Summer quilt meeting

Our Quilt group had their summer quilt meeting yesterday, and we have had the tradition for several years now to go to a cabin one of the ladies in the group owns.

With delicious cured meet, smoked salmon, potato salad, crumbled eggs and green salad

Some was sitting outside eating

and some inside

Later in the evening coffee and cakes

And some sewing

Not many ladies had brought something to show and tell,
but here is what was shown

Brita had made a beautiful bag

Anne Mette had made two beautiful table runners

Bjørg had made this wonderful table runner.
Her quilting is extraordinary on this one.

Synnøve have already started making christmas table runners

she also made this cute place mat

And as usual we had a BIG summer lottery.
And I was so lucky to win two of these :)

Saying for today:
There's nothing better than a good friend,
except a good friend with chocolate.
- Linda Grayson

Birthdaygift for Irene

I visited my friend Irene today with a little birthdaygift I made for her yesterday. I forgot to take a photo of it before giving it to her, so these two photos I took with my mobilephone is so bad. But you get an idea :)

I made her my version of Cinderberry Stitches Me and My Shadow threadholder. I had a finished stitchery in my box and chose to decorate the front with this one.

And chose a light fabric for the pockets inside it.

I do not call it a threadholder, but a projectholder. Because it is so nice to bring a stitchery or other projects in it. One pocket for the stitchery and the other one for the scissor and stitcheryframe. I know I will make more of these. I have made a few changes from the pattern, and it is fast and easy to sew.

Saying for today:

True friends are the people
who brighten your smile
everytime your with them

Busted

Now I know what Frida Cat is doing while I am sleeping.
She is reading quilt magazines.

Saying for today:
What greater gift than the love of a cat?
~Charles Dickens

Quiltsafari again

Today was the big quilt safari day. Hanne, Bente and I visiting two quilt shops (a trip similar to the quiltsafari we had one year ago). First stop was Fabrikkutsalget. They had a lot to choose from.






I just adore this crazy hen up in the shelf among all the fabrics. I regret not buying this one LOL. Only two pieces of fabric (pink of course) came home with me from this shop.

Next stop Quilteliv. She have moved her shop from a tiny room to this wonderful comfortable shop. I really enjoyed visiting her shop now.





In this shop I found some fabrics which I am going to make a little bag from. Not quite the colours I inteded to buy, but my two good friends convinced me that I really ought to step out of my safe corner and make something with blue fabric.

Saying for today:
Several excuses are always
less convincing than one.

A little surprise

Yesterday my two good friends Hanne and Bente came for a long weekend visit. What Hanne did not know was that we had made a little surprise party for her. As you all know Hanne had her 50th birthday when she was "over there" at the DJ party in Shipshewana, and we had no oportunity then to celebrate her. But Bente and I had a plan.........

I had decorated with baloons and had a welcoming drink ready when I heard them arriving up the stairs. Hanne did not know I was already home and I have told them where to find the key. So I think she got a little bit surprised when she start talking to Frida cat and it was me who answered.

With a golden crown on her head, out on the porch for birthdaycake and coffee and of course birthday presents.

In march Hanne gave us a challenge. A zipper, some silk ribbon and a little piece of fabric. And this is what Bente and I came up with. We started laughing when we discovered we had used the same ground pattern to make these two purses. Hanne had not made hers yet, and she told us she also had in mind making a similar purse.
It is so fun with these challenges, and now it was Bentes turn to make the challenge. In the envelope was a piece of fabric, a button with text , on mine it says Lykke (hapiness) and a red heart. The challenge is : For joy and pleasure , to be useful, alone or together in a small group,
We have until our next sewing together to have it finished. This was a tricky challenge, I have no idea what to make that goes to the theme. So any suggestion is welcomed.

Now we will enjoy a good breakfast and a whole day of sewing. It is raining outside, but sunshine indoors.

Saying for today:

Friendship is the golden ribbon
that ties the world together.

Online Quilt Museum

My friend Karen Griska told me today about this new wonderful place to visit. It is called Online Quilt Museum and has a lot of exhibits. She founded the Online Quilt Museum.com in 2009 to be an elegant venue where quilters can exhibit their work to a worldwide audience.

So grab a cup of coffee, sit down and enjoy all the quilts. She even have my two selvages quilts in the exhibit of selvages quilts :)

Looking for summer

Saturday I spendt almost all day out on the porch in the sun.

I really believed summer had arrived.

Today...............

Still focusing

I am still focusing on my autumn houses.

Finished block # 3

and already on my way with block # 4.

I have to prepare one or two more blocks today,

because in two days Hanne and Bente comes for a visit.
3 days with sewing, laughter

and a little quilt trip to some quilt shops.

We did a quiltsafari last year too,

and it is the same shops we will visit this time too

In april Hanne came up with a challenge called "On the road". She gave me and Bente a little piece of fabric, some silk ribbons and a zipper. I manage to finish my project with it yesterday. Can't show you until later. It has to be a secret until Hanne, Bente and I meet.

Saying for today:

Curiosity is one of the great
secrets of happiness.

Building houses

I have finished block 1 and 2 of Bunny Hills Autumn Houses. Well almost.....I just have to stitch the words Høst (autumn) on the first block. It has been so fun doing the applique on these blocks.....

so I prepared block 3 right away.

Focus focus focus

Saying for today:

It takes hands to build a house,
but only hearts can build a home.

Weekend with good friends

When three good friends brings sewingmachines and a lot of projects to the cabin, there are always a lot of laughter, serious discussions (and not so serious discussions) around the sewing table. The most important thing to be with friends like this, is the laughter and the good time we are sharing.

I brought of course a lot of projects. Too many. I guess I could have been away for several weeks and still haven't finished all of them.

After a long walk some red wine beside the sewingmachine.

This was the first project I finished this weekend. I have been sewing on this quilt every time we have been at the cabin, and now I managed to finish the top. Ready to be basted and quilted. I guess I will try to machine quilt this one, but I am a little bit scared because I am not that skilled with machinequilting so big quilts.

Next project to work on was this little table runner. Design Northern Quilts. I started it some years ago, and now it is ready to be basted and machine quilted.

Another table runner. Design AnnaKa. I bought the pattern last summer when Hanne, Bente and I was on our quilt trip to Fabrikkutsalget. So I have to finish it before we're going on our next quilt trip there. Now it is ready to be basted and machine quilted.

Do you remember the selvages in my previous post :) Look what I have made of them. A little purse to keep a on the go project in. It was so fun working with them because there were so many cute selvages. This is the front.

And this is the back.

I did not spend all the time by the sewingmachine. Relaxing in the coach I did some handsewing. One year ago I joined this BOM. I made the first block very fast and then the rest was just hidden in a box. I have decided to focus on this BOM now and may be try to have it finished this autumn. This is block #2, and I appliqued the house and started on the small leafs. There are 26 tiny leafs to be appliqued now :) But I love doing needle turn applique, so this will be fun.

Saying for today:

Joy is a flower that blooms when you do.