Is there anybody going to listen to my story

All about the girl who came to stay...

I'm a song thinker. Remember Ally McBeal who had a song for every occasion in her head? And could sing out loud without anyone thinking she was crazy. I'm like her in that way (not the 50kg or even less way). Because my parents loved the Beatles so, very often the theme song in my head is a Beatles one. And since my parents anniversary party is this afternoon and we're going to sing a homemade Beatles medley for them, I've been singing Beatles all day. Up to a point when even my kids were sick of me (-; And they love singing.

I was singing all yesterday evening too, until 01:00 sewing away on my present for them. This time I did start a few weeks ago, but life got in the way, so I had two blocks yesterday and now its a watchamacallit. (googleing) Table Runner I think. I never made one before. I don't own one even. But I think my mom, who asked me to make a tree-skirt (which I will probably never own either), will like it and see the use in it. If she doesn't she can do what she does like with it. It's the thought that counts.

I made three blocks with very good 40th wedding anniversary names (as you all know by now I'm a sucker for block names): The love knot, wedding ring and steps tot the altar. I chose a color combo I think blends in with my mom's living room. And I am pretty happy with the result! I added a beige border and chose to keep the binding in the same color. That's a first too and I think I like the effect. All your attention goes to the center. I machine bound it using an applique stitch to stitch it down on the front with a matching thread. That turned out quite good!

Steps to the altar

Wedding ring

Love knot

Pretty fancy right? I machine quilted it, but not to much. I didn't want it to be all stiff. Just following some straight lines, using the beige from the border. I love how this wasn't planned. I just started making a block, making another, thinking up the idea of a table runner, making another, choosing a border, etc. Just design as you go so to speak. 

The Boys are also being very creative for their grandparents

So let's dress up, pack up and go to the party!
See you soon!

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Granny's front porch

Another block name to love. This pattern was made by Canoe Ridge Creations. And I chose it for my month in the comfort circle over at do good stitches. A lot of blocks together will make a whole new pattern. I asked my beemates to make the blocks in pink, red orange or yellow with a neutralish background! I'm curious what will turn up in my mailbox next month!

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buckeye beauty's

If you come here more often you know I'm a sucker for quilt block names. I was intrigued by the name buckeye beauty, I guessed around what it would be, it sounds so american to me. I found out it is a butterfly. Linda of the creative quiltblock bee asked to make one for her. She asked for a traditional colorful feel. Even though, as many of you know, I have many many fabrics. I own very little traditional ones. But if you use some fabrics in different combinations than you would normally do, you get a more traditionalish feel. At least, I think my blocks blend in well enough like this.
Though I like that it looks nice for Linda, this is a "so not me" quilt. But that's the nice thing about joining a bee, you make things you never dreamed you would ever make. It changes your take on things, you have to get over your thresholds and consider new blocks, colors and combo's. I like doing it every time!

I made 2 to help out one of the bee members who isn't feeling well and got a little behind.
The block was easy to make and I am wondering how it would look if you would have used all sollids. Or if you would have chosen a few fabrics to use through all the blocks, you can lay out some interesting patterns with them. You can find the tutorial here if you like to make one. For now they are of to the provence to be completed by Corrine Louise.

See you soon!

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Fabric shopping update

I told you before, shopping fabric in the netherlands is not so easy. I used to order some in the states but the postal rates went up again and I had to pay taxes some time too. So I looked around in england, the rest of europe and japan for alternatives. I have some good ones on my shopping tab. I discovered a new one though in japan where shipping is free when you order more than 50 euro's! www.modes4u.com It takes some time to get here, but if you're not in a hurry... They don't carry all the lines, but they do have lot's of nice fabrics. And I was hunting for the new neon line by michale miller. A triangle quilt has been bubbling in my mind using lots of greys and neutrals and some flashy neons. What can I say I am a child of the eighties! I couldn't resist some texty fabrics, some stripes (lovely for any binding) and some little boys fabric!

See you soon!

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Hexing around

I have been working a lot and sewing very little these days. But yesterday evening I did add lots of new hexies to my stash. After three years of hexing I really needed to replace some papers, because they became to battered to work with. So I bought a hundred new papers and added the fabric to them last night with the supereasy glue method. I love the sight of piles of scrappy hexies, can't get enough of them!

