Life's a Quilt

Not Quite Quilting...

2011-10-28T21:17:00.000+03:00

But at least my sewing machine is practicing for the next quilting project! The skirt is for a Grease-themed party this Saturday. I think I was a 50s girl for Halloween once upon a time, too!

Distracted Again

2011-10-21T23:43:00.002+03:00

Once again, it's been far too long since I've blogged. Even worse, I haven't announced the winner of my 5 year blogging anniversary give-away winner! It's lucky Chook from Australia! I will have the mini-quilt in the mail by the end of next week! Here is the label I attached to the quilt:

I did do some sewing in September - 20 bags for the upcoming FinnQuilt event to be held in Vaasa in March 2012. Here they are photographed in the late afternoon autumn sun:

Finally, an admission. Over the past couple years, I've been distracted by knitting, then crocheting. (More info about the on-going challenge here.) In September, I enrolled in a weaving course here in Vaasa. I'm totally smitten and am already considering purchasing a loom!

Don't worry, though, I'm still a quilter, too! Thanks for stopping by!

Celebrating 5 Years of Blogging!

2011-08-27T20:47:00.004+03:00

I have been quite inconsistent over these five years - lots of posts, then radio silence - but it's always been fun. Learning to knit and crochet has taken time away from quilting a bit, but I'm glad to have completed two large projects this summer, mostly made of fabric I had in my stash. I'm hoping to finish a few more large projects before the end of the year.

To celebrate having reached the fifth birthday of Life's a Quilt, I am hosting a give-away. This mini quilt was made with scraps from Summer Berries, with some white added. Maybe you could hang it on your wall, use it on top of a dresser, or tuck in a doll for the night... It measures 15"x21" and is machine pieced and hand-quilted with pearl cotton. My stitching is pretty uneven, but I hope it adds to the homemade appeal! The only way to improve is to practice! The back is the same Marimekko fabric I used on the Summer Berries quilt and has a small label. Anyone who reads this blog can be eligible to win if they leave a comment on this post. I'll draw a winner at random next Sunday evening (September 4th). If you would use them, I'll add a few Marimekko scraps in the winner's package. Good luck and thanks for visiting my blog!

Summer Berries Quilt

2011-08-23T17:44:00.004+03:00

Thanks to Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts for the inspiration! You can see other people's beautiful quilts-in-progress on Flickr. The quilt is 84"x84" and was quilted on my trusty Bernina.

Five Years of Blogging - Upcoming Give Away!

2011-08-21T22:08:00.002+03:00

It rained here today, so no chance to go to the market square for more flea market hunting (probably better for the bank account), and the Summer Berries quilt is labeled and washed and drying (unfortunately) inside. I'm hoping to have a good outdoor photo tomorrow! In the meantime, there's been more progress on my granny square afghan and a little new sewing. I'm making a little mini quilt with some scraps from Summer Berries. Here's the finished top:

It's 15"x21" and will have the same backing and binding as the original quilt. I'm going to host a give away to celebrate reaching five years of blogging this week, so stay tuned for a post where you can leave a comment and enter to win! I'll mail anywhere and think that I'll throw in some Marimekko scraps as an added bonus.

The group afghan I've been working with two friends is finished now, and it was my job to wash and block it. I took it out of the washer last night and could have cried. There was a big hole in it! I'm pretty sure was the first block I made - my first granny square ever. I hope I've improved since then. The center three rounds had come undone. I'm happy to say that I figured out how to fix it. I hope to never have to use this skill again.

Finlands Största Loppis!

2011-08-20T10:19:00.000+03:00

Since I've spent most of the summer here in and around Vaasa, I've enjoyed visiting several charity shops/flea markets/yard sales. Yesterday I traveled 75km north with two friends to Finland's largest flea market, Juthbackamarknaden, held in August every year in Nykarleby. I was tempted to add to my collection of plates (mostly Arabia)... I found two more of the small plates in the photo - I already had four at home. The white plates with red rim looked so cute with the small ones, so now I have six of those, too, plus an oval platter to match. The cream and sugar set is also Arabia, more modern, with red and light blue stripes. The covered container on the left is from Czechoslovakia, too cute to pass up, and priced to move since it wasn't Arabia!

För ni som förstår svenska, här finns en liten radiopjäs om Juthbackamarknaden det här året.

On the sewing front, I'm working on bindings. They don't make for very exciting photos. Here's one of the back to give a sense of the quilting on the Summer Berries quilt. I'm hoping to put a label on it today!

Art Night in Vaasa

2011-08-13T09:55:00.002+03:00

I'm busy pin-basting my Summer Berries quilt, and it doesn't make for very exciting photos, so I thought I'd post a picture of the poster for this year's Art Night in Vaasa. I love the design of the poster this year. Two high points for me were a street theater/city tour production that started at Wasa Teater and the blues singing of a friend's granddaughter. My only complaint with Konstens Natt is that there is too much to do on one evening - I'd rather it were spread out a bit more throughout the year!

I calculated that I'm going to use almost 900 pins to baste this. That seems excessive.

Only a Minor Setback

2011-08-10T23:15:00.005+03:00

I wanted to start my day today by sewing together the final Summer Berries blocks, but almost as soon as I started, my iron sputtered and let off a burning smell. I suppose it had a good run - almost 8 years, purchased in Romania in 2003. I headed downtown, and a few hours later I returned home with a shiny new iron. The cord is shorter than my old one, but otherwise I'm please so far with my new Tefal iron.

This was only a minor setback, though, and I now have a finished top! It's 84"x84", made up of 49 36-patch squares. (The photo is from before I sewed the blocks together, but it is the final layout.) I hope to start pin-basting it tomorrow!

Berry Backing

2011-08-10T10:11:00.005+03:00

Inspired by a visit to Österbotte ns Museum yesterday to see a scaled-down version of the Marimekko exhibit I saw in Helsinki in March, and with the help of my two knitting-picnic friends, I've decided to use this Kivet (Stones) fabric as the backing for my Summer Berries quilt. Even if it's a little orangy, the colors are rich like the ones on the front and the stones look like berries! (The stones are about 3 3/4 inches in diameter.)

Here's one of my favorite blocks so far: (I just need a couple more to reach 49!)

Eight More Berry Blocks

2011-08-08T16:15:00.003+03:00

Four More Berry Blocks

2011-08-07T22:39:00.001+03:00

I have four more of my Summer Berries blocks now, thanks to fabric my mom tracked down at Maine Quilts. Still aiming for 49 blocks in all.

