Inspiration IV

Nothing is like new quilting books :-)

One of the things that really added to my travel experience was ordering the Civil War Love Letter book from Rosemary Youngs in advance and meet her in person :-)
Rosemary is a lovely person with a very pleasant personality.
I am really looking forward to meet you again Rosemary!
I also bought the EQ file to go with the book.

If you like history and quilts from the Civil War period, Rosemary's books are The Very Best - patterns, letters and diary notes combined.
If you are not into block sewing these books goes well as coffee table books as well!

I also had the great pleasure of meeting Janis Nelson and Edith Shanholt, the authors of Shipshewana Blessings. The quilt from the book is gorgeous!

The Jo Morton booklet Timeless was to cute to pass - that is my words and I am sticking to them :-)



When in the paper department, here is the patterns I bought.

For the observant viewer, 8 of 10 patterns is from Laundry Basket Quilts. They are just my taste!

If you remember from the fabric photo, one of my bundles of fabrics is for the Broken Star quilt and another for the Dresden Star quilt.
I am very much looking forward to do them both :-)

More travel goods

My quilt corner looks like a bomb hit!
I have not wanted to put my travel goods away before I have shown them to you, so prepare yourself :-)

Here are lovely hand dyed embroidery floss from the embroidery shop in Ottawa + silk thread for applique, good sewing needles, good thin pins, my favourite marking pencil, some fabric to stabilize needle punch, a hole puncher from Fiskars ( for templates ++), quilting stencils and 2 spools of my favourite sewing thread and the coolest cat buttons :-)

Now to put these goods in their proper places!
I Need more space here, today!

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!

Treasures from the travel

Since Leanne had her trunk show last Sunday and through Friday, this is what I shopped.
It is special to have 2 of my 3 favourite quilt shops in one room at the retreat in Trysil - Lille Stasjon + Quiltegaarden + shopping in Elverum too, at Lille Stasjon shop.

Here you see the light green fabrics I will use for Leanne's House border and the fabrics for Ruth's quilt in Leanne's book Living the Dream.
I bought the book in Asker last Sunday together with the other Leanne pattern Flowers & Flutterbyes.

Osnaburg for stitcheries, a yo-yo maker from clover, a skein of embroidery floss, just because I like the color, a pattern from Lynette Anderson on a Christmas table runner, and red buttons for embellishment.

I have never bought almost all the fabrics for a quilt at once, like I did now. It was nice - I will do it again :-)

Now I need to put the pedal to the metal with my Snowman Collector and the last care quilt.
The quilt show in my guild is the weekend in 2 weeks and all things on display will have to be turned in that Friday.
Wish me speed!

PS. I have had questions about the Osnaburg. It is coarser cotton fabric, like a soft linen. I usually use muslin, cotton - linen blend or ordinary quilt fabric. The Osnaburg is just another option. It goes very well with traditional Norwegian Christmas decorations - so, just a matter of taste, but not my first choice  :-)

Days flying by

If you see a pair of legs flying by your windows, it might be me :-)
It has been some very full days - full of different events, mostly non-quilty.

I promised to show you my purchases from last week, and here they are - mostly CW repros or fabrics matching them, all 1/3 meters cuts.

The embroidery floss has a story of itself. Nope, I have not gone bananas in a shop ;-)
My dear aunt had seen a box from DMC, with 100 skeins of embroidery floss, for a good price. She did not want the floss though, as she has floss as we have quilt fabrics. She had tried to purchase the box only, with no luck.
I have seen the same box before, but did not want the box, but would love to have the embroidery floss.
Get the picture ? :-)
We agreed to do a split - my aunt purchases the box through mail order, kept the box and sent me the embroidery floss. She paid all the postage and I paid the thread. A good deal were had by both!



DH is away most afternoon and evenings now. His parents have bought a one bedroom flat and are emptying their row-house with 3 storeys.
This is my dear mother in law's sewing box from late 50s, early 60s. It has not been in active use for many years. It now belongs to me :-)
I plan to make a new fabric cover for the drawer and the whole thing can do with a good scrub down.
I love things with history.

Look where found our beloved grand-cat on Saturday. No wonder she often comes in, her fur full of dirt.

We had some nice days through the weekend.
Our youngest nephew had his church confirmation on Sunday, and it was lovely to be able to spend some time outdoors during the celebration too.
We got so much good food and cakes I am still full.

A new string quilt is in the making. Nothing as relaxing as a busy sewing machine :-)

Back from vacation - Lovely days

I am back!

