Japanese Lanterns Revisited

Remember my Japanese Lanterns EPP project? Trying to make some progress on it, and brought the blocks that hasn't been attached to the piece I have already sewn toghether

Still have a long ways to go on this, but every block that is joined to another block is one step closer to a finished quilt.

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

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

Japanese Lanterns progress

I have been spending a couple of weeks at the family summer house, and enjoying time on the verandah in the evenings I have made some progress on my Japanese Lanterns quilt.

Most of the dark blocks have come together, I have quite the stack in my sewing basket.. I still have a lot light blocks to stitch

- both for the center and for the edges.I haven't really prioritized the edge blocks as I have been stitching from both sides of my starting row, hoping to distribute the fabrics as eavenly as possible.As I don't have all that much variety it's a bit of a struggle, but I think I have done pretty well so far.

I have been thinking of maybe doing a ninth row, but I have to see how much fabric I have left to play with... ans how inspired I feel once the next few rows have been put together....

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Japanese Lanterns - first month summary

Today it's a month since I started piecing my Japanese Lanterns, and I thought it's time to do a recap of the progress so far. When I started out this was to be a project for sunny days when I didn't feel like machine piecing, I never thought I'd be a fan of English paper piecing. But having my bisquit tin with prepared pieces, needle and thread with me almost everywhere and seeing how much I'm getting done in those "in between" moments really is a motivator. I have also been able to catch up on some audio books and some old TV shows while preparing the pieces and stitching while relaxing on the couch.

I hung my piece on the bedroom door last night just to see what it looked like - still five blocks away from 3 complete dark rows in addition to 2 complete light rows:

I have cut out most of the pieces for a quilt ca 69" x 79" in size, and quite a lot of them have been glued to paper templates ready to sew. I still have 18 light blocks to cut as well as the blocks for the edges.

My tally haven't been changed since coming back from Sweden, I have been focusing on prepping and piecing the already sewn  blocks together to the larger piece

More vacation time is coming up, and hopefully lots of stitching time :-)
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Sewing while traveling

Before leaving on our trip I spent some time preparing some blocks for my Japanese Lanterns quilt. English paper piecing is very portable, and you can sew basically anywhere.

The bisquit tin was rather full when I relaxed on the bed and stitched a few blocks at the hotel at Kolmården

Of course most sewing did go on in one of our hotel rooms after we were done sight seeing for the day, but some blocks came together other places. Sunday relaxing in Kungsparken - after lunch my friend K was reading her book, and I got three blocks together

I didn't sew while we visited the Botanical Garden, but I just have to share this picture. They have an exhibition called "Japan 2014" this year. The exhibition focus on their collection of Japanese plants. In some of the trees you can find Japanese lanterns

However I did get four blocks sewn together when we visited the Garden Society - we spent a couple of hours on the lawn enjoying the afternoon sun

K went out on an errand Thursday morning. Due to my sore feet we figured she would be quicker if she went on her own. While she was gone one block went together while I was relaxing in the hotel lobby

Getting on the train Thursday afternoon there were only pieces prepped for two more blocks, and they were put together before we crossed the border

All in all 28 new blocks were stitched while we were away:

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Japanese Lanterns

Only a couple more finished blocks and I have pieced my "triangles" of one dark and two lights into two half rows. One more seam and the row will be whole:

I have been thinking about a name for this quilt. The original by Sue Daley is called Floral Lanterns - she has a lot of floral prints in it.Chookyblue is calling hers Blue Lanterns - her focus colours being blue. Most of my focus fabrics are japanese - stripes and florals. So for now my working name is Japanese Lanterns.

...still keeping within a floral theme :-)
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

More Lanterns

After making yesterday's post I did manage to do some stitching. I managed to put together enough pieces needed to complete my first row as well as a few more:

As anyone can see I still have some sewing to do before the whole row is put together. The total block tally actually grew quite a bit last night:

Especially inspirational to me is that Chookyblue now has pulled out her pieces for her lovely "Blue Lanterns" and have spent quite some time in the Chookshed playing with fabric, paper templates and basting glue - FUN! :-)

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

More Floral Lantern

This week has been busy at work, long days and not much sewing time - my total block tally has only gone up by three. But this weekend I have been able to do a little cutting and prepping:

Not quite as much as I would have liked, but still any progress is progress ;-)

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

The Beginning of a Row

Still having itchy fingers, andt while waiting for my paper templates arriving, I have been having a bit of fun stitching some of the blocks together - it has been growing during the day:

Sewing rows means I'm freeing up the paper where all edges are sewn so I can make more blocks *lol*. Only two more so far, making the tally of dark blocks 17.

I'm so thrilled with how this is turning out! There's still such a long ways to go, but I love these fabrics and they have been sitting in my stash for six or seven years, so it's about time they get out, find their way into a quilt and receive some love.

A ladybug landed on my foot while sitting outside at lunch time - the pic is a bit blurry, I had no way to focus because of the glare from the sun.

Back to work tomorrow...
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Floral Lanterns progress

I have been stitchin and having heaps of fun with the floral lantern blocks, I have been so diligent I have run out of paper templates, and is now eagerly awaiting a parcel from Lappemakeriet containing more; hopefully they will be here on Tuesday ;-)

A pile of the 22 blocks I have sewn since Wednesday night (quite a few of them during the rain we had yesterday!):

Not sure how to keep count of these blocks, but I have started a countdown list in my sidebar, hopefully it will keep me on track:

It has been slightly overcast today, but the temperatures are nice and warm and we have had periods of lovely sunshine, so Anton and I have been for a walk in the park

Happy hugs and stitches from Anne Ida & Anton

Summer Hand Sewing

Summer temperatures have found their way to Oslo, and spending time with Bernie doesn't feel too tempting. The corner where my desk and sewing machine is set up is fairly dark, and it gets a bit hot and stuffy when the sun warms up the bricks of the building. I still have ambitions of finishing my Park Bench quilt within the forseeable future, but at the moment hand sewing sitting outside enjoying the nice weather is more tempting.

I bought Sue Daleys Playing with paper pack 34 at some point after the inspiration night Kathrine's Quiltestue arranged back in April 2011, and it has been sitting on the shelf since. I have opened and closed it a few times thinking to do something with it, but feeling I should finish other stuff first. Now I have decided to give it a go:

The main part of the quilt is made up of only two shapes: the diamond and the jewel, while the edge has triangles, half diamonds and half jewels as well. The blocks are coming together very smoothly, and I'm having heaps of fun with this! Once it is done my quilt will be very different than the original Sue showed at the trunk show:

Enjoy summer!
Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida