God jul/Merry Christmas

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

LeMoyne Star Weekend - Weekend Result

I was having fun this weekend working on my LeMoyne stars. Didn't get nearly as much done as I was hoping to, but any progress is a good thing. Four 12" star blocks.

In addition to these I have (with the "help" of my little four legged friend) made strip sets and cut the pieces for 10-12 more blocks. Hope to get some more sewing done sooooooooon!

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

LeMoyne Star Weekend

Nemo pointed out the other day that it's been really quiet on my blog lately, So since I have plans to sew this weekend I'll try to blog a bit of my progress.

On our retreat to Lapp-Elisa in april 2013, I started a quilt using the Rapid Fire LeMoyne Star quilt. It was put in a bag in the cupboard when I came home, and haven't seen the light of day since. This weekend I hope to make some real progress on it.

Wish me luck! ;-)
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

The Whaling Museum in Sandefjord

Another Vestfold Museum worth a visit is the whaling museum in Sandefjord. Perhaps I'm a bit biased since I had a summer job here for three summers and I loved my time there, but I will share a few pictures anyways. The above picture is from the old part of the museum where the zoological exhibition is. The huge model of the blue whale hanging from the ceiling is an original feature from when the museum first opened in 1917, and so are a lot of the animals on display.

In the celar there's a more modern exhibition of whale skeletons, this is new from the time I worked at the museum, and is a great addition

Skull of a Killer Whale

A malformed jawbone with teeth

In the historical section of the museum they tell the history of whaling up to modern times. Here's a few glimpses:

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Japanese Lanterns Third Month Summary - suggestions on how to get back on track?

Another month has passed since I started piecing my Japanese Lanterns quilt. During the first two months I made heaps of progress, and got most of the blocks pieced and the first rows put together. However this last month, being back at work full time and being on call both previous weekends I really haven't had the energy to do any more than my BOM blocks for Just Like a Jigsaw.

So my tally hasn't been updated since August 4th, and no more rows have been added to the rows already put together.

Any sugestions on getting my mojo and focus back?
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Just Like a Jigsaw - squares and elongated hexagons

The star block in my previous post was made from the shapes for month 2 of this BOM. The pieces for the first month was squares and elongated hexagons. I needed time to figure out what to do with them, and this is the block I ended up with:

Been thinking maybe doing another round, but at the moment it's about the same size as the star block from month 2 and since I don't know what to do with these I don't want to make it too big.

Made another star block this week as well:

Having fun with these shapes :-D
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Just Like a Jigsaw

This star block is my month two of the Just Like a Jigsaw BOM by Sue Daley. Ok, yes I know I don't have the best track record when it comes to block of the month programs, but when I spotted Lapp-Elisa is doing Just Like a Jigsaw I just couldn't help myself.

This is a collection of English Paper Piecing shapes and tips of how to put them together. The binder, thread and patterns came the first month, and every month now I get a parcel with fabric, templates and paper shapes to play with.

Not really sure what to do with this as the goal is to learn the technique and see the possibilities of the shapes, rather than end up with a quilt... there might be small projects coming from this, or perhaps a sampler quilt... For now I'm just having fun and playing with fabric and EPP :-)

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

The Slottsfjell Museum

Summer to me is spending time in Vestfold,. This year my friend K and I visited the Slottsfjell Museum, enjoying their exhibitions on local history from the Viking ages, Middle ages, modern Whaling and more. At the entrance they have a copy of the Oseberg viking ship:

I have visited the museum a cople of times before, but this year they have an exhibition in honor of the 200 year anniversary of the Norwegian constitution, and the medieaval charter Sættargjerden from 1277 was on display. This charter is usually archived in Denmark, so this was a unique chance to get to see it.

They have some huge whale skeletons on display - my friend K is standing next to the remnants of this blue whale

A little fun thing - this is the bed count Wedel Jarlsberg brought along on his travels - a really smart thing, right

The only norwegian viking ship not on display in Oslo is the Kåstad ship. This is also the only ship not found in a burrial mound, but it's a merchant's ship that probably was ship wrecked in the fjord

The tower most people associate with the Slottsfjell is fairly modern, from the late 19th century, and is placed in the middle of the ruins of the medieval fortress Tunsberghus

 Ruin of the church seen from the tower roof

 This is just a few glimpses. The museum it's well worth a visit if ever one is in Tønsberg.

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Japanese Lanterns - second month summary

Friday I went to our family summer house to relax for the weekend, and in my bag was bits and pieces for the remaining blocks for my Japanese lanterns quilt. With a glass of wine and a good book on my MP3-player i spent quite a few hours stitching.

So what have I done over the last month? I have slightly altered the setting of the quilt; from an 11 rows x 8 rows setting to a 10 rows x 9 rows setting, so the total goal of blocks have slightly changed. However except for the side blocks, there's only six regular blocks left to do.

Sewing the blocks to the top I still have a long ways to go, as I haven't managed to do much over the last couple of weeks. But as most of the blocks are now done, my hand sewing time will be spent on putting the top together.

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Gothenburg Miscellaneous

I started a photo folder called "statues and monuments" but it soon morphed into a collection miscellaneous stuff observed along the way while walking around Gothenburg - this is the final post from our trip

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Garden Society of Gothenburg

The Garden Society park is situated in central Gothenburg close to the main avenue. It was founded in 1842 by king Carl XIV Johan. Here's a taste of what there is to see

The sculpture Pan by Dieter Matzner

 The sculpture Monolith in four parts by lars Hansson

A buste of  the 18th century poet, songwriter and composer Carl Michael Bellmann

The Palm house

The rose garden

 A local gym conducting a party in the park near the Maipole

Ornäsbjørk discovered in 1767- the Swedish national tree. Every Swedish commune has one of these planted.

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida