The bird with the Norwegian text + the deer and heart is from the Norwegian company Northern Quilts. Wenche at Northern Quilts is now also designing fabrics for Moda - that's so cool!

Will you believe I found more of the prepped hexies in a box here, so by adding only a few, I can make purple doily no. 4 ??
It will not happen right away though ;-)

A pair of purple socks for my youngest daughter is done too :-)
She loves purple too, and was very happy to receive them.

So far, 1 new start in February and it is done from my hands, as someone else will do the machine quilting on this care quilt for children with cancer or other long term diseases.

I got this jellyroll as a gift some years back and I think it is pretty, and I hope it will make someone else happy too.
I will count this quilt top as a finish on my list.

I like Pay It Forward and I hope my passion for fabrics and quilting can brighten someone else's troubled life a little bit.

The quilters I am making care quilts with will meet again for a 2 day sew together in April. I plan to make at least 1 more quilt top from my fabric collection then.
By looking at this quilt top, I wonder if I shall sort of copy the colours - it looks good :-)

- Wishing you a wonderful day wherever you are -

Hanne

Catching up

It has been a couple of busy weeks here, I have not spent much time in Quilt Corner.
I have spent time with quilt related activities thought, and it has been a nice time.

This quilt came back from Merete, my machine quilter on Sunday, and I love how it turned out.
The sewing down of the binding is on my to-do list for the weekend.

I am aiming at at least 2 finishes this weekend – this purse still needs some work too.
It’s time to dig out a zipper and get at it.

For the last 3 months I have really made an effort about using more than what I buy, all over the house, and the Quilt Corner is no exception.
It is time to cut some more jelly rolls for care quilts. I do not use much fall colours anymore, since we changed the colours in our house from matching brown to matching grey / blue.
One of my guilds is having a sew-together for care quilts this weekend, and I plan to participate tomorrow.
I think I will make a Jelly Roll Race quilt – they are fast and fun. I am not doing a quilt in an hour though, like the instruction says, but I can do it in a couple of hours when I have cut the stripes first. I plan to cut today and sew tomorrow.

A really big advantage about using from what I have and pairing down a bit, is that I find the real treasures – some of them well hidden, like these purple fabrics.
I am really really looking forward to use these fabrics shortly!

Hanne

Paying it forward

Most quilters I know have to much a lot of fabrics, myself very much included.
Some of the fabrics I love so much more than others, and the older or not so loved fabrics are stuffed in boxes and drawers.

Well – once I start pulling out the not so loved fabrics I have fun matching them and sewing them into something too, especially as it makes room for new love in fabrics ;-)

I have had a passion for making care quilts / charity quilts for many years, but I do not have the physically strength to quilt them myself anymore, like I used to do.

Luckily for me I have found someone who can take my tops
and turn them into quilts for children with cancer and other long term diseases,
so I will continue making some tops every now and then, not giving the rest of the process a second thought.
It is up to the next person in line to choose backing fabric and quilting.

I do enjoy making these 1600” quilts – HERE is the instruction on YouTube.
I use around 3 hours on a top, cutting fabrics included.

I am cutting my own strips in all lengths from stash - as long as the final strip measures about 1600”, I am happy.

These strip quilts are like sweets, it is hard to stop making them.

I started to sort in my green drawer and thought what I pulled out would make a difference. Well – it was more like the fabrics in the drawer was exhaling and filled the void in a second flat – no visible difference…….

Saturday morning I baked a batch of wheat buns, folded my quilt tops and a few fabrics for backings.
Both my guilds were having sew-together for care quilts, but I had to choose which one to visit so my quilt tops could be handed over to someone who can quilt for me.

The buns tasted lovely with a cup of coffee :-)

I like the thought of paying it forward, and this is my contribution, as a thank you for the urge to create, for fabrics in my drawers, for the joy of quilting.

May the quilts warm someone in need where they come.

Hanne