"Bold and almost beautiful"

I already wrote in a previous post about all of mine unfinished projects/ quilts. They are stock away behind closed doors, out of side out of mind? No, not really.
When I think of some of these quilts and on the number of years I’ve been working on them, I get a bit desperate. Will I ever be able to finish even one of them??
It’s about time to do something about it, so I made a schedule. Started with this Quilt.


I've got three of these blocks to go!

It’s an appliqué, all done by hand ( that alone takes time).


back of the quilt

Each week I have to do a certain amount of work on it. And if I do so according to my schedule I will finish this quilt next year September. That’s something to look forward to.
So, I better start working than!!


Old book were I got the pattern from

Travel angels

Since a year or two I made several angels in all kind of colors and with differend type of wings. I used to called them my little angels. But now these angels have a mision, They are travel angels, here is why..
Our son travels in January 2006 (a student then), to Bolivia to do volunteer work at a house for streetchildren. While he was their he stayed with a Bolivian family who welcomed him in their home and in their lives. They treated him as if he was one of the family. He had such a good time over there.
He fell in love with the land, the people and his Bolivian family.
So, when he came home in June it was hard for him to pick up his old life again. He had left a big piece of his hart behind in "Cochabamba", Bolivia.
As his mother, I was happy he was home again, healty and safe. And I had good hope that his desire to go back slowly would fade away as time goes by.
I might have known better! Because, he graduated from school in July, found a job and with his first paycheck he went straight to the travel agency and bought a plane-ticket back to Bolivia.
So no discussion, that was that, he was going and it did'n matter if I liked it or not. Poor, poor me, I had to put away all my worries. It's such a long journey and so far away!
But he was going to a very nice family and I was sure they would look after him.
He packed his suitcase and I put in a couple of angels that I made. I thought they should travel with him as his guardian angels. Over there he could give them away as a little pressent. So of he went (and my angels too).
He had a great time with his Bolivian family and friends.


Now he's back home again, picked up his life and making plans for his future, he is planning on going back to school again in September. He still has frequently contact with his family and friends in
Bolivia. An he has an experience that last a lifetime.
So, that's how these angels become travel angels. They are minimal weight, fit easily in any kind of luggage and are ready to travel.

Notebook cover

We just had the perfect weekend. It's still nice weather, no rain yet, so we have to water the plants on time to prevent them from drying out.
I made this cover for a notebook last saterday, when I was sitting outside enjoying the sun. The little basket with apples are in cross-stitch from a pattern that I found in an old samplerbook. The fabrics that I used are from kaffe fasset. I had some leftovers from an other project. I think the result looks lovely, (though I say so myself).



notebook front




Notebook back

summer feeling

Wow, what a beautiful weather we had last week! And the forecast for next weekend sounds perfect. So, no time for blogging, I'm gonna sit outside with a cold drink and read the new magazines I brought home from the shop. Have a nice weekend too.

Wisteria

I just love it when the wisteria is in bloom!
It's a pity, no birds in the little birdhouse this year.




"April 2007"


"February 2007" What a difference!

felt cakes

Reading other blogs is one of my favourite things to do. Since I discovered them just a few months back, a whole new world is open up for me. Especially the blogs about crafts our such an inspiration. So when I saw some cakes on the turkeys feathers blog, I immediately wanted to make them. Her link to the tutorial on crafster made me very happy. These cute little cakes are the result! I wrapped them up and now they are waiting as a present to give away.
Sssttt, they don’t now yet, but they probably wait forever. I like them too much myself!!

new stockings

Today I went to a fair called "creative above 50". People show their hobby’s and crafts with real enthusiasm. It’s amazing how many different hobby’s are out there, and how creative the people are. I bought these stockings. I can tell that they are knit, but don’t ask me how! But they sure are lovely and warm on my feet.

Be charmed

I started this charm quilt about 10 years ago. I still working on it so now and then. But mostly it lay’s in the closet for months, or even a whole year. It’s not that I don’t like it anymore, but I have so much other projects going on. And I try to use every kind of fabric once. That means I need lots and lots of different scraps of fabric and sometimes I just don’t have enough. If I see a nice fabric I take the scissors and cut a little corner out. So everybody is warned!!
I use fabrics of the same colourrange to make the stars. And use the light fabrics to connect the stars together.



I sew the quilt by hand using backing papers, see photo above. It's real time consuming.


This is the back of the quilt. If everything is sew together I take the papers out.

Another little problem is that I haven't decided yet how exactly the borders should end. Do I use half stars to make it square? Our use a solid colour?



If somebody has any idea how to make an end to this quilt please let my know!

little star

This star is made from the same pattern that I used for the star quilt in my blog's header . It's a keyhanger, and it looks real nice on the cabinet,(we call it servieskast in dutch). The starquilt is not yet finished,(i have a little problem with it!). I talk about that another time. Maybe someone can give me the solution!

new blog header

I believe I'm the only one who visits this blog. That's oké, because I have to admit, it still feels a little bit awkward to have one. I made a picture header on top of my blog, and wow was that a challange. It took me some time but now I know a lot more about html, settings and templates . It's fun to play with, I change colors and fonts again and again to see the effect of it. So don't be surprised if you decide to visit me for a second time, there is a chance that things look differend!!

Unfinished

I have a closet full of unfinished quilts and other projects. I keep them behind doors so I don't have to think of them all the time, and feel quilty!
But once in a (long) while I open the doors, get on my knees and see what's in. I take everything out, one by one, and spread it on the floor. I even come across projects I entirely forgot I once started them.
Usualy this session ends in a big pile on the floor with me sitting in de middle. Than I put everything back in the closet and close the doors.
And all of my unfinished work waits there patient for the next time I bring them a visit.

starquilt in progress

A star is Born

patchwork ster
Originally uploaded by corneliar.

I really like projects that (without putting in much effort) immediately give a nice result. This eight point diamond star seems difficult to make, but it really isn't. For this star I used a pattern that I came across an old Quiltingbook. The technique is simple.

1. sew fabric strips together to make a block.
2. cut eight star points out plastic coated freezer paper.
3. iron the points on the blocks.
4. cut out with seam allowance.
5. sew star points together and "ta da" you got a star!

This is also an excellent way to shrink your scrap pile. There is only one problem, what to make of this block!

I have a blog

tulpen
Originally uploaded by corneliar.

It took me some time to figure it all out. But finally I did it!
It's working, I got my own blog. I hope this is just the beginning of a long journey full of nice crafty things and thoughts to share.