Welcome to my rollercoaster entering the wonder city

This will be my first blog from my new apple computer. A gift from BroertjeB who is in charge of all things with a plug in our house. After he worked on my laptop (his old one) for some reason he felt the need to get me a new one, mainly because he almost fell asleep waiting for it to boot. And as a surprise it was all installed on my desk one day! I am a lucky girl.

An adventure in working on myself I took, taking up jogging pretty seriously at the start of this year, ended up in the orthopedic surgeon's office, listening to him telling me my knee is much too worn for my age and I will need a new one eventually. My challenge is to keep living with this one as long as possible. So, my life has to be adapted to what my knee can do. No jogging for instance, or skiing for that matter... This was a blow in the face for me. So after letting my head hang for a few days I decided to lift my chin and start exercising again, but to do something my knee could take. I'm taking my second spinning class tonight. The first one left me sweating and without breath so much I went straight to the shower and my bed, but it was truly sattisfying.

All this left me little time to sew. But I did finish the second part of the My small world quilt. I started working on the third part two. I love the proces if making a small part from scraps and seeing how a city is evolving onder my hands. The wonder city I call it.

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Storm Signal

The last part of every school year always seems to be a very hectic time for us. Lot's of special programs like museum visits, after school parties, gifts to arrange etc. But also at work you need to finish things before the start of the vacation period. Everything just seems to come to a boil all at once.

So while sewing together some Farmers Wife blocks I realized we are in it again. So for those of you who haven't noticed. This is the Storm Signal. After the storm of course lies a lovely leisurely period to enjoy, so let's keep our chin up and face the storm. And don't forget to enjoy it....

Back to my poor neglected Farmers Wife Blocks. I've made another few. Since I am so close to the finish after literally years of sewing them together I lost my mojo a bit, but it is back!

# 86 Squash blossom

#87 Star Gardener

# 88 Star of Hope

#89 Steps to the Altar

#90 Storm Signal

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Feeding the fabric hunger

I received my mothers day gift! I am so spoiled by my boys. I got to pick out fabrics!

Lots of texty ones of course, but also on the top right an aqua solid for putting my Farmers wife quilt together (hopefully in this decennium). I love picking fabric, so that was part of my gift, spending evenings on my iPad filling my basket and throwing things out again!

Now it's time to sew something with it!

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When I get older, loosing my hair, many years from now

I had a good time with my high school girlfriends. We laughed and had to much wine and laughed some more. We always feel so much younger when we are together. Like we don't have jobs, or kids, or husbands, or families to take care of. The weight of those just fall of my shoulders and I can feel like I am 23 for a night! And we look 23 too, right?

 

See you soon!

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Just Jamming

Not so much sewing here to show you! And not so much blogging either. I lost my discipline on both. But I blame the weather and a busy streak on every front. I will get it together soon (I hope). This Saturday afternoon I desperately longed to be alone with my fabrics and just sew something together. But I gave myself permission to let you all know I didn't fall of the planet first.

I did make something though: Jam. My kids and I joined hands to make two batches. One of sweet strawberry jam (their favorite of course) and some semi sweet strawberry/blueberry jam. See how cute my cooling pots are!

 

For everyone who's thinking this is difficult, it really isn't! It starts with saving jars, but you could buy those too. Just buy (or harvest) 2,5 kg of soft fruit and get some special sugar (in Holland it is called Geleisuiker). Clean and blitz the fruit and add the juice of a lemon and follow the directions on the package of sugar. It takes just a few minutes to cook. Fill the jars with cooking water or put them in the dishwasher and fill them when they are still hot. Put on the lid and let them cool upside down. Nothing to it! You can save the jam for a year in the pantry. After opening you have to keep it in the fridge. That is why I use small jars. 

Broertje B is making labels for them as we speak (which is definitely his department). I want to use them as teachers gifts at the end of the year. Put on a nice bit of strawberry fabric and some Bakers twine and write a nice card to go with it. Maybe something like: It was a sweet year, or: I am actually a sweet boy (sometimes). I'll show you the finished results later on. Now I really need to go sew, I think you will understand....

