Threads and Thoughts

A bit of everything

2012-04-24T12:42:00.000+02:00

Way too long ago again since I wrote something in this blog!
I have done bits and pieces of everything, designing stuff, reading quiltbooks. And playing way too much on the I-pad!
My scraphouses don't go quick. 12 of them are almost done, I have 4 more envelopes with the fabric sorted, the weeks that I still have to stich. Today is my last day at work and then I have 8 days off, so probably I will have some more houses done.
I finished a second block of my red top, so 10% done. I plan a third one during the next days.
Also in the planning is the fishesquilt, the borders have to be on it and the appliquations have to find its place.
There is also the event in Veldhoven where I want to do a lot of seeing, making pictures and of course, shopping! I already made a list of 'musts' and 'maybes'.
My oldes grandson had his Confirmation last sunday. As you can see he is not a little boy anymore. He has become a fine lad and a big animal lover. As you can see he is big friends with one of their cats, an old and skinny Poessie (which means Kitty) and his Danish dog Jeffke (little? Jeff) He has a hint of colour above his upper lip and his voice is breaking. Now the 'fun'time of puberty can come along. Fortunately I can cuddle his two brothers to death :-)))
We had a family gathering and a lot of fun. Next year it's his brother's turn and also my dad's 80th birthday, more festivities to plan!

Houses and cushions

2012-02-08T23:11:00.002+01:00

I've decided to make 52 little houses from scraps, one for each week of the year. I'm busy stitching the 6th this week, so a picture of the 5 already done is at it's place here. I chose the fabric for the sashings and I think it comes out very nice.

My grandsons 'ordered' a cushion for Christmas. They chose the figures from fatcatpatterns. The little one wanted a car as he is mad about them, it had to be yellow as it is his favourite colour. The middle one chose the fabric and the gecko. He already ordered a gecko quilt! And the oldest one is crazy about dinosaurs since he was a little kid, so the chart was chosen quicxkly. They all were very happy with their cushion.

I want to make a quilt for myself in red, my favourite colour. I made the first block, itis in combination with white and black. I'll need to make many more blocks, but it looks so nice that I think that won't be a problem.

Then there is the alphabet. I started it long ago and it had to be ready when the oldest one went to first class. In two years the little one will be in first class, ready to read and write, so my daughter suggested that it would be time to finish it by then :-)

The last picture is from the latest workshop, it will be a map to put blocks in the making and ready made in it. You never can guess what my favourite animal is... The red fabric is a fairy favor from an American Yahoo pal and it is so nice in combination with the catfabric. I will show more of it when it is finished.

Scrap home

2012-01-05T15:49:00.004+01:00

Here they are, the first houses from scraps, they are so nice to make and the best part, you can use the tiniest scraps for it!

I want to make some more befor I decide what fabric I want to use for the sashings.

And now, while enduring the stormy weather, I will pick up some scraps and ...

Back again!

2011-12-17T11:50:00.004+01:00

Yes, it's too long ago since I blogged, no time (who can sell me a bottle of it?), too tired, a million other reasons...

But I'm back.

I already made a resolution for next year! Jeanneke has come with a challenge. To make a little house of scraps every day. I'm sure to have no time for 366 houses (next year being a leap year), but at least one a month. On the 15th she sent out the chart and I must say, my fingers are itching, I already searched through my scraps!

I did an appliqué course, the first two "homeworks" ar done. I'm rather pleased with them.

I worked on the fishes top for my oldest grandson. The cushion top of a dino is ready to quilt, the cushion top of a gecko is almost ready to quilt and I will have to do another one with a truck. The three of them will have to be ready for Christmas. Fortunately I had some holidays left, so I have the next week off to finish them in time. The fishes quilt has to be ready for the 15th of April, as a gift for my oldest grandsons Holy communion.

I also begged for selvedges with my teacher and did a little stitching with them, such a nice thing to do. There will be more added in the future. And I hope to make some more hexagons too next year.

I will have to start on another quilt, this time for my second grandson, he has his Commuinon in 2013 and he wants a gecko quilt to go along with his cushion. I have the fabric for a Halloween quilt for my daughter, to give her on one of her birthdays in the future. I also have the fabic for a red/white/black quilt for myself. So plenty to do, besides that there are the regular questions for siggies.

Meanwhile, if I don't come back before the 25th: a Merry Christmas to all of you!

Summerholidays

2011-07-29T19:01:00.004+02:00

July is almost gone and no entry in this blog. What have I been up lately?

Much walking with my dog and my grandsons in the nature reserve nearby. They have summer holidays now and love it to bits.

