What have I been up to...?

Earlier tonight I realized it have been some time since my last post. So what have I been up to? Well it’s not all that much in the world of quilting… I have been busy at work most of last week, this weekend I was in Gothenburg with friends and these past two days I have been at a seminar. But I still have been able to keep up the work on some swap blocks (sorry the pic is a bit weird):


This is some of my blocks for the blue and white SBS swap. I have signed up for 10 sets of 5 blocks, and I’m also making one block of each set for myself – all in all I’ll be making 60 blocks. I have also been able to start paper piecing my tumbling blocks for the swap, and I hope to be able to do some more stitching this weekend.

I have only been able to make one more block for my own SBS – it was finished a few days ago:

It is a bit crooked and strange, but this is the most difficult appliqué I have ever attempted, and not being a wiz at the technique, I’m pleased with it.

More mail box happiness

I guess the picture speaks for itself...?

Fabric from a fabric swapping buddy! Thank you, Kari, it is beautiful! Guilty concience: I promise to send my swap fabric tomorrow! And Jennifer Chiaverini's new novel. May I please just say: Jippi!!!!!!!

Wishing everyone in Blogland a wonderful day!
Anne

Mail box happiness

Look what I found in my mail box this morning:

It’s the siggie blocks from the swap Aussie-Quilter Cynthia hosted! I’m going to have so much fun playing with them :o) They are all so wonderful and pretty, and no one have picked the same fabrics, so these will be pieced into a great scrappy quilt. There are a lot of fabrics I can't remember having seen before, and then there are a few I have had in my stash at some point, either the exact same or in another colour, and then there are fabrics I remember having admired in the LQS or online :o) Thank you Cynthia for doing the swap! -and thank you to all you ladies who participated!

I do have a couple extras of my own siggie, so if anyone who didn’t join in the swap wants to swap one-on-one, please let me know :o)

Now I’m going to go play!!!

#2 Show and tell of finished projects

Well, as I wrote two days ago I have been planning to keep up with my show and tell, seeing as I haven't been able to do much sewing lately. In a posting on an e-mail group I'm part of, one of the ladies linked to a picture of a beautiful quilt she had just finished, and that reminded me: I have made a version of that excact same lap quilt! I just don't think that much about it, seeing it every day where it hangs on the back of my sofa :o)

I made this the summer 2002, and seeing as each section is finished with batting and quilting before it's put together, it was a great project for evenings on the veranda at the summer house. Each square is consistent of four squares stitced togeter. The squares are then "twisted" in the same maner you do when you make traditional cathedral window blocks before you stitch the last seam, leaving an opening to turn the block. But instead of folding it around a separate piece of fabric like a cathedral window block, you insert a piece of batting, stitch it closed and quilt it.

After all the pieces are done, they are joined toghether. I did all the prep-work of stitching the squares together by machine - then I brought the wole project down to the summer house, sat on the veranda in the evenings and turned them, added the batting, and closed the seams. Then I brought the squares home with me and quilted them on the machine, and then sewed them all together.

I have stitched mine together by hand using an invisible slip stitch, she has used machine and decorative emboydery seams (I hope she don't mind me linking to her webshots album!). As you can se the effect is rather different :o)

It was a lot of fun to do, and it was also fun to se the difference of the outcome - and they are both different from the original pattern in the book "Kreative lappeideer" ("Creative patchwork ideas") by the very talented Norwegian quilter Lise Bergene.

I've been tagged!

I was planning to post my #2 “Show and tell of finished projects” tonight, but that will have to wait. Why? Well, while blog hopping tonight I found that I have been tagged by Rose for The Thinking Blogger Award!!!

I’m shocked and breathless to be tagged for this in the first place, and secondly I‘m grateful for the really sweet compliment she has given me! Wow, she thinks I’m inspirational! And she’s grateful for my comments! Me? Who just blurt out what I think…?

And now I have to name my five favourite and inspirational blog sites! How can I pick out my five favourite and inspirational blogs? How can I choose from all the wonderful blogs and all the wonderful people out there? But here it goes… Please be aware that these are a selected few out of so many wonderful blogs… Nonetheless you five ladies are wonderful, and you truly deserve to be recognized for what you are: INSPIRATIONAL! Ladies, please consider yourselves tagged :o)

Cynthia: I know you have been tagged by Leigh as well, but… Your blog is one of the first I read on my rounds in Blogland. Why? Apart from the fact that you do beautiful and inspirational work, your blog is the reason I started blogging. Did I ever tell you this? I was searching the web for a swap – for some reason I just wanted to do one… and I bumped into the siggie swap. And seeing as it was a swap for bloggers, I figured why not start a blog? And here I am… three and a half months later and I’m totally hooked. Thank you!