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It's a small world after all!

I have been sewing. But the pieces of this quilt-along are so tiny! I have just finished the first of 6 parts! I do love the patterns and just figuring out along the way how to make things, what scraps to use, etc. My boys really love I am making a city and they are fighting over who can have the quilt. They have helped me pick fabric and "helped" me sew it together....

The top part was finished earlier and I showed it on instagram. (#mysmallworldqal or #mysmallqal). And to my surprise quiltdad showed it (among many other beauties) on his blog. You can find it here,

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getting stuck - 1718 quilt-along

I've made some more blocks for the 1718 quilt-along. I've finished most of the April blocks. But I seem to get stuck. The assignment for May has (too) many applique blocks I don't feel like making and I do not feel belong in my quilt. For the april assignment I made some alternative blocks too. Some of the applique is just not my style. But in a way that is exactly why I joined. Because I wanted to make my own twist on this beautiful historic quilt and learn to hand applique. So instead of losing the feeling and getting frustrated on this one, I think I am going to take a brake from it, put it all in perspective.

Let's look at some more blocks I made:

My alternative for pattern 28 a partidge was a free style bird

My alternative for patter 40 four tulips

Patterns 29,30, 39 and alternative for pattern 40 a single flower

Another hand appliqued block 1, this time with a simple background.

I'll be back on this, but now I'm hopping over to the quilt-along for Jen Kingwell's My small world quilt along. You can find more info over at verrykerryberry.blogspot.com.Pin It

birthday boy!

My little lion cub turned 5. I know it's cliche, but yesterday he was my sweet natured chubby toddler.... Sigh....

We made some bookmarks to go with his treats as a family effort. I did the cutting, my big boy punched in the names on my sewing machine (which happens to have an alphabet embroidery function on it) and my youngest was lying under my desk to work the pedal. After that they gave up and I finished them up. They are easy to make and quick! You can find a tutorial for them on my blog!

See you soon!

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Blogger's spring quilt festival 2015

I'm joining in the great online exhibition of quilts over on Amy's Creative Side: The Blogger's spring quilt festival 2015. A great opportunity to look at all kinds of lovely quilts and get some inspiration.

I've chosen the xxx baby quilt for my new niece Florine. She asked for a pink and aqua/greenish color scheme. The background is made of low volume fabrics using only white, off white and beige colors to make the x's pop out. 

I started out using only soft pinks, but added some more fuchsias and even some neon to make it more lively. I machine quilted it with some free style curves. In the quitting I als used soft pinks on one side and darker pink on the other half. 

It is backed with a pink alphabet flannel and some melody miller fabric (which is also made out of cross stitches and our last name happens to be bee in dutch) and hardbound with some solid light pink. 

I am entering this quilt in the category: Small quilts, you can find it here. I hope everyone is submitting their beautiful work and that you all browse around to admire our work. 

See you soon!

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bzzzz - bee block update

There's not a lot of updates. I'm not in a lot of bees these days. But I do love sewing with my friends of the comfort circle of do good stitches. This months assignment is a block called Shoo Fly. As you know I love block names and make some blocks just because I love the name of them. I'm curious what this means it should look like though. When I looked it up it seemed to mean rocking chair, or police officer. I don't see either in them. Do you know?

This assignment was by silly banana sewing. She made a tutorial for this block in three sizes on her blog. You can find it here. She asked for solid whites and blue prints. I am of course the queen of blue stash fabrics (I have two stacks of blue as opposed to 1/3 stack of yellow..., I am on a blue fabric buying diet ever since) so I pulled out some lovelies (I think).