I did a workshop in dry needle etching and made something out of the picture which I took from them. It was a three day workshop an I had a lot of fun.

I went on a daytrip to Zeeland in the Netherlands with a friend. We did a museum about fruit and there was a exhibition from fruit themed quilts, very nice. After a nice cup of cappucino and a piece of apple cake, we went on and visited the quiltshops in the neigbourhood. I came home with nice fabric for my appliqué course in September, some other irresistable fabric, some charts and some quilt kits.

This log cabin chicken is one of them. There was enough fabric in the kit, fortunately, because my youngest grandson is on the run with it already!

Show & tell

2011-06-26T13:43:00.004+02:00

I didn't maka many pictures of the show & tell on friday, the few nI publish here.

Such an event makes you eager to finish things and gives so much ideas!

Finished!

2011-06-25T11:11:00.002+02:00

I did finish my two little projects in time for the show&tell yesterday. I'm very pleased with them. And fellow stitchers thought they were lovely too.

So up to the next project, which is the fishes quilt for my grandson Stein.

Progresses on appliqué

2011-06-18T18:45:00.002+02:00

The first picture isn't appliqué, of course. It's another contribition to the Regenboogkussens. The lady for which the cushioncover is intended, likes the sea very much. As I like lighthouses a lot (what a surprise, lol) I couldn't resist to stitch one for her.

A dear friend of mine loves cats very much (a lot of needle artists do!) and she has her 55th birthday this year, so I wanted to bring my new skill in practice. She has a grey and a ginger cat, so I appliquéd them, I used the free charts of fatcatpatterns for it, trying to addapt the character of the cats a bit. I still have to quilt it, this will be a work for tomorrow.

The hearts, made in the workshop are quilted already and lying in a big tub to rince. Tomorrow I will set it to dry and I hope to put the final binding on monday or tuesday. There are some mistakes in it, but nobody is perfect from the first attempt and as long as I'm pleased with it, its OK, isn't it?

I hope to finish the cats too. On friday, we have the annual Show & tell of Calico House and I want to show my first ever finished projects in quilting there. It's been a nice ature, all these courses, but they are well worth it.

Lighthouses

2011-05-04T10:24:00.002+02:00

A while ago, I decided to go to the frame shop and let some of my stitched lighthouses framed. They are proudly hanging on the wall, but haven't been photographed yet. So by this ...

There are some more in the closet to be framed and some are WIP's and UFO's and some unpacked... And some in my head for appliqué :-) !

Appliqué

2011-05-02T18:16:00.003+02:00

The workshop of saturday was a big success for me. I enjoyed myself so much!

Not all shapes are round enough, but I'm sure I will practice the techniques a lot. This was a basic workshop with traditional application. In the fall, ther will be a longer course and I'm sure I will go to it, my heart is captured by it.

Now I have to think how I will finish it, I'm thinking of some enbroidery to complete it and then make it into a little wallhanging.

But first I will go with a bunch of ladies to the European quilting championships in Veldhoven on friday www.oecq.eu I wonder with what treasures I will come home. Of course my camera is an absolute must that day!

SAL's and finishes

2011-04-28T21:01:00.004+02:00

The snowman is finished, I cut the fabric too short, so I had to modify the snowman, he is 40 rows shorter than in the chart. I don't think he is out of proportions, though.

The cushioncover of the sunflowers is ready, I think it came out beutiful. Those Regenboog cushions are so nice to give to people who need them.

The first part of the two banners are ready, except for the backstitch. The first one is a mystery Christmas banner, the second is a chart called 'our readingroom'.

I also finished the Lizzie Kate chart for this month.

So all of my cross stitch projects are finished, nothing done though on patchwork or quilting. On saturday is the appliqué workshop, if will involve hearts, I'm looking forward to it. It is a short one with the very basics, but knowing the teacher it will be tough enough to tackle.

Finishes

2011-04-08T14:31:00.003+02:00

Two finishes to show this time. First there is the kit 'Kites' from Michael Powell. The cross stitching is done, the Kite buttons are temporarily atatched for the picture. I'm going to search through my fabrics for a nice one to match with the stitching, so it will be a sunny wallhanging above my desk.

The second one is a sunflower, for the Regenboogkussens charity. The receiver of the cushion has the same type of cancer as my late hubby, I just had to stitch my part of it.

The snowman of the SAL I love snowmen is nearly finished. So I will have time to start to stitch on the next ones, there are two banners waiting and the 2nd part of the Lizzy Kate SAL.

End of the month is my appliqué workshop, I'm looking forward to it.

