Time flies in a strange time.

 

I was very optimistic last time I wrote that I would be back very soon, but here I am, - a long time  after. Now spring is here in Norway and life is back to normal after the covid lockdown.

We have got some new habits, but we can meet and see friends and family again. Even the flee markets have started again, and here is what my granddaughter bought me yesterday to have the first spring flowers in.

 

I have made a lot of things since last I wrote here, but I’ll just show you one wall-hanging. It was made for the competition In The Norwegian Quilting Association -NQF this year. My title was New years wishes 2022 for Europe. I wished that Europe could wish the boat refugees welcome the same way.

 I don’t make competition quilts because I think I am and fabulous artis, but I want to be a better quilter, and the judges give me a very good description of what is good and what can be better. And just to send in is a big step too.

Time flies, but some finishes to show.

 

I had good intentions to write here once a week in the autumn, but nothing has been normal the last year and not my writing either. But l I’ve have had my quilting and a lot of shops and quilters having lessons and online meetings that have held my interest going. I’ve finished a lot of project and sorted out my cupboards, shelves and banana-boxes so my sewing room is a good place to stay in when I go there.

One of my projects I’m really proud of is “Farm Sweet Farm”. The pattern is by Lori Holt and it’s free on her blog-page. All you need to buy is some plastic templates if you have enough fabric and don’t want the original fabric. I bought a fabric kit, and I finished the quilt 2 years after I saw someone sewing a block. It’s a variation of hand-applique the Lori Holt way and machine sewing. Loved it!

I even quilted it myself so I’m so proud of myself. The only thing I didn’t do was the block on the backside. Here I made my own tag.

 

 

I don’t like to have too many projects going on at the same time, but when I work on a big quilt, I need to take a brake now and then. This table runner “Piano runner” by Northern quilt, was a fun project to do.

 

Next time I ‘ll tell you about my banana box projects. Have a nice week!

Good shops give inspiration and good help!

 I've been quilting for nearly 35 years and I've seen shops come and go, seen how internet shopping has grown. I hope we can find a balance between shopping local and on the net because we need our shops. Shops where we can get help when our project stands still, inspiration to a new project when our ideas are out, and a place where we can touch and have a look at new fabric.

Some of my favourite shops are good at making new projects of the new fabric very quickly, some make new variations of old patterns  and some make small gatherings  for quilters where they show models, fabrics and all other new quilting must have stuff. They use Facebook and Instagram to keep us all updated and get the feeling I must buy……..

I’ve had a really big collection of fabrics and everything, but after I became an early age pensioner, I had a big clean up. I’ve reduced my fabric “collection” and stash “collection” and try to buy what I need instead of what I think I will use some day in the future. I have much better time to sew and quilt so I can still buy new fabric to new projects. I can call the shop I saw had a nice fabric on Facebook or I can have a trip to town and touch and see.

This table runner I made after a Facebook picture from one of my favourite shops KathrinesQuiltestue in Oslo. The shop and staff are good at everything .

Project in progress

A quilter is never out of work. I think we have the opposite problem, - too many projects at the same time. There are always new projects everywhere we go either in our local group, in our shops or on the web. Too much tempting all the time and we buy new patterns, kits and fabrics.

I’m happy to be a part of the quilt world, but I try not to have too many projects going on at the same time. After I got early retired last year, I’ve finished a lot of my UFOs, and sorted out my patterns and fabrics. Now I just have one big project and make smaller projects in between. I also have a bag with hand sewing to bring with me to the guild, and various waiting activities with my grandchild.

My big project now is “Farm Sweet Farm”, a Riley Blake design with fabrics by Lori Holt. It’s a sew along on the web that started January 2019 and finished in April. Lori Holt gave new instructions every week how to sew every block. The only thing you need to buy is “Farm Sweet Farm Sew Simple Shapes”.  You can of course by fabric kits and a lot of other things for this project, but it’s not necessary. I bought a fabric kit for this last summer, but didn’t start before this June. The instructions are still there and I’ve made week one, two and three and starting on week four now. Here is a picture of some of what I’ve made.

 

She has also a lot of other Sew Alongs on her blog. Have a look at Lori Holt’s blog. Good and easy instructions that gives nice results!

Back on track

After a long period with a lot of changes I’ve decides to go back to blogging again. It’s a strange time for everyone with the Covid virus, but I’m thankful there is a lot of things to enjoy at the same time. We can’t let the fear and anxiety take over everything.

Here in Norway we had a full lock down in March until June and I got paralysed the first period. I just sat watching the news and thought the whole world had gone mad. Then I decided that I couldn’t watch the news more than once a day and I started quilting again. I got colour and fabric into my thoughts again and I finished a lot of UFOs and Work in progress.

I want to show you one of my most colourful quilts this winter. I found the pattern in a magazine Love of Quilting from 2014. The pattern is named Trifecta and designed by Tanya Finken.

The colours go from light pink to dark purple and even some orange. I loved sewing it.  A real fabric- vitamin injection!

May and snowing outside

Today I finished my Easter project after an idea from Quiltegården in Trondheim. It’s a mug rug with a pocket for the Norwegian chocolate bar named Kvikklunsj. I’ve made 6 of them, ready for next Easter. I made my own version of their pattern.