I am making some pillows next. See you soon!Pin It

back in time again

I joined the 1718 coverlet quilt-along (more info here) mainly because I had never done hand-applique before and would like to try it. I also have a special place for history in a romantic way. I love to go back in time reading historical novels especially those situated in the UK. I have read almost every Tudor novel there is, for example. As I have told you before I am also a great "Outlander" fan. You can read more about that addiction here. This series is often found in the "science fiction" corner of amazon or the library. which I think is total nonsense. To me these are historical novels too. I especially love watching the TV series of it (which is now airing on the Belgian channel on Friday night) while doing some applique. I am still struggling with it a little, but I am getting the hang of it. Though I try, it is hard to keep up with the tempo of the quilt-along. But I do keep making progress. Let's do some pics.

These are the new hand appliqued blocks:

 

 

And these are machine pieced:

 



I love his design, but it didn't come together at once, I'll tell you that!

I made my own paperpiece pattern for this one!

4 blocks together

 

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The city quilter

This is the first time I visited a quilt shop in New York too. I loved the city quilter. I couldn't resist buying a few things even though my suitcase almost burst on the way back!

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These little town blues, are melting away - 5 tips for a trip to New York

I'll make a brand new start of it, in old New York...

We went (again)! We loved it (again)! And when we will go for the fourth time I hope to be with my boys, to show them everything we love about it! There are of course a thousand books and blogs and what not around for your trip to New York. But I would like to give you five tips for things not a lot of new comers to New York know or do. And they are budget choices too.

Tip 1: Roosevelt Island Tram
Take the Roosevelt Island Tram. It is free if you have a metro card, it is a lovely ride and it gives you a great view of the city! You can find more info here.

 

Tip 2: East River Ferry

Take the metro to the first stop in Brooklyn and walk down to the river. You have a nice park, a lovely ice cream shop and a beautiful view of the bridges. I you are there take the East river ferry uptown and stay on till the last stop. It only costs 4,50 and it is a lovely ride with great views. You can find more info here.

 

 

 

Tip 3: Coney Island

Please take the metro to Coney Island. See the amusement park and the beach. It takes only two tramfares (2,75) and you meet the place where New Yorkers go to relax. It is also a place you have probably seen often on TV (for example on the Sopranos). It has a vintage quality to it and really gives you a sense of the culture and a little time away form the craziness of Manhattan. More info here.

 

 

Tip 4: Go to a game

We went to a Yankee game. We loved it. Not just the game, but the whole experience. Going on a packed train, because everyone is going. Seeing whole families going together, the true fans, the stadium. Having a beer and a hotdog. But I imagine a ballgame, or another game will give a similar experience. Please go! you can book tickets on the internet in advance. We paid only 10 dollars for a ticket. More Info

 

 

Tip 5: Staten Island Ferry

You can take all kinds of expensive boat trips. But the best of all is the free ride on the Staten Island Ferry. You can go up and down all day if you like. It has great views of Lady Liberty, Ellis Island and the skyline! No other boat trips needed. More info.

 

 

But most of all, Go, it's an experience I would wish on everybody.

 

See you soon

 





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Another comfort circle finish!

I finished the broken dishes quilt. And it gets better with every step! I've chosen a simple quilting design following the pattern and not taking the attention away from the fresh and crispy feel this quilt has. Since I donate my quilts to small children I used a happy hippo backing. And I couldn't resist a black and white binding to add to the very graphic design of this quilt. I'm definitely making more of these!

 

 

 

 

Quilt Stats
Measuring: 115cm x 170 cm
Block design: Broken dishes made of solid HST's
Backing: Happy Hippo's (Ikea)
Quilting: Straight lines following the design on my home machine using bright white
Binding: By hand using a black and white stripe

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happy birthday to you!

I've made some birthday presents. They make happy and personal gifts and I enjoy making them with someone special in mind!

My niece wanted a green bag fore her marbles with flowers. This is why I have a big stash (LOL)

 

I also made her a pencil rol with 26 (!) pencils. I should remember I only make these for really sweet nieces, because it's more work than I think every time! I do love the result with the happy matruska's.

 



 

And another one for a birthday party my son went to today, filled with marbles it is a great gift I think! Anything that encourages kids to play outside is really!

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