erster Advent

My Adventscalendar arrived just in time - that is it came yesterday which gave me today to hang it up

the best thing in the parcel was my new hat though ... knitted for me (instead of - I'm guessing 2 or 3 pairs of socks) and starring a fleece inlet to better ensure warm ears on the bicycle. I think I should ask for warmer mittens next, the current ones don't work well below freezing.

 it's teeny tiny so it will fit me an noone else ..

(I should have put some blocks on the design wall for a more quilt-ish background)

aye Lizzie that's your quilt back there

So anyway student dorm planners seem to have this love for materials that don't like nails ... so where you would normally just get a nail and a hammer I have to get out the heavy machinerey (I got me some special teeny tiny drills, they don't work too well as they are meant for wood but there is nothing that small for ferroconcrete/ armoured concrete and I really just want to get a nail in the walls... )

But yeah "Selbst ist die Frau" ... I think I was introduced to the machine in elementary school with the words: "If you want that rack hung up, you do it yourself, I (<< my mum) will just keep an eye on you."

that's the picture puuzle + sweets advents calendar in all it's nighttime picture glory 

(ignore the laundry please - oh and the movie is the series Hustle produced by the BBC)

Ohh and while I had the machine out I thoought it was time to do something for the rulers ... they now have a nail for themselves ...

So now I can panic about not having doen any Christmas presents yet ... any tips? they need to be fast, easy, cheap, and independent of sex, age and interests of the receiving party...

Löni

Late Christmas Presents and Guest

The little ones are on the train home again - so I can realx with a cup of coffee and proof-read a paper and watch some 16+ DVDs

We did some knitting - the littlest asked if I culd teach her, so we went through my yarn and needle box. For an eleven year old she has got a lot of patience

And I did learn a lot of new modern "cool" ways to express frustration and hate from little one after she realised just how much straight stitching she had to do once she started on the Ticker Tape Mini that she picked from a book (I told her to try a big Wonky star).

In between we had some lovely

And of course we exchanged Christmas gifts - I did talk little one into posing with the quilt. But littleset one refused (I was lucky to score a picture of her knitting).

Leo

The usual suspects that I link to

To Do First April - Small Blog meet

What I did last month:

finished a pair of socks, swapped a note pad cover, played around with the sewing machine

quilted and bound my first quilt (sorry just the sneak peak pictures it's still in the mail as part of a swap) , started on my castle blocks


What I should get done this month

• Finish the 9 castle blocks
• make a bag for mum
• make a May flowers mini

What I would like to do if I find the time:

• Paper piecing
• corner seat cushion
• continue on my hexagon flower border
  

Leo

WIP Wednesday

I'm linking up again with Lee of freshly pieced for a - I have to admit rather unexceptional - WIP report.

Progress:
well sure on my sock after a morning of more presentations

No Progress:
On my SWAP

On my Flower quilt

Finishes:

upcoming things:
9 castle blocks for May
mini/doll quilt for April

Leo

presentations galore - occupational therapy

I will just split this post in two parts as Sam tagged me in a little game, and although I tend not to  forward these kind of chain reactions I will answer her questions.

I have been a bit absent lately - moving and now the lectures have begun again. Well that's not really true the presentations have begun. We have all been away for 6 months doing internships all over tha place and now we all have to do a presentation. There are 2 complete days planned. I survived day one be knitting the "leg" of a sock - I had to stop there as I didn't take my "how to knit the heel"-paper with me, but there were plenty of cross word sheets going around.

no comments on the knitting please - it's my first this year and it will all straighten out if it's washed

Now to Sam's tag she asked (not only me) to answer the following questions:

1. Favourite quilt or crafting project you have ever done?
Is and has been for a long time my red rack

2. Favourite food?
Linsen mit Spätzle - which ehh doesn't exist in any dictionary I know. It's basically lentils in a dark sour sauce, with some cake/rind/slab (sorry those words were all in the dictionary as possible matches) and very important ... and now I can stop trying to explain it as I found it on wikipedia but they are missing the leek, carrot and onion (that you add when you cook the lentils and we eat that too)
3. Favourtie type of music?
classical music and you need to understand that term very broadly, some jazz and blues and if I have enough of that a very selective few rock bands
4. What is your favourite quilting method (i.e. paper piecing, english paper piecing ... etc.)?
I would count  them all as patchwork methods but  here comes the answer, I haven't tried paper piecing, I like english paper piecing but what I have done mostly so far was exact cutting and straight sewing and then praying everythign will turn out well.
5. A quilt you would like to make but are sort of afraid to even contemplate?
Ok I will tell you the truth - name any quilt and I will be scared to even try it. I usually spent hours worrying about the choices of fabric, colours, threads, variations - until I get to the point where I decide to just start and tackle each of the probelms as they come along.
6. Coffe or tea?
Both and en masse
7. Lemon/Lime or Cola?
Apfelschorle - which is apple juice mixed with sparkling water
8. If you could do one thing/modifictaion to your house what would it be?
Ha! I first need that house. But student accomodation has to be enough for the moment - I would love a garden though, some strawberries and raspberries...
9. What kind of car do you drive (if you drive, if not what is your favourite form of transportation)?
I get to drive a Honda Jazz, and a VW Passat depending on which parent I visit. I hate the VW Passat but that's because it's automatic and I tend to do a emergency break when I forget I don't need to manually shift gears. And I don't really like the Honda Jazz as it doesn't do too well uphill and it's very hilly, more mountainy at home.
But mostly I'm cycling - that is my main form of transportation, whether I like it or not.
10. What is your dream automobile?
Ahhh my dream car that's a hard question I would love a tractor, a huge red one with a sunflower painted on the door and "guest seats" in the cabin over the back wheels. Next best thing would be a VW bus or an old Post bus (I thingk you call them "van" and not bus in those cases, but I'm not sure)  So for a simple car a Toyota starlet (with a strong engine mind, I want to be the first when the lights turn green and see that surprised face of the black shiny BMW owner)
11. Dog or cat?
Dog.


Leo