Trick or Treat !

Hussif
After one year of swapping fabric, beads, lace, thread, …..you know, crazy stuff …..stuff for crazy quilters……treasures….. the year comes to an end :o(
This has been a great year. I have got new, loving, caring friends, got myself a lot of new knowledge, and a big pile of goodies.
The last chapter of this event was to make our “Crazy guilt sister” a hussif.

These two are for my new “sisters”, Maire in USA and Carmela in Israel. I hope they will love them.

I certainly love the one I received from Maire. Pic will come soon I hope.....

Blogging
I just realised I have not prioritized my blog. Well I have started on several posts but never published them. Today I just did something about it.

Scroll down and see what is new.

I’ll do my homework after I’ve done this.
I have promised both you, and myself to continue blogging.

Now my cell phone tells me to do so every week :o) I am back blogging.

Flower swap

Flowers made in bright colours on black backgournd.

These are the result of the swap hosted at "Stoffbytteklubben". I wonder how I'll uste these blocks.

I need to think about this......

Adrian’s Quilt
I have started on a quilt to our grandson.
I need some stitching in the car on our way to the cabin. Cant stitch on our way back home. Hands are dirty.

Anyway, I need to get it done. He is out of the hospitable and they (the parents) are planning the baptising.

Idea is to keep it in the same colours as the “Winnie the Pooh” quilt he’s already got.

Friends with Hearts
Some days ago one friend within the quilt community here in Norway, were speaking to other quilting friends on the internet. During this chat, she became aware of “one of us” had had a heart operation. The same lady also wanted to make herself a Heart quilt in red and white.
What would a quilting friend do in a situation like this? Yes you got it right.
She sent out an e-mail to each and every one of us she had the private address to, asking if we would like to participate in this “Friends of Heart action”, and pass this email out to everybody who knows her, without disclose the secret.
Of course I wanted to join. I started immediately to make my tribute to Sigrid. We didn’t sign up. We just got ahead and did it!

The mailing date was set to August 30. (One week would be enough) The thought were to fill her mailbox with hearts without spoiling the surprise up front. My hearts for her left Thursday 30 as planned.

I am picking up on Susan's advice.

Free Hit Counter

Next is to get it to the sidebar…..

.....and why did it not start at 1001, or in the colors I wanted?....

hmmmfff.....?

OK. I have tried to get it right (thansk for your advise Ati), but there is nowere I can get the right code. This is the only one I get. And it seams impossible to get hold of any help at their site.

Second of third hmmmmrrrfffff......

Coming home.
Finally, it seems like the baby is coming home.

Remember I told you all I had become a “granny”. The baby is now more than 3 months old, and at last the doctors believe he is fit to come home.
The boy was borne on Mai 30 (just one day early). Everything was perfect. He was and still is a lovely, good looking boy.
The first night he became cold, very cold. Result was to keep him in an incubator. They kept him there for weeks. The poor baby and his parent even had to go to another hospital in ambulance plane for some tests. It has been some terrible months. After some weeks DH’s DD was allowed to carry him around inside the hospital.
It was something wrong with his lungs. Hi should not cry! Hi might not survive.
Glenn found it funny that Adrian was connected to a remote control by cable. Even his remote car did not have a wire.
Good news is:
Now, the doctors finally are talking about sending mother and son home! May be this week!
(And the bad news is: )
Suddenly I realized we might be approaching the baptismal day very soon. It has always been my intentions to give all the newborn babies in the family a big quilt as a gift on the baptism day.

I have started on Adrian’s quilt…… …..hoping I’ll get it done before “The Day”.

The date is not settled yet……

Cabin
I've been asked how we do in the process of building our cabin.

We are almost there….
….. we have started to get some furniture. It is possible to stay there, but we have not received our “permission” from the local government to use it yet. But soon….

In the meantime I can show you some pictures.

This is our bedroom in the attic.

Livingroom.
Furniture is on its way.

My DH during a coffe break.

Out side is almost done.

Wood burning stove in the living room. Can you feel the heat? Mmmm……

We do so much look forward to spend time relaxing in the cabin.

And if you happen to be in the area pls come and visitt.

My DYB

Time flies, and in your head you are sure you have done it, in real life you’ve not.
This is just what happened to me.
I was sure I had shown you the results of my received blocs form the DYB-group. They are gorgeous and here they are:

No 1
Wilma, in the Nederland

No 2
Helina in Finland

No 3
Ati in Norway

No 4
Cobi in the Netherlands

No 5
Susie in United Kingdom

They are just beautiful. I do look forward to “next year” when I’ve finished university and do have the time to stitch. Then I’ll do my own and assembly the DYB-quilt.

