UFO's UFO's

This is a picture of a project I made a couple of months ago. it is a etui to hold needles, pins and sissors. It is made by Becky:http://www.willowhillquilts.com


Well I did get my mail last monday. The local union of postmen here in this area had refused to let there mailmen carry the propaganda and since they didn't have to they delived the mail and I got my magazine! In other parts of Sweden they didn't get mail but we did. There is now a big disscusion going on in Sweden about were they line goes between freedom of speach and insulting people.
There was even a cartoon in the propganda were black people were tossed into a old fashioned meatgrinder by a white hand and grinded meat was coming out. Well this story isn't over jet. The irritating thing is all the free pubicity this group is getting.

Some more upplifting news. I finished the top of my nr one ufo! I now have to save some money for the backside and batting and I can start quilting and get it ready.
I also sandwiched my halloweenquilt and am going to do some machine quilting on it today.
I have also been working on this DWR that I am making and boy am I regreting even trying this metod. It is both boring and not looking very good. ..

Well the prize in the end is that I can make some new quilts later...*s* I have been watching a lot of Quilters News Network the last couple of days and that is giving me a lot of inspiration. I also bought a new book of bronwyn hayes yesterday, but I first have to do some other embroderie.. This is a link to that I bought yesterday: http://www.honeysucklecottage.com.au/shop/product_info.php?cPath=60_282_177&products_id=2557

This is another book form her were you can see her style a bit more. I am working on this one too.
http://www.honeysucklecottage.com.au/shop/product_info.php?cPath=60_282_177&products_id=3433

Bye Barbara

Maybe no mail today?

Just wanted to write about this strange thing that is happening today in Sweden.

A political party, that want less foreigners in Sweden and thinks things like: if there were less foreigners there wouldn't be unimploiment for the Swedish people ...etc.
Well, next september there will be elections and this party has made a campain folder that says these things that has to be distibuted in Sweden bij the mailman.

Since this political view is a big minority and there are many foreigners in Sweden, the mailmen don't want to pass these out. Especially in certain parts of Stockholm were most people are imegrants. But because there is freedom of speach the political party says that they have to pass it out to each household just as they would they other campain folders and stuff

So most mailmen allready called in sick on Saturday and told there office they are not coming on monday. The other mailmen who are working are getting police escorts and from other security companies...

It is a very difficult question: one on hand you have freedom of speech and on the other the wellbeeing of the mailmen, who feel exposed to violence etc.

A other peculiar fact is that Sweden has almost 8 miljon inhabitants and more then 1 miljon are fugutives or workimigrants form the 1960's. Children of imigrants that are born here are not in this number, they are seen as real Sweeds.

Well since I am waiting for some fabric and my quiltmagazine I am longing for the mail today..

I'll let you know..

Barbara

Working on those UFO's and a question

Since I made that UFO list, UFO's are on my mind and I can't seem to get them out of my mind. So I have started on finishing some.




I started yesterday with my halloween quilt. Here is a picture were I just fused the applique parts on the quilt. I now have appliqued it using my new machine...(jippie)



Here is a pciture of my Double Wedding Ring quilt I started a long time ago. I used the quiltsmart way. http://www.quiltsmart.com You make the arces and fuse them onto square 12" blocks and later applique the arces and putting the blocks together into a quilt. As you can see in the conors of the blocks you make small triangles, that when you put 4 blocks together turn into a square. The posistion of the triangles are very precise to make the block square when you put 4 together which is extra hard because of the arcs give a lot of bulk..

Now I have the following idea:
I want to draw all the blocks onto one big piece of background fabric, so I know were the arcs are supossed to go and applique them. And then applique a 4-patch over the place were now the big green triangel is.
What do you think, is this a good idea or does somebody have a better one?

Since I didn't like the big green squares in the middle that were just inpossible to get square I stopped so I hope this works. When I went back to this project today I found out after counting that I allready have enough arcs for a 60 by 60 inch quilt without the borders!

bye!

A baby gift

Some weeks ago I wrote on my blogg that was making a present for a friend, but couldn't post a picture since she reads my blog. But she had her baby, Maxime, last week and got the present in the mail, so I can post a picture now.






I made it togheter with Weronica, Helena and Ann-christine..


