A finished project!

It's been three weeks since my last post. I haven't been sewing during these three weeks at all, and it was so great to finally spend some time in my sewing room last nigt!

I got to finish the binding on the table runner I  wrote about in my previous blog post.

I simply love purple, the lavender/dusty kind of purple. I've always loved this color, and I'm thrilled there are so many lovely fabrics to get in these colors! And here in Norway, the purple have been popular for about a year, and you can buy a lot of interiour stuff and clothes in this color now. Me like :o)

I hope to be able to work on my sewing projects for a while now, I've really missed my sewing room a lot! 

You know, when "life just happends" and my neck doesn't work with me, I'll get slowed down. I guess we've all had, and will have, sort of "issues" to deal with now and then. Stuff that takes both time and a lot of energy to deal with. That's life, right?

Wish all a great weekend,

Laila

Another table runner

I haven't been sewing at all during the Easter Holidays, but I got to enjoy some time with my family, and I've been knitting a little bit.

We've had some lovely days during the Holidays, and it was so nice to spend some time outside in the sun again! Spring is really showing off, and almost all of the snow are gone now. FINALLY! 

Got time to cut some fabrics for a table runner I've had on my mind for a long time. I think it's about a year since I bought the fabrics for it! 

You know I love purple, so purple it is :o) The top is finished, so now I will start basting and quilting.

This is table runner #4 from the same AnnAKa pattern. The first one I finished in March last year, and I love this pattern.

I'm having a day off work today, and between the usual "house-stuff" I'm enjoying some time in my sewing room. I digged out a couple of UFO's the other day, and I hope to make some progress on at least one of them before this week is coming to an end.

Have a great Wednesday,

Laila

Another finish this month

Got to finish another table runner on Monday. It's almost the same as the one in the previous blog post, but if you click on the image, you can see the ric rac's are a little bit different and the laces are in different silver too. Stars on the last one is made in white fabric with silver print. It doesn't show well on the photo, but... This photo shows them both:


Last Wednesday I attended a sew-in together with some other ladies. We met to work on some care quilts. We got a lot of sewing done, and we had a great time :o) Hope to do another sew-in again soon. Guess we'll see some more care quilts finished in a while ;o)
You can follow our progress on this blog: Tepper til St.Olav.

May OPAM report and some new fabrics :o)

I've managed to finish only one project this month. But one is better than none, right?
"Lappeløper" design by Annaka in greens and turquoise :o)

I think it's sad that it's been so little time to sew for a long time, but I'm going to make some progress from now on. I hope to get some more time for blogging too, since it's too long between my posts. I've been both busy and tired, and I hope to get my "batteries charged" soon. I just need to get my shoulders down to where they belong ;o)

I've been sewing some this weekend, and here is a sneak peek from the project I've been working on. It's a "secret project", so I cannot show you the whole picture yet, but I will in a few days ;o)


I went down to Quiltegården at Friday, and I couldn't resist some of the temptations Siw is having in her shop. The only thing I really needed, was some blades for my fabric cutter, but I ended up bying some fabrics and a pattern, too ;o)


Yummy stuff :o) I've already started working on the stitchery for the largest sewing bag, and I will use these two fabrics for the bag. It will be so nice :o)

Happy sewing,
Laila

A beautiful day :o)

It's been such a beautiful day today! Hubby, our two youngest and I had a great time with my brother and his kids today. We took a walk through the forrest to a place we've been going to since me and my brother where kids. The little lake was still covered with ice, but since we brought our fishing gear, we tried to catch some fish. We didn't get any fish, but we enjoyed the day by the fire, drinking coffeè and grilling hot dogs on the fire. It was so cozy! I love days like this! This is what I call quality time!

Piece and quiet... that is so nice. And to sit by the fire chatting and laughing... Love it!

I've bought myself a new toy, a Nikon camera, and of course I had to take some photos :o) I'm not used to this type of camera, so I've been playing some with it these days, and also went to a little "photo safari" with my oldest son yesterday. He has been teaching me a lot, and he is still patient when I come to get advice about "good photos".