Not too busy
I have decided to continue blogging! ;o)
Thank you all for the lovely comments regarding my question. They made me change my mind.
I’ll always find the time for my friends.

And yes, it’ll be a hectic semester, but I do work best while under pressure.

Anyway, I just got the message I am going to Birmingham for 2 weeks. (Without my computer, Help!)
I am leaving on upcoming Sunday. I need to fill my suitcase with a lot of hand-stitching. Believe I’ll bring some fabric cutting too. Wonder if there is anything Quilt-related to do in Birmingham when the expo has ended? Anybody know?

Busy!
My life is busy. The time I got “in spare” I really want to use sewing.
I just resigned my job, and said “Yes, Thank you” to another one. Meaning fulltime work and fulltime pay! And as that weren’t enough, I have signed up for a course at the University. (Help!). And my new job sends me to Brighton on the 10. September for 2 weeks.
And I do have a lot of projects started, and I need to finish some of them. Not all, there aren’t time enough. But there will be not disappointments. I keep my promises.
I also realised I just had one year anniversary blogging! Now I need to think if this is something I want to keep up doing. I can’t keep posting every week. And the comments I receive tells me not to many people visit my blog (?).

If you do visit this blog, pls leave a comment.

Do you want me to continue blogging?

Ati's DYB
Oh! My life is busy. Almost forgot to tell you my of my work on Ati's DYB. Her theme was Chinese Tea! Challenging! I made my tribute in a teapot, decorated with a "Chinese house". I stitched the word Tea in 3 languages, two in Chinese. I decorated it with stitches and beads.

She gives you a better picture then I do. You'll also get nice pictures of the other blocks in this DYB. Go and have a look.

Around the Block Home/Join List Next Previous Random

I am bringing this button to the surface.

Susan usually tells me to renew this post. This time I wanted to be upfront (should have done it several times since last time), but times flies and my mind is occupied with "everything else".

Package form Keepsake quilting
I picked up my parcel at the post office, and left this world into my own little quilting world. ;o)

Books, I love books. They give me a lot of pleasure. I enjoy the text and pictures. I imagine my own fabric used in the projects, and dream of new stash. It is funny how I “sew” a lot of nice quilts in my mind.

And I got the next two kits, in the series of 4, from McKenny Ryan. I love her style. These are meant to be on the kitchen wall in our new cabin. I have open the first two kit and cut out the pieces. No rush. Kitchen is not ready yet.

… … and I do have other obligations to see to first!

Baggie from Carmela

I got it. And I got confirmed my story of the content. It contained gorgeous fabric. Look at the delicious colours.
Take a closer look at the green one. It is already embellished!
There were also a beautiful selection of lace, I believe some of them are crochet by Carmela her self, and a handful of selected sequins chosen especially for me. I love them. I love the whole content. Now I just need more time to sew!

Look out! Baggie is on its way!

Yesterday I called the customs. I do not know how many times my call were transferred, but I am not far out saying at least 5 times. Grrr….
Anyway, I told my story of what I could imagine were inside the package. Crazy quilting is not a common hobby in Norway.
The last lady I talked to, the one actually holding my baggie, she understood when I said: imagine you tidying up your grandmas sewing box, and this is all the stuff you would say is rubbish, is for me is a treasure.
She could imagine, and now the baggie is on its way again, in my direction. ;o)

... … on the same time there were a note in the mail telling me there is a parcel at the post office for me to pick up… … from Keepsake Quilting... ... I have to wait until today to pick it up.

I know what’s inside and I am so excited. Almost like Christmas!

Yes, I can never get enough. And now the US dollar is soooo “cheap” it is an excuse for shopping… …

Bright Fantasy Flowers
… … …On black fabric - swap.

These are some of the flowers I’ve made and sent to my swap partners. These were fun to do. I have appliqué them in the car on our way to the cabin this summer (not on the way back home, cause my hands were always dirty).
I love them. I have even made more then needed. Gonna keep them as company for the other flowers who will enter my mailbox in the upcoming weeks.
Hoping this will turn out as a nice quilt. Not knowing how, yet … …

Baggie form Carmela
The baggie of goodies from Carmela is stopped by the customs. :o(
Today I got a letter from the Norwegian customs saying they need to see a receipt for the ordered goods. The label tells them it contains fabric and sewing supplies.
I assume it is samples, cut of pieces, odds and ends, just small treasures we crazy quilter use, like all the other baggies I have swapped during 2007. This is a gift!
I need to call them tomorrow, trying to persuade them to understand.