Easter was late this year, but that is spring too. It’s snowing outside today, not much, but the grass is covered with a white blanket. I long for summer!

Finishing!

Just a few words to show you that I'm working. Here are two projects I had planned to make bigger, but a cold changed my mind.
Next weekend I'm going to a quilting retreat with  lots of new products and temptations, so I wonder what I will start on this time?

Finished as originally planned.

Some of you maybe remember my self-made accident last year. I made a quilt top that ended up as 4 pillows.

 I had to make a new quilt top, but this time I sent it away to Anne Rønningen to get it quilted. Now I have finished the rest, and it is on the top of my guest bed together with the four pillows.

I have just been to the annual meeting in the Norwegian Quilt Association and got a lot of inspiration. I have a lot of projects I want to start, but to decide on just one is hard. Its Easter soon, it’s spring  and there are so many fantastic fabrics and colours that it’s hard to choose.

Work in slow progress

February has been a month with few finishes. I have  been working on a secret project for a long time . When I'm concentrating on one project I don't dare to start a new one. I have just made a few blocks  for my quilting club's jubilee quilt , and have had a reorganising  in my fabric cupboards.
I have put all my newest( What I have bought the last two-three years)  fabrics where I can see them, and put my old fabric  in a far away cupboard. I have got so many new projects in my head by just looking at the new ones, so I'll have plenty of work to start on now.
Hope you have a lot of project ideas too!

Happy New Year!

Another year has passed and we have all turned a  year older and wiser ? We sit down and think about our promises for a new year , and try not to make them too many and too big.

I have made myself a few ones, and I hope I’ll manage to keep them.
First of all I will ty to make use of what fabrics  I have in my cupboards and drawers in  2017 , and try to use patterns  I’ve bought and stocked too, if I still like them. Borders and backings  I am allowed to buy. If I could manage to shrink my fabric into just one cupboard during 2017 I’ll  be more than happy.
But the most important promise for 2017 is to have more fun with my sewing and quilting. I won’t make lists of all my want to do, but take one at a time and finish. And when I have finished one , I ask myself what do I want to do now instead of checking out my list of UFOs( not many left) , or planned projects.

At the moment I’m challenging myself with a competition quilt, and I  often wonder if this was a good idea and want to quit, but  a started project is a finished project…………

Have a nice week!

Another three years’ project finished!

My one and only granddaughter was three years this month, and I’ve finished the quilt I started when I got to know she was on her way. Grandmothers flowers in yellow and pink and quilted with hearts and flowers by Merete Ellingsen at sy.no.

All my projects at this time seem to take a lot of time, and there are few finishes. But I ‘m happy they get finished, and that I manage to finish some of them before I get lost in new ones.

Exciting designers

This spring and summer I ‘ve been in the finishing mood. All UFOs of different kind I have finished as originally planned, finished in smaller size or some not started material projects I’ve decides never to start and have used the fabrics for other projects. I’ve realized that I’m not a person that can handle so many projects in progress at one time. My creativity disappears and I don’t get anything done.

So now there is only two projects left that I have to finish before I start on something that I just have in my head and in some small drawings. My creativity is starting to grow as my projects are getting closer to the finishing line, so I see this road is best for me.

I love to collect ideas and inspiration on the net. I’ve loved Kaffe Fassetts designs and fabrics for many years, and I think I have all his book. I’ve even been to one of his classes here in Norway, and that was for me a very good, challenging experience.

 I’ve recently discovered a new designer for me Tula Pink. I love her colours and ideas and I’m afraid her books and fabrics will grow in the same numbers as Kaffe Fassetts in my cupboard and shelves.

At last, one more finished project. I found a lot of hexagon flowers made from my scrap bag five or six years ago. I didn’t want more hand seam so I used my machine, and some cotton, and made a tablecloth for my gazebo.

A selfmade accident!

Selfmade accident or how one quilt top became 4 pillows

I had made this plussquilt top. I was really satisfied  and wanted to put it om my guestbed as quickly as possible. I found my big wool batting,that I’ve saved for years, and backing  and started to do the classical mistakes. The wool batting was really big, made for a really big double bed. I read the size quickly and found that it was more than enough for at least two quilts. I measured out what I needed with just unpacking it in one end and holding it up against the quilt top’s with,and cut the batting.

When I put it on my table against the top it was so accurate that I had to pin it in the corners. Here I should have stopped but I spraybasted  on my backing too. It wasn’t more than a few cm too wide around the quilt top’s sides. My box with spraybasting  was not too full, so it could have been better basted, but I started quilting.

I made seams to and fro on the with. Simple  paralell lines with one cm between each line. I  drove really fast on my pedal, the music on my radio was high and I enjoyed life! The first half went really well!

BUT then I discovered that something was happening . My quiltbacking and bat started to move , the with of the top went smaller, and the outer border went smaller as the bat  moved and  the backing got  bumps on the back.

I was so disappointed that I threw the hole work in a big black gabbage bag and left my machine . I was going to throw it away.

