I have been to a quilt class

Yesterday I visit the quiltshop to join a class. Do you remember long time ago that I bought some fabric . I intended to make a bag of this. And yesterday was the first meeting starting to do this bag. My friend Bjørg has designed this bag, and she does a wonderfull job designing patterns. This is what I managed to do in three hours yesterday. The bag has a lot of very fun details, pockets aso. And we got a lot of homework untill next time.
I also want to show you the quilt I have on the wall in my office. Being a quilter demands that I decorate even my officewall. And I think this witch explains who I am LOL This is made after a pattern from Lise Bergene.

Back to work. My days are toooooo busy at the time. But I had to blog a little bit although I am at work LOL

Oh....just realised that down in the hall at my officebuilding there is a very beautiful big quilt. I will take a photo tomorrow and show you. The details of it is very special.

How do I prepare a top for quilting

Cynthia was wondering in her blog what others prefered to use when they was preparing a top ready to quilt????

I normally baste my quilts with thread. This is what i learned when I took my first class in handstitching and handquilting. And this is what i teach my students in the same class now. I think thread basting is good for handquilting since it will secure the layers for a long long time, and not have pins getting in the way. I have tried basting spray on small projects and that works for me. But not on big quilts. Not so very fond of bastingspray because I feel it gets so sticky. Maybe I spray on too much when I do it.

After ironing the back very good I tape it on the floor. I do not have a big enough table at home so I use to crawl around on the floor. Looks stupid and my back hurts LOL. I do this on small quilts only, when I got bigger ones I do it other places where they have big enough tables. At the quiltshop they have a big table.

Then I put the batting loos on top of the back. Do not tape it.

And then comes the top upon the batting. The top has to be ironed very well because this is the final time you can press the seam allowance the right way and make it looks good at the wrong side. Tape the top as you did with the back.

Then I start to baste the layers together. Not a very comfortable way to do it, but sewing a small part, doing something else to stretch my back, sew again and suddenly all the quilt is basted. I start sewing from one edge to the other like an X. Then I sew in the middle from one side to the other one like this + Like this I now get four parts to sew. I sew horisontal stitches in one part and vertical in the other part, and oposit. (Do you understand?????????????LOL)

And then, ready to start my handquilting. I love to handquilt my quilts. But I also do machinquilting and think I am starting to get a grip on that too. But when machinquilting you cannot use this method. Then I use safetypins or just spraybaste the layers together.

I have enjoyed my sewing sunday and I have done some other sewing today as well. But I cannot show you because it is a birthdaypresent, and I know the one who is getting it visit my blog sometimes. But when she have got it I will show you. Now I am going to start quilting on christmasquilt I have basted today too. This one with spraybasting. Would show you the photo of it but blogger does not allow me loading more pictures. Maybe I have written too much today LOL.

Our visit to Copenhagen

After a rough boattrip to Copenhagen we arrived in beautiful sunny weather. We had decided to take the canalboat through Copenhagen. It lasts for an hour and shows us a lot of Copenhagens attractions. The canaltrip starts in Nyhaven. This place is truly magical, and when you are here you feel like you have been transported back to another time and place. It was in old time used as a major port and was soon filled with drunken sailors, brothels, and tattoo parlors. It soon had a seedy reputation and all but the bravest of souls stayed away. In the 1970s, like many places in the world, it was reinvented and turned into a waterside attraction for the whole family

There was a lot of bridges which was very narrow and low. And a lot of them was beautiful decorated.

The black diamond. When the sun shines the water reflects in the building and it glimmers like a diamond. This was realy a sight.

The little mermaid. Perhaps the most known attraction in Copenhagen. We got to see it from te wrong side (waterside) so this is not the most perfect picture.

And of course we had to visit Tivoli (the amusement park). My DD wanted to take the roller coaster. I am sooooooo scared of merry-go-rounds aso and told her she had to do it all alone. And she is a tough girl, not afraid as her mother LOL. Here is a picture of her ready to take the Deamon roller coaster. She smiled when she came back.

After a long, warm and hectic day in the city we returned to the boat. And on the same deck we stayed there was a outside bubble pool. We relaxed a while in it and that felt very good. But when going back to our room the door card did not work. There we were standing in our bathingsuits with just a towel around us. We on deck 10 and the informationdesk was on deck 7. Luckily two old ladies rescued us. They went for help and we got inside. What a sight. Not very fun but we laugh at it now.