Here's an updated photo of the project I've been working on with two friends as a retirement gift for one of our colleagues. The photo was taken while on our weekly summer knitting/crocheting picnic (knitnic/cricnic). We're still going to do a few rounds of the aqua yarn that joins the squares around the outer edge. These are the same two friends involved with the annual knitting/crocheting challenge (9 pairs of socks in 2009, 10 pairs of mittens in 2010, 11 scarves/shawls in 2011). We're considering 12 projects made (mostly) of modular crocheted units in 2012. Catchy name, eh?

It's hard not to post photos of the Christmas presents I've been working on. Here's a little peak at something:

Sewing, But Not Posting

2011-08-04T23:00:00.001+03:00

I've been doing a lot of sewing this week, but can't post too many photos, because I'm working on several projects that I hope will be Christmas presents. Hopefully, the new fabrics for my 36-patch Summer Berries quilt will arrive soon from the US so I can post more photos soon! In the meantime, here's a photo of my sometimes assistant, Findus, with fabrics for a top-secret project.

I've also been doing some crocheting:

Running Out of Fabric

2011-07-26T20:35:00.004+03:00

Well, I'm not really running out of fabric, but I am running out of fabric for this project. I have 25 6x6 squares now, but hope to enlarge it to 7x7 (making a total of 84"x84"). I'm thinking of starting another project with 2"x2" squares in the meantime...

6 x 6 x 6

2011-07-25T10:25:00.002+03:00

After a few days away, I've managed to make six more 6x6 blocks. I haven't decided how large to make the quilt yet, but so far they're pretty quick and addictive (much like the crochet squares I'm also working on)!

2" Squares

2011-07-23T09:27:00.003+03:00

I posted a photo of this top back in April and finally added a few more rows of 2" squares around it today. I think it's finished now at 54"x70". I just need to piece together some batting scraps in order to move onto the next step!

6x6

2011-07-21T09:21:00.003+03:00

I've decided to join the 36-patch quilt-a-long!

Before and After

2011-07-20T14:45:00.000+03:00

Last week I went to a few flea markets with two friends. I came home with a few treasures and rescued a quilt top. It was a pretty homely looking quilt top (although it photographed quite well here!). Mixed types of fabrics, uneven seams, a few bumps so that it didn't quite lie flat, neon green thread, but the colors were fun, and it looked so sad there that I couldn't leave it behind.

I had just realized a few days before that I was lacking a good picnic blanket. Voila! I added the two rows of 9.5" finished string blocks (foundation pieced on muslin, as the original was foundation pieced on a variety of similarly colored fabrics) and used a large piece of fabric I'd bought at the Finlayson outlet in Tampere a few years ago for the back. The finished picnic quilt is approximately 52"x77". The binding is a repurposed pillowcase. I didn't use any batting here; I assumed the extra layer(s) of fabric from the foundation piecing was enough weight. I also tied this quilt with pearl cotton as there was no way to make the original blocks lie flat without taking the whole thing apart. This is only the second quilt I've tied - it's more work than I thought!

I did another quick makeover project this week, as well. My ironing board cover was disgusting. (I'm almost too embarrassed to post a photo here.) I didn't care too much how it looked from the underside, so this took no more than 20 minutes to whip up! This new cover made ironing the string blocks much more fun!

Sunshine

2011-07-19T18:33:00.003+03:00

Yes, Clare, there is actual sewing going on here!

This is not one of the many projects I had planned on working on this summer, but was a spontaneous decision. I'll explain the whole story when I post the finished photo very soon! These squares are 10" unfinished and are made mostly with scraps and some thrifted fabrics.

What I've Been Up To Since I Last Posted (Part 4)

2011-07-16T17:52:00.001+03:00

I've been... (4) knitting and crocheting:

I'm working on a collaborative project with two friends and have learned how to crochet granny squares. They are seriously addictive.

I'm also very close to meeting the goal for our 11 scarves/shawls in 2o11 challenge! More information here and here.

Now, as soon as I clean up my sewing space, it will be back to regularly scheduled (quilting) programming here. I'll try not to stay away so long again!

What I've Been Up To Since I Last Posted (Part 3)

2011-07-16T08:40:00.003+03:00

I've been... (3) watching hedgehogs in my neighborhood:

What I've Been Up To Since I Last Posted (Part 2)

2011-07-15T09:49:00.011+03:00

I've been... (2) traveling:

I've done a bit of traveling in Estonia, Latvia, Germany, and a little closer to home in Finland, too!

on the way to Estonia Art Nouveau Museum in Riga Riga Opera Festival

Halleluja Berlin!concert at the Waldbühne27-hour ferry from Travemünde to Helsinki Oravais Summer Theater (the seating rotated 360°!)Kimo Mill museum area

What I've Been Up To Since I Last Posted (Part I)

2011-07-14T23:15:00.008+03:00

I haven't posted in so long that it will take a few posts to catch up!

I've been... (1) celebrating holidays:

Happy Bastille Day!

(new Marimekko tablecloth underneath)

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Canada Day!

(photo from last year's vacation in Maine, New Brunswick, and PEI)

Happy Midsummer!

Squares

2011-04-19T11:14:00.001+03:00

I'm not completely sure what this is going to become... It started as a pillow, then it wanted to be a twin-sized quilt, now it's a baby quilt size, sitting at home in Vaasa and contemplating its future while I enjoy a little much needed spring in Munich!

The fabrics are (mostly?) from Kaffe Fassett, and the pattern was inspired by his mitered boxes quilts and my own earlier version of a similar KF quilt in brights.

Finished!!

2011-04-16T13:37:00.002+03:00

I should take a better photo when the sun is shining on this side of the house, but I couldn't wait to share the news!

Assistant

2011-04-03T22:59:00.002+03:00

I have a house guest this week who's helping me to finish up the Place Names quilt. His name is Findus.

Quilting Underway

2011-04-01T23:17:00.004+03:00

I've quilted about 1/4 of the Place Names quilt so far - just a simple loop pattern - an unpredictable path from place to place. Pictured are the binding and the backing fabrics. I thought the stones seemed to fit the theme in a way. It's also calming in comparison to the bright colors on the other side! (And orange is a neutral, of course, too.)

Kihnu Runner

2011-03-30T20:07:00.000+03:00

I started this table runner for a friend after we visited the Estonian island of Kihnu last August and finally sent it to her as a very belated Christmas/Birthday gift recently. The red fabrics are very similar to the fabrics the women of Kihnu traditionally wear. In fact, some of the fabric for sale at the tiny museum shop there was already in my stash at home in Finland! I tried out a lot of the special stitches on my Bernina for quilting it. It seems like a shame not to use them!

Place Names!

2011-03-28T23:28:00.003+03:00

The top is sewn together! Can't wait to start quilting it!

The Next Stage

2011-03-27T23:26:00.003+03:00

It's snowing as I write this... As much as I'm a winter person, I'm ready for a little green. In the meantime, I've started the next phase of my place names quilt - sewing the top together!!

Helsinki

2011-03-25T20:02:00.000+02:00

I took a quick trip to Helsinki recently for a meeting and stayed a little longer to do a few "big city" things on my own. I went to two films that are unlikely to make it to Vaasa, did a little bit of shopping, and checked out the new Marimekko exhibit at the Helsinki Design Museum. The exhibit was good - especially for those interested in fashion. You really can't go wrong by hanging huge pieces of gorgeous fabric on the second floor of this 1894 school building!

I bought this piece of "Napakettu" designed by Aino-Maija Metsola at the Marimekko factory store. Right now it's pinned to the quilt hanging above my couch. I'm thinking of quilting it and giving it a permanent home there...

There was also Marimekko to be found in my hotel (as hallway art and breakfast dishes). You can see that it was snowing all day on Saturday from this photo of the Hakaniemi market hall. There was a trumpeter outside who broke into a Christmas carol every once in a while! I enjoyed his sense of humor, but I'm not sure everyone did!

I also bought a little yarn - I was very restrained, just three skeins. One has already become a scarf!

Ready?

2011-03-09T22:02:00.004+02:00

I finished up Falls Church tonight, and I'm pretty sure it's the last place that will go into the quilt!! Yippee! I did get a few ideas about the back today, though...

There's not a lot of contrast in this one, but the colors will help balance out the front, I think. I just love the oak leaves fabric (it's left over from Leafy Rosy), and the purple is prettier in person than in the indoor night light.

Here's a photo of this week's places all together for scale:

Tiny Letters

2011-03-07T21:35:00.006+02:00

These letters are pretty small (the skinny bits are 1/4" finished), and I'm not quite sure what happened with the G, but hopefully it adds character. I hope having a variety of sizes will help when I cobble all the places together. I've been saving the extra bits of fabric to help make everything fit. Maybe I'll be doing that this weekend?!

Two (Long) Place Names to Go!

2011-03-07T08:47:00.001+02:00

This is one of my favorite fabric combinations - I especially like the background fabric!

I'm Becoming a Fan of Town/Cities with Short Names

2011-03-06T18:21:00.003+02:00

I had trouble deciding if I should include Alexandria, Arlington, and Falls Church, VA, or if Washington, DC covered the bunch, but after laying out the names last week, I decided to go ahead and include them. I've lived in the DC area for a total of almost four years - about one year in each of these VA cities, plus the District itself. One year as a child, the other three soon after college. I'm getting low on large enough pieces of tone-on-tone prints and/or polka dots, but the end is in sight - just three more places!

Rough Draft

2011-02-27T16:46:00.005+02:00

I still want to make at least two more place names, but I couldn't wait and had to see how they all look together! I think Stockholm, Glasgow, and Elmira are my favorites so far. It's interesting to look at them in black and white, as well; Hebron disappears altogether. I've learned a lot with this project!

Stockholm!

2011-02-26T17:37:00.001+02:00

I still need to sew a little blue around the edges, but I think I just have two more cities to make before I start figuring out the layout!

7 Socks

2011-02-26T13:05:00.002+02:00

I had great plans to work on several quilting projects this week, but got very distracted when two Valentine's Day packages arrived for me full of yarn! Rather than knitting socks, I should be working on scarves and shawls! I haven't abandoned my quilting altogether, though, and have sewn the bindings on the FISH quilt and the zigzag quilt, but will wait for a sunny day to photograph them in all their glory outside! In the meantime, I'm hoping to get the last place names finished in the next day or two.

Great Fabrics

2011-02-16T20:49:00.001+02:00

I still need to sew the binding on these two quilts, but in the meantime, I thought I'd show the fabrics I've used on the backs. The hippo fabric was purchased at IKEA in Helsinki a couple of summers ago (I have quite a bit of it left), and the fish fabric was purchased in Sweden four years ago this month (but was produced in the UK). They're both cute, aren't they? I really have a crush on the fabric I used for the binding on the hippo/zigzag quilt - I had just enough, but wish I'd bought yards of it!

Underway

2011-02-10T17:38:00.003+02:00

Last weekend I finally visited the new(ish) Saltkaret observation tower near Vaasa. I thought I'd share a few winter photos; the second is looking out over the archipelago towards Sweden.

On the craft front, I've started quilting the zigzag quilt and continue to work on the fan shawl. I now have 18 of the 28 fans finished. I plan to get back to the place names on the weekend!

Recap

2011-02-07T08:46:00.000+02:00

I'm hoping to have a queen-size quilt when I'm finished with all these place names. Last night I laid out the names I've finished in the past week. I love the way they look together! Next up - two places starting with S...

Smaller Font

2011-02-06T18:21:00.003+02:00

The P here is 5" tall; after the 7" monster Washington, DC letters, I thought I needed a smaller font! The fabrics here are very similar to one of my favorites so far. Just a few more places left to make!

12-letter Word and another UFO

2011-02-06T13:45:00.004+02:00

I finished up this baby quilt top last night and realized I never even posted a photo of it when I started. I'm pretty sure it was in September 2010 - it's the leftover fabric from this (still just a top, too). Again, I used this great no-triangle zigzag tutorial.

I've also managed another place name - 12 letters is too many for one city!

Eye Test

2011-02-05T17:44:00.002+02:00

While this may look like a colorblindness test at the eye doctor, it's actually another addition to the place name quilt. I wanted this one to be fun, especially after the browns of the last two.

Momentum

2011-02-02T22:09:00.003+02:00

I finished another place name this evening!! I'm not thrilled with the v, but there's not enough fabric left to fix it! It feels good to be sewing again - and to work on this particular project! (Where, pray tell, is Lyndonville? I learned to ride a bike in Lyndonville.) Up next? My 7-letter birthplace or the 12-letter city where my brother currently lives (and where I lived when I was his age).

Another Marinating Project Resurfaces

2011-01-31T23:57:00.003+02:00

Back in the fall of 2007 I started another quilt using Tonya's letters - a quilt of all the places I've lived. I've posted some photos before, but here is the latest place name:

One of My Favorite Bloggers...

2011-01-30T20:07:00.008+02:00

A friend passed on a blogging award to me this week (she's also having a give-away to celebrate two years of blogging), and I thought I would use the chance to mention two of my very favorite bloggers who have recently published books! I was very excited to receive both in the mail this week and am using the occasion to finally get back to sewing again! I'll dedicate a post to each of them this week.

