A looong to do-list for 2010

I haven't been able to sew for several weeks now, but the ideas is popping up in my head, and I am soooo looking forward to start on some of them. My neck has been too bad to do any sewing, and I am taking is easy so it will get better as soon as possible. I thought I could show you the three projects I am planning to start as soon I'm able to. It is three new projects, but they have been on my mind for so long, so I just have to get on with them.
For many months, I have been cutting strips in six different lengths, all 1 1/2" wide every time I cut fabrics for other projects. The result is a bin of LOTS of scraps :o)
The reason I have been cutting these, is because I want to do a scrap quilt from one of Judy Martins books:

The next project is the beautiful quilt from Lynn Roddy Brown's book. This is a quilt I'm cutting twice as many pieces as needed, because my mom and I are going to sew one each. I've also seen this quilt in Quilts and Pieces' blog, it is just a stunning quilt! Go check it out!

The third quilt I'm going to do, is one of Bonnie's scrap quilts, "Bricks and Stepping Stones". I'm a big fan of her scrap quilts, and this one is one of the quilts I can get to finish fast, when I just can get started.

I've got a lot of cutting to do for these quilts, but none of them is tricky to make, and that is a good thing. They might get finished then ;o)

I wish you all a Happy New Year!
Take care,
Laila

Merry Christmas!

I am finally back in Blogland, after a looong time!
As you might know, I've been without my lap top for almost two months now, and today the postman came to my door with a package I really have been waiting for! MY NEW LAP TOP ARRIVED!!! I'm soooo happy it came before the Holidays starts!

I haven't been able to do sewing for a long time now, but I have to post my pics from the projects I finished earlier this month.

The first picture is the table runner with angels from AnnAKa's design "Jula varer helt til påske".

The next is the table runner for Advent. This is the third one I've made, and this is the one I am keeping myself :o)

The last picture is the baby wool socks I made for my neighbours newborn baby. They are really tiny, and so cute:o)


I am lookig forward to dinner at Christmas eve with my family, and then we all can relax and just enjoy the rest of the Holidays :o)
I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and I hope you will have some great Christmas Holidays!

I'm still here

Hello there!
It's been so long since my last post, but life just happends, and no time and STILL no return of my laptop from the technichian :o( So no photos from me for a while...

I didn't get time to report for the OPAM this month, but I got to finish up a couple of projects though:o) I was busy with our Christmas sale the whole weekend, and too tired to do any computer work.
My OPAM goals for the last month of the year, is to finish some table runners. I need to finish four table runners, so hopefully I'll get to do that before the end of December :o)

I hope to spend some time in my sewing room this weekend, got some gifts to finish up ;o)
But in between, I'm going to test some baking skills too :o)

Have a great weekend everyone :o)
Laila

Advent table runner finished soon

I've spent most of the day in my sewing room today. Since Hubby and the two youngest was out of the house the whole day, I could enjoy some time sewing. I managed to prepp two table runners, and I got to quilt one of them too. Tomorrow I will make the appliques for them and try to finish the quilting on the other one too.


I like these fabrics so much, and I'm glad I bought so much of them last year. I like these colores for Advent, and I want to make one for my own dining table too, but first I have to finish these two. One of them is already ordered from a friend :o)

I am also looking forward to Friday, and the release of Bonnie's new mystery "Carolina Christmas". Bonnie is always making such stunning quilts, and the mysteries are fun to follow. I'm only half way with the "Old Tobacco Road" quilt, but I'm getting there, one day... It's stored away for a while, but I know I'll get to it when the time is right. A lot of precuts in the bin, so it's not that much work to finish.

I'm looking forward to have a week off work,starting tomorrow, and maybe get some time to sew. I didn't use all my vacation weeks (5 weeks) during the summer, so that's why I'm having the whole week off :o)

Wish you all a great week, with lots of creative moments :o)
Laila

Long time, no see

Finally I got some time to do some sewing. I finished my table runner tonight, and now I can move on to an other project :o) Don't know which one yet, but I'll figure out that real soon :o)


I was going to sew on the saying "God Jul" (Merry Christmas in Norwegian) at each end like the pattern says, but I think I'll just drop it. I think it's nice without too.
I'll have the whole week off work next week, and hope to do some sewing then too. Got to get ready some more Christmas stuff :o)

Today I got some goodies in the mail too, and I would like to start on several of the projects in these books. I ordered these a week ago, and I just love the quilts on the fronts of the books.



