something to show

Well I have nothing to show that I made - I was busy this weekend - busy having lots of fun!
Well this is the Doll Quilt I got for April:

Leo

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quilting at last and other things

I finished this top a really really long time ago - I think it's my first "big" quilt top ever. I made it using my first giveaway winnings - a charm pack. Well I was out of batting for the last 2 or 3 months and finally got a load last week, but couldn'T start anything as I had to prepare for my sister's confirmation - lot's of nice food and an interessting field study on the reaction of my catholic grandparents (both in their late 80ies) to the protestant service.

So anyway that's my quilting/sewing corner (I should clean up a bit before quilting errr taking pictures next time) so far it's been stitch in the ditch-ing for me. But I already started on the big triangles. [here's a picture of the top] And if you wonder what the backing is - yes it's sort of a rosé coloured fabric with flowers printed on it - well a vintage sheet - cut open on one side, was just big enough for the back. Now you could probably say it doesn't fit - well I'm not one to worry too much about such things and I like the front and I like the back so they work together.

Oh and I think I haven'T shown you my April bee blocks yet? I was in such a hurry to get them send off that I forgot to do a post about them - I need to work on making more individual posts instead of one big post with a ton of things in it - I know that the attention span of humans has limits.

And as a last picture to cause an overload on your end - I finished that quilt as a Christmas present and never took a picture so while visiting for the confirmation I snuck up on my sister and got a shot - she's not into having her pictures taken, though it's gettign better she doesn't hide anymore on group shots. [Not that I'm any better]

 
 Leo

some sewing at last

Well I had planned to get more sewign done yesterday - but lucky for me today is a holiday so I have time to catch up and take care of my blue / purple knee (nature does have some pretty amazing shades of colours. But I said I did get some sewing done - it's a mini quilt for a swap and it should have been done in March and I feel terrible for being late, but (contrary to me) my swap partner is a very patient Lady.

We had a pretty beautiful sun set yesterday and I snuck out taking a few pictures - I'm just glad they (Dortmund and Real Madrid) didn't make any goals.

 Leo

Wednesday

Wednesday again - and I just managed to get my January swap mini finished in time. If I hurry with the lable I might have it in the mail by the 31st.

Sorry for the crappy shots - but with the exams coming up there is one rule down: no sewing before 8:00pm. The horror will start Thursday at 7:30 am - who else could be so cruel than a Latin Prof?

my green and purple "garden fence" block for the NewbeeBee

my - not so beautiful - butterfly-ish block for BeeBiased

I didn't attempt any other projects, I didn't look at any other projects though I've been thinking a lot about other projects, so much nicer than grammar or ISO standards ...

Leo

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weekend sewing

Well there wasn't that much weekend sewing this weekend - and the only thing I blame for that are my new glasses - it's amazing how much more dust and loose threads I see with them.

Remember the Rose Compass Doll Quilt I showed you last week? this is what I got in return:

Ok but that's nothing I did, not my sewing. It's made by Lizzie.

I'm still working on my Easy Street Quilt, and it will take some more weekends - I sewed on the 4-patches in the wrong way, so I need to change that before I sew them together. But I have done the smaller half for the assembling. This thing is damn huge - used up most of my free space on the floor. I knew it was not small but not that it was going to be that big?!

As I'm usually at a loss what to do for my Doll Quilt Swap partners, as they are so hard to pin down and tell me what they like or don't like. So this month I go on "likes the Quiltville blog". So I'm using my Easy Street cut offs and rests. Hope that will work. The triangle squares ar about 3,5 inch square ...

Leo

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Newest Arrival

Today my August Doll Quilt arrived. My partner missed part of the street in my address when she send the first quilt. So it never arrived here and she generously offered to make another one.
Which arrived some time during the weekend - I jsut found the notice card to pick it up this afternoon (hence then "in the dark" pictures). Well I like it very much, freash summery colours for a dark time.

And hehe yes there are some nerds - I blame Dawn, she send some of them when the DQ-Swap started, and I sort of like them a great deal. They just taste like nothing I get here. Ehh I just need to figure out how to open the box.

