Small purses and a new project

This weekend the weather was really really bad, pouring down. It practically shouted out - its time for some sewing!!! I have seen some purses that I wanted to make some time ago, but never got around to do it. Well, now was the time :o)

I tried some of the borders on my sewing machine, practised my freemotionquilting. Im not very good yet, but Im getting there. A lot better than this time last year......

The purses were fun to make and went together quite fast. But I think it was a bit difficult getting the ends to look good. Maybe it will be easier when I've made a few more of them :o)

As usual Im not very patient when it comes to start a new project. I know-I know, should have finished the hexagon tablerunner first and not to mention all the quilting I should have done.... But the hexies are done by hand, so thats different - and i havent got enough batting for all the tops, and that a good excuse aswell - so I started my new quilt top :o) And here are lots of strips from 2 jelly rolls. 

I just have to show you one of the birthdaypresents I got from one of the girls. She has made it all by herself in secret in my room. She knows how to melt a mothers heart :o) Even if the card stated I had to do the binding myself.....

It was difficult to get a decent photo because of the colours, but I think you get the essence of it :o)

Are you really sure you dont want to join the Wantobe Quilters Campaign at Sew We Quilt? Lots of great prizes to win. Two months left of the campaign with giveaways every day!! Look here to see what has happened so far. To join, have a look at my sidebar, its easy peasy.

Wishing you all a great week!!

Magic loop and a magic weekend

One of the things I have never liked too much about knitting is the sleeves of a sweater and using 5 needles. So I was soooo happy this summer when I learnt the magic loop! Imagine never have to use those needles again, I can knit sleeves, mittens, socks and whatever with a circular needle - what a joy :o)) And its so easy!

My birthday was last week, and one of the things I got was this.

Its a set of knitting needles, all sizes from 3,5mm - 10mm, and cords in 4 different lengths. And I can combine them as I need. Goodbye too the mess of needles in all sizes, never knowing which ones I have and always buying new ones because Im not sure if I have that size or if its lost somewhere..... Everything I need is in this little bag - genius!!!

My birthday were celebrated at Slåtterøy lighthouse, a beautiful little island in the far west of the norwegian coast, overlooking the North Sea.

We got a guided tour in the lighthouse, which is from the 1850's. This picture is taken from the top, looking down at the house we stayed in. I am very facinated by the sea and the forces of nature, so I wished for strong winds when we were there. On sunday it was a strong breeze and this is what it does to the sea - enjoy! Imagine how it would be during one of the winterstorms!

We had a great time!

There are still 9 more weeks to join the fun at Sew We Quilt, today the prize is an Accuquilt Baby-Go. Head over and see and give me a word if you want to join.

Wishing all my friends a wonderful week!

Hexies!!

Yes, at last Im trying to make some hexagons! And before Ive even started properly - its a lot of fun :o))

I bought a pack of 1,5" hexagons and started cutting. I had also bought a gluepen to use for the corners in stead of sewing as I read it was easier.

And yes, it was easy. But I didnt feel comfortable that it would stick through the process. So I started sewing, and I think I will do that from now on. It was fairly quick aswell.

One thing I realised aswell is that 1/4" for the back is not enough (at least I think so.... :o)), so I started cutting them a bit larger and the sewing was easier.

So now Ive started to sew the flowers together, its so exciting...... And Im very curious if I have stitched the paper to the fabric, I tried hard not to :o)

You have still a chance to win lots and lots of prizes at Sew We Quilt - have a look and come back here and let me register you. Send me an email with the info as listed on my sidebar.

Wishing you all a wonderful evening! 

Summer is not over yet :o)

Hello from sunny Bergen :o) We have had some wonderful days of summer this week, and we know we have to enjoy it while it lasts! Next week will be not so good, they say.... But maybe I can finally have some time in my sewing room again :o) Havent been sewing much, but I have got some new fabrics and yarn - of course..... ;o)

This will be for x-mas. I saw a quiltalong at 'ps i quilt' called 'synchronised squares', I like it a lot and its quite easy to make. You can have a look here. I cant decide whether to use red or white as background, what do you think? At the moment I think I prefer the red, but I have to see.

I also bought some Kaffe Fassett on sale. I really have to make something soon with my gorgeous collection, but I have a hard time cutting in it because I love so much.... I dont know if that is good or bad :o/

I have at least been knitting a little bit during my holidays, not much - but more than halfway on the sweater I was planning to finish :o)

I am so lucky I have a niece who has learnt to spin yarn and has its own spinning wheel. She has made me some yarm and I have more to come... Isnt it gorgeous, its merinowool/bamboo/silk, love the colors! We have collected Cora's coat from early summer when she lost it, and Marte will try to make yarn - exciting!

Have you been over at Sew We Quilt to look? The Wantobe quilter campaign (which is also very much for already quilters...) is still going with great prizes every day - and will for another 11 weeks. Pop over to have a look at last weeks prizes, its amazing I can tell you!

You dont want to miss these opportunities (yes you can win more than once!!), take a look at my sidebar how to register.