I am getting somewhere with it after a few years of holiday and some couch sewing! I'm up to speed for my deadline, which is our retirement party.
So I can go at it tonight watching some new Scandal episodes, you gotta love those!
Wanna try doing some hexies. I have the link to a post explaining how in my sidebar!

See you soon!


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Feeling versatile

I made some "broken dishes" blocks for the may month of the Comfort circle (do good stitches), using this tutorial.  It's a really traditional block and easy to make.

The basis of this block, of many many blocks actually are HST's, Half Square Triangles.
To make them you basically cut 2 contrasting squares, lay them on top of each other, right sides facing each other. Take a pen and a ruler and draw a diagonal line with a pen. Then just sew two lines 1/4 inch form the line you drew.

Cut on the drawn line and voila. You have a square made of  two triangles. I'm always amazed as to what you can make of them using different layouts. Just some examples:

The possibilities are endless!




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e-reading away

I never thought I would give in. I love real books, I love bookcases full of them, the smell of them, the feel. Old ones, new ones, paperbacks, hardcovers. But I did cave. It's all the practical me that caved, none of the romantic me that should have been born as Elizabeth Bennet, walking in the english countryside, book in hand. But what can I say, it's light, fits your handbag easily, easy when reading in bed, on a holiday you can bring your whole bookcollection and more, so you can always choose what you're into in the moment. I can decide I want a book tonight and have it the same night. My bookshelves are already bending through and saying, please don't buy another. I still do sometimes; copies of the books I love to death. But mostly my e-reader is attached to my hand in my spare spare time, when of course not sewing.

I made a case before. Even made a tutorial for it and used one of my favourite melody miller fabrics. But I lost it somehow. So I needed a new one. I'm still hoping I will find my old one, so I made a different one, envelope style. I roughly used this tutorial, though the size is different of course. And I made the outside with the scrappy quilt as you go approach I picked up. You can find a description on  her site. I love it!

see you soon!

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Merry go round

I love making the round robins. I can't explain, but to make a block fore someone is nice. But to have something someone made in front of you and adding to it, gives it just a bit extra for me. This one is for my virtual friend Dutchcomfort. She has added something beautiful to almost all the round robins in the double dutch club. She makes things meticulously and added borders with lots of work in them. And for those who know me a little, ahum, I try, but.... neatness or to much fuss is not my middle name. So, I  did really made an effort this time! Hope you like it Nicolette. The before picture is here.

I think (haven't checked yet) she used the left over triangles from the x&+ blocks we made for here in the Comfort circle. I had saved those scraps too. She made little windmills (pinwheels is the real name I think) out of them. And this I think, shows the versatility of the HST (Half Square Triangle). I used the same triangles in a whole different way in my border. I'm beginning to get more used to using dark greys and blacks in quilts. I especially love the dark border she added here! I fussy cut the little butterflies in the corners and I really love the result. But I have to say goodbye to it, someone else will make another border.. That's the merry go round life of a round robin. Off you go...

See you soon!

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I'm leaving on a jetplane

Don't know when I'll be back again! I finally finished the top for the do good stitches Care circle. I joined in january, but after two months there was a big shift in do good stitches to make the groups more "local". I'm now in the comfort circle with only european members. But I was quilter in the Care circle and in my month I asked for airplane blocks. (tutorial by badskirt). I asked everyone to approach the block and the instructions freely, make big planes, small planes, make them take off, do what you like with them, just let them be planes. So I got all kinds of lovely planes (mostly from australia!). I love the creaivity that everyone put in it. There's one with kite fabric, one with hot air balloons, one with clouds, etc. 

The last one arrived a few weeks ago. I didn't have much sewing time, this is excuse number one, but I had no idea how to put them together either. After lots of ideas, I decided I didn't want a traditional sampler lay out. So I bordered all the blocks and after that cut them up "wonky" to look like they are taking off or moving in the skies. The finished blocks became 14 inch square. I'm pretty happy with the result. It's really playfull and full of movement. It is of course meant for a little boy who needs a little comfort and a little cheerfullness.
After I finish it I will send it to Jopie's Dromenquilts. 

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