Parcel, progress and finish

Oh, some mail box goodness popped up today - me all giddy! *lol* A little while back I won the draw on Lise/Chocolate Cat's blogiversary giveaway, and this morning a bag of yummy treats showed up. Look at this:



Some gorgeous multi-coloured hand dyed embroidery floss, a lovely stitchery pattern by Robyn Allen-Waters, two great FQs, some chocolate/caramels, and something I've never seen before; a Floss Winder - intrigued to find out how this contraption works ;o) Tusen takk, Lise!! I'm thrilled!

In my last post I promised some quilty updates... I have been making a little progress on my Tender Moments quilt - three more cute little stitcheries are done, and I've started a fourth. Still have a long way to go on this quilt, but I'm enjoying every step of the way.



And I have a little finish - a quick gift for someone's sunroom who is decorated in blue and yellow (so no, I've not become a Sweden-patriot *lol*).



This little table runner measures 10.5" x 16" and took me aproximately five hours to make - would probably have taken lot less had I not mucked up the appliqué on one of the flowers and had to un-sew - I'm not a speedy ripper ;o)

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

Shopping and sorting

I have been a bad girl and done some kind of heavy shopping. Some increadibly yummy Elm Creek Quilts fabrics by Red Rooster:



Aren't those browns just like a tasty bar of chocolate, and cream on the side? And the strips at the bottom are a dessert roll of Glacé fabrics from Moda.

I have also picked up a pile of patterns from Fig Tree quilts - all of which I some day want to make. The layout of these patterns is beautiful - each one is printed and stapled together like a little booklet:
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The ones with the heading "Fresh Vintage" are actual booklets, there is the pattern for the quilt on the cover, and a few articles, some yummy recipes, som hints and tips. I have picked fabrics from my stash for a couple of these patterns, so when I have the time... sometime after New Year, perhaps :o)

My Tender Moments quilt is a work in very slow progress, but I have spent some time sorting through the patterns and the blocks I have already made:



They were all crammed together with the fabrics in the archive box (as you see it's stuffed enough with just the fabrics), but are now all in order in a binder, and hopefully it will help me keep track of my progress:



Hope everyone is having an enjoyable and creative week!
Hugs and stitches from
Anne Ida

Another small finish

Yes, I have done some quilting on my Sister's Choice, but it's rather heavy, so it have to be done in small portions. In between I have been doing a bit more stitchery. After I finished the little needlebook, I thought back and found I hadn't done any stitchery since the new year! And the last project I worked on was May Britt's Christmas Challenge for 2008 (yikes!!!). I found it half finished in my sewing basket, so what's a girl to do? FINISH IT!!! Now I have a little red and green heart to hang on the bathroom door in December:

I a lovely evening at Butterfly's last night, and I brought some hand sewing with me. Now I know the natural thing to bring would be another DJ block or two, but being in the stitchery mood, I figured, why not do a bit more work on my Tender Moments? I finished one of the little blocks last night (last stitches done on the train home):

Contrary to Rose's patterns I have decided to do the stitcheries in one colour - picking up my blue focus fabric. I hope this will turn out well :o)

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

Hugs and stitches from
Anne Ida

Dresden Plate by machine

A while back I made Rose a quick picture guide for the way I make Dresden Plate by machine. Today she tested it out, and in about an hour she had two plates ready :o) I figure that someone else might also have interest of this little list of pictures, so I thought I'd share it here:


1. Make a template the size you want your finished section of the plate, and add seam allowance to all four sides.


2. Cut the pieces for the plate.


3a. Fold the piece in half, and stitch accross the top, ¼” from the top.


3b. This is how they look chain pieced.


4. Turn the pieces innside- out, they will look like this.

5. Press them all, and you’ll have something looking like this.

6a. Piece the sections together in pairs, and the pairs into quarter plate sections...

6b. …then into halves

7a. Join the two halves together, and you are ready to press. Press the seams open.

7b. This is what itlooks like from the back.

8. Appliqué to background fabric, and appliqué a small circle to cover the hole in the centre.

FINISHED!!! Have fun!

Hugs and stitches from
Anne Ida

PS! Yes, the block is for my version of Rose's Tender Moments - I have a long way to go yet on that one....

This and that - a long post

Long time, no see... I have been a bad blogger again.... Lost track of time, been busy, lost the cord to my camera (what is a blog post without pictures? I finally convinced my Dad to lend me his), basically life has gotten in the way... I want to thank everyone for the sweet comments on my previous post, sorry I haven't replied to all of you!

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Anyway, even though I don't really feel that productive I have done a little bit of quilting. A couple of my friends got married just over a week ago, and of course I had to make them a quilt:

As usual cutting time a bit short as I only finished stitching down the binding and label a couple of hours before the ceremony *lol* - but it was finished in time! As you can see it is a very simple pattern, just 12" stars and some cornerstones, and the quilting is a very easy well spaced meandering. I'm pleased with the over-all look of it, and I think they are happy with it :o)

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My friend Nemo has been a busy bee with the knitting needles (and other needles as well, for that matter), and look at these wrist warmers she made me:

Aren't they pretty? Those dancing ladies are so cute! And they are so warm and cozy! Fabulous these days when winter have arrived. And they were well worth their weight in gold and more after our last meeting at the quilting guild - Nemo has written about it in this post.

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I had an errand at the post office this afternoon, among other things to pick up a parcel from my very dear friend Rose in Tasmania. Sweetie, I'm sooo happy - thank you!!!! Look what this wonderful and talented lady sent me:

Some gorgeous fabrics and buttons, some thread and a quilting stencil and some chocolate pretty wrapped for my B-day - thank you so much Rose, Les, Maddi and Cohen!! Included in the box was also no. 8 Australian Country Threads which has the pattern for Rose's beautiful Christmas cushion "Sleep Tight"; and all the patterns to her fabulous BOM "Tender Moments"; which I sort of cheated and started sewing on back in May before she finished the pattern writing. This is as far as I have gotten:

Now that I actually have the patterns I might be able to finish it *lol* I have cut the pieces for the rest of the flying geese units, and they keep Bernie company on my desk so I can use them as leaders and enders and for some in between fun sewing.

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Other happy news is that my friend Elin has finished the top on her Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, pop over to her blog and have a look. It is absolutely gorgeous!!! Congratulations, Elin!! I now look forward to seeing this quilt all finished (and in person!!!)! ...hmmm... I feel my fingers itching to make another of these quilts... perhaps someday *lol*

Hope everyone has a great week!
Sincerely, Anne Ida