Sorry to say, I am not to optimistic.

I’ll keep you posted.

Baggie from Maire
Look what I got. And it only took 5 days to get to me!
And now I have found the time to open and enjoy it.

A big Thank You to Maire!
It contained a big piece of lace-fabric and a beautiful silk print,that is soooo adorable.
Look at al the yummy thread and ribbon. Maire told me it is from 'hand-dyed fibres'. Lucky me!
Have you spotted the flower beaded lace? I need to add such for my Christmas wish list :o)
And the fancy beads! Oh I look forward to use them.
Last, but not least: the stationary and postcards. Glenn just had to become owner of half the amount of pencils and stickers.

Thanks a lot!

Precious Petals postcards

I have received 3 out of 4 so far. They are just so delicious!
They are from:
Aynsley, Elizabeth and Lorri

I saw this swap at the “Surface Design Group” on the internet. I is a great Yahoo group that do a lot of experimenting on fabric. And of course I have to participate in some of them.

Mine were made by using stiff interfacing, like the one we use when making bowls. (glue on both sides) Then I added light fabric, then fusible web. Now the fun part: arranging the flowers. The flowers are pressed/dried in a book with kitchen tissue. (Old fashioned, and time consuming. I know).
To keep the flowers in right position I used organza ribbon. Ironed and stitched the ribbon to make sure the flowers stayed in place. Then I ironed the fabric on the back side and used a waterproof pen to make it look and function as a postcard.
I have not asked if they were OK when they arrived in the mailbox to the recipients. My cards were sent open, not in envelopes. I think this is half of the fun.

Precious Petals

My set of postcard left Norway some while ago. I thought I would not show them to all of you before the participants of this swap had an opportunity to receive them first.
This swap was fun to do, even though I ruined a lot of flowers and postcards before I was satisfied with the result. It is “real” flowers in these cards.

Helina’s DYB

My first thought: This one is going to be easy. I love the purple colour, and the theme she choose, would not cause to much difficulties.
My second thought: How do I solve this without ruin the block.
All of her blocks contained a butterfly or two. I just had to continue that style.
And flowers, lots of flowers, I love them as well. Therefore I added some in different styles.
I hope she like my stitching. I serially love her set of DYB’s.
I am looking forward to see her result.

½ on ½
I 2006 I participated in a ½ on ½ swap. It was my fist crazy quilt swap. Actually it was my fist international swap. And there has been several after this one.

This swap I did not know what I signed up to, but I loved the challenge.
I made one block of each color combination aloud (4).

Black - White
Pink – Purple
Yellow – Green and
Red – Blue

Then I received 4 blocks to embellish. Wow. How fun. I loved it!

After a lot of waiting I received 4 blocks back home. 3 of them were original mine, but the Red-Blue one were swapped in this pink-purple.

We were not told we would get “our own” blocks back, but if the lady who made this lovely block (Renea Aldrich, WA) got my Red and Blue, I would suggest a swap?

If there is anybody out there with any information on this, please give me some feedback. I will not assembly my blocks into a quilt this year….

Baby Boy (no 2)

My DH’s DD gave birth to our GS. :o)
This makes me a “grandmother”. Not for real, it is not my daughter, but I love them all.
Glenn has become an Uncle. He is so proud. He is even making a quilt to Adrian (Baby Boy’s name).

This is the quilt I made for the little boy. I knew it up front it was to be a boy; therefore I made this one too in the shades of blue.
Hope he will treasure it, and use it.

Cobi’s DYB
Next round of the DYB is completed. Cobi had chosen purple and beige color combination with a touch of olive? Anyway I loved the colors but where terrified about the theme: Jugendstil (Art nouveau). Oh, my god. How do I handle this?
I jumped the internet, searching for pictures to help me sort this challenge. The information I gathered were impossible to transfer into stitches.
After a week or two I dared to start stitching.

If Cobi agree with my outcome of this challenge, I do not know yet, but I hope she will give me some feedback on this. I loved to stitch in these tones of color and was pretty satisfied with the result.
I do look forward to see the outcome of this project. The story tells me it’s going to be “something” nice.