Tonya was one of the very first bloggers I "met" online back in 2006. We even had the chance to meet in person in Paris in 2008! I joined one of her very first online classes, and receiving her book this week inspired me to return to one of the projects I started in that class in the fall of 2007. That's a long time to let something marinate, and I might do things differently now (like using a bit more contrast between the background and the letters or leaving out the really dark green letters), but I'm happy with the finished top and binding (below). I hope to have it basted very soon.

As always, thanks Tonya and everyone else whose use of Tonya's unruly letters have inspired me over the past few years.

Scraps

2011-01-10T22:07:00.003+02:00

I'd been hoping to have some quilted content to post, but in keeping with the second resolution (blogging more), here are some projects made with yarn scraps - to inspire the use of fabric scraps in the near future!

The first photo is a great crocheted oven mitt I received from a friend for my birthday! The second is a pair of slippers made as a belated holiday gift.

Resolutions

2011-01-04T16:03:00.000+02:00

I've been very absent here lately, but two of my New Year's resolutions are to sew more and to blog more! Knitting has really distracted me over the past months - it really is easier to do when traveling, but I'm excited to start the new year with some sewing projects! (I hope you like the design of the blog, too!)

I only finished one sewing project for a Christmas gift and will post that soon. You can see some of the knitted gifts I gave here.

I received some crafty gifts - an apron from African fabric, a crocheted elf, knitted Latvian mittens, and knitted hedgehog slippers!!

I also received supplies for future crafting, including the fabric and yarn pictured below.

Happy 2011 to you all!!

Very Exciting Fabric Shopping

2010-10-25T22:11:00.005+03:00

I've done no sewing for a month now - not sure how I'll fit it in between now and Christmas, but I'm determined to make a few gifts! I have been traveling a lot and knitting is just easier on the road, but I did find time for some very exciting fabric shopping earlier this month in Yaounde, Cameroon!!

Combining Knitting and Quilting

2010-09-28T08:25:00.000+03:00

This is a birthday present for a friend that I made back in July, and it should be arriving at its new owner's by the time she sees this. It was made out of two fat quarters and was inspired by the colored pencil roll I made back in 2007. If I make another, I think I'll do a tutorial!

Slippers

2010-09-21T09:15:00.005+03:00

Just a quick post to share a really quick, easy slipper pattern I knitted again this weekend. The slippers are on top of the back of a quilted project that is in the works - it's a gift, so it may be a while until I share the other side!

Colors of Fall

2010-09-17T23:56:00.004+03:00

I've been absent here lately, but I have been doing some sewing and some knitting over the past few weeks! First, some socks:

Also a work in progress for Lappvärk - we all received the same package of materials to make a project. I hope to post some photos of the others' work here after we exhibit them next month, but in the meantime, here's a sneak peak at mine so far:

Eestimaa

2010-08-26T08:21:00.013+03:00

Departing Helsinki for Tallinn:

I returned this week from a trip to Estonia - a little business, mostly pleasure. I thought I'd share a short fiber-related post!

I traveled with a friend to the island of Kihnu, where we met this cute little sheep and a few of his friends on the way from the ferry to a small restaurant. After a warm lunch, we explored the small, but artifact/information-packed museum about the island's history and its handicrafts. I loved the mitten wall!

I just wish we'd had more time to explore, especially the church and the lighthouse, but the ferry gave us just a few hours. There will have to be a next time!

Speaking of sheep, a few weeks ago an Estonian friend of mine gave me some gorgeous wool from the Estonian native sheep. My friend's cousin is involved in trying to get the breed officially recognized. Maybe the guy above is one? In any case, I think this wool wants to become mittens very soon! It smells lovely (clean and woolly at the same time)!

Departing Tallinn for Helsinki after a great week:

Flying Carpet

2010-08-12T14:01:00.003+03:00

Here's the top, flapping in the wind out on the clothesline. I'm going to put a very thin border around it with the same fabric as the setting triangles/diamonds, then I'm on to the basting!

Coming Together

2010-08-09T22:02:00.002+03:00

At times like these, after moving furniture out of the way, I consider creating some sort of design wall for myself...

Process

2010-08-06T12:14:00.004+03:00

I've been sewing a little each day this week, and a new quilt is slowly taking shape. I've noticed a lot of people posting about their process lately, so here is what's on my sewing table waiting to be sewn...

I love the colors - all the colors that showed up in a gorgeous complete rainbow one evening this week (photo taken out my living room window)!

Manon's Little Sister

2010-08-02T13:05:00.005+03:00

Here is the quilt I finished yesterday! It's made almost entirely with scraps from the quilt I made with my mom this summer - the only addition was the backing fabric (bought for $1.99, so I don't feel too bad calling this a scrap quilt). The squares are 2.25". The yellow polka dot was the binding for the original quilt, and the pink binding here was the back on the original. Since I was using the scraps from the backing, I had to cut the binding straight, rather than on the bias like I usually do. I really missed that little bit of stretch as I was sewing it on and don't think it lies as flat, so I won't do that again (unless all I have are long scraps!).

Amazingly, there are still scraps left...

From Finish to Start

2010-08-01T23:19:00.003+03:00

I actually finished a quilt today (about 45"x50" with the scraps from this quilt)! It's too dark for a photo now, but I promise to share tomorrow! In the meantime, I started cutting strips (above) for another project... I bought these cool coral fabrics at Marden's at Christmas time and was thinking about doing a simple snowball to show them off, but since my mom and I just made a snowball together, I've decided to do something else with them. I cut a bunch of strips and have two different ideas in mind. I tried out one block to see what I thought, and I have to say, it's pretty lumpy in the middle. Maybe with a bit more practice, I'll improve?

Sewing Swiftly

2010-07-31T19:22:00.007+03:00

Just minutes after I posted on Wednesday the doorbell rang, and my safety pins arrived! I've been working on the Sea Marquee quilt, but am not yet satisfied with the results. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I've been working on a smaller quilt with the scraps from my mom's snowball quilt. It's a simple four-patch with the yellow polka dot that was her binding (thanks to Britt!) playing a central role. I hope to start quilting that tomorrow!

My cousin posted today about her love for antique shops, yard sales, and auctions. She's not alone in this addiction (but she's good company!). It's a rainy day here today, so a friend and I went off to explore the Red Cross shop and an antique shop. My greatest find was a slightly rickety, but fully functional, swift. I've already wound up a skein of Peace Fleece (in Baltic Blue) to test it out. (My friend found a second swift, as well!) I also found some dishes... Always my weakness, but the prices were too good to pass up! The green plates are Swedish - they'd look great with a little Asian-inspired side dish, wouldn't they? The 70s mustard plates are fondue themed, and the two blue Rörstrand Christmas plates match one I already have. The final purchases were some postcard-sized souvenir plastic trays from Bergen, Norway. They're always great to use for pins, buttons, etc. while working on projects! The cars and clothes in the photos on the trays make them look pretty retro!

