Winter in progress

I just had to try. And when I got started, I just couldn’t stop. This is what I’ve done today.

But it seams like it is impossible to get good pictures, especially close-ups. Anybody out there who is willing to give me any tips.

Winter / Christmas

In one of our quilt-group there is a “challenge” to make a A4 size quilt (8,5" x 12"), themed: Winter.
Actually there is one for each season. I started autumn (but I never got finished it in time) Now I on to “Winter” and “Christmas”. I will also do “Spring” and “Summer” later on.
These two quilts need to be ready by mid December. And of course I am not like everybody else; I have to make them crazy.
This is what they look like before I start embellishing them.

If there is anybody out there who wants to suggest anything special for these quilts, be my guest. I will be happy for any feedback/coments..

WISP

Sandie has invited, and I signed up for a UFO/WISP Challenge 2007
(UnFinished Objects or Works In Slow Progress.)

Its a low stress fun way of finishing some of the projects that I have started.

The funny thing is I am not alone into this challenge. It is always nice working together. And here you can visit the others.

The reasons, why I have many unfinished projects are several. One reason is time. Another one is I have become impatient or bored with my work. The most common reason would be that I have started other projects. I love something new.
Anyway, when I look at them, or think of them, I know, I just can’t throw them in the bin or give them away. Once I loved them (I think I still do), and it would have been nice to finish them. Therefore I have promised my self to try to complete as many as possible of my UFO/WISP’s during the year 2007.

I am also aware of that we, (my DH and I) are going to build a new cabin this summer. (The old one burned down last winter) I know it is time-consuming to build something, but the cabin needs new quilts! At least one for each bed…..

I have not shown you any of my WISP’s. I am not proud of myself throwing these away into a corner, behind something else, in my sewing room. I will start bringing one at the time, into daylight. This is the first one:

I am not going to tell you when I started this one. For those of you who have been quilting for a while, might recognise the fabric.
I just loved the idea of pre-cut fabric and the sets of colours. Did I need them? No. But I just had to hvae them, LOL. During the years that are gone since I started this, I have had several ideas of the results. I think I will go for the last one. You wait and see. I will tell you later in my progress, of reaching my goal for this quilt.

Christmas stocking

ready to go. I am not going to tell who is going to get it. I won’t tell the receiver it is on its way. I want to keep it as a secret. And it is a bit early. Deadline is not until later this month. I just needed it to get going, hoping the receiver will get it before Christmas.
When I wrapped it up I stuffed it with Norwegian Chocolate (twist). I did it in my kitchen and measured it to a limit for postage.
I love the way this one turned out. Hoping the receiver will be pleased with it.

Snowmen no. 1

The first one is done. Except, I didn’t do the French Knots. Oh, I hate those. I will ask my mom to do those. Yes, I have tried, but they always seams to end up on the back side of my stitchery. And that’s not where they are supposed to be.
This one was fun to do. I am going to do the second one soon, but first of all I need to finish a Christmas stocking I’ve started. Hope it will be ready to go in the mail today (yes, it is another swap).

I swap with Swap-bot!

This time it is not me. Well, it is me, but on behalf of my son, Glenn André (8 1/2) years)
He has envied me, when I get all these parcels. He seams so disappointed when I received one package after the other. And there is nothing for him. So, this swap is for him. He is going to make up to day, the parcel witch we are going to send of. We are going shopping today. He will understand the saying: “You have to give to get”. It is work to shop, write a card, wrap it up, bring it to the post office, pay the postage, and the worst of it all, sit around and wait for one in return.

Christmas Heart Ornaments

They are now ready to go. I am a little up front. Puh! Now I just have to wait until I get my swapping partners. In the meantime, I got a lot of other stuff to attend to, like my snowmen.

These hearts are made of silk and cotton. They are embellished with red beads. I love the way they turned out.

Necklace
Yesterday we had our monthly gathering at my local quilt group. And yesterday it was a “Mini-course”. We made a quilted necklace.
Rita Schrøder is a well known quilter in this area. She has taught lots of ladies to make small quilts like this one I made:

Light table.

What do you when the pattern refers to a light table?
I had a wage idea of a light table. But I had no intentions of go and by one. To be honest I did not know where to go shopping for one. Well, it cost no money, and I didn’t have to go anywhere, to use my imagination. I used what I had in hand.
Reading light form the living room, a couple of big books and my extension table for the sewing machine. It worked!

Now I’m going to transfer some of the patterns to fabric that I can bring to my Quilting meeting this evening. Oh, I look forward to start stitching.

PS! Tomorrow I will post pictures of my new Christmas Heart Ornaments I am sending away in a couple of days. Soooo…. Stay tuned.

I have been dared.

Jo in nz said:
……I can't beleive that the others were rubbish. Show us and let your readers decide! I dare you.


OK, I went to the bin. I picked up my trash. I will be brave and publish something I am not proud of.

Well here it is, you decide:

I am not crazy!

(Picture is stolen from Quiltegården internet shop where I bought the quilt)

I am just half way there. I loved this quilt. I just had to order it. At the time when I did order it, there was no price listed. (They did not know the total price yet, since they did not have all the fabric in stock) If there were stated a price I would have imagine it was big (64"x71"), and maybe I hadn't ordered it. Who knows? I am just a little bit crazy, and I just had to have it.... And in the meantime I have forgotten all about it. I received a note in the mailbox saying I needed to com to the post office to pick up a parcel. I saw who the sender was and I thought: Hmmmm, what could this be? I jumped in the car and got the big parcel safe home. During the weekend I've tried to hide this from my husband. He is aware of my sickness (read crazy) but this would be the last nail in the coffin. It is not easy to hide all this fabric when it is hung out to dry after washing it..... ! Oh, it is old.....and it is soon Christmas.....I am trying to tidy my sewing room.....I need some red and white fabric for something that I do work on..... A lot of explanations.I feel a little bit stupid. I know what he will say: Why cant you finish some of the projects you already have started. When will you finish them? Bla Bla Bla...... Well, I not dead, yet. And all my projects they are "WISP's" (Work in slow progress). OK, some are stuffing to keep the chilly weather on the outside.This new project is fun now when we are approaching Christmas. It will not be that fun in May or June. So, I need to do this now.

Christmas Ornament Swap

Today I did the last seam on these Christmas Ornaments.
(To be honest I started something else. They turned out like garbage. I had to figure out something else I could make to be proud to swap. )

I am very proud of the result of these. They will in the mail tomorrow for my swapping partners. I need to make some more for my own Christmas tree. They were fun to make.
I have also received one of the 3 ornaments I will receive in this swap. I will post pictures when I have received all 3.

I even started on the hearts for the heart ornament swap this weekend. They turned out also very badly. I could not be proud of sending those away to my swapping partners. The idea was good, but I need to improve the look. I need to sleep on it. The deadline is not yet. I will be back on this one.

Tomorrow I will spend the day together with my friend, sewing. Well, we’ll see if we do any sewing. The idea is to sew a lot and enjoy each others company. We haven’t done that for ages. Oh, I look forward till tomorrow.

And I promise I will post picture of my new big project. I forgot all about it. Sorry. I need to take picture outdoor in daylight.

Oh no!

Another big project arrived in my mailbox today. I will post picture of it later on. It is called Winter Wonderland and contains a lot of stitchery. Now I am in shock. I forgotten I ordered it. Well, it could be another WISP. We’ll see.
I will get back to you on this one……..

Ta-da!

Today I made a new pin cushion for my own use. I saw one similar to this at a quilt gathering. I studied it, and said to myself: This is easy". And, yes it was. And it works.
Maybe later I will finish the other one I started. I just need to figure where I put the pink buttonhole tread. I can’t seam to find it.

I am so happy.

Another one removed, of my “to do” list for the first half of November.
These are tickets in our Santa block lotto. Those who want to win a pile of Santa blocks (6” x 6”) in purpose of making a Santa quilt needs to participate. Each block you hand in is one ticket to win the whole lot.
No tickets – No prices. Therefore I will hand in 4 Santa’s. Maximum limit is 5 per person. And the drawing is next Wednesday, and I want to do something else now. I will not be the lucky one, but I need to try. And the person that wins, needs the variety of Santa’s.

I swap with Swap-bot!

I’ve signed up for a few more swaps. I love swapping.
Now I am going to swap “Heart Christmas Ornaments”, “Christmas Ornaments”, Coffee And Knitting” and “Lots Of Chocolate Swap”. I am so excited.
Oh, I look forward to do my bit of the deal. (I have already started.) But I do also love to get goodies in the mailbox. I live by the rule: You have to give to get.

Soon I will be finished appliquéing.

Later on today (or another day) I will be ready to quilt my table runner. I stitched on it yesterday, but I dont think I will work on it today. ......it is in progress……

Workshop
A Saturday upfront of Christmas my Quilt Guild arranges a Workshop. The door to our meeting room is open, and if you want to, you are welcome. The Board has made a few models for those who do not know what to do. But you are free to work on whatever you like. Bring your work, big or small, by hand or machine, or just stop by to say hello. We have coffee and cake, and we order a pile of pizza later on. It is a social event.
These are some of the ladies and their work in progress.

Now I am going to hand appliqué my work to get it finished befort Christmas this year. LOL

Pin Cushion Swap

Yesterday I received my Pin Cushion from the “Hand Made Pin Cushion Swap”. It came from Malin who lives in Sweden. Thank you Malin!
She sent some sweets as will, and a beautiful hand made card. I assume she made the card herself.
The Pin Cushion is adorable. I love it. What a great idea.

Anyone up on a challenge?

I decided to respond to an gift-challange at abeautifulcraft's blog. So the first five people to respond to the challenge via comments on this blog will get a small piece of "something", (I know what it is, but do not know what to call it. Lets call it a Christmas surprise). The catch is, you also have to make the same sort of an offer in a post on your own blog. That means, this is not an exchange, you do not have to send me anything in return, but you must try to pay it forward though your own blog.

......and the interesting part will be seeing if there are actually five people who know this blog exists and are wisiting.

Anyone want to take me up on the challenge?

Pin Cushion Swap

Yesterday I finished my Pin Cushion for the swap. Oh I loved it. I wrapped it up and rushed of to the post office. Always late, deadline was yesterday.
Damn! I forgot to take a picture. Well I had my camera in my purse, low on battery of course, and I shot this.

Later today I will make another one, just the same, one for me. I will post a picture of it when ready.
Today I am tired. I have been working by the computer all day. Inside the house. Now I will go for a walk with the dog, and pick up my son at school. It is Friday! Weekend.

When my head is refreshed, I will pack my sewig-bag, get a glass of win and relax. I'm going to a quilt-workshop on Saturday morning.
That reminds me, I need to recharge the battery for my camera.

Beautiful Crazy Pink/Purple Block

Some time ago I told you about a 1/2 on 1/2 swap. Now the wotes are counted and winners published, and it is possible to show our work.

I sent 4 blocks to this swap. And one of them ended at Ati’s. She did a great job on embellishing one of my blocks, the pink/purple one. Thank you. And she won the pink/purple category for her work. I’m amazed she didn’t win the yellow/green as well. Go to Ati’s blog, and have a look. She does a lot of nice work.
I do look forward to get my blocks home. Where my three others have been I don’t know yet.
Later I will publish pictures and info on the 4 blocks I embellished.

Have you ever?
I found this at Shelina’s blogg. Reading thru her “statements” it felt like we were some kind of twins. Well, and there are always something that doesn’t match.

All these questions, and they are all about quilting. Amazing. Either you quilt, or you don’t, my husband would have sad.
Anyway, I enjoyed all these questions. I learned something about myself: I’ve done a lot of different stuff during the years that I’ve been quilting. And I’ve loved it.

And still there were some question I did not understand:
What is a Journal Quilt, and a Sashiko, and I don’t know what a Ostritch RR is?
Is there anybody out there that can answer me?

