Are you focusing girls??

It really helps me focusing on a few projects. It is hard because I get tempted starting on new ones all the time. One of my focus projects is the easter bunnies. It is a pattern called Bunny Tales designed by Jo Ann Mullaly.

Today I sewed it together using only light green and pink. Feels a little bit to sweet at the moment, but I guess when spring comes it will look good on my wall. Will baste it this week and hopefuly start quilting on it.

While working in my sewingroom I started to look for some japanese fabrics. And that brought me to move all my japanese fabrics from the cupboard to this drawer. Now I have all my japanese fabrics at one place. Looks good doesn't it. I love japanese taupe fabrics, and I hope all shops joining our annual quiltmeeting in march brings a lot of them, because I need moooooooooooooore of them :)

I have quilted all blocks in the Christmas Wish quilt and today I got down on the floor and traced the border I want to quilt around it.

And while doing that I also traced the same border around my Leannes House quilt. This one have been missing the outher border for several years, so now it is time to finish this quilt.

A little sidetrack from what I planned to focus on this week. I had no more stitchery to work on, and me with no stitchery in my bag, is not working :) But guess what, I have traced all the blocks for this cat BOM, so I just grabbed january cat out of the box and started stitching on it.

Focus next week:

Cat BOM
Quilting on A Christmas Wish

Quilting on Leannes House
Basting Bunny Tales

But I know there will be sidetracs LOL

Saying for today:

My cat speaks sign language with her tail.
~Robert A. Stern

Checking the cabin

Yesterday after work we went to check out my friend Irenes cabin. And as you see we went there in the blue hour. This beautiful icicles met us at the cabin. This is a sign spring is soon arriving.

And driving home we saw a lot of moose besides the road. 4 different mooses on 3 different places. A warning to all to drive safely, because it is not fun having them hit the car. This is a bad photo taken with my mobile phone, but I just had to get a photo of this big moose.

Saying for today:

No matter how long the winter,
spring is sure to follow.
~Proverb

Forgotten project

Yesterday I got to new books in my mailbox. I love getting new books. One of them is the new book from Trine Bakke and I love it. I love the way she are matching colours and fabrics I never would thought of. Such an inspiring book. But looking in this book I found a project which got me up in the attic looking for my long forgotten project box.

And I found my mini dresden plates I started many years ago. Maybe I should make this a focus project. Have to look for the fabric I have used in the circles in the middle of the dresden plate, noticed I still have two more small circles to sew on. And what about the outher border. Have to find a fabric that will highlight the mini scrap dresdens. Or do I just leave it in my box up in the attic and start some new mini dresdens ala Trine's?? Perhaps in japanese fabrics??

But first I want to stitch my finished easter rabbits together. Found some pink and light green fabrics will be perfect for this quilt. I have been clever focusing on my focus projects this week. I have also done some more quilting on my Christmas Wish quilt. So this focus on focus projects works very well for me.

Tonight: quiltmeeting in my quilt group. Looking forward to see what the ladies have made. Almost two months since our last meeting, so I guess there has been some sewing going on.

Saying for today:

Ideas are like rabbits.
You get a couple and learn
how to handle them,
and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John Steinbeck

Decision

Make two new bottom parts and handquilt them.

This is not what I had planned

One of my focus project last week was these small bags. I have handquilted the front, back and the bottom parts. When I this morning started to make the zipper parts I discovered I had made the bottom without seam allowance at main fabric. Grrrrrrrrr. Do I make the bottom parts all over again or do I reduce the seam allowance at the zipper parts. But if I do that, the bag will get so small. And if I choose to make the bottom parts over again, do I handquilt them again or do I machinequilt? This is what happens when you do not read the instructions well. And can not blaim that it on that is a japanese pattern, because there is an extra patternsheet with english instructions :)

Have to think about this while stitching on my easter rabbits and watch a movie.

Saying for today:

Never say, "oops."

Always say, "Ah, interesting."

~Author Unknown

Stitching

After a hectic day at work it feels so good just relaxing in my chair with a stitchery and a cat sleeping in my lap.

Saying for today:

There are few things in life
more heartwarming
than to be welcomed by a cat.

Still focusing

I am really proud of myself. Still focusing on my weekly focus project and not doing any side steps to other projects. But perhaps that is only because I have been so busy with other things this week. A lot of work in the evenings planning this years annual quiltmeeting and deadlines in our magazine.

I have quilted around all blocks on the christmas quilt. But I feel it in my elbow and shoulder. Have to take it a little easy with the handquilting. So to relax I have stitched a little bit on my easter bunnies. I will continue focusing on these two projects.

Another focus projects was this kit. I love this little purse and decided not to make only one but two at the same time. One from the kit and one from my own stash. All applique is done and I have quilted one of the front pieces. Perhaps I can sew them together next weekend if I manage to do all the quilting.

Two new books in my mailbox this week. I love reading the Elm Creek books and since I did not get the book for Christmas I had to order it myself.

Saying for today:

Cat's motto:
No matter what you've done wrong,
always try to make it look like the dog did it.

Focus projects week 1 and goals for week 2

Did you keep focus on your focus projects week one????

I did :)

One of the projects I was going to focus on was this table runner which Bjørg gave me as a kit for Christmas. Today I finished the binding on it. So now I have my first OPAM finish for january and I am so proud I manage to stay focus this week.


The other project that was going to have my focus was the Christmas Wish quilt. I have now sewed it together, basted it and I am handquilting on it. So one of my focus this week will be the handquilting on it. I will quilt several stright lines around the stitchery and then quilt hearts at the outher border.

