Once in a year moment of fame

I bet we all have one...
A quilt, a knitting, crochet or other project
that you never seem to finish..ever!
You didn't figure out exactly how or what...
and it's hard to bring up the energie to even get you started.But you want to get it finished because you love this project and think of all the hours you spent already. Does this sound familiar??Well, see here....here is mine.


This star charmquilt is paperpieced and not one piece of fabric is the same. I blogged about it before here.



This is the back of the quilt. And you can see by the wide seam allowences, i wasn't that accurate on measuring.
Just think this thickness will give this quilt extra comfort.



I use xray material for my starpoint model. Like paterno it keeps its original shape even after its used a thousand times.
And I use wallpaper for draw/cut each individual starpoint.



I wasn't sure about the border But I think I'll do it this way.Found this picture in a magazine.


For each star I like to match fabric of the same color.


So this was it, the once in a year moment of fame this quilt gets to see day light.One last picture before it goes back in the box.



So now I showed you mine.. will you share yours?
Please do...I would love, love to see your once in a year moments of fame!

A contest, a box and another log cabin

When I got the quilting gallery newsletter from Michele,  
I read about the Holiday Traditions Quilt Contest. I love to enter this contest but to make a quilt on such short notice!?? Still working on the fall quilt.



But then it came to me. I have a quilttop, almost done, hidden somewhere.
This will be a perfect opportunity to finaly get this one finished.
So I took a dive into the cupboard and found this box



Bits and pieces Christmas fabric, most are from the the eighties and nineties.
Probably also the last time this box was opened.



Here's after I neatly folded the fabric swatches.
Isn't that a lovely pile?



Here is the quilttop. It's a log cabin (again). I stitched the stripes on a background for this one. It needs borders, a back and quilting.
Final submissions to enter the contest is December 7, 2009



I think best thing is to use the machine for quilting.
So I can hopefully finish just in time.
Keep my fingers crossed!

a new "what's in the box"

Boy, it's hard to believe... November already, time past by fast....to fast! Again time to show some pretty drawings from the calendar by Lot van den Akker.And besides these drawings, so sweet don't you think, I have no other subject for this post....




So lets do another "what's in the box".
a) Because I don't have anything else to show here and
b) because I have many, I mean many boxes stuffed with WIP's. Lifting the lid once in a while reminds me there's still work waiting! Big question to myself; why always start new projects???



But I must be honest with you The contents of this box is not mine.
It's not my WIP. It's mom's. It ended up in my craftsroom because mom didn't felt like finish it anymore. I said maybe I would but I'm not sure.



When finished it should look something like this.
Sorry for the blurry picture, it was taken from another picture.



The different shapes and figures are glued to the background fabric by using double Sided iron on stabilizer. And then sew buttonhole stitches all around.I love mom's color choices
 It realy looks lovely and it would probably be a lovely work to do also,but you know how things work with WIP's.Usualy they sit for a long time in a dark box are a closetwaiting for someone who comes along and kindly helps them to a good ending.Today it's just not this wip's time.
 So the lid is back on, the box is closed. Maybe this wip has more luck next time!

what's in the box

I found an old project that was hidden in a box



It's a beginning off a quilt I made from a picture I saw in the book below.



It's a variation off the snowball quilt and it's great to use scraps in.
I was planning on making it a large quilt for a double bed. I always start new projects with great enthousasme but usually that enthusiastic feeling fades away quickly.
So today Thinking on all the work that still needs to be done, UGH!!... it just gives me a headache!
I need a new plan!



Well, that was simple just making a dolls quilt instead!



Next dilemma, quilt by hand or machine? What kind off yarn do I use for machine quilting?
Would anyone like to offer some opinions or advice? It is always welcome!

What's in the box (five)

I've got an urge to finish some of the unfinished things hanging around my craftsroom. The logcabin quilt, the knitted blanket in progress, the embroidery works, the applique quilt......I can go on and on! And not to forget..the secret santa christmas swap project!! I think it's best to finish of my SSCS project first so I can send it of to my parner on time! Sorry, but I can't reveal that much of it here because its secret!! So instead I will open a box for you.


In this box I keep selfmade crafted ornaments for in the christmas tree.



I personal like the little angel and the embroidery heart with all the buttons on.



And of course my cat!



I was so proud of my little cat until my friend said; "oo.. what a lovely RABBIT"!! It's a CAT, a cat with big ears!! So what!!

sewing necessities box

A few years ago, I made this box at a workshop. It's made from cardboard and fabric. At that time everyone was making boxes for all kind of purposes. This one is a sewing necessities box.



See the inside It has a little holder for spools. And a wooden spool with a magnet attached on it for holding needles.



Do you see the little doll... she has a ribbon around her waist with on the other end a small pair of scissors. I can hang her around my neck when I'm sewing. The dolls dress can be used as a pincushion.



Here a photo of what's becoming a small sewing necessities bag. Is this the right word for it?? The little bag is for holding the spools etc.



I managed to do some shopping last week. One of my favorite things to do, as you now know from my previos post!
This is what I bought. Lovely Dutch folklore fabric and some ribbon!

what's in the box.. (two)

Another week past by. This week was one of working nights and sleeping at daytime. When I work nights I never have much energie or time to do anything creative. It Feels a bit like being a mole! Almost no social life either!
I do like working nights though, it's quiet and I can follow my own routine.
And if there is time left, I do some knitting. Or my other favorite; glance through magazines and cut out 'clippings'.


I cut out clippings of pictures, patterns and other things I find interesting. I collect them in a box and when the box is full I sort the clippings out and put them in binders. This way I have my own books of inspiration!





Oh, and my knitted blanket is still growing!



ps; I've been terribly behind in answering my emails. So if you haven't received a reply from me.....I'm not ignoring you! I'll open my mailbox tomorrow and start answering, that's a promise!!

what's in the box?

A few posts back I showed you a box with it's contents, a "work in progress". I don't know if I told you, but I have many, I mean many boxes stuffed with WIP's. So I thought to bring in a new item on this blog called; "what's in the box".
Today box 2.

In it are two little embroidery works on linen. I bought the patterns in a shop in Antwerp (Belgium). A very beautiful shop that we had discovered on one of our shopping days. Sadly, the shop was gone the next time we visited Antwerp!
Full enthusiasm I started stitching until one day this little project wasn't in my head anymore!
Knowing me, I probably started something new, leaving this project in the box, forgotten!


This is the reason why I started this adorable embroidery pattern; the clothesline with all the quilts hanging on it! Isn't it lovely? A nice little cottage, Amish people picking blueberries....



My mother-in-law started to work on this pattern in the same period. I gave it to her as a present. But when she finished it, she gave it back to me so that I could hang the two of them together.
I feel ashamed for the fact that it's ten years (or more?) later and they still are in the box!
So I made a promise to myself, to have this finished and framed in the next month.
Hope I can keep that promise!

Note: I found this link on the internet with the original photo of the blueberry homecoming pattern. I changed the words into an alphabet.

blog block

Last week was a non creative one. I didn't do any sewing, knitting, stitching, no... nothing at all.
Though I was busy allright! I had my work outside the house, son's birthday, school (which I started last monday) and some household duties. And now I'm stuck here suffering a bit from blogblock. Don't have anything new to share!

So time to take the lid of the box and show you an (very) old w.i.p



It's an embroidery pattern from germany called "der haustierbaum". I think the correct english translation is: the animals tree.





My embroidery work so far....



I use Schürer embroidery floss for this project. The shops don't sell that brand anymore so I use whatever there is left in the box, and that's enough to get my going for some time!



The only thing I have to do is find some time!!