Here is my “quilting life”:

Have You Ever?
1. Taken a quilting class
2. Paper pieced
3. Hand quilted
4. Hand pieced
5. Created your own pattern
6. Published a pattern in a magazine or book
7. Gone on a quilting retreat
8. Gone to a quilting convention
9. Met someone who wrote a quilting book
10 combined your quilting with some other craft
11. Done any three dimensional quilting - like fabric origami
12. Made something using Thimbleberries fabric
13. Made something using batiks
14. Dyed your own fabric
15. Made a landscape hanging
16 Made a New York Beauty quilt
17 Made a baby quilt
18 Made a wall hanging
19 Made a journal quilt
20 Submitted your journal quilt for viewing
21 Made a fabric postcard
22 Made a artistic trading card (ATC)
23 Exchanged artistic trading cards
24. Mailed your own postcard
25. Made a lap quilt
26 Made a twin size quilt
27 Made a full size quilt
28 Made a queen size quilt
29 Made a king size quilt
30 Donated a quilt to charity
31 Sent a quilt out to a quilter
32 Thrown away a UFO
33 Given away a UFO
34 Cut up a UFO and made something else with it
35 Ripped fabric instead of cutting it
36 Made a quilt exactly like the pattern, with no changes whatsoever
37 Done any Sashiko
38 Quilted your own quilt
39 Did free motion quilting
40 Put any embroidery or beads on your quilt
41 Given away your quilt to a stranger
42 Swapped fabric
43 swapped blocks
44 participated in a round robin
45 participated in an ostritch round robin
46 kept a journal about your quilting
47 written a letter to someone who made an antique quilt
48 kept a blog about your quilting
49 participated in a gift exchange
50 sent a quilting random act of kindness
51 joined a newsgroup about quilting
52 made a quilt using a pattern from quilterscache
53 joined an online block of the month
54 made a block of the month quilt
55 subscribed to a fabric of the month club
56 bought fabric at an online store
57 bought fabric from ebay
58 own more than one sewing machine
59 have a room dedicated solely to sewing
60 hide a fabric purchase
61 finished making a holiday gift before July
62 spent more than $200 in one quilt shopping trip
63 made a quilt using a book from the library
64 worked with someone else to make a quilt
65. joined a quilt guild
66 become president of a quilt guild
67 taught a quilting class
68 helped someone else get the quilting bug
69 taught a child to sew
70 made a Dear Jane block
71 Made a miniature quilt
72 watch QNN - quilters news network
73 subscribe to a quilting magazine from your own country
74 subscribe to a quilting magazine from another country
75 buy fabric from another country
76 swapped completed quilts with someone else
77 asked for quilting help online
78 gone to a quilt shop to ask for quilting help
79 bought fabric at a local quilt shop
80 traveled more than 100 miles to go to a quilt shop
81 used nontraditional fabric for a quilt - something other than cotton or flannel
82 made a quilt using instructions given to you on a blog
83 make comments on someone's quilting blog
84 meet a quilter in person after only having talked online
85 had a quilting retreat in your home
86 own quilting software
87 made a quilt you designed on your quilting software
88 done any quilt research - history, interviewing quilters, etc.
89 had any quilt related subject published anywhere
90 donated a quilt to a museum
91 bought a quilt from a thrift store
92 made a quilt using fabric from a thrift store
93 made a quilt using photos
94 made a pastel quilt
95 made a quilt using brights
96 made a quilt using ethnic fabric from another country - African, Asian, etc.
97 made a quilt using leftover blocks from other quilts
98 had your quilt in a magazine, newspaper, newsletter, TV, etc.
99. Submitted your quilt to a quilt show.
100. won any ribbons with your quilts
101 had more finished quilts than UFOs
102 made a quilt using reproduction fabrics
103 took a break from quilting that was longer than a year
104 made money with your quilting
105 had a job in the fabric / quilting industry

Ufo 7 and 8

Tonight they are closing the competition. The competition of picking up old projects and finalise them. Sometime this is what’s needed to get rid of some of our old Ufo’s. It is amazing how some of us quilters start on something and never comes around to get them done. Speaking only for my self, it is easy to always start on something new and leave other projects behind for later. And later becomes for ever….

This weekend I told myself to get busy! I have finished ufo no. 7 and 8. It is to tablecloth I hated to quilt. But now it is done. Puh!

No 7 with the apples will end as a wedding gift for a friend of mine, who got married last weekend. They surprised everyone when baptising their child.