A little houswife gymnastic

My crazy RR is back home :)

Todays surprise in the mailbox was my crazy RR. I started this RR early this spring and now 6 other ladies has done their work on it. Now it come back home to me. I have decided to make one big heart and one little heart. I am a bit crazy about hearts LOL. My plans about these two hearts is to put a backing on both . How I will do that i worry a bit about because they have embellished perhaps too far out in the edges. But I will figure it out. The big heart wil hang on the wall in my hall with the little heart hanging besides loos in a gold line. I will show you when I have finished them. Or......... I regret a bit not making a square, because then I could have made a pillow. But perhaps I can applique it on a square?? Please help me. Give me some ideas what to do with my hearts.
The participans on these hearts are Synnøve who tell me that she is soooo happy joining this RR because when she was looking for something to "sign" the RR with she looked in som boxes and found her diamond ring which have been lost for several years. She has made the spiderweb in the left corner (if there is a corner on a heart LOL). And the spider looks so real. Spiders give luck and it did. She has also made that beautiful spiderwebrose for me.

Next one on the RR was Hanne. She made the beautiful birdhouses to the right. I know she loves to embroider and she makes beautiful work.

Gun Torild has continued on Hannes Flowergarden and made som more flowers using some old (antique?) buttons. I wanted the colours to be in cream/brown but she has added som green pearls and pink embroidery and I love it!!!!! It was perfect for my heart.

Nina was the next one. She has embellished with a lot of beeds in the bottom of the heart. And the bead butterfly in the right "corner" is beautiful made. I very nice idea. And then she made flowers with beeds to the right. I love these flowers.

Siw made the tree on the left top. All those french knots. WOW. I love it. You have made a beautiful tree with shadows made in gold embroidery.

The last one on my RR was Kari. She has added the lovely embellished lace on the right top, and the featherstithch with black pearls.

Thank you all for joining my Crazy RR and making my hearts soooooo beautiful.

Most of the ladies had never done any crazy quilting before. I did not know what I started when I started this RR. But I know we all have learned a lot on this road. And I know I am going to do CQ between my sane quilting. I enjoyed working with all the emellishment. And this have brouhte me furhter on to other lists and other CQfriends all over the world. I am happy that I started this crazy RR. I know I want to either start another one or joining a new crazy RR. This time perhaps with friends frow all over the world. Do I start it or is there any upcomming CQRR now??

This became a long "letter" from me early in the morning wednesday. Wanted to post this yesterday but the blog did not allow me to upload any pictures. I got a big warning that it was unstabel until this morning. First time I have got this warning. And no idea publish it without photos. But now .......take a look at my hearts and the beautiful embellishment these ladies have done.

Two ufo's done

JIPPIE......I am dancing.....I finished two ufo's this weekend. And whats surprised me was that they were done in no time. The bindings was already made, just had to sew in on and then handstitch the binding. Saturday evening in front of the tv with a glass of redwine. Voila.....the bindings went so fast. And now I got a new tablerunner for my kitchen table, and one ready for the advent.
The chicken table runner was made several years ago. I remember now why i did not finish it. At that time I had another kitchentable and it was small. The tablerunner got to long for that table. Even when i reduced it with some chickens. But now I have a new table and the length is correct. The tablerunner is hand stitched and handquilted. I am quite pleased with it :)

My advent table runner do not have the usual advent colours which is purple. I made this one two years ago at a class in the Norwegian Quilt Association. We who is in the board do not have the oportunity taking classes at the annual meeting (we have to organize the whole happening) and we use to have a long meeting a whole weekend where we invites someone to give us a class. In 2004 Hanne Aspelin Firman visited us and I made this adventrunner after her pattern and directions. I made white pointsettias on a blue and green background.This was a fun way of using a sort of log cabin, cutting here and cutting there and sewing it together. I love this tablerunner and think I will make another one in this teqnique.

And of course my sewing room is a mess......again LOL

But I have no time tidy it up before the weekend. Tomorrow me and my DD are going to Denmark. And I will be home friday evening. I think I will bring some small stitching, but I do not think I will be able to sew anything.

Look what I found

I think I did a scoop today. I visit a shop which sells used clothes. And look what I found. A blouse with all these white beautiful pearls. I got it very very cheep. And this evening I have been picking off all the pearls. It was quite a job.......................

but look at the result, a big box of pearls.

I also found a dress for my DD to wear at the "Back to the 50's" party. What do you think, it is right for the 50's. Have to change it a bit, but I think it will be nice. It did not fit me :) so I am still looking for something to wear.
Now I will prepare dinner. Baked potatoes with a beef. And a glass of redwine. Then I can continue to handsew my binding on the tablerunner. In fact I found another tablerunner that also just lacked the binding. A tablerunner for the advent. Blue and white. I will show you that one tomorrow. Now I will spend some time with my DD. She wanted to start to knit on the scarf and perhaps we look at a movie together on the dvd.

A question about fabric.

Gail has been looking through her fabrics and it makes her wonder if quilters have a particular style or color that we favor and she askes us:

1. What is your favorite color to use in your quilts?
My favorite color to use in my quilts are probably brown, red, green, yellow and beige. Thats me. At one time I never used blue in my quilts. And my friends used to tease me about that. I got a little challenged and made a blue and white quilt. At a quiltmeeting I just placed the quilt at a table and did not tell it was me who had made it. Nobody guessed it was me LOL. My choice of colours changes sometimes with my mood. In the wintertime I use warm colours and in the summer I love to use light colours. My favorit is to mix all colours together in scrap quilts.

2. Do you have a favorite style, ie. depression repros, 1800 repros, geometrics, florals, plaids, batiks, marbled, etc.? I am a bit fond of repros and have collected som of them. Plaids, batiks, bright colours....you name it. I just love fabric!!!! I have also collected japaneese fabric, but when I started to use them it was not really me. I have some trouble using them. But perhaps later when I am i that mood LOL

3. Do you have a favorite line of fabrics, ie. Kaffee Fasset, one of Moda's lines, Jo Morton, etc.?
I love Moda fabrics. They have a warm colour thats tempts me.

4. Do you tend to buy a particular subject , ie. butterflies, strawberries, cats?
As several other quilters I collect fabric with cats on. Wonder why?
And if I find fabric that pleases me, I buy it. I do not have to have a reason for buying it. Do not have to have a project to use it in.

5. Did I miss a category here?????
In Norway fabric is very expensive comparing to Usa. And I try to buy fabric at sales. But when my shop offers new fabric.................... you know........... it is hard to not buy anything.
And I looked into my fabric boxes now. And one thing surprises me. I got so little variety in my colours. They seems to be the same colour value. I miss the special fabric that you have to have to make a perfect quilt. The fabric is in a lot of different patterns aso, but the colourvalue is almost the same. But the reason perhaps is that I love that particular colourvalue. But I need to have something to break it up.

I wanted to give you a little peek into one of my drawers with fabric, but my blog will not allow me to load any more pictures today:(
So I am off to bed now. Have reached one of my goals for the weekend. I have made 3 hearts for the CoH swap. Pictures :(
Hope the blog cooperate better tomorrow.

Some of my goals this weekend

TGIF

in a few hours I am off work and can relax. This week have gone soooooo fast. Not very much sewing have been done these last days, and I am looking forward to do something about that. Friday is in my opinion the best tv-day in Norway, and I love relaxing in front of the tv on fridays, with my sewing. I usually fall asleep in the chair after a short while LOL but I intend to do som sewing every friday LOL
This is what I found in one of my ufo-boxes this morning (I had a little extra time before leaving for work). A chicken runner which I made several years ago. I just have to put the binding on and I can handstitch it on while watching tv. Cannot understand why I have not completed it before because I have already cut the binding for this one. But to mention......I hate bindings LOL But now I need a tablerunner on my kitchentable.
This quilt is also almost finished. It is a made after a pattern from Nancy Halvorsen. I have some more quilting to do. For this one I have used DMC yarn to quilt. I hope I manage to find the same light brown colour as I have used before. If not I can surely use another colour that match. I intent to quilt a border with hearts around it. And I also have to quilt a bit in the small blocks between the application. The aplication blocks are already quilted. Why have I not finished it???? No idea.

And I have to embellish my hearts for Jo and Julia. And do some other hearts to swap. I have so much fun making these hearts. In the beginning I had some trouble knowing what to do on the hearts, but now I have learn that everything is allowed LOL I have bought a lot of beads lately and I have recieved a lot of beads, laces and other goodies from new friends.

My little Frida has found a new bed. I have noticed she want to sleep on my sewingtable, in front of the window behind my sewingmachine. I tryed to place a pillow there for her to sleep on. But no, she did not like that one. But yesterday I found an old quilt for her. And this morning she was sleeping so well on it. Notice my sewingtable is all tidy now LOL I have started to organize my sewingroom.......again. That is also one of my goals in september (not just this weekend, I need more time to tidy this room) I will buy some plastic boxes and try to organize what's in my shelfs.

Now back to work a few hours more before I go home.

Have a nice friday all of you.