When we got home today, I was so tired and just wanted to take a nap, but I figured out I should do some progress on the table runner I've been working on instead. I'm so glad I did!
I got to finish the applique part, so now the only thing missing, is the binding :o)


Think I'll leave that till tomorrow. Now I really have to jump to bed! With that overdose of fresh air, I cannot stay awake any longer :o) Tired, but oh! so happy :o)

Wish you all a great Sunday, and happy sewing :o)
Laila

Finally some sewing!

I haven't got the time, or energy... to make any progress in my sewing room for the longest time. I just cannot figure out how the last three weeks could pass by so fast!
So much "have to"-stuff, and no "want to"-stuff... and some migraine in between :o(
I've really been missing to do something creative!

Today I got some hours I could spend in my sewing room, and I got to piece together a table runner. I did cut the pieces a long time ago, and they have been lying on the floor in my sewing room just waiting for mee to get the time.
It's another "Lappeløper", and I'm going to applique a blue flower on it, but first I have to finish the quilting. I did trace the lines, so it's ready for quilting now :o)


It feels good to finally get back to my sewing machine again, and I hope to finish this table runner in a few days.


A couple of weeks ago, I had a visit from Sølvi. We had a great time making kits we brought to our quilt guild meeting last week. Even if the sun was shining, we spend some hours indoors, spreading all the fabrics we've got for the care quilts around, and made a lot of beautiful kits. I think we made 28!



Some of them left the quilt guild meeting with some of the ladies who wanted to help us make some care quilts, and some ended up with me and Sølvi. I hope to have time to work on a few of them soon. I've already got some ready for quilting, so I think I'll start with them.
You can see the care quilts already donated at the care quilts blog "Tepper til St.Olav".
This is all of the kits we brought:

Sølvi is busy spreading them out on the table :o)

We had a great speach by Hanne Schneider at our quilt guild meeting, and I'll share some photos in a later post about that :o) Now it's time for me to jump to bed. I'm off to work tomorrow, and have to get up early.
To all of you that left a comment on my latest post, thank you! I'm sorry I haven't got the time to reply! But I will in a few days ;o)

Happy sewing,
Laila

Table runner #2

I really fell in love with the new table runner pattern from AnnAKa, so I made one more this weekend!
This time I used fabrics that reminds me of SUMMER...


The table runner is already delivered to it's new owner, my mom :o) She liked it a lot! It's so nice to make someone happy, that makes me happy, too :o)



I've already digged out fabrics for another one from my fabric bins, or to be honest, two more. One will be with pink suares, and one will be with blue ones, a bit lighter than in the first one I made.

It has been lots of snow coming the last days, and it just won't stop snowing. I guess more than half a yard of snow since Friday! It's enough if you ask me... But it's nice to sit inside, in my sewing room, enjoying some nedlework :o)

My first finish for March

Had to stay home from work today, since DS2 where sick and had to stay home from school. While he was sleeping a bit longer today, I continued working on the table runner I started this weekend. Just some inches with binding that neede to be done, so I finished that in no time :o)
I love these colors, so I am pretty satisfied with the result. The design is from the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, and got released just a couple of weeks ago. I just love the pattern, and I am planning to make a couple of more variations of this one!

I had to make it a bit shorter than the pattern says, or else it would only fit my dinner table.
I've seen several variations of this table runner, and some of them you can see here:
Sigrun's blog, Anne-Grethe's blog, Marita's blog and Lappestua's blog.
I know many of the Norwegian quilters like the patterns from AnnAKa, and I guess many more of these will turn up around here in Blogland. I think it's great to see the choises of fabrics others make, lots of inspiration :o)

I was going to do som baking after work today, since I'm expecting some ladies over tomorrow evening, but since I had to stay home I did the baking earlier today.
I've never been doing much baking other than for the birthdays and for Christmas.
I do like to bake, but I guess it's because I'm not a "cake-monster" myself, I don't have the urge to make cakes and other stuff. I'm more fan of desserts than cakes.
But the kids LOVES cinnamon buns, and that's what's made today. Not bad for lunch, a couple of cinnamon buns? The kids where digging in, and of corse, I had to have one with my coffeè too, and it was yummy:o)

I'll get the cinnamon buns in the freezer as soon as they are chilled, and then I can warm them up in the oven tomorrow for the ladies. They taste like newly baked then :o)

I'm off to cut some fabrics for a new table runner, and I'll get some more blocks for the quilt I am working on.