Gwen: The first person to leave a comment on my blog – I have been an eager reader of you ever since, and your work is truly beautiful and an inspiration to strive towards!

Tracey (Ozcountryquiltingmom): who also was among the first people I met in Blogland, and whom I missed when she was away! For her book tips. For her way of sharing her life, and for her way of transforming thrift shop goodies into beautiful works of art!

Anne Heidi: I love your colour choices and your views on life! And for introducing me to a group of fabric swapers. I’m really looking forward to the black swap!

Suze: Thank you for your way of responding to my comments! I know I may come of as unknowing time and again – but this lady always sets me straight :o)

Like I said, these are a handful of wonderful and inspirational blogs; among others i would have loved to mention is May Britt - for her wonderful tutorials and her words of inspiration, Patti for getting me started on the hour glass quilt, Shelina for her ways of explaining, Su Bee and for her humour, the Chicken Lady for her way of caring, Jeanne for trying to convince me that Quilted Diamonds aren't as difficult as they look (I have yet to try *LOL*), and not least Rose - your Threadbare creations are bound for success!

There are a lot more of you out there which I read and find inspriration from. I wish to thank you all for sharing your works of creativity and pieces of your lives!

Sincerely, Anne

Thank you!

I want to say thank you for all your kind words and wonderful support over the past days!

My Dad called me yesterday to say he and my Mom had read the messages you have left regarding my post, and to thank you from them as well!

I have tried to reply individually to those who are registered with an e-mail address. I want you all to know your messages have been read and truly appreciated!

Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed Easter!

Sincerely, Anne

A weekend of lots of mixed emotions

My Grandfather passed away last night. He had been in hospital for just over a week and a half, so my Mom and I had decided we should go see him yesterday. We set out early in the morning, and reached the hospital just passed 10. We spent a couple of hours in his room, talking, and seeing he was tired my Mom and I went for a walk to get something to eat and some fresh air. I had told May-Britt (Abyquilt) that I might stop by her LQS while we where there, and so we did. We spent a great hour at “Lille Stasjon” – where I busted my Fabric Diet by buying a lot of fabric pieces and some other goodies:



…My Mom also bought me my birthday present – a new cutting mat (and my birthday isn’t until October *LOL*). It was really nice to meet May-Britt, and to have a face and voice to the messages that goes out in Blogland :o) And I also got to see the location where she gives her classes, and to meet some of her guild companions, and see the beautiful work they have on display at the shop. And I really hope May-Britt have made some progress on the projects she showed me at the shop – they are wonderful, and deserves to be finished.

We went back to the hospital from our small shopping excursion, and stayed there until the afternoon. My Grandfather seemed tired but content when we left, in no pain, lying on top of his duvet dozing. Driving home we were happy with the day, what had been said and done. We had a nice time when stopped for a hot meal and coffee on the way; and I managed to finish my small Easter table topper in the car:


My Mom dropped me of just outside my apartment, and drove on home. About an hour after I had walked in the door she called me and told me he had passed away while eating his supper. Needless to say I got on the first buss, and I have spent most of what was left of the weekend at my parent's house.

This weekend has been a rollercoaster of emotions: I’m really sad to have lost a close and cherished relative, I’m sorry to see my Mom in so much pain and sadness, and I’m really sorry I’ll never see him again! I’m really happy we went to visit yesterday and that we took the time to spend the day with him! I’m also pleased I got the chance to meet a fellow quilter and blogger, and that I have brought some goodies with me back to remember a lovely quilt shop and some wonderful people. And on a small scale I’m also happy that I stuck to my resolution of finishing the table topper in the car – the little things are good things to hold on to when times get tough.

We are soon entering the “silent holyday” – a time to think about life and death, and a time to count our blessings. I’m happy that he had a long and good life; that he was able to spend time doing what he loved the most; and I’m happy for the time we got to spend together!

I’m sorry if this post is a bit “mixed and matched” – there are still a lot of emotions to deal with…