Wish you all a great weekend :o)
Happy sewing,
Laila

A giveaway!

LekaQuilt is having a giveaway. Go visit her great blog, and join :o)


Happy sewing,
Laila

Progress this month

This weekend I got to continue working on some of my (many...) projects, and I have a finish too :o)
It's just a pair of potholders, but still... a finish:o)
I've prepped two other pairs too, and they only have to get binded.



I also finished the top for an advent table runner, just like the one I made last year. I have blocks ready for an other too, and I will continue work on the both of them before I start something else.

I have to admit I feel the Christmas is coming too fast, as always, so I'll better get some stuff done soon. Our local guild is having a Christmas sale in two weeks, and I have't got so many projects for it yet. And I think I'll have to buy some more prestents this year as usual, because I haven't been able to make so many this year. But the Christmas will come either way:o)

I got to continue on the embroidered roses too, and I think it turns out nice :o)

These emboideries are so fun to do, and I bought a book (Japaneese) with all these stitches, and a lot of others, after the class on Thursday. Bet I'll make some special gifts with these in the future;o)

Thanks for your nice comments and opinions on the last post I made :o)
Look forward to continue working on the pinwheel quilt when the time is right.

Wish you all a great week, and I hope it will be a creative one for all of us :o)
(I'm hoping I'll get my pc this week, 'cause I'm borrowing my DS's still...That explains why I'm not replying to your comments so fast...)

Roses are red...

Yesterday I went to a class with Bente Tufte, a Norwegian designer. The subject for this class, was embrodery. Roses, leaves, sunflowers and so on. It was such an interesting class, and I did spend some time today in my sewing room, testing some more of these. I really like this, what do you think? No leaves yet, but I'll get to them next :o)

I have been playing with my favorite fabrics again, and I have made some pinwheel blocks, but I'm already having enough to be able to play around a little with them. Now, I just cannot decide which way I want the quilt... There is four alternatives, and I think I like the last one the most, but... What would you choose? Would be happy to get some tips:o)





I'm heading back to my sewing room, to make some leaves for my roses, so I wish you all a great Friday night :o)

OPAM report

Haven't been sewing much for a looong time. Been busy with other stuff :o(
But one of my goals for OPAM this month, is to finish a table runner I started on, a Christmas table runner. From AnnaKa of course:o)

Not a good photo, but you can see from the pattern picture which one I'm making. The one with the angels, and it says "Merry Christmas" in Norwegian. I really love angels, and I love everything with angels on.

The next project I hope to finish, is the backpack from Gail Pan's pattern. I finished the stitchery while I was in Oslo. Ain't it too cute?


I love this stitchery, and I've bought some purple fabrics I know will look soooo great for this project :o)

I'm still without my lap top, and still borrowing my DS's pc. I may deliver the piece of trunk back to the dealer, so i hope to get a new one. I hate it when it dies out time after time after time....
This time I told them I refuse to have it back, so they sent me a message to return the whole thing, so... maybe, I'll get a new one. FINALLY!!!!

The trip to Oslo was both great, and stressful and kind of not so great.
The greatest thing, was that me and mom got to meet Hanne Schneider and her fellow quilters at their quilt guild meeting the day we arrived. So many nice quilts to see, and so fun to meet other ladies I know well from Blogland :o) Several of them are belonging to Hanne's quilt guild:o)
We where in Oslo because I had several medical appointments there, at different places. So we had to rush from one place to another, so it was kind of stressful... But thanks to Hanne, we got a lot less stressful time! She made it so easy for us! And she also took us to Trådsnella, a little shop in her "neighbourhood", so we got to shop some, and we also got to see her lovely basket quilt. My mom just fell in love with it! And I can understand why, because it's so beautiful! Thank you again Hanne, for making our trip so nice for us :o)
When we where going back, our plane was suddenly an hour late, and when we finally got to get on board, we where told that there where maybe too much fog to land, so I almost cried of happiness when we got to land. We where so worn out, so we just wanted to get home, and jump into our own beds. MMMMMMMMmmmm. That felt soooo goood!!!!
I didn't at all love the flights, but it was ok, so I guess I'll be taking one again, but not right now! :o)
We got home safe, and that's what matters to me :o)