Waiting for the Mail

2010-07-28T12:06:00.003+03:00

I've been basting a UFO (Sea Marquee, started in the summer of 2006!), but am out of the safety pins I like to use. I mailed some to myself from the US last week, so hopefully they'll come today! This quilt is bigger than I remember, for sure, and twice I had to start again with the basting. Hopefully the third time's a charm!

On top of the quilt is the only knitting project I had going this summer in the US (basic socks made with Tico Tico yarn from Novita I received as a gift). Below, another pair of socks I've started - the color scheme has received mixed reviews, but the pattern is a feather and fan pattern from Patons.

Yarn

2010-07-24T13:39:00.006+03:00

Today I'm trying to make some order of my sewing room - and to make room for the yarn and fabric I brought back in my extra bag from the US!

I stopped over in Helsinki on my way home and found a little knitted graffiti in Kaivopuisto/Brunnsparken:

I also thought I'd post about the Maine yarns I bought on my travels:

The last remaining Shakers live at the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester, Maine. I hadn't visited for a few years and had never noticed the yarn before. I'm planning to make some lovikka-style mittens with this lovely pink.

I'm a big fan of Peace Fleece and of Halcyon Yarn in Bath, Maine. Here is some of my Peace Fleece haul in Galooboy Blue, Georgia Rose, and Chickie Masla (a few other colors purchased for gifts). Their story is worth a quick read.

I found this next yarn from Done Roving (in Charlotte, Maine) at my local quilt/yarn shop, Quilt Essentials in Auburn, Maine. I was eying some sock yarn my mom had used (cotton with a little elastic - Cascade Fixation, maybe?), and the ever-helpful proprietor, Betsy, suggested this yarn instead. She even wound it for me - mesmerizing - maybe I need a swift and winder myself?!?

This was my final purchase, at Purl Diva in Brunswick. I just couldn't resist the story of the Nash Island yarn. The yarn is so delicate - and so is the color, larch - I think it will become a shawl for me.

Manon's Summer Snowballs

2010-07-18T15:56:00.004+03:00

My mom finished her quilt! Well, we finished our quilt! It really was a team effort: she chose the fabrics and the pattern inspiration; I did the cutting; she did most of the piecing; I did most of the quilting; we sewed the binding on together! It's washed, dried, labeled, and photographed, too!

Baggage Allowance

2010-07-14T09:31:00.001+03:00

I've been making some more reusable shopping bags and wonder if it's worth making a quick tutorial here. Thoughts? They take approximately 2 half yards of fabric and are completely reversible (same five bags in the photos). I've been trying to use up a little of what I've bought at Marden's so that I can get all my luggage on the plane next week!

Visiting Maine?

2010-07-13T22:20:00.001+03:00

If you find yourself in the Mid-coast region of Maine, here are two recommendations:

The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor are fantastic, especially the Children's Gardens, which just opened July 8th, including Pole Bean Olympics, refreshing spray from the blowholes of 'whale rocks,' a sculpture inspired by Robert McCloskey's Blueberry's for Sal, and lots more!

Just 15 miles to the northeast of the gardens is a quilt shop I hadn't visited before, Alewives (beautiful website, eh?) in Damariscotta Mills - lots of bright, fresh fabric from Kaffe Fassett, Anna Maria Horner, Amy Butler, Julie Paschkis, and more. I'll definitely have to visit again! (The fish ladder restoration project in Damariscotta Mills is also worth a look.)

Susan's Summer Quilt

2010-07-12T23:58:00.000+03:00

I'm still in Maine, but getting ready to return to Finland soon. While it's been a great summer here, I'm ready to get back to my quilting room in Vaasa (among other things!). I've been doing some non-quilting sewing projects (more posts to come) and have been helping my mom with a quilt (the first bed-sized quilt she'll finish - thanks to my 'help'). The fabrics she chose are really pretty - many of them are Kaffe Fassett. So is the inspiration for the pattern (sans medallion) - it's from Country Garden Quilts. Hopefully there will be a photo shoot of the finish quilt before my Monday flight!

Along the Ausable

2010-07-07T05:43:00.005+03:00

... is the name of my cousin's great blog - and is also where I am as I write this post!

It's been too long since I've posted, but here are a just a few quilty photos to tide my remaining one or two readers over until I can post something more substantial...

The quilt on my bed at my cousin's (made by her other grandmother, maybe?):

Two quilts I made for their cats a couple years ago for Christmas (filled with a little catnip to be sure they'd be a hit):

Some shopping bags (the small ones are for two soon-to-be three-year-olds):

Hope everyone's having a great summer!

2010-04-14T16:49:00.002+03:00

"Live in the sunshine,
swim in the sea,
drink the wild air..."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Simple shopping bag made by me,
quilt in progress by my mom!)

Revised and Finished!

2010-04-11T13:02:00.002+03:00

This quilt has been hanging on the wall of my sewing room since May 2007 - waiting for quilting inspiration. With the help of a friend, I decided that it needed some sashing, so I took the blocks apart and sewed them back together with the yellow in between while I was in Maine two weeks ago. I did the free-motion quilting on my mom's new Bernina! As soon as it gets a label and a wash, it will be on its way to Hong Kong for the little sister of the recipient of this quilt!

A Few More Places

2010-03-12T22:52:00.001+02:00

Shaky Handwriting

2010-03-07T13:19:00.000+02:00

I've decided against adding any words or letters to the top from yesterday. I'd like to use a dark purple binding to frame it, but I don't have enough fabric left, so I might let the project marinate for a little while before finishing it up.

Looking around at the Liberated Amish Get Together site, I was inspired to get back to a project I started in another one of Tonya's online events back in September 2007! I'm making a quilt for myself (for once) with place names of all the places I've lived. It's a long list! After finishing up all the short ones, I'm trying to move onto the 10+ letter places without making them so large that they dwarf the others. My 'handwriting' was a little shaky with the first one after such a long break, but I'm quite satisfied with the next one. As always, thanks to Tonya for her tutorial!

Inspired!

2010-03-06T23:02:00.006+02:00

I was so inspired by Clare's quilt for Tonya's Liberated Amish Get Together that although I didn't join in back in January, I woke up this morning and got this top (it's 36"x54") finished in one day! It was quite a marathon, but I just love the result! Thanks for the inspiration Clare and Tonya!

I'm Still Here!