And I'm doing 4 aquarel workshops this month. They are subsidized by our local government and really fun t do. The teacher gives us free hand and all the advice we want. I hope to place some pics the next time.

The weather is sunny and warm lately, tomorrow is another day to rince fabric, yippee!!!

2011-03-16T10:12:00.002+01:00

Another Lizzie Kate SAL is going on at the Cross Stitch Lovers Yahoo group. As it is one of my favourite designers, I jumped it. There will be one design in a month, so not too much pressure. The first one is a very nice one, I definitely will frame it to remember me if I work too hard, LOL!

The cushioncover for the little boy for which I stitched the Lego logo is finished. As always it came out ver well. Regenboogkussens is such a good cause!

I stitched some more pincushions, the come so quickly and it is so nice to finish a project. Perfectly for having a good feeling about your work.

And the fishes quilt is going again too. I finished the 4th one and stitched them all together, now 6 more fishes to go, but I'm sure they will come along well.

The quilt course is finished, but I didn't finish the piece yet. I will have to do more about it the coming weeks.

Stitching is fun again!

2011-02-18T13:08:00.004+01:00

It's a while ago since I blogged, not much stitched neither.

I started going through the clothes of DH, thought I could start to do some of them to a charity organisation. And there was the pain again, unexpected and very hard. I'm going to see a psychologist next week, I think I'm not ready to cope with it myself alone.

My stitching was reduced to almost nothing.

First there is a pic of my youngest grandson, it's Carnival in his school and he will go dressed as Mega Toby, a character that is hughly popular in Flanders. I hope he will be able to go to school next week as he is with me, sick with chicken-pox, at the moment he has very few dots and isn't too itchy.

I did purchase various templates, I did some diamonds and made a pincushion from them. The backside colours are the opposite of the frontside coloursand also the button is white at the other side too. I'm pleased with it. Now I want to make a cathedral window pincushion.

I didn't make a single stitch on my quilting project for the course, so nothing to let see for the teacher!

The lego logo was stiched for the Regenboogkussens, for a little boy.

The heart was made for a Valentine exchange. I love the paper piecing technique, so I made it this way. I received a beautiful cross stitched heart in exchange.

I did some more hexagons flowers, want to stitch them onto the previous ones to make the piece a little bigger. This is therapeutic stitching for me.

I hope to blog more often again in the future, the sun was out this week and I felt it did so much good for all people, the mood seemed to change from one moment to the other. So hurry Spring!

Pics

2010-12-28T12:43:00.004+01:00

Lots of pics to show, it's a while ago since I blogged, times were hard, missing DH so much during these days.

The first pic is of the Christmas table, DD and her family came on Christmasday. Nothing special for food, but a festive table is always something nice to sit on. In the back you can see my youngest grandson has had a creative moment with the wallpaper. Christmas was quiet as will be the end of the year.

The second pic is my first attempt to snowpaint (a colander in a bucket, fabric in the colander, a big pile of snow on the fabric and paint on top of it, waiting for the snow to melt, drying and ironing the fabric to fixate the paint and a lot of rincing). As there was a big pile of snow and I had an old bedsheet, I tried to make some 'personalised' fabric. You can't see it very well in the pics, the blue/green/yellow fabric is the best, the red/orange/yellow was the first attempt and is less interesting. I used ordinary acrylic paint, which I use for my paintings, I should go search on the internet what paint is right for it.

The little turtle is filled with cherrypits, it can go into the microwave and the warmth is so lovely for little pains.

I did some work on the hexagons, have another pile waiting to join these ones. And a lot of little pieces of fabric to make into new flowers.

Stein has a second fish for his quilttop, the third one, a red fish, is in the making.

I also managed to finish the Lizzie Kate SAL, I want to make ornaments from them, so I can exchange them each month.

These last days of the year will be spent quilting, I'm way behind with my homework!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T09:44:00.000+01:00

A merry Christmas to all of you!

Lots of pictures

2010-10-17T15:33:00.004+02:00

The first pic is of my family. In front are my parents with all their offspring and in-laws. It was taken on the remembrance party for my late husband. Some of them are not on the pic, other commitments...

Then there is the start of the second fish, a green one this time.

I finished the first green block of the top we started in our patchwork course. The pic is how it is now (still have to press the seams and stitch the row together).

The 3 next parts of the Lizzy Kate SAL are done, 3 to go and it will be finished.

I started 2 other SAL's on another group, I just became member of it. The first is a series of Christmas socks. The first one has a Santa in it. Then there is the snowman bookmark, of which I stitched 2 parts already.