Wilma’s DYB
It is better late than never.
I finally came around to do Wilma’s block. She had chosen the theme Jeanne d’Arc. I found it very difficult. I looked through several books and internet sites for inspiration.

I found out a lot about that lady. How interesting. Question is: how should I solve this one?
I love Wilma’s choice of color, so tender and delight. Think about it: Opposite of Jeanne or not?
Anyway….

The 30.may is the memorial day of Jeanne d’Arc. I stitched it on the block, together with a ribbon and some beads. I also decorated the block with some “ordinary” stitches, buttons, sequins and beads. I even made a “flower” of organza ribbon and decorated it.

Color of Joy!
It is done! (a couple of weeks ago..)
Finally I’ve come around to show you all my result of the swap: Color of joy.

I think it turned out pretty nice. I have decided to give it away to Inger. She is the lovely person, who has helped me, to get my son safe to school for 3 years.

I hope she will appreciate abd use it (keep her warm).

Baby Boy (no 1)

Our neighbors got a baby boy. I don’t know when. But it has arrived!
Well, we heard the rumor sometime this winter. I have been looking for some signs ever after. Approximately 2 months ago I saw the belly. Yes! I was so happy for the next door couple. They have been married for …at least ten years… and finally they were blessed with a baby. It came into this world, one day early in May. I have made a blanket for the most wanted baby in the neighborhood.

This is how far we’ve got.
This weekend we have been “working in the garden”. We have been digging a ditch for the main electric cable. It’s been hard work, even though we used a machine. The soil is stuffed with stones, sometimes very big stones. But now it is done. ;o)
These are pictures of the cabin so far.
Outside

Kitchen

Livingroom.

We hope it will be “usable” this summer.

I’ll never forgive you
if my son turns out to be a quilter!
This is what my DH said to me late yesterday evening, after our son had gone to bed.
For those of you who do not know Glenn Andre, he is 9 years old and loves to create with his hands (and he is good at it!).
Why did my DH say things like that. I believe the picture speaks for itself. ;o)

Glenn is going to be an uncle to a boy late this month, and decided he wanted to make a quilt on his own, for the little baby boy.
The quilt is designed by Glenn, all the pieces are cut out by him. Here you can see he is stitching all the pieces. He’s got 5 days to go…..
I’ll post a picture of the quilt when it is accomplished.

Round Robin
A couple of weeks ago I received back home my RR. It has been on a trip “around the country”, 4 stops including home ;o)

As you all can see it is my “blog-face” who was my center block. And the result is amazing. The way it turned out is just beautiful. It is more than I ever hoped for.
Thanks to all the lovely ladies who are so talented.

I am so lucky to be a part of the Yahoo-group “Stoffbytte- klubben” (swapping of fabric group).
This internet group has given me a lot. New friends, new experience and knowledge. Plus a lot of fabric, projects and piles of swapped blocs. I love it.
I’ll post more later on…..so stop by…..

I am so sorry

for having been absent for over a month.
First I want to thank you all for popping by my blog, even though I did not post anything new for you to enjoy. The last month has been very busy, and I do apologize to you all for not shearing the small stitches I’ve made. ;o)
(I have done a few…)

Now I am going to try justifying a little bit….

This is a picture of our cabin one month ago. It has been hard work, but we love it. My hands have been dirty into late evenings for weeks now. I’ll try to post a new nice picture of the cabin next week. We have come far in one month ;o)

2. baggies

left my house a week ago. It is for my two swap-sisters outside Norway. One goes to US and the other one to Israel. (Maire in US e-mailed me yesterday saying she received it already and that she loved it)

I love swapping. And I wish I had more time to sew. There is so much I want to do!

Susies DYB

This is how it turned out. I knew I had a broche with angels somewhere. And I found it, and used it!
Along with some nice silk thread and silk ribbons, I added some pearls. I h6*e Susie like my contribute.

Butterflies!

Another butterfly came around. Isn’t it gorgeous!
I have participated in a postcard swap, and this is one of the two I will receive. I love it. It makes me longing towards summer. Thank you, Janne.