This is the card I made to go with it


Today I have been working a bit on my Dear Jane software. I have a Dear Jane Design wall in my quiltingroom but since I now have a cat, I will have to take it down. He likes playing with it to much. I also have to uppload some pictures on my webshots since I am so far behind in updating that site..

Well have a great weekend!

Barbara

A top 25 challenge

Some time ago Evelyn asked us what our top 25 of quilts we wanted to make was. So I started thinking. I even looked at some WIP and stuff. The strange thing is that some quilts on my top 25 list I really want to make but they are very difficult and scare me a bit so I will wait untill I have a bit more experience.



My top 25..

1 A double Wedding Ring Quilt
2 Lone star quilt
3 My Dear Jane
4 The Rozequilt by Petra Prins ( I have that ready to start sewing that one)
5 Blessed this Union by Robyn Pandolph
6 The heart of the home by Robyn Pandolph
7 A seven sisters quilt with repro fabrics
8 A redwork quilt
9 A double wedding ring quilt by Judy Niemeyer
10 Drying in the breeze


My WIP's
1 A gift that has to be ready before september ( the person who gets it reads my blog so I can't tell you more :-))
2 My own quilt /own design
3 A Gardners Journal, I am at the embrodery stage (www.hatchedandpatched.com)
4 Home Sweet Home by BlackbirdDesign (applique)
5 Friendshipgarden by BlackbirdDesign (applique)
6 A small sewingbox
7 Spool quilt. (still looking for the right sashing)
8 Diamonds quilt
9 My Dear Jane ofcourse
10 Halloween quilt (applique)

To Quilt:
1 Lady of the lake
2 Teacup quilt
3 Double Irish chain
4 Kaleidoscoop quilt
5 Quilt with baskets
6 Log cabin quilt
7 Blended quilt
8 Baby quilt

Well I think that is about it. I wanted to post some pictures but blogger doens't want to upload any the last few days...sorry!

I have had some problems with my sewingmachine.. Today I will get a new sewing machine. I had trouble with the applique stitch, but only the applique stitch, so it was very strange. So I hope I will get some applique done one my WIPS.

Just a small question. What do you do with projects you have started some time ago and know now that you will never finish because you didn't like the technique or colour or...
I have a lot of stuff lying around, but it doens't feel right to trow away. What do you do?

Barbara

Okay

Hi,

I had the operation on monday and I am doing good! The doctor and nurse were just great, I wasn't even nervous. I got this great drink, that made you calm, but also made you loose your sense of time. I still remember everything but it feels like I was just there for 3 minutes, but the operation took 50 minutes. Very strange!
I have 4 stitches which come out next week on friday. I look a bit like a hamster, but otherwise I am fine!

Well I even got some stitching done. I made 3 blocks to put into a quilt that is going to be a bit like a sampler. A log cabin-block, Old Maid's Puzzle and an Annies choice. I think I am going to make some more blocks today.

Well, I am going to get back to the sewing machine!

Barbara

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I am going to have a operation to get a wisdomtooth out that is growing under my other teeth. I am so hating this. So think of me tomorrow..*sob*

So I don't think I will get much sewing done...so that's why I thought I would post a small message today.

I am reading a new book of Jennifer Chiaverini the Christmas Quilt, so that is what I will be doing tomorrow after surgery..

bye

Barbara

The Sugar Camp quilt

Hi,

You might wonder what I have been up to the last days but I haven't been
sewing much since I have been reading a book.

I have been reading the Sugar Camp Quilt by Jennifer Ciaverinni. It is a part of the Elm Creek Novel series.

Well I started reading on Wednesday and now I am finished. All the books are just great but when you get started, there is no time for anything else because you just have to finish. So now I am going to read the Christmas Quilt. In April there will be a new book, so I want to be finished by then.

Yesterday my DH and went into town to a pub to celebrate St Patricks Day. There was a band with good live music. I had a great time!

Barbara

Instructions on how to make a box

Hi!

How I love reading the comments on my blog and also the emails I get brighten my day!

I got a lot of questions about how to make a box, so I thought I would write the whole instruction down so you can try it yourself! It is easy.
I wrote an instruction for a box that will be Length 6 inch, Wide 6inch and height 6 inch, without a lid . You can enlarge it on make it smaller as you desire, I wrote the calculations, so you know how I get my sizes, but the technique is the same.