Heeeeelp

I got an ivitation yesterday. Back to the happy 50'ties. My SIL is going to celebrate her 50th annivarsary and are inviting to a party with dresscode from 1950-1960. I see swingskirt, dots, scarfs. But where can I get something like this. Perhaps I can sew something, but do I have time for it. I saw some fabric at my quiltshop yesterday, brown or green with big dots on it. This would be perfect for a swingskirt. But it is a long time since I made clothes. Or can I find something at a flee market. Probably not. My DD has already found her outfit. She is thin and can wear almost everything. And I have saved one dress after my mother which she can use. But what about me. I got a challenge now. We are not forced to dress up like this, but I want to. It is fun. And I know a lot of the other guests are going to. Perhaps anyone out there have any ides or anything to help me. Patterns (if I am going to make a dress/skirt), something to borrow me. Heeeeelp, I need ideas LOL

Puh.....

These last few days have been very very busy. Both at work and at home. Have hardly had any time to read blogs so I have a lot to update now. I feel bad not answering all the comments I have received lately or leave comments on the blogs I have read. But I appriciate all comments.
Yesterday I visit Gjøvik quilt group and had a stitcheryclass with 27 ladies. It was a bit difficult, but I think I managed it. It was just a demonstration of different stitches and useful tips making stitchery. With so many ladies I just sat down and they came up to me and I showed them. This was the only way to do it.
I had brought with me some patterns, fabric aso from "my" quiltshop to sell. And today I returned the no sold things and the money from yesterday. And of course they had got new fabric in the shop !!!!! And I am on a "only purchase fabric to complete a quilt" in september.

Did I buy some of the fabric????? Of course YES.

Was they intended to be used to complete a quilt????? Of course NOT

Do I have the strenght not to buy any more fabric???? What do you think??? LOL

This is the fabric I bought. All Moda fabric and I loooooooove them. This serie is called Misteltoe Manor by 3 Sisters. But they do not look like ordinary christmasfabric to me. I may perhaps use them in a new bag....or a table runner for my kitchentable.......or......... I do not know yet. Do I have to have a plan with my fabrics when I buy them???

My DD wanted to knit a scarf and I bought her this lovely yarn in brown and pink. I hope we can have som quality relaxtime together, she knitting and I quilting.

I did order it :)

Now I have placed my order at amazon.com on Treasury of Crazyquilt Stitches and Simple traditions. I had to have them LOL

Now I just have to wait. The shipping can take some time. In my order it said that the books would arrive in november !!! :( But I hope it goes a little faster. Books as well as fabric is expensive in Norway. By ordering from amazon I get two books for the price of one in Norway.

And now I just have to look up a place to get the templats that follows the stitchbook. Does anyone now where to buy them, or perhaps anyone does not need them and want to sell them to me:) I guess not, because I have learned that they are very useful and popular. Now my day at work is soon over and I can go home and sew. Think I will make one more block and perhaps some hearts.

My weekend

It was very nice weather on sunday and me and my boyfriend decided we to visite the museum in Elverum. They have a very nice paths in a very beautiful area which I love to walk. The musesum has a collection of old houses. And one of them is this house below. It is a "middle chamber cottage" (this is my free translation of the name because I do not know how else to translate it LOL) This house was once in my family and was given by us to the museum. It is the only saved house of this kind in Norway. It was my grandparents house. My mother and father lived there as newlyweds for a short while. They got electricity in the house, but when the museum got it they changed it back to the old times again. But we can still see prints of wires on the wall and where the lighning once hit and it almost started to burn. They have collected a lot of items from the period 1880-1900 in the house. Some of them once was our familys things and other comes from the same area but other familys. I enjoy visiting this house and I am always thinking of how my grandparents lived in this house. My GP emigratet to USA, but when my GM did not want to travel after him, he returned to Norway. Back home it was time for some sewing. Cannot do a whole day without sewing.......can we LOL
I made another block of "my mother taught me how to sew" blocks. I do it all in freezer paper, even the tiny tiny dots. I love doing this kind of application, so I keep on doing this blocks. How many I do not know yet.

I also embellished a bit on my angel block. It is fun trying to do something else. I have always done sane quilting, but this CQ appeals also to me. I love buttons, laces and stitches so why not experiment with it. The progress is slow. I sew, unripp it and sew another stithes. But I feel more safe now. Have to order a new book. The treasure of crazy quilt stitches by Carole Sample. Have to have it LOL. Read what Sandie wrote about this book. Do you understand why I have to have it.