Round Robin last lap
Mushrooms

Why mushrooms? Well, why not. Either you love them, or you hate them. I love their color, shape and taste. But this one seemed a little bit difficult. And then again I love a challenge.
This Round Robin had given me a lot of new concerns. None of them has been symmetric. (Mine neither) I wonder why? My idea about this issue is, I think I have entered a group of quilters who don’t look at themselves as ordinary quilters. (Meaning no harm). We are all individuals and we are all special. The work that arrived in my mailbox, who is from this group, is nice, tidy and of high quality. Each and every one has given me a feeling of being incompetent. Or in another way of saying: What can I do to keep up the nice work and beautiful choice of colors? And that is the words I hear from others in the group as well. Or any group as the fact. Why can’t we be proud of our work? And say it out loud!
I am proud of my contribute to this nice piece of work!
Now I have sent it to its owner, Berit, and I do look forward to see what she makes of it. I feel I am a part of it.

Butterflies!
My butterflies will be home soon. I know they are on their way.

Susie’s DYB arrived.

Last Saturday Susie’s DYB arrived at my place. Usually I say arrived safely, but this time they did not. The fist thing I saw was the plastic envelope they use in the postal service when something is damaged. (I know after 15 years of serving in the postal system.)
Inside were the damaged envelope and the plastic bag Susie used to protect her blocks. It looked like it’s been tewed by a dinosaur and spitted out again. Then I grabbed the blocks, counted them, and was relived all 6 of them had made it. Next step was to see if there were any damages to the blocks. Luckily it seemed they made it thru the terrifying experience of postal service. I was relived, but not for long.

Oh no! Then I realized there were no paperwork or any instruction. No journal along with the blocks. The guidelines told us to make one, and therefore I expected one.
Well it was missing. I’ve been on the e-mail to Susie and told her what has happened. I hope she will mail me a new one.

I love her blocks. They are delicious. Nice and calm. Her choices of color are warm and comforting. And her idea of theme is angles. I love the romantic shade of color and theme.
But before I get started I need to do some other stuff that I got on my “need to do” list.

This is the block I choose.

My weekend at Hell.
Yes, that right, I’ve been at Hell.
Hell is the name of the community outside the Norwegian town Trondheim. It was at the Rica Hell Hotel the yearly meeting/happening of the Norwegian quilt association were held.
Is has been a wonderful weekend. Exhibitions, shops, food, wine, old friends, new friewns, , classes, show and tell. Not rated in that particular line of order, but it sure was busy and fun. I loved it.

It is also nice to get a face to go with the names I know from the internet quilting lists.

I attended 2 classes of sewing. Both classes were a 3 hours class of sewing by hand (didn’t want to carry my sewing machine). Not much time to make a big quilt, but the intention was to learn something new and t6 be social…And I achieved my intentions.

First calss i attende where a stichery class. I finaly menaged to do some french knots :-)

Second class was “Sewing over paper”. It is a lovely way of sewing by hand. You can bring it everywhere. Well it is not a new technique for me. I do have some WISP’s in this technique. (I have told you about one of them......)

Do you remember another one of my posts published about a block lottery? I entered the lottery with 5 Honey Bee blocks, and became a lucky winner of 20 blocks to make a whole blanket! Yeah! And the funny is: all of my 5 blocks came home again.

Pic on its way....

Is there anybody who knows of a nice way of assembly all these blocks into a nice quilt? The colors are interesting, and just sewing the blocks together will be boring and not do all of these nice blocks any justice. I will appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

I promised my self no shopping and I managed to keep my promise!

Amazing!
During a job of cleaning, rearranging and sorting some of my old stuff, .....and starting a new project, I came across a piece of fabric that caught my attention.
I have never before seen anything like this. I know you might use fabric the wrong side out. (Depending on the fabric). But this is different. There are actually two different prints on this little piece of fabric. It is reversible!
Is there anybody out there who could tell me some more about this phenomenon?

What have I been up to lately?

Well, I got my self a new job, part-time, and that takes time. Then I got myself a second “job”, which means even more time out of my sewing room. (Luckily this job is in a quilt shop. If you are curious have a peek at: www.kaktusquilts.no )

And then we have the “cabin”. This is how far we got…..Now we are waiting ........

I have not done mutch sewing lately, but I do pick up the needle now and then…..
I’ll give you some hunches…….

Santa’s…..

Stars and stripes……

These are both WISP’s I have picked up lately...

Warm and cosy….(I just had to…)

....and brum-brum.....


And then I am preparing for my trip to Trondheim. Oh! I look forward to a weekend doing stitchery classes, shopping, exhibitions, meeting friends, new and old. Quilt, Quilt, Quilt!
Just 2 weeks of waiting.

Oh, and I almost forgot.

I have recieve a postcard from Torbjørg and 3 nice ATC's from Jeannina. Thanks to both of you.