You will need:
- your favorite fabric
- cardboard, but not to thick. I use cardboard that is 1000gr.
- a glue stick
- an old rotary cutter blade
- batting. I use batting used in tablerunners, it is has almost no loft and is quite hard and thick.
- normal stuff like sewingmachine etc....


Instruction for a complete square box with equal sides and all sides of the same fabric:

1 When you have calculated the size of the box you start cutting the cardboard pieces so in this case all the pieces will be the same since it is square. But you will need to cut the pieces twice the height of the box. So cut these pieces: Length 6 inch and "height" 12 ich. In the middle of the height of this piece you cut a small line, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CARDBOARD. This will be a folding line. A totall of 5 pieces, 4 sides and 1 bottom piece.
2 Glue the batting on the pieces on the side were there is no cut.
3 Bend and fold the pieces so you will get you 6 x 6 inch square pieces with a neat fold on one end.
4 Cut a piece of fabric that is Length: the 4 sides plus 2x 1/4 and 3/4. and Wide 2x the finished size plus 2 inch extra.
So the piece for this box will be 4 x 6 plus 1 1/4 = 25 1/4 and 2x6+2=14
So cut a piece 25 1/4 x 14.
5 Sew the 2 ends of the fabric that is 14" together. (right sides on top of eachother) So you now have a loop of fabric.
6 Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and sew a seam each 6 1/4 inch apart, start sewing over the seam that you made to make the fabric into a loop on the right side of the fabric.
7 You should have a piece of fabric with 4 "pockets", put 4 of the pieces in here and you will have the sides of the box. The folded side of the cardboard up so that comes on the top.
8 Cut a piece of fabric that is 6 1/2 x 14. Sew the sides together, so you make an other pocket.

Now you have all the parts and you turn under the seams of the side pieces, sewing by hand or with roxanne glue. When the pieces are all ready attach the bottom by hand. Finished!

Some Important tips:
- I calculated about 1/4 inch for the seems on the sides, for the "pockets". You should look at your cardboard for the right size. If you have thinner or thicker cardboard you might have to adjust this.
- 2 inch extra seam allowance on the bottom of the "pockets" might sound much but is is only 1 inch at each side plus that the fold of the cardboard at the top of the pockets take a lot of extra fabric. If you do have to much fabric you can cut some away but attaching the bottom to the sides takes some effort and not having enough seam allowance makes it even more difficult.
- you can leave out putting batting on the bottom panel if you want. It will stand more flat on a surface without it, or just put batting on the half that will be the inside of the box.
- Because you fold the cardboard you will have 2 layers of cardboard which make the box quite firm. If you use cardboard that is to thick you will not be able to fold it neatly. If you want to use thicker cardboard and cut this the finished sizes and not bend it, you will loose the neat fold on the top that makes the box look very nice, but this is a choice..

An other way to do it:

If you would like to make boxes by hand, have different fabrics on each sides, or different sizes of the sides there is a second good way to do it:

You cut the cardboard as above, make a small folding cut and glue the batting on.
Then you cut a piece of fabric that is the size of the cardboard piece adding 1 inch of fabric all around. You place the cardboard with the batting on the wrong side of the fabric. Then fold the fabric over the cardboard and glue it on the cardboard. When you have folded all the 4 sides of the fabric tightly over the cardboard you fold the cardboard, with the fabric on in half as above. Now you have one single piece of a side. Make 4 of these and piece them together by hand adding the bottom last which you make in the same manor with or without batting.

Well, that is about it I think. If I have made a error somewhere please let me know and I will correct it at once. It should be correct, but I am only human. If you have a better way to do it, please let me know too !
Ofcourse if you make a box I would love to see a picture or receive a small note!

Barbara

A box in a weekend

You might wonder what I have been upp to this weekend... Well I made a box.
I have all kinds of handpiecing projects in the livingroom and I thought I would make a box for all of it so that it looks a bit more tidy. Also it is always a plus to know were things are...

I started on friday afternoon, together with my friend Helena and Weronica, who also wanted to make a box, but made very different ones.