No 8 are a Christmas present (for last year) for a friend. She brings my son to school every morning. But I did not manage to quilt it last year. I got her something else. Well, she did not know about is, still doesn’t. so, I’m going to wrap it, and give it to her this Christmas. It is never to late.

Last week

I participated in a course by “Det Norske Veritas” in Kristiansand. I was a 2-day course, meaning I had one night on my own in Kristiansand. I was avare of a nice quilt shop down town, Kreativ Quilt, and I love to meet other quilters. I called them to hear if there were anything happening. And Yes! They were to start a course for newbie’s that evening, but I was welcome to “participate”.
Everybody should make a Christmas tablecloth, containing a lot of easy techniques, including me. I am supposed to know all this and make it in no time. But, No, I have never ever made so many mistakes in one project.
Now it is a source of irritation, but I hope I will finish it before Christmas (this year?) It is a beautiful tablecloth and I want to show you the result.
……is this a commitment?

My summer project

This summer I had an assignment. I was to stitch, by hand, a piece of work for a friend of mine who is mothering an informative internet-site for Quilters. The site is www.Quilteposten.com. The site is in Norwegian, but the pictures are nice for everybody.

I wanted to do some work for her, and we agreed on wall hanging size quilt, of a block called Mayflower. I wanted a block that is easier to do by hand than on machine, and the colours had to be warm.

Another friend of mine had just bought herself an Internet Quilt shop, Kaktus Quilt, and she sponsored the fabric and the final quilting .

This quilt was to be a “small” quilt. Just to show the technique. But it was funny to do, and I had plenty of time, so I decided I wanted it bigger. Now I am an owner of an afghan quilt.


My Mayflower quilt is on display in the Quilt shop in Tananger. But it is also on display at www.quilteposten.com where you can find the pattern and how too.

Sorry

I forgot the book. It is an inspiring book.

"The Enclycopedia Of Beading Techniques" by Sara Withers & Stephanie Burnham.

It contained a lot of different beading techniques. I hope for more fabric embellishing. But it is just my imagination that is the limit. The book contained a lot of nice pictures, and how too. It was worth the money.

New inspiration

I have been in town shopping. I found a book that is a “must” to me. It is about learning more about Bead embroidery, bead embellishment and other stuff regards to beads. This is more inspiratin for making Cracy Quilts and CQ hearts. And soon I’m going to start another group of CQ-RR.
I also love jewellery, and if I can learn how to make it, and find the time to make it, I would save a lot of money on shopping jewellery….LOL.

Red Fabric Swap

This month it was only two participants in the monthly fabric swap in “Stoffbytteklubben”. I don’t know why, maybe people are to busy in the fall?

Anyway, Signe Marie and me we wanted to swap.

This is what I received yesterday from her. Lovely, now I have to figure witch project am gone do, where I can use these lovely pieces of warm red.

Thanks to Signe Marie.

Nina In Norway

Ufo 4-6

Last week I had holiday. One week of my summer holiday. First half of the week was spent at the house. I managed to finish 3 of my Ufo’s.

No. 4

Long time ago I bought some lovely batik fabric. I needed a nice purse to go along with a dress. I made one in a hurry for my self to wear. My mum loved it, and I told her I would make her one. (She would not have mine). Well, a promise is a promise, and now it is finally done.

No. 5

Some time ago a attended a quilting class. We were to make a beautiful Val hanging containing purple foxglove (norsk: Revebjelle). Mine became the most ugly one in the class. Reason is; because I choose a lovely background fabric that didn’t match. I don’t know why I finished it. It will never end on a wall in my house. Not even behind a door. But I am proud of my self to have completed it. (But it won’t happen again.)

No. 6

This one was fun. Stitchery is nice. It is something you can bring along wherever you go.
The frame made of pink fabrics if from a Swap at the “Stoffbytteklubben”. This is a nice group. We swap fabric, presents or blocks. I love swapping but I am not good enough to use what I get. I always want to keep it for something special. And this project was special.
I love the result of this one. Looking forward to put it on the wall
…mmmm, maybe it will be a very nice Christmas present for somebody…..