2010-03-05T20:49:00.000+02:00

I've been helping a friend learn to quilt recently, and it's meant that my machine has been busy, but I've been using the time to finish up a bunch of almost finished knitting projects. Here's one long-lingering quilty finish, as well. I started this quilt back in August and just did a simple loopy thing for the quilting. I'm still not sure which side is the front!

Eine Kleine Gestrickte Zwischenmusik

2010-02-08T21:40:00.002+02:00

Just a little knitting interlude...

While helping a friend learn to quilt last weekend, I was able to finish up a few knitting projects that had been lingering in their last stages of completion. Two pairs of mittens started in 2oo8, plus one started this year.

The brown ones based on the Quo Vadis pattern and made with Patons Classic Wool; the white ones are Lovikkas made with Järbo yarn (free pattern på svenska on their site); and the grey ones are improvised using Patons Shetland Chunky (not enough wool content, in my opinion, but loved the yellow flecks).

Finishing is fun - I should do it more often! I haven't set any kind of resolution, but I would like to get both my knitting and quilting UFOs under control this year.

A Picture Perfect Day!

2010-02-07T17:35:00.003+02:00

I wonder if it's too crazy to set a goal of finishing one large project a month this year? Probably.

Back with My Foot on the Pedal

2010-01-31T22:39:00.005+02:00

The lame ankle wasn't so good for sewing on the machine (or cutting or ironing for that matter), but I finally got back to work on the white/red/pink liberated quilt this weekend. I decided to piece the back, using a technique that I found on another blog ages ago (I can't seem to find the link, can someone help me out?). I love the way it turned out, but even though it looks like I threw it together, piecing the back really meant putting in the time to make two fronts! I can definitely imagine making some more tops this way in the future. The scrap bins overfloweth. I've decided that pin-basting on the floor is my least favorite part of the whole quilt-making process, but at least it forced me to vacuum today. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the quilting, so hopefully there'll be some finished photos by the end of the week!

Warning: Quilt Content

2010-01-24T22:33:00.006+02:00

I think I've lost many of my readers over the past few months, but I finally spent some serious time cleaning up my quilting room this weekend now that the two tables are back in there after using them as a huge dining table for the holidays and now that my ankle is on the mend. One task in the quilting room was getting all the yarn stashed away - out of sight, out of mind, maybe? I started this quilt project in September and hope to have it done for a friend's birthday by the end of the month! Next step? Vacuuming the floor so I can pin-baste it! The quilt is really 6x6 (please excuse the poor dark indoor photo) and was made completely with scraps and thrifted textiles. The centers are fussy-cut from a pillowcase. If I were to do it again, I'd probably pay more attention to value, but all-in-all I'm pretty happy with the results so far. I think I'm going to improvise some sort of heart-meander to quilt it with white thread. First I need to figure out what I intended to use as a back, though!

Since all the red/pink/white scraps are still out, I think I'll make up a few L-O-V-E blocks for Clare before Valentine's Day, too! (More information about that effort here.)

Tearing two ligaments in my ankle (on the slippery street outside my house, nothing glamorous, just embarrassing) soon after returning to Vaasa from Maine gave me some time for knitting. In addition to three(!) pairs of mittens (more info on the 10 in 2o10 mitten blog and on Ravelry, I managed to knit a shawl for myself, as well! The shawl reminds me a little of the zigzag quilt I made last spring. That triangle-free zigzag pattern was a great one - you can check it out here, if you haven't already!

Mitten Blog

2010-01-11T00:31:00.004+02:00

Don't worry, I haven't given up quilting, and I'm not going to stop blogging here!

I have been in a big knitting phase lately, though, and find that the small projects are easier to pick up and put down during the busiest parts of the semester. The quilting is best when I have a whole weekend - or a whole summer week! This said, I've just started a mitten knitting blog with some friends. You may remember the 9 in 2oo9 sock challenge with by neighbor... Well, we've expanded the idea and are aiming for 10 pairs of mittens in 2o10! Here's a link to the blog if you'd like to check it out and two pairs I've already started:

Mycket Tyg!

2010-01-10T21:22:00.000+02:00

Tonight we had the first meeting of Lappvärk for 2010. I brought some of my fabric haul from Marden's in Maine with me, making me a very popular member of the group! I can't wait to see what everyone does with it, especially the big bright flowers!

Generosity

2010-01-05T23:26:00.007+02:00

I received a lot of creative and creativity-feeding gifts over the holidays and thought I'd post some of the most photogenic items here.

First off, the talent! Mittens from a friend in Vaasa, socks from my neighbor (my partner in the 9 in 2oo9 sock project!), and socks from my mom. They're all so different and lovely! The card my neighbor made was fantastic, as well!

Here are a few other favorite gifts from a friend who was in Kenya for work. The pillowcases and luggage tag are both from Kenya Kanga and the bag and pincushion are from Amani Africa. I also received wooden knitting needles from India and knitting needle holders from Vietnam from another friend. Can't wait to start a shawl/poncho thing with these needles!

Last, but not least, a yarn holder from a friend's father! This is just perfect for Novita Nalle and Seven Brothers yarns!

I'm so thankful for all my gifts - especially for the handmade ones and the ones that help to inspire my crafty creativity!

Holiday Round-up

2010-01-04T13:53:00.004+02:00

Once again, I've been remiss in blogging. Well, it's a new year! (And I have a much-needed new computer!) I thought I'd start with a holiday round-up of gifts given (and received in an upcoming post). Admittedly, they were mostly knitted, but I'll start here with the quilted content. You've all seen it before, but my mom is now the proud owner of Leafy Rosy!

My brother received this scarf, made with anti-bacterial (!?) yarn purchased in Munich last summer, and my mom is still waiting for the finishing touches to be put on her Danish shawl (more on that in another post), and the cat received this catnip-filled mouse!

Everyone else received socks. Remember these? They (at least my half of them) found their way to New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Finland, Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maine!

A Merry Maine Christmas!

2009-12-25T19:02:00.000+02:00

Merry Christmas Greetings to all from snowy Maine!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T23:19:00.001+02:00

I've been very absent here of late - just working, also working on Christmas gifts! I hope that over the holidays I'll have a chance to catch up. In the meantime, I'd like to wish everyone out there a very Happy Thanksgiving. It's my very favorite holiday and I'll be celebrating here on Saturday. Here's a poem to celebrate the day!

Nothing Like Snow!

2009-11-07T17:00:00.004+02:00

There's nothing like snow to get me started thinking more seriously about the upcoming holidays! I have a lot of November birthdays amongst my friends and family, so I always have the feeling that I'm ahead, only to realize at Thanksgiving that I've given most of my gifts away already! I'm determined avoid this realization this year. For today, here are some glances at some knitting that's underway (more information on Ravelry). Quilting shots to come tomorrow!