Wishing you all a wonderful sunny weekend :o)

Wantobequilter campaign at Sew We Quilt, giveaways every day from Aug 1st to Oct 29th

It's been a long and happy summer, visiting family, sailing in Greece, sailing in Norway - but now its almost over and we start again with lots of happy memories.

Have you been over at SewWeQuilt lately? If not, you should! The wonderful Mme Samm is hosting the most exciting giveaways I have ever seen. New prizes every day from Aug 01 to Oct 29! Can you imagine?? If you want to participate - its a piece of cake :o)

So, it is as simple as this: Send me (mvatshel@hotmail.com) your name and email, and I will enter you in the contest. Be a follower of my blog and SewWe Quilt. Leave a comment on the posts on SewWeQuilt when there is something you want to win, be sure to mention me as your blogsponsor. If you have any questions (I know I had at first....), dont hesitate to ask me.

Wantobe quilters (no tools) can enter mon-wed-fri. / Quilters (have tools) can enter tues-thurs.

There is a list of all the wonderful prizes to win at SewWeQuilt - Mme Samm must have been working hard to make all this possible for us - THANKS!!

No reason to wait - you can only win :o)

Visiting Summerland.....

For the last two weeks we have been sailing in the Ionian Islands, a wonderful area on the westcoast of Greece.

Lazy, wonderful, sunny days

reading an exciting book,

watching the incredible stars in the night - who could know there were so many...

finding the most beautiful, white, clean beaches and have them all by ourselves - unbelievable

bathing in the bluest water, so clear you can see the bottom 20 m below

On our way back we had time to visit Acropolis in Athens - very impressive

Our two gorgeous girls :o))

Not much quilting, sewing, stitching or knitting done - but who cares :o)

Wishing you all wonderful days to come - hoping summer will hit us here on the westcoast of little Norway!!

Finished a X-mas present.....

from last X-mas :o) I only managed to finish the top in time for x-mas, wrapped it in nice x-mas paper and gave it away with a little note saying I had to get it back for quilting.

But then, my elbow started hurting :o/ I waited and waited, hoping it would be better so I could quilt the top. Its quilt big, so it would be heavy working with it.

I had it all in my head, how I should quilt it. But at last I had to face the fact that the elbow would take some time to heal. So I sent the top to a quilter who did the job for me. Got it back a couple of days ago. The quilter (Kaktus Quilts in Tananger) did a terrific job, quilting and binding it in under a week - amazing!!

It turned out a bit different than in my mind, but Im very pleased with it. And Im sure the new 'owners' will be aswell. Its on its way to them :o)

Some time ago I got a wallhanging from mamacjt (Carol), really cute. My 'little' one Oda (which is 13 and not so little anymore...) was very fascinated and wanted to try to applicate. I was only allowed to show her the techniques, she locked the door to my sewing room when she was working with it :o) Of course, I was very curious, and two days ago she was finished.

Im super-impressed! And she did it all by herself, the cutting, ironing, sewing - all of it!

Wishing you all a super-sunny, warm and relaxing holidays :o)  My blogging will be a bit on and off the next couple of weeks.

I've always wanted.....

a tablecloth for my outsidetables in the summer - it looks so nice and cosy.

I had a charmpack with Whimsy, and it is so cute and have lots of summer in it. Yesterday was a rainy day, and I started sewing. It was really quick, so I finished, layered it - hoping it would rain today aswell... 

And it did (at least part of the day) - yeahhhh ....... :o/ So I started to freemotionquilt 'stars' in the squares. And when I finished I realised it had a nice effect looking like a flower in the middle!

So now one of the tables has got a cloth. Well, almost - I have to bind it, haven't decided what to use for binding yet. I have found a light green with beige polka dots, thats my hottest tip at the moment :o)

And just as our footballteam (Brann) scores and leads the sun decided to come so I could take some nice pictures outside :o)

A wonderful evening to all of my blogging friends - and everyone else!!

OMG - how time flies!!!!

Wow, it has been 3 weeks today since my last post - way too long.... But thats the way it is (and should be...) during summertime, lots of other things taking my time and attention. First of all - at last its time for sailing again, lying in the sun doing nothing but watch whatever's passing by.

Taking a swim in the way too cold sea (11 gr C)... Well at least for me, I was the one holding the towels ready :o)

Having quality time with the family, relaxing in the arms of a loved one :o)

While on the boat I have started handquilting  Bella Parade, and I really like how it turns out. It will get some wrinkles I think but I dont mind. Maybe they disappear when I wash it after its finished. As Im not a very experienced handquilter, my stitches are not even all over, but they will be better in time. I am using Pearl Cotton DMC thread.

I have made a load of toiletpurses/make-up purses etc for a friend of mine. I didnt take pictures of them all, but here are some

This one is made of leftovers from Bella Parade, and I practiced my swirlquilting - could have been better.... :o)

To be kind to my elbow I try to vary between sewing and knitting, and Im knitting a jacket for myself using Alpaca and a sweater (Fabel) for a sweet little boy I know :o)

I guess, for some reason, Im trying to convince you all that even if I havent been blogging, I have been doing something :o) Well, well - anyway Im happy its summer!

I also want to thank you all for all those sweet comments on my last post, I really really appreciate all of them - THANK YOU !!!

See U soon :o)