At the library today

Today I was at the library with some of my quilts. They had asked me if I could be the september exhibitor. I have showed my quilts there about five years ago, and several had asked the library to invite me again. I feel honored of being asked. The space is limited so I hade to choose quilts that I belived had not been showed there before. Below are some of the quilts.
First my four seasons. The winter quilt is after a pattern from Kristin Pollen which was published in a norwegian magazine some years ago. I feel that everyone in Norway made this quilt and I understand, I love the pattern. But when I had done winter, I felt that I had to make a spring, summer and autumn quilt based on the winterpattern. And so I did. Spring, summer and autumn is my own design. And I had fun making them. This four quilts are handstitched and handquiltet.

The next one is made of my ugly fabrics :) But I think it turned out very well. I love it. This one is pieced by machine, but I have quilted it by hand.

The quilt in the upper left corner is one of my favourits. I call it "Inside my head". And the quilt describes how everything sometimes turns around in my head :) All my ideas, my fantasy and my will to create. Made from a pattern I found in american P&C. Handstitched and handquilted.

The quilt in the upper right corner is called "My moonglow". Several of my friends have made the real moonglow quilt, but I wanted to do my own based on the colours. (and I did not afford to buy the whole real moonglowpattern at that time:) I gave this quilt to my DD and she loves it. When I told her today that I was going to sell some of my quilts she got afraid: Mum you do NOT sell my moonglow!!!!! She is safe. This quit will never be sold. I love it. Handstitched and handquiltet.

My first quilt I made. I show this and advertise for my handstitching and handquilting classes. This autumn is the first in many years I do not have enough participants to to start it. But I have to admit I feel a bit relieved, because I have too much to do now. And all my other classes are full.

A miniature scrapquilt and a welcom quilt.

In this cabinet I have some tablerunners and some miniatures. All of it is handstitched and handquiltet. The library did not have so much space for me to show my quilts. They are used to other crafters having small paintings aso. Not quilts that takes a lot of space on the walls. I brought home several quilts that I could not find any place to hang up there. Now you have probably understood that my passion is doing things by hand. I love my sewingmachine and do a lot of things on it, but it is handstitching and handquilting that is ME. Now I will take my sewing out on the porch and enjoy the sun. It is a very beautiful warm day. The trees have started to loose its leaves. The autumn with its colours are here.

Visiting Hanne

I'm back :) Have missed you all. Being away from home for a whole week, but now I am home again. Luckily I was in front of a computer all the time at the work class and managed to read blogs and mails every day, but not able to blog myself :( I had brought several projects to quilt on if I got free time in the evenings. And I did.
Yesterday I visit my friend Hanne. We have known eachother for a long time. And now when I stayed not far away from her, I brought my quiltingbag with me and went for a visit. We had a great time as you see. Hanne is laughing, probably at me :) After inspecting all her books and sewingroom we spendt the time sewing. Hannes DD took this picture of us together.


Hanne had made this beautiful heart for me. I love it. Thank you Hanne. I think you too have been hit by the CQ bug also.

I had brought one of my projects. I bought this book at the annual meeting in the Norwegian Quilt Association this year. I had seen it before, but did not fall for it then. But now I saw a quilt made in other colours. And I just had to buy the book.

I have made eight blocks so far. In my colours. Red, green and yellow. I love doing application with freezer paper. I do not know how many blocks I will make. I have prepared several blocks already. They are laying in an envelope ready to be done. That is so easy to have if I am going for a visit and want to have something to sew on......as yesterday visiting Hanne. The one down in the left corner on the bottom picture is the one I am working on now. I am going to prepare dinner now. After that I have to look up my quilts which I am going to exhibit tomorrow. The library at Flisa (my hometown) asked me to show my quilts there. And of cours I want to do that. I will take some pictures there tomorrow after hanging them up on the walls.

September goal and some CQ

As you see I now have a sidebar.Only purchase fabrics to complete a quilt. If you want a similar Susan has a described it in her blog.

I have started to embellish this little block. Down in the left corner I had used a too bright white fabric and this I have hided under a lace from the goodiesbag I got from Pat. And I have started to make some silkribbon roses.

When I was in Trysil this weekend my friend had made me this little angel. She had used fabric decopage and a napkin.

I had to make a little angelquilt of it. She is also making a similar. It will be fun to see how different they probably will be. I have found som buttons and a lace which I got from Marianne. (Please Marianne if you read this, mail me. I have deleted your mails and I want to thank you so much for the beautiful laces)

Tomorrow I will be away for a week. It is a work class I am going to. And I think I will be able to log into internet some times to read mails and perhaps blog a bit. I will bring my camera and see if there is anything interesting to share with you. I will bring a lot of quilting because I know the evening at the hotel will be boring.