Ohh and of course I had a wonderful time at home ... doing a photo shooting with the (can I still call it) birhtday kid in the garden - ehh yes before the serious work began, there is no earth on the quilt:

And now the reason why I constantly complain about the lack of mountains in the area I live in at the moment

Leo

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winner announced

Yes today is the day to announce the winner for the "Back to School Blog Hop Give Away" (that is an awfully long title).


I feel really really really really .... really bad that I can only name one winner. I hope all of you had a great time visiting all the blogs - I enjoyed reading your local food and of course the "special reason"-comments were really great. If I didn't reply to your comment, I'm very very sorry, there were so many I tried my best, but I'm just a human being.

And that is: (tatatatada .. drum roll etc)

PJ 27 August, 2012

Coffee, Coffee and more Coffee drinks. Good thing I love coffee. As for a food probably fresh crisp Washington Apples. And what about all those chocolate bars. Yum Chocolate!

If you want to visit PJ - she blogs on off Avondale Road  you could always try to sweet talk her into shareing with you. If not I can offer post cards to those who didn't make it - that's a sort of a I have to do somehting not to feel too bad offer - or to say it in German a "Trostpreis" (consolation prize).


Leo

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W.I.P. wednesday

I have a finish - as of yesterday night:
And I took it to America* to take some pictures

















*the America section of the Botanical Garden



I wanted to enter the leaf into Michel's weekely contest, would be nice if at least one person could take a heart and give me a vote, just so I don't feel too embarassed -  I have no idea if I'm good enough for those kind of contests ... but it can't really hurt.

And of course a ton of WIPs that I will never finish I fear

a teeny tiny mini waiting to be bound and trimmed - 2 large tops and a mini top, waiting for the basting

a pinwheel / mill block scraps quilt (ages old) that I finally got around to baste now all I need are ideas for the quilting









Leo

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August block

Catching up after the holidays - my August swap block:

my partner asked for any block in autumny bold colours with a contrast between the background fabric and the other fabrics - I guess I managed that.

Leo

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back home

Sadly my holidays are over - but there was a great compensation waiting for me when I got home. My July Doll Quilt from Miki.

And a lovely unexpected Birthday present from Leona from Leona's Quilting Adventure, some great fabric some needles for appliquée and a needle card (if that is an actual word).

Leo

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thursday morning sewing and more

I know I should be studying for the exams, but I decided I woudl do my usual thursday morning sewing. I decided to turn a charm pack I won from Donna from This Years Dozen quite some time ago into a disappearing nine patch quilt. That way I can show off the different fabrics. Any Ideas for the center? I already have all the grey squares cut but I need to decied on the colour for the center square - dark grey? orange? yellow?

I also have to show off Pensylvania which I did sew tuesday night, I just needed something nice that evening. It's part of the (for me) very challenging Road Trip Quiltalong

I'm impatiently waiting for the instructions for the 3rd Block of the Quilting Galleries Beginner's Quilt Along

UPDATE: the instructions finally went online and here's the result

I have a great Quilt kit, but I will wait with that till after my birthday - I sort of found out that therer might be a cutter and a cutting mat coming up, the kit includes a lot of straight long line cutting which is a nightmare with the scissors.

Leo

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something blue

I totally forgot that friday was a Friday Night Sew In so I posted my evening sewing on friday, remembered and sat down after dinner again, to finish a swap quilt.

As this little blueness is still on its way travelling across the atlantic

 ocean to its new home, just some "folded" pictures ...

Leo

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the holidays came and went

My holidays didn't go as I planned .. I sort of wanted to do nothing and ended up working in the garden nearly every day. I did spend a few minutes every evening to work on the give away (is it bad behaviour to not have it ready when the commenting starts?) I think I intentionally forgot how time consuming it is to sew on all those beads - but it's worth the work. All that's left is stiching the flap secure (the little thingy covering the zipper on the top? is there a name for that?) and of course close it at the sides and maybe add another row of beads at the bottom.

