Wintertime: Little meatballs with carrots and potatoes in the oven

It's not that cooking is one of my favorite things. I prefer spending my time quilting (or studying). But this is a very good recipe for quilters. It's easy, you don't need a lot of ingredients and you can make big portions, and put them in the freezer.

It's from Marne's favorite shop in the Netherlands: Albert Heijn click here for the: RECIPE. If you want to read it in english, just use google-translate, works very good for this recipe.

Chookeyblue's Secret Santa Claus Swap

Each year it's fun. A lot of parcels are flying around the world now. Last week we finally were allowed to sent our X-mas parcel. My parcel is going about down under. Today my Secret Santa Swapper sent me an email to let me know that my parcel is on the way. But no clue about herself? Please, please, please give me a hint ; ).

Spending the weekend on the Veluwe .....

 ... in our summerhouse, walking in the woods, but no internet, so it felt a little bit like being cut off of the world. No chance to update my blog. But that's not the only reason.  I'm working very hard on my paper for my study Management Science, I'm planning to finish it the first week of december. Oefff. It's not all studying, I did a little bit of quilting. I finished one of my UFO's. I haven't count my UFO's yet, but I will during my X-mas holiday. I made the quilttop probably in 2010, didn't know what to do with it. So when my friend Yolande came along and saw the top, she said her mother would love it. Her mum is in a wheelchair, and we think this quilt will fit very well. So, some (machine)quilting, a binding around it, and now it's moving to the north part of the Netherlands. And of course there are  more Cornelia's.

What's going on...

..... well not much quilting I can assure you. I'm very busy with my Management Science, and work. But of course there is always something to tell. First Marne's request. A picture of my poison green baby quilt, dated around 1870. If you want to see this quilt for real come to Atelier Bep on the 27th of november. Then I'm also in the SCSS 2011 swap, I just finished my gifts, they're ready to post. The SSCS from Chookey is always very fun to join. Although Cornelia is little big for a little X-mas ornament, she is so lovely, so she will be moving down under. And not to forget Moosie. So you see I did a few little things.

There is also more news about Grace's Quilt. I received a lovely letter and beautiful pictures from Doris (Grace's daughther) from her mother, as young woman and as older lady. I will take Grace's quilt with me to Bep.

Happy Birthday

My mum became 69 years last monday, and my dad had his 70th birthday yesterday.

Time for a party with family and friends. The weather was lovely so beside eating and drinking, we did a little "historical" walk in the surroundings with my dad as a tour guide.

And of course, worthwile to mention: The Granddad and Grandma Quiz. Thomas (their eldes grandson) read the questions. Unfortunetaley they didn't win the first prize (weekend to Paris), but the second prize: a flight with an airballoon. And after 46 years of marriage my mum still didn't know the favorite food of my dad, one of the questions of our quiz. It's "apple paste", and not kidney beans with bacon ; ). More Photos.

Poison green

I haven't told you yet about my antique baby crib quilt I bought in St. Marie-aux-Mines at Mary Koval.

It's from around 1870, and probably from Lancaster. What makes this quilt so special is the "poison green" .

Poison green or acid green as it's called, was a very popular color in quilts. It was first seen in quilts in the 1830s.  They called it "poison green" because arsenic was sometimes used to produce green dyes.



Carel Wilhelm Scheele



The chemist Scheele (1742-1786) discovered arseninic's used as coloring agent in 1778. The green color became very popular. Varations been extremely popular for dying and printing cloths and wallpapers, and worst of all for food coloring. By the 1860s people became aware of the toxic quantities in Scheele's green, and realise the danger of wallpaper and silk could sicken, if not kill.

Did you know that: In 1879, Queen Victoria even ordered that all the green wallpaper in Buckingham Palace be removed, as it made a visting dignitary, who was staying overnight, feel very sick. 

Baseball, the dutch won!!!

 What has quilting to do with baseball. Well, on my first (quilting)trip to Marne and Elaine I went to a baseball game. Wich is really impressive!!!!

The Seattle Mariners against the New York Yankees. I'm not really a baseball fan, but sometimes when there is a baseball game on TV (wich is rather rare in the Netherlands) I have a look. This morning I was up early, skyping with Marne, put on the TV, and I accidently saw the final of the World Championship,

the Netherlands against Cuba. And what was more amazing we defeated Cuba.

 It was the first time since 1938 that an European Country won. Sorry no picutres of the dutch team, with all those copy rights and law suits, you have to be careful. So just pictures of my first baseball game.

More bits and pieces

Grace's quilt

I think it's still amazing, more bits and pieces about Grace's quilt and her life are coming to me. Susan (Grace's granddaughter) and Doris (her daughter), you know I met them in july here in the Netherlands, are a wonderful help. Without them I couldn't do this, and write my paper. And of course  don't forget Marne!!! She all started this with buying quilttop on superfluity, and got us all connected. Together we're trying to documentate as much information as we can.





Winnie's sewing basket

More family history

Grace's mother was Winnie. In the family they say that Winnie was the real quilter in the family. Her favorite pattern was "Bow-tie". So all her quilts are made with the bow-tie pattern. This quilt she made for Susan in the 50s, it's all hand-pieced.

Sitting in her rocking chair with her sewing basket, sewing quilt blocks. That's how Susan remember her great-grandmother Winnie.

If you want to see Grace's quilt, and hear more about her life, come to Atelier Bep on the 27th november.

Meet Cornelia

I just finished her, Cornelia. Isn't she cute. In a few weeks she will have company.  I'm busy with her sister Cornelia 2. I love the button legs. (You can buy the pattern in the webshop from Crownstitches.)

If you're wondering what I have been doing the last weeks beside Cornelia. Not much quilting I must confess. Look at my dining table! Normally it's filled with quiltprojects, but the last weeks my table is filled with books (and they're not about quilting). Two weeks ago my study (Management Science/Business Administration) started, the next two years this table will be often filled with books instead of fabrics.

Texel

 It's unbelievable, it's already the 4th
october, and I'm still running around in my summerclothes. Although end of the week the temperatures will be back to normal: 11-13 C. The weekend we spend on Texel, an island in the north of the Netherlands in the Wadden Sea. There are 7 little villages. In one of them, Oudeschild, you can find the "Beachcomber" Museum. Really lovely, they also rebuild and refurnished some original houses. And what do you think of "Ecomare", a rehabilitation centre for seals. They're so cute!!!