Look forward to get my pc back, and to leave comments on your blogs again. I'll be back soon ;o)

Wish you all a great weekend :o)
Hugs,
Laila

A stithchery is finished :o)

Back in Blogland again :o)
Haven't got my lap top back yet, so I still have to borrow my DS's lap top. Anyway, I'm happy to be back for a moment again :o)

I have been sewing some today, FINALLY!!! My shoulder is almost healed, so now I'm able to enjoy my favorite thing again, SEWING. Feels soooo good to finally do a few stitches, when I haven't been able to touch a needle for so long!
I finished my little stitchery from Gail Pan's new book, and I got to paint the frame and put it all together in no time. I hang it on the kitchen wall right away :o) I love to have add some new stuff now and then, in my own house. Not often, but I want to make it more often from now. It's so cozy when you add some homemade stuff, don't you agree?
My kithchen wall is purple, so this is just perfect :o)

Since I haven't got time to finish anything else for OPAM this month, this will be my last reported finish too. I also finished the outside of the little pouch I started earlier. Have to finish the inside too, and I am making this as a Christmas gift for my sweet niece, Mildrid. She was spending some time with me some time ago, and she wanted me to teach her how to make a stitchery. She did so well, and she's almost done with the stitchery now. I'll help her make a little wallhanging or a needlecase of it when she is coming next time :o)




Today, Hubby bought me a suitcase for my trip to Oslo next week. And he knows I just love purple, so purple it is! Ain't this just darned cute? I love it! He's just the sweetest <3

I've never been to Oslo before, and I've never taken a flight before, so it's soooo my first time! My mom is going with me, and I'm also going to meet a friend I've really missed seeing! I'll tell you about it when I get back ;o) We're leaving Trondheim on Wednesday, and we return late Friday. I'm looking forward to this trip, and since I'm such a homesick person, I look forward to get back home too :o) But who knows, if I get the taste of travveling, maybe I'll get hooked on it? We'll see about that :o)
Wish you all a great weekend,

What I've been doing this weekend

I couldn't stay away from my sewing room today either, so I started this little pouch. A friend gave me the pattern a long time ago, and I have been looking at it several times, and now was the right time to try making this :o) Learned some tricks from Gail and Leanne while they where here in Trondheim, so needleturn appliquè is now one of my favorites :o)

I'm not using any frame for the hand quilting, but I made a couple of long stitches with the sewing maschine across the piece, and locked the edges with seams too. It's such a small piece to quilt, and I don't have any frame small enough. But still I think it's so fun to do practise some hand quilting again. It's been a while since I did that ;o)


I've also been knitting a little bit lately, and I finished a pair of socks. They are small (size 4-5 yrs), and really fast to finish:o) I like that, to finsih something quick between the other projects, that is so time consuming. I bought the yarn a couple of weeks ago, and I love it. It's beautiful colors, but also great to knit with. It's wool blended with some Nylon, and that will make the socks last bit longer. I did also buy some other color variations, and you'll get to see them in a while :o)

I forgot to show a picture of the table runner I finished a while ago. I'ts from a pattern in Quiltemagasinet, and annAKa is the designer of the pattern. It took some time to finish the binding, but another finish:o)





Happy sewing,
Laila

A toiletry purse

I just couldn't keep my hands off sewing longer, so I made this toiletry purse today. It's made totally out my head, so I don't have any pattern for this.


I'm not quite satisfied with the way I do the zipper, but I'll just have to figure out another way how to sew this prettier. It's the "bump" at each side I don't like. I have an idea how to do it a bit different, so we'll see when I make the next one, how that goes :o)

Happy sewing,
Laila

A finish!

I finished this wallhanging more than a week ago, but since I've had my lap top in for repair, I haven't been able to make any blog posts... Thanks to my DS1, I can join blogland for some time again :o) I'm borrowing his lap top, so now I can finally leave some comments again too :o)

We are having an Autumn vacation here in Norway these days, and it's just great to enjoy some time with the kids, and let them sleep longer in the morning (mee to...), and stay up a bit longer in the evening :o) It's been such bad weather here for the longest time, but yesterday and today was such beautiful days with low temperatures, but SUNNY!!!
Had some cups of coffee today outside :o) There is so many beautiful colors outside now, since the leafs haven't fallen from the trees yet. Lots of inspiration in that!
My bad shoulder is keeping me from sewing anything at all, and that's just soooo sad! But instead I'm organizing my stash a bit, and reading magazines and books. Searching for ideas and inspiration :o) Hope to get started on some Christmas projects soon, have tons of ideas!!!!

Happy stitching,
Laila

My "Laila's Garden" is finished :o)

Yay! Just finished my "Laila's Garden", and I am so satisfied with the result. I look forward to get to the quilting now :o) Just have to make up my mind, hand quilting or machine quilting?
I'll have to think a little bit more before I choose which way... Anyway, I'm using the same fabric as the inner border for the binding, and it's already cut and ready to go :o)


I used many of the same fabrics as in my "Purple love", so they will fit together in my living room when they are quilted and binded :o)
Before I quilt and bind these ones, I'm digging into my bin of care quilts, and I have plans for at least one of these ones to get finished. Hopefully today :o)

Have a great Sunday everybody!

Happy sewing,
Laila

Progress on my "Laila's Garden"

I didn't get to ship my lap top to the technicians today, so I'm able to show you my progress on "Laila's garden" :o)
I finished all the twelve blocks during this week, and it's my first try with this sewing method. Like it a lot, so I will definitely use the needle turn appliqué method more from now on :o)
I really look forward to continue piecing this together, and hope to get to do it during this weekend if my left shoulder will cooperate with me. Silly me... When I was leaving the class at Sunday, I did carry my huge sewing machine bag with one hand, instead of pulling it (I've got one with wheels...) That resulted in some days with no sewing on the machine, and just some stitches by hand. Well, it's getting better, so I keep my fingers crossed for some seriously sewing tomorrow :o)

We had a TV crew around us all Saturday at the class last weekend, and this is the link to the result: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/distrikt/trondelag/verdi/111537

Happy sewing,
Laila

Project report for OPAM

I haven't any projects to show September OPAM. I had a couple of project to finish, but I got so eager to continue working on Gail Pan's "Laila's garden", so I hope to have them finished by the end of October.
I'm planning to finish "Laila's garden" during this weekend, and hope to get the ones I reported last month as well :o)

Guess I will not be able to blog so much for a while, since my lap top is going to the technician again... They didn't repair all the stuff that is wrong with it last time, so I have to return it, again...
In the meantime I hope to get some sewing done, and have some sneak peaks now and then from my DS's pc ;o)


Wish you all a great weekend, and happy stitching!

Laila

An exciting weekend at Quiltegården with Gail Pan and Leanne Beasley

I was going to make a blog post yesterday, but blogger didn't work:o(
I've had the most amazing weekend, with so many lovely ladies, a lot of sewing and laughing.
The weekend at Quiltegården started with a great trunkshow with Gail Pan and Leanne Beasley at Friday. They came all the way from Australia to tell us about their designs, how they work and the patterns for the weekend class, and it was so exciting to get to meet them.
This is Siw, the owner of Quiltegården, introducing our teachers for the weekend :o)


This is some of the projects they've brought for us, a lot of yummy stuff if you ask me :o):



When Saturday came, we all where really excited and eager to get started.

Sølvi, Gro and me waiting for the class to start. Already laughing :o) What a great way to start the day! This is some of the other ladies before the class started on Saturday:



Leanne and Gail did show us and told us about the projects for this day before we started:


Our teachers didn't mind us taking photos all the time, and we sure did take a lot of photos!!! But I think they had some great fun too, they was always smiling and laughing with us. Gail and Leanne in front of some of their projects:


They really have a great sense of humor, and an enthusiasm that was so contagious:o)
We laughed and had fun the whole weekend through, and I was really sad when it was over...
But I have a lot of memories from this weekend, and a lot of photos too :o)

Gail, me and Leanne:



Gro, Gail, Leanne and me:


Some of the blocks that was finished this weekend:

So many different colors, but oh! so beautiful!