After the holidays is always there is always the big stash of post, there were some quitling books I ordered (I need to limit my time on amazon) and a block from a swap and my Doll Quilt for this month and a shoe box full of sraps from a friend and my leaving gift from my collegues (I have been waiting for that for almost 4 months)

My little Doll Quilt, or rather Sharon's as she made it was nominated for the "Bloggers Quilt Festival" on Amy's Creative Side it's pretty much at the bottom of the page, there are a lot of beautiful quilts to marvel at ... I shouldn't spend too much time there it makes me feel like a bad sewer for not turning out a new quilt every second month and producing tons of cushions, aprons, swap blocks in between ..

Leo

PS: I think I will start my baking adventure with a red velvet cake it did sound most interessting - I'm hunting for a recipe now, if you know one leave a link! 

[Edit:] Now I really forgot something Beth at Plum and June started a blog hop tour for new blogs and the first contributions are online so have a look at the list and visit them.

 

the advantage of being able to read

... aye that was something I should have done trying out the "Kool-Aid" unsweetened soft drink mix today. I do NOT blame Dawn who send it to me representing "real US sweet things". I entierly blame myself and my looks like "Ahoi-Brause" probably gets prepared the same way.

Anyone of you whoe doesn't know "Kool-Aid" it's basicly citric acid (the stuff you use to descale pots and the shower) .. ehhm anyway to get to the point. 

 

I innocently poured the content of the package into a glass filled it up with water and took a sip, just expecting it to be a little sour and sweet and probably strawberry/cherry/raspberry tasty-ish judging from the colour. That was one terribly big huge mistake. 

So after I went through that experience I first drank a lot more plain water just to get some sort of feeling back. And then I look on the package, and ohh yes on the back there it says:
Serv 1/8 package (0.9g) (makes 8 fl oz) Servings 8

Aye I better should have red that strange American decieving wrapping before I tried it out and not just assumed  ... 

 

Deciding that I needed some positive experience after that sour shock I went into town and raided the library. I have enough CDs, DVDs and books for the next few weeks and only 7 days before I have to bring them back. 

Leo

outgoing traffic

Well as I showed sneak peaks of the swap items I made earlier I can finally show the "real thing" as the postal service successfully delivered them.

My first quilt ever a Mini for Dawn - if you want to see better pictures go to the swap blog. I have to compliment myself saying that it's not too bad.

And my autumn themed disappearing ninepatch for Joan  - it arrived at triple speed (compared to the parcel) as I was able to send it as a letter.

Now I'm working on the next Mini and it will again take ages to deliver it ...

Leo

more arrivals

I did some sewing - but the sewing is at the moment drying on the heater and doesn't look photogenic at all ... so more tomorrow on that.

But my first block from my monthly block swap arrived - a true beauty made by Joan. I really start to like swapping, it's amazing what other people are able to do. (I always hope that what I do is still getting the beginners bonus.)

  And after waiting for what seemed like ages - due to the very thorough German customs office: Opend by the "German Mail" to be processed customs wise at least they have good tape to seal the envelope again.

But of course the contents were worth the wait - I don't know why I deserved to win this give away, but I absolutely love it. I'm a puzzle maniac .. ok I'm a maniac/fanatic about a lot of things. But this special puzzle combines two of my passions. This special puzzle to celebrate the national quilting month was sent to me by Angela.

Leo

PS: I'm sorry about the bad quality but lately I don't get anything done before it's dark

swap arrivals

I have to start with the most recent arrival

Dawn, my Doll Quilt Swap partner sent me the most amazing little Quilt (now I really feel bad about my beginners Quilt - even though I almost liked it when I sent it off)

Dawn included some goodies in her parcel some lovely fabric, and some American candy, and I have to admit I have never heard of them - except for the skittles that I saw in shops in the UK. So tonight I will have a candy tasting.

 

Some time ago I took part in a give away from Donna and guessed when she would have her 1 millionest visitor on her blog, and surprisingly fast I recieved that charm pack (probably that fast because it got the green tag meaning no need for a customs officer to check)

The owls are a note pad cover swap (the old fashioned kind made from paper) plus some great goodies from Sabine.

And I figured me sewing for a swap fits here too - that's what I did today a disappearing 9 patch in fall colours (I really had trouble finding fall colours)

Leo