Before and After

2009-11-01T22:11:00.002+02:00

October was a bit of a bust in the crafty department. With Christmas fast approaching, I hope there'll be more posts here in the coming weeks! In the meantime, here's something I've wanted to share for a while.

I've been eying these rather retro telephone tables for a while at flea markets and finally gave in a couple of month ago. Several rounds of sanding and painting later, I'm happy with the result! The new fabric is from Marimekko (sorry, I don't know the name of the pattern). It took a while to find the perfect pulls for the drawers, but a friend finally found some for me at a little shop here in Vaasa. I'd also love to find an old green rotary phone to top it off - I miss rotary phones! I don't even have a land line anymore.

Now I want to recover my IKEA poäng chair...

Online Quilt Festival

2009-10-10T11:43:00.010+03:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the slideshow from my quilt group's current exhibit. For those of us who live far away from the big shows, the Bloggers' Quilt Festival organized by Park City Girl is a great alternative! I participated in the first one last April, but soon after, I finished this quilt, which might be my favorite quilt that I've made to date! It's made with Finnish Marimekko fabrics and white Kona cotton. Here's the original post. Don't forget to visit all the other bloggers participating in this great event and enjoy!

Utställning - Exhibition

2009-10-02T14:03:00.004+03:00

My quilt group here in Vaasa has an exhibit going on this month. If you're in the area, you can visit it at the Seniorpunkten in Smedsby (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm). If not, I hope you enjoy the slideshow! You can see photos of an earlier exhibit here, as well.

Unfortunately Kajsa's workshop at Loftet tomorrow was cancelled, but I'm hoping to spend the whole day sewing anyway.

I've Been Abducted by that Monster Called Work

2009-09-30T23:02:00.004+03:00

There's been very little sewing, etc. going on here of late; the semester is in full swing.

The building where I work was recently renovated, and we've all decided it's pretty sterile and definitely not inspiring or intellectually stimulating. A colleague has come to the rescue with an idea of some subversive textile art. Thus far we've displayed some summer knitting/crochet projects, including dozens of hats made by her hung against a black wall that 'welcomes' people to our floor.

There is also an installation piece in the works, inspired by students' study paths. Here are some of the raw ingredients for that project.

My quilt group is having an exhibit in October, so I hope to have some photos to share from that soon, and there will certainly be photos after Kajsa's workshop here in Vaasa on Saturday!

New Projects

2009-09-13T23:00:00.005+03:00

I start teaching again this week, so I suppose it's natural that my summer push to finish up lingering UFOs has lost steam. Instead, I started not one, but two new projects this weekend. The first will be made up almost entirely of pink, red, and white scraps and thrifted fabrics, built around a fussy-cut pillowcase covered with hearts and flowers. It's a little 'girly' for me, but I hope that it will be just right for the intended recipient. I have 37 11.5" blocks and have run out of steam to make any more. I'm planning on some white sashing between the blocks, but I was completely stalled in terms of ideas of how to make it a little larger, especially considering that I almost never put borders on my quilts, until I went to my quilt group this evening. We're getting ready for an October exhibit and one member brought in her first quilt (made 15 years ago), a gorgeous blue and pink full/queen size log cabin with a piano key border. That border was just the solution I was looking for! Unfortunately she doesn't have a blog (and I didn't have my camera with me). Two other members do of the group do have blogs, though, and you can check them out here and here! For the back of this quilt, I'm thinking of using this technique to use up some smaller red and pink scraps.

For the second new project I just made a single 12" block. I'll need to make 55 more. Can you guess the pattern?

Great Mail!

2009-09-11T10:43:00.002+03:00

I got a wonderful package in the mail on Wednesday from a friend who's done a lot of traveling recently. The Obama print is a kanga from Tanzania celebrating the election of Barack Obama (obviously!). I posted about some kanga this same friend sent me a while ago, and you can read more about kanga here.

The package also included some buttons made from coconut shell and bone made by participants in a vocational education program in Tanzania, as well as fabric scraps from a Hawaiian shirt producer and an eyeglass case made with traditional Hawaiian applique. Wow - what a great package - thanks!! I can't wait to use the shirt scraps; I've already decided to mix them with some white Kona cotton. Stay tuned!

HDW Fabric Inspiration

2009-09-10T07:43:00.006+03:00

Let's be honest. A trip to Helsinki is not complete without a trip to the Marimekko Factory Store. I limited myself to some purchases from the 6€/meter fabric table. Here's a sampling:

I also visited the Finlayson Store in Helsinki and bought a little of this gorgeous fall fabric to make a few aprons for holiday gifts, as well as a small piece with these cute monkeys on it!

On Saturday I found Kajsa of Syko fame at the Design Market held at the Cable Factory (Kaapelitehdas) - always a treat! I bought a couple of Christmas gifts that I can't post here, but also picked up something for the wall of my newly organized sewing room!

Kajsa's teaching her first class "Lekfulla Applikationer på Nytt Sätt" (Playful Applique in a New Way) at Loftet in Vaasa on Saturday October 3, if you're in the area!

HDW Yarn Inspiration

2009-09-09T08:13:00.006+03:00

While at the Design Museum in Helsinki last weekend, I spotted another piece of knit-ffiti on the banister to the ryijy rug exhibit upstairs! What a great location! The exhibit itself was really gorgeous. I'd like to try this traditional way of making rugs someday. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed. There was one quilt-like design that I sketched and filed away for someday. There was another ENORMOUS rug in shades of green and brown that looked so much like a lush field that I was just dying to walk across it barefoot and then to lie down for a much needed rest. Here's a great website where you can learn more about ryijy.

I did some limited yarn-shopping damage at the Titityy booth at the Handicraft Fair, discovering Fleece Artist yarn from Nova Scotia. I also visited a new (to me) yarn shop on the outskirts of Helsinki. A rather unassuming suburban mall setting, but well-worth the trek on the commuter rail! I mostly picked up some (mostly Norwegian) sock yarn for 1 or 2€ a skein. Considering the deals, I think I was rather restrained!

Helsinki Design Week!

2009-09-08T18:15:00.007+03:00

A meeting brought me to Helsinki on Friday, and I decided to stay the weekend to take in some of the Helsinki Design Week events.

There was fabric shopping and yarn shopping, but those will follow in separate posts. (There was also a little Christmas shopping that I can't post here for fear of ruining some surprises!)