Lovely days were had by all, but by me in particular I think, enjoying my new freedom :-)
Travelling with colostomy is not a problem at all, that is for sure!
I have travelled by plane, train, car and boat this summer and I have enjoyed every minute of it !!

Weather has not been on our side, other than brief moments, so beach life has not been an option, but seeing old and new places and meeting old and new friends has been more important, and absolutely lovely :-)

On our way to visit family this week I had the joy of meeting with Anne Heidi in her new and charming shop in Tynset called Lappemor.
Anne Heidi also has the blog Piece by piece.
My DH and DD2 went grocery shopping when I went to the quilt shop, so I could enjoy the shop without having anyone (im)patientely waiting.
Anne Heidi served coffee and cookies and we had a lovely chat. Several quilt goodies were also admired and bought.

When returning from grocery shopping DH got a cup of coffee and DD2 got orange juice, and when we left they were all smiles as well.

If you were in the blog siggie swap you can see a glimpse of Anne Heidi's finished siggie quilt in the window. It is very cute.

From now on Lappemor is on my travel route every summer when passing on my way to family visit, and in the mean time I will keep updated through the web shop.
Thanks Anne Heidi for a lovely stay in your shop! I smiled through the rest of our trip, looking through my purchases :-)

When I travel to Surnadal in Mid-Norway to visit family I usually call an old friend, Ildri, who lives there too.
I had learned that she is going to sell Janome sewing machines from September, but little did I know that she is making a full quilt shop in her home when I visited for coffee.

Here is a glimpse of the thread and pattern corner. New fabrics are coming in all the time.
I am wishing you all the best of luck with your shop Ildri ! I will be back, next summer :-)

Here are my purchases at Ildri's


After chatting, picking out goodies and chatting more we had a very cosy and tasteful meal of crackers and cheese, apple cider and tea.


After the meal we retreated to Ildri's combined shop and sewing room and enjoyed doing some stitchery together.
If it had not been that I had to pick up DD2 and a little cousin at the cinema at a certain time the visit would have stretched out in the small hours, that is for sure.
When we get together it is like the travel distance between us and the time since we last spoke are gone.

Summer vacation is over - DH starts work on Monday, DD1 and DD2 are starting school next Monday.
I have enjoyed and smiled my way through about 3000 kms / 1900 miles of car driving since late June + one plane trip to Trondheim.
Seeing old loved friends and family and meeting some new friends - seeing again old loved places and visiting new places.
Eating well, drinking well, having time for contemplation - all goes in the same well of memories which adds up to a good summer!

Many threads of stitchery has been done this summer and the sewing machine is now waiting for a good workout.
I will still be working on my stitcheries and prepping for this autumn's classes, but come tomorrow I think I will take my sewing machine for a spin too :-)

To much of the good IS gorgeous :-)

Here are my vacation purchases - and yes, to much of the good IS gorgeous ! :-))

Here are Bronwyn Hayes, Country Friends, Lynette Anderson, Angels in Disguise, The Birdhouse, Gail Pan, Hugs'n Kisses, Bird Brain, Bareroots and Candlelight Creations.

Still wondering what catch my eyes these days ?? Stitchery galore :-))
Some of these wonderful items I even found in half price baskets - oh luck !!

The fabrics are also meant for stitchery mostly - different light background fabrics.

Ah - I forgot to take photos of my newly bought embroidery floss, but just add them in your mind, 7-8 skeins, and I am ready for hours of smiles and stitchery :-)

An absolutely lovely Saturday

It has been a lovely day!

The Blue Trip took us to the shop in the little town where May Britt lives, approx. 2 hours from where I live.

The shop, Lille Stasjon (The Little Station) is very nice.
May Britt was teaching a class in the shop this Saturday but still had time to spend some time with us :-)

See her blog for a tutorial on the pincushion she was teaching today.

*****

May Britt on the left and Sigrun on the right. Sigrun is the one who invited me to join in today. Thank you very much Sigrun!




I did not go overboard with the shopping - 6 pieces of 12" full width of fabric, 4 patterns, 1 booklet and a book with stitchery and patchwork. Not to forget a very cute cat pin in wood.
The booklet and the pattern to the left was marked down very much and was good buys :-)

Look what I got from May Britt as a birthday gift !!!!
I have been wishing for a pair of scissors this size for a long long time!
And see the lovely little clip it is attached too.
Thank you May Britt :-)