My  black plastic bag was on my floor for a couple of days before I came to my senses. I couldn’t save it as a quilt top, but I made four pillows.

And I have made a new quilt top. I havent’t quilted it yet. I have to buy a big batting first and a new batting fabric that is more than big enough, and a new box of spray basting

The rest of the woolbatting I had,  I used for another quilt and it  was so big that I had to cut away some after I had quilted it!

What I have learned? Don’t do anything in a haste, and use extra with on batting and backing!

Computer crash and lost programmes.

Long time since I last was here. I had a bad computer crash this spring and had to buy a  new on and that has adventages and disadventages. Not all  old good programmes work with the new ones, and ther has been some hours with frustrations. But enoug about that.

Here is my tumbler scrap quilt with the tractor. I useded the  tractor pattern from Lori Holts book «Farm Girl Vintage» and her idea for the quilt.

I’ve also finished a «City Lights» quilt  with two pillows for my son and daughter in law . This pattern I found in a book by Cherri House called City Quilts. The young ones really love these quilts!.

I ’ve also finished two other quilts in smaller versions than the originals, this star quilt  and this tree and house quilt  with pattern by Jen Kingwell. This was a BOM from Material Obsession i n Australia, but I waited too long to start on it so it became  a small quilt instead of big quilt.

I’ve also ended up with  4 plussquilt pillows, but this is another story

On my way

I've sewn them together 15 pr. row, and it seems like they've been growing in number since I started. All are now here waiting for next step this week.
Maybe a tractor?

Focus project the next weeks

All my tumblers from the scrap box. 

WISP 3 - ME 0 -1.

 This star quilt I started 2 years ago at The Norwegian Quilt Festival. As the optimistic person I am, I signed up for two courses that had big quilts as their goal. The second one I made just one block of, after struggling so much with it that I knew this quilt wasn’t for me.

This star quilt named Seeing Red designed by Buggy Barn I really loved, both the sewing methods, the colors and designs. But something happened when you don’t continue at once you get home and leave it in a box for nearly two years. You are not so motivated to cut the “thousand” pieces you need to finish the quilt. I still loved the colors and the stars so I decided to make a simplified version Here is its story.

 

  These  12 I made at the Quilt Festival

 I had another 14 ready to sew

Then I had 26

An extra border made the blocks a bit bigger

Then I sewed all together and made a small border around the quilt, but have turned to rows of stars upside down. Correcting it, then an outer border and ready for quilting. Satisfied!

This jacket I made during March/April . The pattern by Kristin Wiola Ødegård is in autumn colors and named Autumn  Square,  but these colors are mine.

WISPs here I come

Every time I think I have plenty of time to sew and finish projects something happens. This time my sewing machine needed a big repair. I suddenly discovered, should probably have seen it weeks ago, that the angel on my sewing foot was pointing 15 degrees too much to the left side. Probably happened when a needle broke and everything stopped a while ago. I had to send it away, but this time I found my daughters sewing machine in her cupboard and used it.

I finished my Gemstone quilt- Ruby colored, - a BOM from Lappemakeriet.no.

This is just a part of it.

I finished my summer quilt – hexagons (Grandmother`s) garden that I started summer 2013 when I learned I was to become a grandmother. I had to hand sew the frame around.  Both quilts were delivered yesterday to Merete from Sy.no yesterday for proper machine quilting.

During my week off I even took my scrap box and cut every scrap into 2 inch strips, 1 inch strips and small tumblers. The 2 inch strips I made into a small quilt for my granddaughter that started to use it once it was finished. The 1 inch strips went into a doubled sided doll quilt.

The tumblers are in a small metal bin on my sewing table ready to go into the sewing machine on a rainy day.

  I`m proud of the empty boxes, and I have decided to keep focus on finishing more WISP boxes. I get back energy and my ideas start to flower again for new projects for every empty box so I Know I`m on right tracks.

Now I have planted a star quilt on my table for the weekend. It will not turn out as the pattern say or as it was planned to be, but that is another story.

Have a nice weekend!

The BOM virus

Are you easily down with the BOM ( Block of Month)  virus? I am. There are so many nice BOMs but too little time to sew them all. BUT I still order some new thinking I get only one package every month. How many UFOs of BOMs, WISPs of BOMs and unopened BOMs I have in my sewing room?

 Now I think there are only 4 with one nearly finished, but I tempted to order a new one. This one I can sew with machine all the way through and finish in a normal period. Because the virus is especially hard with me when there is much hand sewing and the finished products are big.

This story will continue.

Here is a not so good picture of a baby quilt for a colleague of mine.

Friendship and quilting

I have got a lot of friends  during  my years with quilting and have learned a lot as a woman and as a quilter  Some of  what I’ve learned I use at work. I do a lot of social work in my job as student worker,and have a lot of  group meetings . Sometimes I use fabric , designing and quilting  as a method to get the results I want.

Here is  the latest quilt I’ve finished  where the students 12 years old, have designed the butterflies of hearts, placed the heart flowers and given them different centers  with buttons. Everybody  was satisfied with their own work and so surprised that it  all went together

They were so proud of their work so they gave it to their teacher as thanks for her kindness.