The fabric dilemma:
You know when you have a fabric which is just beautifull. You know that you want to use it for something special, but don't know what. I had bought a fabric for making this box. I didn't think about using my special one because I was saving it for something special. But I dicided that the box was going to be special and there was no reasson to keep saving this fabric so I used my special fabric from Robert Kaufmann. I read the same kind of thoughts in an other blogg by Linda. So here it is in my special fabric! The size is approx: 16 inch by 10 inch by 10 inch.

This is the outside of the box:


When the box is open:


And the tray I made for holding my sissors and so on:


Well this took all weekend!

Hope you hade a great weekend as well!

Barbara

Hi,

I got an email from Britt and some others about the bag, what this project is called and comes from, so here it goes.

It comes from the book called Fölg Tråden from Anne-Pia Godske Rasmussen.

You can see a picture of the book here: http://www.lapp-elisa.com/cgi-images/image_display.cgi?account=lappelisa&image=sbkft.jpg

And of another project here: http://www.lapp-elisa.com/cgi-images/image_display.cgi?account=lappelisa&image=sbkftin.jpg

And you can buy it here if you are interested: http://www.lapp-elisa.com/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi?cart_id=7851498.11452.s1&lastmenu=submenu-1100-w.html&product=skbok&sales=1

This project is called the bali bag if I remember correct.

The book is in Danish and has a lot of different bags, angels and all other sorts of things. The book has a lot of step by step pictures so it is easy to follow, which is a good thing since I don't understand Danish..*lol*

I'll try to get better at mentioning my source and stuff..

Today Helena is coming to visit me and we are going to some sewing on our gardners journal quilt:
http://www.hatchedandpatched.com.au/pages/Books3.htm

bye barbara

My day at the exhibition

I had a great day Sunday at the exhibition and this is the fabric I bought.

I also bought a pattern for something called the rosegarden. It is a block made from old fashion paper pieces. Normally it are just hexagons or triangles but this block is made of triangles, hexagons, jewelshapes and diamonds.
I am a bit late with posting this blog, but I thought I might make a block to show you, but ofcourse I was a bit too optimistic about how much time a block would take.


I spent my Saturday with my friend Helena and we did some chatting and I read some of her quiltingbooks. In one of this books I saw a pattern of a bag that I just loved. So when I got home I got started at 20:00 and was finished at 0.30. So that was the bag that was aloud to come with me to the fair.

I have made quite a lot of bags these past few weeks, which is a bit strange because bags are not really my thing..but ..who cares...*s*

Oh BTW I have a question about blogg etiquette. Are you suposed to answer all the comments or not. Sometimes the entries aren't really a question. I sometimes answer when people leave a tip or something, but I don't reply to things as..great bag! Is that rude? what do you do?

Mountains of tops

Some days ago I wrote about wondering what my thing was. I got loads of email. I haven't really replied to everybody, because of the volume! But by reading all the comments I have one conclusion why I don't really know what my thing is: I spend a lot of time doing things for other people and then you adjust the quilt to those people, right?

So the plan is now to start sewing a bit more for myself so I can find out. The thing is that I made this plan already once before. It was my newyearsresolution to be exact..*s*. But it isn't working so well, if you have been reading my blog. I made something for a friend, and 3 mini quilts for the LQS. Plus I have a special project I already started last year to be finished this year.
Well I guess I have to do some thinking if I really want to give up sewing for others to find my thing. I'll will post my findings later when I have made up my mind.

Okay now about the mountains of tops. I love quilting but starting a new top always wins from the quilting. So Now I have 8 tops ready for quilting. Ofcourse I would like to do the quilting by hand but maybe I can start doing some on the machine.
Tips anyone?

On Sunday there will be a fair in Stockholm , which is held in autumn and spring. It is a fair with evertything for quilting, sewing, knitting, croche, embroidery and so on. So I am going to dive in some projects later today were there are some things missing so I can look for it at the fair. I started a quilt called Les Bobbins de Martine with spools. I made all the spools but can't find a sashing that suits. Here is a picture of the original: http://www.quiltmania.com/patchwork/magazine/quilt/article/Les-Bobines-de-Martine/83/913/913.htm

Well, have a great day. I will get into diving into projects!

Barbara