Many of us where bloggers, and it was so nice to meet the persons I know from the blogging, and I got to meet new ones too :o)
I don't remember everyones' name, but Sølvi has a list with links on her blog :o)


This is at the end of the day on Sunday. What a great bunch of talented ladies!


I am so happy Siw did make this happening real for us, and I am so glad I got the chance to meet Gail and Leanne. This event was really something special for me. I'm going to miss them and their laughter so much!
Hope they've had a great time in Norway too and I hope they are enjoying teaching their class at Hurtigruta these days, and I wish them a safe trip back home :o)
Thanks also to Heidi and Inger Marie that helped us find all the stuff and notions we asked for, and to Anne Mari and Liv Guri, who took care of our lunch, coffee and tea this weekend. They made us some yummy waffles, and Anne Mari made homemade bread for us too :o)

Still high on vitamin Q, I am trying to finish my "Laila's garden", and I'll post photos of that later ;o)

Happy sewing,
Laila

A couple of things done today :o)

Got to do a lot of sewing yesterday, and I almost finished the top on my "Purple love". But since I figured out I wanted it a big longer, I had to sew some more seams and cut some more fabric... This evening I finished the top, and I look forward to get it quilted soon. Got to buy some backing fabric first. It's about 56" x 70" (142cm x 177cm). A perfect size to wrap around me on the couch when I'm having my powernap now and then :o)


I also finished the top of one of the charity quilts tonight. Only the outer border was left to do, so it didn't take much time. I have to find some backing for this one too, and then I will be able to quilt it. Got a couple of ideas :o) but we'll see. Hope to finish this one before my quilt guilds next meeting next month:o)


It's late, and I'm heading for bed, and hope for some time for sewing tomorrow too :o)

Progress on my "Purple love"

Yep! "Purple love" is the name for my quilt. Since I really love purple, I'm going to give the quilt that name:o) I've never named a quilt before, always made quilts from other's patterns. But this time I made one from my own head, pretty much alike the scrap quilt I made this summer. This is sort of a "controlled scrap quilt", I think :o)
So easy to make, but I just love the way it looks :o) And this I'm keeping, and I look forward to get to use it!It's not easy to see the true colors in this picture, since it's late at night, and the light in my sewing room mess the colors a bit. When I'm finished piecing it, I will take a photo outside, and then the colors will show better. Many of you already know these fabrics, I guess, so you have an idea :o)
I started collecting those fabrics when I made "Festfin frøken" back in November last year, and got the last piece I needed on Saturday :o) Lucky me, found the fabrics I needed at Quiltegården, Solfrids quiltestove and the last one at Polar Quilt. Yay!

It's been a rainy day (again....) today, and I've pretty much spend the whole day sewing. It's been a while since I've spend a whole day sewing, but it feels great, even if my back and my neck is almost killing me... But it's worth it!
Cannot wait to continue with it, and hope to find some time for a little sewing tomorrow too.

Good night, sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite ;o)

Laila

Some sewing again

There haven't been much progress in my sewing room lately, but I have been working on the blocks for the "A Christmas wish" BOM by Gail Pan. I've finished three of the blocks, and started on the fourth one. The last part of the BOM is now released, and I love the wallhanging. I'm a fan of meaningful words and sayings, and I'm going to keep this one to my self:o)Tonight I surfed the internet, and a lot of blogs, looking for some inspiration. I found Bonnie's pattern "Star Struck", and I just love this one. I've looked at it before, but never got to try it before now. So yes, I guess I have started another project again ;o) But I think I'll be sewing on this one only now and then, between the other projects I'm working on. It's nice to cut some extra pieces while your working on other projects, and suddenly you've got enough pieces for a whole qult. I have several boxes for different sizes, ment for this, and there is some quilts to come from them, some day ;o) I don't throw away pieces I know I can use, and when I organize it like this, I'm able to find them and use them. If I crash the little pieces in a big bin, I don't find what I'm looking for, and I'll never use them, and that's too bad.


Hope you are enjoying your weekend, and doing what you like and what makes you happy.