I'm not one of them!!

This is to end speculations about my being one of the 33 people that got trapped in a Chilean copper mine 2 months ago - I am still here, I swear!
I am just dealing with some major changes in my life and will resume posting as soon as everything's back to 'normal'. :)

In the meantime, I spend my evenings knitting... learned to knit socks, too!
Here's a great & easy baby sock pattern if anyone's interested:

http://www.valleycafe.com/knitting/sock-pattern.html


You're gonna hear from me... ;)

One million pillowcases...

That's the challenge from allpeoplequilt and Craft Hope... donating 1 000 000 pillowcases to charities all over the world.

I'll be sending a couple to Craft Hope member Sylvia, who runs the ConKerrCancer chapter for Europe, in Oxford next week. 

Apart from that, I am getting ready for the hoodie sew-along on Christine's blog... it'll start next Monday. Will be my first time sewing with knits, I am so excited!
Hope it'll work out...

SUMMERTIME!!

We spent a couple of days at the beach... oh, what a joy!

I just love the North Sea. The wind, the mist, the clouds,

the dunes... and the doggie beach! 

It was great fun to watch all these chaps play... so cute! 

I could have spent hours there.

This little fellow was so afraid of the waves coming in, 

but his owner made him retrieve the ball out the water 

over and over... poor little doggie!

And this one, besides from retrieving the ball, 

kept running up and down the beach, 

 continuously barking at the waves... so funny!

This group of Cavaliers really was the number one riot, though! 

In their funny high-pitched voices, they didn't stop barking 

for a second, and were having such a great time with their ball! 

I had a blast watching them!

We rented bikes and cycled around the dunes a lot... 

boy, my backside hurt!

We were really lucky weather-wise, though -
it was perfectly lovely. 

It can be quite a pain at the North Sea at times, 

but we had six days of sunshine this year!

Did some crafting on the beach, too... like here, 

my first attempt at paper piecing!

It was a lot easier and faster than I had expected.

Just a shame I didn't bring enough different fabrics

to finish the hexagon flower... *sigh* 

 

Wanted to finish binding the Echino quilt so 

I could take some pictures.

But I was so excited to try the hexagons 

I didn't get around to it.

Took some pictures nonetheless.

We really had some fun couple of days.

Thanks in part to him, who run our very dog-friendly hotel.

He never introduced himself to us, but I like to think 

of him as Boris - it would suit him!

Thanks for the great stay, Boris!

 

See you next year... on the beach!

So little time!

I have several different projects I want to get done over the next few weeks, and there's these two right at the very top of my list:

1. hand quilt Fritzen's new mini quilt, finally using my quilting hoop (that I got a year ago) for the first time!

2. paper piece some hexagon potholders (scroll down a bit for pictures).

I often think I should give hand sewing/quilting a second try. It's a great thing to do on the bus, or while waiting at the doctor's... Occasions I used to take a knitting project along to, but I just don't have one ongoing at the moment, and I don't feel like starting a new one.

I decided not to use the Hope Valley flying geese top for Fritz' new mini quilt...

...it had too many serious flaws (it really looks like I pieced it while sleepwalking, or after I poured down a couple of pints!) that would have made it even more difficult for me to hand quilt it (zero experience in hand quilting).

So I thought I would make a string quilt with some fun Sis Boom fabrics... and I am glad I went for those, it is so cheerful and wild, just like Fritz himself. He has shown himself to be a big Sis Boom fan anyway, so I am pretty sure he will love it!

Wasn't sure what fabric to use for the backing, so juggling around with my stack of Sis Boom this here evolved... and I love love love it!

The simple square pattern makes these wild and colourful designs work so wonderfully together, I think it looks just gorgeous! I said it before, I guess, but I just need to say again how much I love the zebra fabric! It adds so much fun to whatever project, and this vivid kitschy floral is just the perfect match!

I will definately need to make another project with these paired together, maybe even a larger quilt!
With this quilt the back is the real eyecatcher!

Yes, Michel, I do take the hint - you're tired of your old boring kitty quilt and want a mod one just like this! I'll see what I can do, sweetie.

Apart from that, I still need to bind the new Echino quilt... so many projects, so little time!

Almost finished!

Finished the Echino quilt today... that is, almost. The binding's not yet sewn, just pinned, but hey... it feels as if it was finished!
Love these crib size quilts for the instant gratification they provide!

And of course, like all quilts I make (with one exception, because that one moved to Hawaii), this one now belongs to Fritz.

More (and hopefully better) pictures to follow!
Good night!

Dreaming of Heather Ross...

The Echino quilt top is done. Now on to the back!

I'ts only a crib size, so that one was really fast.

Just preshrunk the batting (will be using Moda's "Luna" quilt batting "Soy Soft", which is a blend of soy and organic cotton, for the first time - can't wait to try this out), and realized I haven't prewashed the backing fabric yet, so layering the quilt will have to wait until tomorrow evening.
Don't particularly enjoy this part anyway, it kills my back.

Very happy with the colours.

So glad I stocked up on the Echino stripes... all out of print!

I have to confess I dreamed of Heather Ross ALL NIGHT last night.
Well, not actually of Heather Ross as a person, but of her new Far Far Away II line for Kokka... now how sad is that? Ha!

I ordered some of this superprecious fabric yesterday, and am so excited to get my hands on it!
Never been a huge fan of Heather Ross, but this really grew on me. Actually, I seem to like all her designs lately... unfortunately, she always sells out like crazy.

Oh, Far Far Away II! I hope you get here FAST!!! Already have a quilt pattern for you in mind.

New Echino quilt project and kitty mini quilt.

Voilà the colour palette for my new quilt:

I have been thinking about this project for a couple of weeks now...  started some drawings and calculations on the weekend, and today I finally got around to cutting and sewing the first four blocks.

Great fun so far! Love all the colours together... inspired by one of Ashley's quilts, from filminthefridge.

Particularly like the quilty bee... though it's probably a wasp, at least that's what the fabric's called.

Etsuko Furuya's designs are so much fun!
I am glad I collected so many different ones over the years... since the prettiest have long sold out.

Fritzen's mini quilt's top is also finished... though I made some major mistakes here, and there is no way I will be able to hide them.

Oh well, Fritzle won't mind. It will sure be prettier than his old hairy carpet.