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!

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

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...)

Yay! A finish :o)

I really didn't think I would finish the table runner so fast, but I did :o)
The picture is a bit blurry, I guess it's because of the light in my sewing room and the fact that it's so dark outside! It's midsummer, but it's so rainy and the clouds are so dark, it feels more like late Autumn :o( The rain has been pouring down really bad all day, not once it stopped! It's still pouring down, so I guess it won't stop for another day...
Well, that means staying inside, and having some quality time in my sewing room :o)




I also made some progress on the two pillows, that will have the same owner as the table runner. Just have to quilt them, and then add the appliqué pieces. Guess I'll get to practice some free motion quilting on the back of the pillows :O)







This is a picture of the small blocks I made some days ago. I think it will be a baby quilt, guess it will be too small for a lap quilt, but I'll make up my mind after I'm done piecing all of them. I had just enough background fabric for 30 blocks. Just a tiny bit is left, its 2,5" big!!! That is what I call luck :o)
I love these fabrics, and some of them are the very first Japanese fabrics I bought. That is some years ago now...
I did some stashbusting here, and that is what I really love, Scrap quilts :o)

Some sewing :o)

I haven't been bloggin for a long time, the time seems to just fly...
I haven't been able to do much sewing either, so I hope to get some progress with that during the three weeks of my Summer vacation:o)
I have started on a couple of projects I promised to make for a couple of friends, and one of them is a table runner. It's a pattern the Norwegian designer AnnAKa made for one of her classes. I took her class a couple of years ago. Yesterday I got to quilt the table runner with some simple curves, and cut the pieces for the appliquéd flowers. I 'm going to continue with it today, and I will do the appliqué by machine.

I also started on a couple of new projects (again...I know...), but I just had to!!! I bought some reproduction fabrics a long time ago, and just couldn't get them out my mind. Just had to try to piece some of them into some blocks I have been wanting to try for a long time. I have no pattern to follow, it's in my head, but I used the EZ rulers I bought, a looong time ago... About time I used them, right?


I love this block, and I hope to make a lap quilt or wall quilt of them. I am thinking about quilting it by hand, but we'll see. I have been looking for a wall quilt pattern I could use for these fabrics, but I don't find "THE one"... But I'll keep looking. I really want to make one. One I can practice my hand quilting skills on :o) The other project I started, is a quilt with an easy star block. Forgot to take a pic of it, so I'll show you in a later post ;o) Hope you all are having a creative and great week,

A beautiful day!

Today was the most beautiful Spring day! Between some laundry and "dust busting", I did spend some time outside in the sun, stitching and just enjoying this beautiful day. It was such a lovely temperature. I love the Spring most of every season of the year :o)


A few days ago I started on a stitchery I bought more than a year ago, and I also started on a table runner. The table runner is a pattern from the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, and the stitchery is from Cinderberry stitches. I love this stitchery, and I am almost finished with this lovely wall hanging:o) Just a few hours, and it's done:o)
There is a lot more work on the table runner, since I'm going to appliqué by hand. I want to finish the appliqué before I quilt the rest of it, so there is a whole bunch of pins keeping the pieces into place till I'm finished. I was supposed to do the appliqué before I did place the batting and backing on to the top, but I don't find it hard to do it after.
Maybe I'll have two finishes for the OPAM2009 this month? Oh, I hope so :o)