Second half of my vacation week were spent in the mountains. We rented a cabin at Hovden and had some beautiful days. The sun was shining and the temperature was high. It was beautiful. Nature had put on its autumn dress. The colours were stunning. We had some nice walks in the mountains. A trip to the “Badeland” an indoor swimmingpool. And had a lot of good food and vin. No diet this week!
In the pictures you see my DS, DH and Lady

You could rent one of these at the hotel
Outdoor Playroom at the Mountain hotel our cabin belonged to.

Look at the view from the top.

And if you wanted something to eat while walking the mountain offered myrtle whortleberry (blåbær), mountain cranberry (tyttebær) and black crowberry (krekling). Mmmmm……..

Glenn Andre’s sweater

Finally I came around to finish Glenn Andre’s sweater. It is hand knitted and in the Norwegian Wool yarn “Smart”. Meaning it is machine washable and not itching.

Pattern is from Sandnes garn.
I finished it late yesterday evening, and look who is wearing it this morning.

Treasure Box

Before the summer I signed up for a TreasureBox swap.

We were to make one “box”, and there should be a little something inside. We all received one secret friend to send to, and mine was Heidi. Wanted something Black with bright colours. This is how it turned out:

½ on ½ Swap
Some months ago I signed up for a ½ on ½ Swap.

There where 4 different colour combinations to choose from.
Since I was new to this crazy stuff, I thought, I do one of each.

This is the 4 blocks I sent to Rebecca:

1 Red and Blue + 1 Purple and Pink + 1 Yellow and Green + 1 Black and White

Now, some time later I have had 4 blocks to embellish and embroider. Can’t show you pictures yet. I am not aloud to.
I’ve had one Black/White, one Red/Blue and 2 Pink/Purple. I can’t even tell you from witch country they are from. Then you might understand If I had yours…..

I am dying to show you pictures of the blocks I sent back to Rebecca. But I cant at the moment.

There will also be some kind of a competition. Rebecca is not telling us the whole story. It is like the fairytale are being told as we go along. I am so excited.

I have just e-mailed Rebecca asking for latest news.

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

Sounds frightening! But looks nice.

Nice day

To day I went to the park, to walk the dog. It is a beautiful day.
Finally summer has ended. The weather has been windy and it’s been raining like ….. The air is clean, the ground wet, and you can feel the weather is changing. You know you are alive.

I ended up with a bag full of nuts. Well, when I started to pick, my thought was to plant a few and see if they would grow. And then I thought the rest would be nice in a Christmas decoration. But I can’t use all of these for a decoration. Can I? ...

Is there anybody who has a suggestion what to do with all these nuts? I would be very happy for suggestions. They are too nice and precious to go in the bin!

Nina In Norway

Another million thanks.

This million goes to Beverly in USA.
She is the second one to send (my son) Glenn André (8 years) a stitched heart.
It hit my son right in his heart. Two dragons. One stitched, and the other one to put on a sweater.
The heart contained a Chinese coin. And beautiful green shells and buttons. (he was very sorry one of them were broken in the mail) But, mom can fix almost anything. He loved the heart.

Beverly said in her letter to Glenn Andre she wanted to continue what Maureen started. Give this Art/Craft loving boy in Norway, hearts made of love, from all over the world.

Even the envelope is taken care of. It was stamped with a chine’s sign.
He is so thrilled.

Today I received e-mail from Maureen saying thank you for the drawing Glenn sent. And today a special drawing is on its way to Beverly.

Glenn André receved a new heart yeasterday.

I will be back with info and picture tomorrow.

Round Robin
Lap no.1

Finally I got around to do my centre block.
I wan a couple a weeks ago a pattern for a tablecloth. And I loved the butterflies.

This is my result of a pile of nice fabric and this pattern.

Now it is sent to the next participant in this RR. (My package became too heavy.)

Look what happened.

Yesterday I tried to finish my Crazy Round Robin. I do not know how many times I was interrupted. How annoying! It is still not done.
During my process of running back and forwards to my sewing room my little dog “Lady” saw an opportunity to have a royal rest. Luckily all the needles were in the other end.