And when I will relax from handquilting I will stitch on my easter rabbits. Hanne got a similar kit from me for her birthday last year and she has already finished hers. I have very little easter decorations so my goal is to finish this quilt so I can hang it on my wall this easter.

And I have in mind always have both a project for relaxing and one with my sewingmachine. This is a project I picked out of my big box of started projects and bought kits. It is a kit i bought at our annual quiltmeeting in march last year. I want to play with some japanese fabrics now so this will be a perfect focus this week.

Still very cold here. The lowest we had last week was minus 37C. Right now it is only minus 28C. Hoping it will start getting warmer soon. It is unusual with so many weeks with this low temperature. But perhaps this cold temperature helps me focusing on my projects :)

Saying for today:

Life is about making
the right decisions
and moving on

Brrrrrr again

A little bit too cold this morning

Wish I could stay indoors in front of my fireplace sewing, but now I am ready to drive to work. I just think of those who have it even colder than this. Brrrrrrrrrrrr. But you know we are Norwegian Vikings :)

Got a new book in my mailbox yesterday. I ordered Yoko Saito's new book Taupe color study book. And I really should try to make a new bag in japanese taupes before going to our annual quilt guild meeting in march. Because, guess what, Yoko Saito is coming to our meeting to give a lecture and workshop. Looking forward to meet that lady. I so admire her work. But I will stay focused on my two projects this week as promised.

Saying for today:

May you have warm words on a cold evening,

a full moon on a dark night

and a smooth road all the way to your door.

- irish blessing quote-

Focus projects week 1

I have decided each monday in 2010 to decide what to focus on the coming week and blog about it. Hope this will encourage me to finish more projects and not jump from one to another. I will have one handsewingproject to relax with watching tv and one procject on my sewingmachine.

So this week I will focus on:

Gail Pans free pattern Christmas Wish. All blocks stitched. The last block was finished during the christmas days. Want to sew it together like this and make a outher border on it. And perhaps get it basted and ready for quilting.

And for handstitching I want to continue on the table runner I got as present from my friend Bjørg. One side of the table runner is finished stiched so I will start on the reindeers on the other side.

What are you focusing on this week???

Saying for today:

I just try to concentrate

on concentrating.

Christmas cards

I love to get Christmas cards in my mailbox. And this year I received a lot of nice cards which had a little small surprise added.

Today after my DD had gone back to Trondheim I sat down and took a good look at them again. Fabrics, a little stitchery, christmas tree decorations, a bookmark, buttons, thread, a little kit and a magnet. I love it all. Thank you my friends for sending me this.

Tomorrow it is back to work. Two weeks of vacation went too fast. But I have had such a great time together with friends and family. I love Christmas.

Now I look forward to spring and the sun to melt all the snow. But I know we have several months ahead with winter. So I just dress warm outside and enjoy sewing indoors.

Saying for today:

Build a little snowman,

starting with his feet.

Put on lots of snow,

and pat it all so neat.

Then make round ball,

and put it on top.

The sun will come out,

and make the snowman hot.

- author unknown -

Fresh air

I am a little bit shocked about myself. Never so early in the winter I have had my skis on. But my DD wantet out skiing so I just had to company her.

Clair cold weather. About minus 15C when we started. And during our ski trip we watched the sun go down and make spectacular sky.

We were out about one hour skiing.

And it felt good.

May be this is the start of more exercise
and coming in good shape this year.

Now I will enjoy some stitching
and a glass of red wine in front of my fireplace.

Saying for today:

Winter must be cold
for those with
no warm memories.

December OPAM 2009

2010 was started by giving some good friends a big hug. Just a few hours into the new year my DD got a big hug. And I will continue giving my family and friends a BIG HUG when I see them.

So I challenge you all. The first person you meet after reading this, give them a BIG HUG.

December OPAM 2009

Now it is the final prize for OPAM 2009. I have had fun during today to visit all blogs that have not reported to me or Kris. And it took a while, because there was so much beautiful things to see on your blogs.

December OPAM gave 609 finished projects. I guess there is more, but several bloggers have not listed their finished projects. Guess it is because Christmas and they probably are away. But although I think 609 finished projects are great. This gives a total of 5694 finished projects in 2009!!!!!!! It is amazing.

And soon Kris and ??? (SMILE) will announce the start of OPAM 2010. It will be some other rules, so watch out for Kris's blogpost about this.

I know I will join the OPAM 2010, because I love having my Finished Project list in my sidebar.

And I have too many WISPS and kits in my sewingroom.

I told you earlier both I and Kris will give some extra prizes this time :)

First the winner of December OPAM 2009

SARAH over at Sarah's Prim Treasures.

Next winner is picked from the whole year of OPAM reports:

Silvia from Quilting Silvia

And the last prize goes to:

Inger at Tiriltunge

So if all three winners mail me your adress and I will put something in the mail for you next week.

And a BIG THANK YOU HUG to all of you who have been faithful OPAM bloggers 2009.

If you are disapointed not being on my prize list, check Kris blog, because I know as soon as she gets the list of finished projects from me, she also will pick some extra winners.

Now I will relax in my sewing chair, watch an old movie and stitch. It has been fun hosting OPAM 2009, but now it is my time to just be a participant. Hope to finish a lot of projects in 2010.

Saying for today:

Cheers to a new year
and another chance for us
to get it right.

- Oprah Winfrey -