I was supposed to get the batting and backing on the finished double 4 patch top, but I couldn't spend this lovely day inside, so it has to wait, at least one more day :o) Maybe I'll get back to that tomorrow... Depends on the weather :o)
Haven't figured out how to quilt it yet, but I want to try the bishop fans. Got a template to use for that, so... But it's not easy to quilt with a domestic sewing machine, those fans... So maybe I'll just do some cross hatching instead. After all, it's a quilt I do want my DS1 to use, the way he wants. If he wants to drag it outside, or sleep under it, that's ok with me :o) I don't want to make fragile quilts for the kids. If the kids are going to like their quilts, they also have to use it just like they want, and not be afraid of ruin them. Fragile quilts, belong on a wall, that's my opinion :o)

Still not ready for Christmas

This is the start on my table runner. Have not been working on it since Saturday, so I better get it done soon...
Maybe I'll be sewing some tonight.
Haven't been baking for Christmas yet, but tonight the kids are going to make ginger breads. It is our little tradition, the kids with some help, makes them.
There is a lot to do before Christmas yet, but I'll get there :o)

A new blog is born. Check it out: Mange blokker små
Laila

Advent table runner

Jippi! Did finish the Advent table runner too, today. Only two more of these to go:-)

A weekend with sewing

I have been struggling with some head and neck pain lately, and have not been sewing much. This weekend I got some sewing done, and it was so good to finally sit down and enjoy what I love the most. I started on a bag/purse more than a year ago, and I finished it today:-) Jippi!!
I took a class making this bag/purse some years ago, and I have been using the one I made since then, and it is absolutely worn out. It was really about time to make a new one, and I love it:-)





Some days ago I got the BOM#2 from Lappemakeriet. It was an envelope with fabrics and paper pieces for three more stars for this lovely quilt. I got to start working on it this weekend,too. And I look forward to get the two others done as well. It does not take so much time as I believed at first, so I guess it will be fun to finish it.


I am also working on "Leanne's House". I started in July this year with it, but have not posted any photos of it in my blog, so here is one of the blocks I'm working on. I love this quilt, and cannot wait to get it done, so I can decorate my living room with it:-)
This is one of the stitcheries on block #5, the one in the middle.

I wish you all a lovely Atumn,

Laila

Almost there....

The Advent table runner is almost finished. I finished piecing it today, and I am almost done with the quilting. Only the outer border that needs quilting now. I have to add the appliquéd hearts and the binding, and it's done:-) I don't have much fancy seems on my Bernina, so I just put some stars randomly as I quilted.
Then it's two more that waits to get finished. I am done piecing them, so I guess I'll be finished with them in the next few days.

The days go so fast, and it's soon weekend again. I hope to get time to sew some more in the weekend, and I am curious about the mystery quilt Bonnie is up to. She'll give the first instructions on Friday(tomorrow), and I think I'll take a part of the mystery this time. I have only been following all the other ladies doing the previous mysteries. We'll see...

Happy sewing:-)

Laila

Disappearing 9patch

After having a weekend with some terrible headache (migraine) and no sewing, finally I could have some time with my sewing machine again yesterday :-)
I have seen several of the disappearing 9patch quilts on the web, and I have wanted to do one for so long. And I also wanted to make something not so big, to practice quilting on. I think I'll to try to make a babyquilt or something of the blocks, but we'll see. I have no idea yet, how this is going to be quilted, but maybe with some light pink thread?
I have only pieced the purple blocks in rows till now, for the advent table runners, but I will try to do some more with them today. This is a picture of the fabrics I've used. I really love them!







Just a picture of the quilt in red and neutrals. I have to buy more neutrals before I can do more with this. I have used almost all of my light prints on this and the "My blue heaven", so it's staying in the UFO-bin for so long...




On Saturday I received a message on my blog from Gail Pan, and I was thrilled!!! I went to her blog, like she asked me to, and I feel so lucky!! She did draw my name among the three lucky winners for her new pattern "Poppy's sewing set". You can see it here. I look so forward to get the pattern from her, because I really love it, especially the pincushion. It is sooo beautiful!
Cannot wait to get started on it! So this one is for you Gail:-)