There were lots of students around, exhibiting, explaining, and selling their wares. Some that caught my eye were Kauniste Textiles (at the Design Market) (photo above) and Kaamosgroup (on the Esplanade). I was also really impressed with two more seasoned exhibitors, Dutch artist Piet Hein Eek (at Artek) and Finnish furniture makers Punkalive (in front of the Design Museum) (photos below).

Unfortuantely, I wasn't too good about snapping photos. Someday I need to take a trip to Helsinki just to do that - and to follow the Art Nouveau walking tour and tram route with camera in hand.

One building caught my eye as I was leaving the Architecture Museum. It caught my eye at first because it was ugly, at least in comparison to the more ornate (much older and better maintained) structure next to it. But at second glance, I realized this rather sad looking structure could come alive as a quilt! One more idea to file away...

Two Great Tutorials

2009-09-02T13:06:00.005+03:00

My aunt has started sending me care packages. Lots of care packages. Full of crafty things like fat quarters, buttons, and sock yarn. Why she has started this now - and not while I was at summer camp or boarding school or living in a country where lots of things were hard to find - is a mystery. Not that I'm complaining, mind you!! Keep 'em coming! A while ago (maybe at Christmas?) she sent me quite a few yard-ish pieces of decorator weight fabric. I've been thinking they'd make good bags, but that hasn't happened yet. One larger piece might be destined to recover my IKEA poäng chair one of these days.

In the meantime, I whipped up a pillow for a friend who's moved into a new apartment. I used two great tutorials: zippers (this is the most useful tutorial I've found online to date - I've used it several times - with and without the pocket) and this one for pillow covers, which I modified a bit. I thought 1/2" was too narrow for the floppy edges, but my 3" is too wide. Next time I'll get it right! Like AmyLouWho, I used an IKEA feather pillow form. They are really the best!!

Something Else in Green and Orange

2009-09-01T16:01:00.004+03:00

I like to think I don't have a favorite color.

Everyone who's met me here in Finland, however, would disagree. My living room and kitchen have an awful lot of green in them! A kind of granny smith apple green. (recovered sofa here, new chair fabric here...) Green is a neutral, right?! My mom might say orange, if you asked her about my favorite color. So might a friend who's bought me some very cool things on her travels in recent years. (evidence here) Orange is a great accent color!

Sometime in high school I might have said blue (our school color - and mascot - yes, just a color - not sure if there's a connection). A few years earlier, I would have said aqua. I remember the Christmas when I was turning 10, we traveled to stay with relatives who I'd only met once before. The one thing my grandmother told everyone was that I liked purple. A lot. I got a lot of purple gifts that year, including a crocheted ripple afghan that I should blog about some time!

All this to say, here's another green and orange project hanging out on the line. (Other green and orange/yellow quilts here, here, here, and here!) I pieced the top four years ago in Maine and finally quilted it and put the binding on last week. The logs are 1" finished, and the whole thing is 40"x50". Another summer UFO finish! Yippee!

Rain, Rain Go Away!

2009-08-29T12:22:00.008+03:00

The weather is not cooperating with my plans to photograph my two latest finishes outdoors, so here's another recently finished project in the meantime. I've been trying not to sign up for any new swaps so that I can finish some of my UFOs - particularly a few larger projects I want to bring with me to the US in December. But I couldn't resist the seventh round of DQS! A month ago I posted a photo of the back and my inspiration for the colors. It's on its way over the Atlantic now!

I'm amazed at how my little flying geese tutorial brings so much traffic to my blog. I really should use it more often myself!

Harvest

2009-08-26T23:32:00.003+03:00

Since I was in Finland most of the summer this year, I planted some tomatoes on my balcony. Slowly, but surely, they're ripening. Unfortunately, there's no room for cucumber plants, but I did buy some and gave pickle-making a try for the first time. I tried two different recipes for Claussen-like pickles (they are one thing I really miss here) and tried an Estonian friend's mom's recipe, too. In a month or two I'm going to have a little pickle party to see how my experiments turned out!

I'll have some quilt content tomorrow, especially if the weather cooperates for an outdoor photo!

IBOL

2009-08-25T18:58:00.004+03:00

I really admire Kristin La Flamme's creative work and blog, and now her husband has organized a terrific project to provide various sewing/knitting/etc. items for people in Iraq.

I was especially motivated to participate once I saw that it's possible to mail a bundle to a friend of his in the Netherlands, so I finally got a few things together today, including some fabric, yarn, ribbon, thread, straight pins, and zippers. I hope that they will be useful to someone there!

The deadline for participating in this effort is September 7 and you can find out more information on the Iraqi Bundles of Love blog. If you don't have a stash that includes crafty things you can bear to part with, it's possible to purchase a bundle through Sew, Mama, Sew for only $15US!!

Winners!

2009-08-25T12:04:00.005+03:00

I'm really glad I decided to have a third anniversary give-away, because I've won three give-aways in the past couple of weeks and it just seems right to repay Lady Luck! Here is one that arrived yesterday from Helen in Australia! Look at that cool label she made! Thanks!!

And now for the winners of my give-away: Karen in DC, Gina in South Wales, Vicki in Virginia, and my sock-knitting neighbor! Congratulations and thanks so much to everyone who commented!

PJS in Romania: You're set to "no-reply" so I can't email you directly, but would like to. Could you send me an email? Thanks!

Loops

2009-08-21T22:17:00.007+03:00

It seems to be the season for give-aways! I was very lucky to win one celebrating four years of blogging at Knit One Quilt Too. It's one of my favorite blogs. Thanks, Kristin! I love the way the little house is smiling at me. :)

Speaking of give-aways, don't forget to leave a comment on Wednesday's post below before tomorrow morning Finland time to win one of my three small third anniversary prizes!

In terms of sewing, I've just managed to do a lot of loops this week - on a UFO and on the Zoo Animals. That sore throat from last weekend has lingered, but I'm determined that it won't ruin another weekend/week! Photos of the flip side of this quilt soon!

Zoo Animals

2009-08-18T23:02:00.001+03:00

I promised to share the sources of inspiration for my newest project, so here they are: (1) Ashley of Film in the Fridge recently posted photos of a new quilt she's made using Marimekko's Karkuteillä fabric. I was reminded that I'd bought a remnant of this fabric in another colorway (and with the boots cut off) during my discount Marimekko shopping spree back in February, so I dug it out and got to work. (2) I love this brown polka dot fabric (the zebra is brown) even though the green isn't quite right, and I found some solids that matched the Marimekko fabric quite well. I wanted a simple back (or front) for this quilt and found my inspiration on the backs of these little quilts by Helen of Patchy Work of Mini Grey. Now I just need to find some ideas for quilting it! Any suggestions?

Don't forget to scroll down a bit and enter to win of my give-aways celebrating my third blogging anniversary!