The crazy chick I stitched on a workshop in De Banier, the shop of the Chiro, a Belgium kind of scouting. I did another workshop for cherrypitcushions, but I haven't finished it yet.

The quaker halloween design is of Sanman, something different as tje usual designs.

And the cushion of Regenboogkussens where I stitched the 3 victorian kids is ready, another person happy with the thought that people care.

I won't be able tot stich much the next weeks, my daughter's collegue has become mum to Emma. The daycarecenter is run by the two of them, so In kept my holidays until now. So I will be in the middle of 14 screaming, drooling, pooping babies. And roll into my bed after an 11 hour workday!

On monday I will be having a day of as my quilting course starts at the Calico House in Antwerp. I feel my fingers itching already.

Fishes

2010-10-03T19:29:00.003+02:00

I did talk about the quilt with fishes I have been ordered by my oldest grandson. The picture is from the book where I found the design. I chose other fabric for it, not plain fabrics but ones with motifs. Today I finished the first fish, I think it looks well. Not all corners are as I wish for, but as a novice, I think I did the best I could.

Tomorrow evening is my second bee, I'm lloking forward to it, don't know yet what I will take with me, this one or the one that we started in the patchwork course (and which still isn't finished, although I did some work on it).

This month I also will start with the quilting course, I'm looking forward to it.

My late hubby's birthday was last week, the first one after his passing, it went well that day. On saturday we had a little party on his behalf, my family was there and some good friends. I had a good time and many happy memories were told. This month is the first anniversary of his passing.

Award

2010-09-24T10:06:00.003+02:00

I got this award from Yvonne, just have to write about 7 things I didn't write yet on this blog.
So here I go:
1) I had cats always since I left my parents home. I love ginger cats and had a couple of them. They always had the same name: Pallieter. It is a name of a character in a book of a Flemish author, Felix Timmermans. The character enjoys life as it comes in the rural landscape where he lives. My other cats had unusual names always, currently I have Wellington and Nessie. Before there were Napoleon, Tobias, Loebas, Dikkie Dik.
2) I always manage to cut my fingers using a knife or scissors. I even did it ones while just putting butter on a slice of bread. I was forbidden by DH to even touch the cook's knives in the kitchen.
3) I started Tai Chi lessons 2 weeks ago. It is very intensive, but at least I can relax a bit now. And I hope it can help a bit for my health
4) I still work for the same employer where I started when I left school.
5) I have a little pub in the back of my garden where DH could enjoy the last months of his life. There is beer and a lot of whisky. The only thing about it is: I don't drink alcohol!
6) I attended art academy for a couple of years. I wanted to learn drawing and painting. It was not a big succes as we were pushed in a certain direction, could not decide what we really wanted and the basics of drawing weren't thaught properly. I haven't touched paper and pencil since DH died, maybe in the future?
7) I have about 50 penfriends all over the world. We just talk about daily life, what we read, about the kids, what weather it is, it's so nice to find friendly post in your mailbox!

Now I have to forward this award to two other people. Here they come: Gerda and Chantal

from summer to autumn

2010-09-07T12:13:00.002+02:00

Another picture of my three rascals, I can't get enough of those momentos, every picture taken of them is perfect (says proud gran). School has restarted, Jelle goes to school for whole days this year, he likes to eat his sandwiches at school, but is very tired in the evening. Stein has French lessons for the first time, his dyslexia is playing, but he is very persistant and will make it. Robbe is his usual self, an unworried child, I hope it will end well this schoolyear.

June is the 6th part of the Lizzy Kate SAL, I am busy stitching August at the moment, friday the next part is already coming my way.

The All our Yesterdays kids are for a Regenboogkussen, the charity I stitch for. The theme of the cushion is the sea and the beach. I love the designs, cute and nostalgic.

And I stitched my first halloween item for this year, an entrance to autumn, the weather was nice this weekend, it rained tonight and more rain is predicted.

Yesterday evening I had my first gathering with fellow stitchers, met new and interesting people. i did some stitching on the quilt top of the patchwork course (which I wanted to be ready by the end of the holidays), bought some fabric (gatherings in fabric shops are dangerous!) for the quilt Stein ordered. The fabric in the book was in mpain colours, I thought it to be to flat for a young boy, so bought some pattern fabric for the fishes, I don't know what to do yet for the water, will see what kind of fabrics I have in my stash. And of course, I did a lot of talking and watching fellow quilters work. i loved it and am looking forward to next months gathering!

