A finished Imagine quilt

Woohoo! Some Masterchef on TV and a few episodes of BBC crime shows on DVD to keep my mind occupied while stitching down the binding, and it is done!!! And I looooove it!



It's a bit short to use as a bed spread, but perfect snuggle size to cover my duvet now the nights are getting colder, or keep on the sofa. A spin in the washing machine and a tumble in the dryer, and it crincled up nicely :o) However there are a few bits of paper still stuck in the quilting - arrgh!!

The backing turned out nice and scrappy, however a bit weird *lol*.



I was a bit short on fat quarters and yardage cuts from the Circle of Quilters fabric line, so I added a few bits and pieces from my stash, and I think that worked out pretty well. The puckers still annoy me a bit, but as long as no one examine it too closely...

Happy quilter here ;-D
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Generous bloggers

A couple of my blogging friends are having some great giveaways. My dear friend Rose is launching two new patterns these days, and is giving away two sets of patterns for these lovely projects:



The Garden Party table topper



The lovely Elida bag (named after my maternal grandmother)

And sweet Merete is celebrating 10 000 visitors to her blog, giving away a bag similar to this one:

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Imagine a finished quilt...

I have been imagining a finished Imagine quilt since my post over a week ago, but it is slow getting there. I decided to use a couple of rolls of Quilting-Made-Easy (Pattern #306 Roses) I have had stashed away for a couple of years. You tried them? I'm not thrilled for several reasons:

1. The paper is really hard to hold on to - not good for anyone with aching arms and shoulders (at the end I have only managed to quilt for 5 minutes at a time). Even when you are using rubber tipped gloves or using LicketyGrip (my favourite!) it's very slippery; and it soaks up the LicketyGrip like a sponge soaks water and leaves your hands really dry.

2. With the paper on top it is hard to feel if the quilt puckers. I have some really bad puckers on the back of mine (but I can't be bothered to un-stitch).

3. Picking out the paper takes a lot of time; I used an average of 50 minutes quilting my way through one length of paper, and it took me an average of 30 minutes picking out that same paper - so over 4 hours paper-picking on this quilt! And there are still these little paper pieces stuck in the stitching - I really hope these will come out in the washing machine!



4. There is a lot of waste - this must be the least environmental friendly way to quilt ever! This is aprox 2/3 of what I picked out of the quilt



That said, I'm very pleased with the over-all look of my quilt so far, but I don't think it is worth the hassle of using the paper rolls! At least now they are gone (I think there are some of the blocks variety leftover somewhere in my stash, though...), and no more will fall into my shopping basket! With what was left my quilt couldn't have been an inch bigger *lol*



I have started attaching the binding, and am planning on hand stitching it down at the back while enjoying Master Chef on TV later today - three whole episodes ;o)



This quilt has been a real stash buster - before I started it I had big trouble getting this drawer closed

Have a fabulous and creative Sunday!
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Imagine a quilt top

It took a bit longer than I had planned, but my Imagine quilt top is together. And I think I have enough FQs left of the bundle to use for backing and binding ;o)

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Imagine an update

Soooo... I promised an update... These blocks are heaps and heaps of fun to stitch!!!



Nearly half way through the pile ;o)

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Imagine the stash

Have you been following Darlene's Shnibblemania parade? I have! And it has left me super inspired to stitch large shnibbles. When I bought Carrie Nelson's book "Schnibbles times two" I intended it as a stash busting inspirator. Soooooo.... I dug into my precious fabric. Don't know if I have mentioned before that my stash is divided into five (perhaps not very logical) categories:

1. 'precious' fabric - don't really have an explanation for this category, some fabrics just end up here;
2. fabric - bits and pieces bought just because I had to - this is the bulk of my stash;
3. fabric that is set aside for a particular project/pigs/wisps;
4. pre-cut fabric;
5. scraps.

I re-surfaced from my digging with a collection of FQs and some yardage from Jennifer Chiaverini's Circle of Quilters fabric line. I know I had a plan for these when I bought them, but have forgotten what that plan was *lol*

Darlene made the lovely Imagine quilt for Carries book, and I think it will look great with these fabrics so I'm starting with that. The cutting is done except for the outer border - not really sure I want a scrappy border...



The pieces has found their way to keep Bernie company - it looks like this quilt will be rather quick to piece, so hopefully we have something to show in not too long



Look forward to seeing how this turns out - I'll keep posting progress :o)

Mentioning Jennifer... this cutie showed up in the post a little while back signifying I have finished my SBS quilt:



Makes a nice addition to my collection of Elm Creek Quilts pins :o)



Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Not feeling guilty anymore

A few years ago my Mum and I painted the sunroom at the summer house, and I threw out some fake flowers that hung between the windows. I have never really liked them, but my Mum claimed they brought colour to the room. As the bag went into the trash I told her I'd sew something for her to hang there instead. Well.... better late than never... We measured the areas earlier this summer and I Tuesday night started piecing some whirligig and pinwheel blocks I have been thinking about trying for a long time. Today I stitched down the last of the bindings:



They are a bit crooked, and they need a wash and a press before they are hung, but I think they turned out pretty cute - I'll see if I can get a pic once they are up between the windows. And those blocks are strip pieced and very quick and fun to make, so I have a feeling there are more of them in stall for the future, but perhaps a bit bigger than 3.25" ;o)

Finishing off this post with some pics I took on my hike to Kolsåstoppen this afternoon:

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Cherries and a block

So have I actually done any sewing lately? Not much I have to admit... My dear friend had a birthday in the end of July, and she wanted something with cherries. Since it's summer I decided to make her a summery table topper:



Very simply double four patches in some fruity colours. Turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself ;o)

And I have cut into my precious stash of Elm Creek Cross-Country Quilters fabrics. Three blocks have been cut, but only one is stitched (still need to be pressed):

I do have a vague idea of what this will become, but since it's hand appliqué, it will take time and I might change my mind many times yet ;o)

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Chimney Sweep

The 4th Another Little Quilt Swap is approaching it's end, with quilts being sent and received. I know the little pink and grey quilt I made has reached Carol safely, and while I was away at summer break my little quilt from Lisa arrived. The whole neighbourhood probably heard me scream with delight when I opened the parcel and saw this gorgeous little Chimney Sweep quilt



I am absolutely thrilled! It is sooo perfect! No wonder Lisa calls herself Miniaturequilter! She really has a talent for working with tiny little pieces, each of the blocks finish at 3.25" - with those squares finishing 3/4"!

In the parcel there were some other goodies - some very cute reproduction charms, some blue FQs that will be great in my DJ, a lovely appliqué tea towel, stickers and cards

Thank you so much, Lisa!!

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

A Special Project

A few monts ago I mentioned a special project going on, that I really couldn't share... well, now it has been handed over, and I can talk freely. In the wake of the Sylvia's Bridal Sampler pattern book being published, a couple of us started talking of making a quilt for Jennifer Chiaverini. This has been something we have talked about before, but we hadn't gotten around to doing it, but this time we set a deadline and invited quilting friends from all over the world to join in. In the end a group of us made 14 blocks representing the covers of the first fourteen books in the Elm Creek Quilts novel series (click to enlarge photo)



The blocks were posted to me and I pieced them together into a top which was then sent to Valerie, one of our group members in France for long arm quilting. Val was lucky to meet Jennifer last week to hand over our finished quilt

I have to say, even though this project took time, and was very nervewrecking with blocks being delayed by post, returned to maker by the postal service, people getting ill etc. it was a wonderful experience working with talented quilters from all over the world. It was a thrill each time I got an envelope in the mail, and could admire another little piece of art!

Thank you girls for a fun and inspiring time!!

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida