Working on my American Quilt

Back home, I started working on my American Quilt (when I was in september 2008 at Marne, I got 30 fat quarters from her Quiltbee Stashbusters), I finished the last 25 blocks.

The challenge for me was to use them all in one quilt. In March 2009 when Marne was in The Hague, I decided to make this patron, 145 blocks "puss in the corner". The top now is: 85 inch x 68 inch (2m15 x 1m72). But it isn't finished it needs a sashing and a border, so I think it will be big enough for our bed.

Holiday in Helchteren

Last week I was with Dieuwke and her son Willem (6 years old) in a holidaypark in Belgium (PHOTOS). We were running from playground to swimmingparadise to minigolf to bowling. But of course we found some time between this activities for quilting. Who can leave for holiday without a sewingmachine, lots of fabrics, ruler and cuttingmap. Well we (Dieuwke and I) quiltsaddicts can't, so we turned our little summerhouse in a little quiltingroom. We even found a very nice quiltshop in the neighbourhood: Kristel Salgarollo.

X-mas quilt finished

I finally finished my X-mas quilt, I'm not sure when I'm started this quilt, but I think it was summer 2006, because we were still living in Almere, and we moved to The Hague in november 2007. I started quilting in januar 2006, because I had to stop running for a while and wanted to do something else. Quilting was on my list for a long time, I don't know why... but oke.... just took my first class at Aagje. Oh if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't started it. I'm a real quilt addict. I'm in swaps, travelling to the USA to meet other quiltfriends, have quiltweekends/sunday with my friends here, always looking for quiltshops on holidays and I have a cupboard full with fabrics and lots of UFO's. Welcome to the world that's called quilting.

Spotting wild hogs

Saturday our friends Yolande, Jan-Arie and their kids came for "klootschieten" (dutch game literally translated shooting balls). You play it in two teams with two balls filled with lead. It's very funny. After the barbeque we went for spotting wild hogs (wilde zwijnen) and we were lucky a whole group showed up.

Weekend in Garderen

This weekend we were at our summerhouse in the neighbourhood of Garderen. It was lovely weather, when we were on our way to Garderen (3 miles walk) for coffee and a tosti we saw this little pony taking a sunbath.

Translating from Spanish to Dutch ....

Isn't the internet fantastic. As I told you I'm in a Angel Stitchery swap with a lady from Chile. She writes in Spanish and with this programm I can even translate it to dutch.

http://translate.google.com/translate_t#

She's is living in the North of Chile (Chili in dutch) in a town called Iquique. Chile is a republic, Michelle Bachelet is the first female president. The capital is Santiago.

Although as well in the Netherlands as in Chile live about 16 million people, we're pretty crowded because we have 397/km2 (0,6 square mile), in Chile only live 22/km2. Lots op space.

Here is an impression of Iquique, I found some pictures on the internet. The climate in the North of Chile is a "desert climate" completely the opposite of the Netherlands where we have a " seaclimate".

I am a Stitchers' Angel...

I'm in an international swap, very fun!!! It means I have to to make three little stitchery projects with the theme roses. And I will receive three gifts from somewhere around the world.
I will be watching my mailbox.

My partner is coming from Chili, she doesn't know I'm her partner, because you don't introduce yourself.

Asian Quilt

I'm not sure if Asian is my style, but I like to experiment. Just try new things. And I must say I think this worked out very well. So maybe try again. Not sure if I will keep the quilt or give it somebody special.

The story of this quilt
Last year when I was with Marne in Seattle I got these Asian blocks from Marne (I think she got them from Ronda, but I'm not sure). In the Shibori Dragon (doesn't that sound as a fantastic name for a Quiltshop) in Lakewood I bought the black and red fabric. I started the top, and there it was waiting for me. It only needed borders. Yesterday I finished the top and made the sandwich. Now it's time to decide about the quilting. I think I prefer handquilting. I'm not sure what colour I will use, or wich design. Maybe I will use my Dragon Fly template. Well if you have a good idea about colours and templates let me know. Decisions, decisions to make....

My dog Paco ...

now has his own quilt. Can you imagine being the dog of a quilter, and you don't have your own quilt. SHAME. Finally I finished this Round Robin project, we started it in september 2007, and finished it somewhere in spring 2008. And from then it was still waiting. It only needed quilting and a binding. Not much work, so one more UFO of my list.
Isn't he cute my little dog on his "sleeping dog" quilt.

Baby-quilt

for our neighbours downstairs. She just have to go a few more weeks, so I'm right on time with this babyquilt with 9 little bears. It's all done with the sewingmachine, it only needs a label. We know it's going to be a boy, but we don't know the name.

It's warm (29 C) ...

.. anyway I think it's warm. Some people prefer this temperatures but I like 21 C. I think that's warm enough. So our house is just "hot", that is the disadvantage of living on the top under the roof. The only place to stay cool, is in the shadow on the balcony at the back of our appartment. As you can see I made myself comfortable.

Time to finish some little projects that don't need a sewingmachine:
binding on my dogquilt
binding on my x-mas quilt
fill-up my three woof-doorstoppers


That's two UFO's of my list!!!!

Miss Bennet

I'm real fan of the book, film and tv-serie "Pride and Prejudice" written by Jane Austen. The book is situated in England, a little village on the country-side around 1820. Mr. and Mrs Bennet have 5 daughters, so it's very important they will be married as soon as possible.

MORE PHOTOS

Miss "Elizabeth" Bennet, the second daughter, is the main person in the book. So a quilt named "Miss Bennet" is something for me.

I bought the kit in Tilburg. Last friday Dieuwke, Willem (her 6,5 year old son) and I went to Tilburg to do some quilting stuff. I think I left Dotty's shop (Dorry van Beers) with much more than I needed, but wich real quilter really needs new fabrics?

My friend Jacqueline....

designed and made this quilt for "Magdaleentje". Isn't it beautiful !!!! The quilt is called FRIENDSHIP. In the newsletter from Magdaleentje you can find all the information. The quilt is about 130 cm x 170 cm and the kit and patron costs 55 euro.

Jacqueline's blog

Quiltjunkies...

What's the purpose of having a dining table? Well if you're a quilter it's obvious. You put your quilt on it to make the sandwich.

Last tuesday we (Dieuwke, Willemijn and I) started quilting my 30's quilt. I thought we could quilt two or three blocks each on an evening. But no, even with Titus (Dieuwkes cat) as inspector.

So 120 blocks and 4 borders will take us at least 6 months to finish this quilt. What a challenge.

If you want to see all the pictures of your 30s project, just see my webalbums on the right side of my blog.