Hexagons and E'burg Tattoo

2010-08-30T22:04:00.002+02:00

I'm totally hooked on the hexagon theme now, did a lot more and even stitched some together. I've got to slow down this disease as I have other things on the go too.

Steinn ordered a quilt for his bed. He saw a nice one in a book, lucky for me very easy, only two templates to make, I will take a scan of it soon. Only plain colours used and he likes it that way. There's fishes on it.

This evening was the Royal Military Tattoo in Edinburgh on television. For the first time I had to watch it without my husband. My three grandsons kept me company though and for the occasion, Jelle wanted to wear a little kiltlike skirt. My heart was bleeding. The Tattoo was beautiful, the little motorriders we saw also on one of the Tattoos we attended while on holidays over there. Will I see this beautiful country ever again? And will I be able to visit it without too overwhelming emotions? I feel for myself it is too early to even think about visiting.

Lambico

2010-08-15T11:50:00.006+02:00

The cushioncover for Marijn is ready, it has turned out lovely, as always with the Regenboogkussens. I'm sewing for another cushion with a sea theme, I will contribute with a All our Yesterdays design.

The Lizzy Kate Sal iw on his 6th month now, April and May are not shown yet, so with this...

I also finished another Christmascard, 2 others have to be framed yet and then I will be onn schedule for the yahoo group.

I did lots of little hexagons and finished some in flowers, boys, am I addicted! I alos made another basket, a red one for my red tinted hexies, the blue one has the blue tinted ones. Plans for a green one are on its way.

Stein and I went to our day out to the zoo. We had a lot of fun, especially in the frogs and birds department, searching for all the animals hidden between the leaves. We also spent time with Lambico, the little hippo that was born in May. This time I took my camera and I could shoot some nice pics.

Pokemon

2010-08-03T12:09:00.002+02:00

Here he is, as promised, the birthdaycard for Stein. I was lucky, the Blastoise was one of his favourtite pokemons, so I am a supergran in his eyes!
I had a great day out in the zoo with Jelle, he was in a cuddly day and just overloaded me with hughs and kisses in between the animalwatching. Especially the hippos were favourite this time, he wanted to see their mouth opening time after time.
I hope to have a lot of stitching done this week, it has been a while since I sewed some siggies and the bug is there again to send some out. And some stitching on the top we started in the patchwork classes need to be done too!

Fabric

2010-07-30T10:29:00.003+02:00

I have dismembered my hubby's shirts lately, not so many but in a variety of colours. It wasn't as hard to do as I thought, it was not that I just would throw it away. I also bought some Scottish background fabric. It isn't a big piece of fabric, but as the shirts are so different in texture it will be difficult to make it nice, so I better try a smaller quilt than a big one. As to the print of the shirts, I think it is best to do simple squares and mayby insert one of the breastpockets in the top. On the fabric of the white shirt I will try to make stitchery or application, I'm not sure what will be on it though.

The Christmasfabric I bought for pure pleasure. As a free bird I can enjoy looking at those cute hunks without complexes, after all the eye has the right to be spoiled too. I'm not sure for what purpose I will use it, maybe a naughty back for a Christmasquilt? I'm smiling while writing this.

As you can see, I'm healing now in a good way, I feel I'm ready for a new start. I know my darling didn't want me to be sad and mourning for the rest of my days, we talked about that. Of course there will always be a little spot in my heart that is bitterwseet, but I have to go on with my life, making new friends, set new goals.
The heath is gone now, today my grandson Stein has his 11th birthday. He will come this afternoon for his presents and a nice card. He gets a Wii game from Pokemon, I stitched him a Pokemon card, which I have to frame yet, so a picture in a next entry.

Hot weather

2010-07-05T17:23:00.002+02:00

We had such a hot weather last week, fortunately it rained on saturday and the temps are cooler now, at least for a little while, the rest of the week will be hot again.

My three grandsons were here for a couple of days, so I had put a little bathe under the big umbrella and they all had a lot of fun in it, even the dog was in it with them. Hmm, seems a bit overcrowded, need a bigger one next year!

The Lizzie Kate Sal had its 3rd part, a little leprechaun and its pot of gold, wonderful to stitch. I love all things Celtic.

The lego man was for charity Regenboogkussens. A little boy needs a cushion with lego to comfort him.

And then there are the birthdaycards, a cat for Ria, a cow for Gerda and icecream for Magda. Another is on its way.

I received a lot of siggies, I will make a 'group' photo of them for a next blog entry.

I started on a new block of my patchwork, a green one this time. It will come in the centre of the top. More about that in the next entry too. My basket of hexagons has become fuller too.