Working on another UFO

I can't remember when I bought these Debbie Mumm fabrics (Arctic Holiday), but I believe it must be at least two years ago or even more. It all started when 9na hosted a "Jule-sy-mysterium" (Christmas-Sew-Mystery) on her blog. I got obsessed by the star blocks - that were supposted to be a pair of potholders! The "Arctic Holiday" Santa panel came to my mind, and guess who dived into her stash as fast as..... ?! :)

Indeed - I was obsessed - or possessed (LOL) - by how cute the first block turned out; too pretty for potholders! I made 11 "blue blocks".  

It was not the blue blocks I continued on yesterday; it was the Churn Dash blocks, using "Arctic Holiday" fabrics too.

 

Churn Dash blocks are fun making too - and very easy! Of course everything is easy when you know how to do it! :) 

When I purchased more of the fabrics last year, I didn't get the red. :( I had only a little piece left, but it was enough for 4 blocks. :) 

 

Does Birre-Liten prevent me from sewing? Why does he have to sit on the pieces of fabrics I need NOW?! Does he want attention? No, he just had a nap and was sitting there to wake up before he went out. I'm sure if Birre-Liten had been human; he'd been into sewing! He loves sitting on the table while I'm cutting fabrics or sewing, and his latest favorite place is sleeping on the ironing board - especially when I need it! Therefore, I had to find another place for ironing; the counter top! :)) 

  

I made 8 blocks yesterday; 4 green and 4 red. It's going to be a bed cover. Last night I figured out - in my head - how it'll look like when finished; I love it already! :)) There is still some brainwork; I don't have a pattern for it. It'll be another design by me. :)

Who likes the fabric the most...??

I haven't touched the sewing machine since I finished the winter quilt some days ago. Errrr... that is not true! I added the backing to a Christmas ornament (cross-stitching) and did the embellishing; FINISHED - and it turned out so cute! No photo yet, because I want to finish 3 other ornaments. It seems polyester filling is not available in town, so I have to go to the neighbor town for that...

I've made a bookmark too! I can't show it now, because it is the NNC Bookmark Exchange 2010. It is a "secret partner exchange" - that's why. :)

I spent the entire yesterday sewing! Do you remember this post? That was my first attempt making "disappearing 9-patch" blocks. That was last year, so this is another UFO to be finished! At that time I had to purchase more fabrics, which I got.

Here's the light- and dark pink fabrics. Birre-liten loved using it as a bed for his siesta yesterday. :)

I did quite a lot of sewing yesterday; I made 16 blocks! Here some of the squares are ready to be pieced together and some already done. These blocks are such fun to make! It goes fast too - even if it doesn't look like that!

30 blocks displayed! (You don't see all of them on the photo!) This was before I added the blocks together. I need one - or even two rows of 5 blocks before the top is done. It'll be a lap quilt - I believe. :) I like making it long enough so that I can wrap my feet into it too. :)

Then it's about batting and backing.... I bought flannell in Rose Hill for the backing, but have yet to decide on the batting...

Now I'm leaving the computer for the sewing machine! :)

HAPPY CRAFTING!

Winter Atmosphere Wall quilt / Wintry Atmosphere from Norway

I have not only made jack-this-and-jack-that the last days! :) (Although I'm going to make more jackseed paste today!) During the weekend I finished this small wall quilt, which I have called "Winter Atmosphere". The center is from a panel I bought at least 2 years ago, can't remember very well. Last year I added the sashing (border) around the picture, and that was it! I didn't know how to continue on it at that time. I got it out from its hiding place a couple of weeks ago - and this is how it turned out;

not that bad - huh?!

It took me some days to figure out how to do the quilting. I have a selection of the beautiful Superior Threads King Tut, which I decided to use. Here is a closer view of the quilting. It's the very first time I have done this kind of quilting. With more training it could have been better, I guess...

Since I have finished this wintry wall quilt, I thought it would be nice showing you some wintry photos from the area I grew up in Norway. My dear childhood friend Johnny was sent out (by me!) to take some photos yesterday, when he visited his mother, who lives on the neighbor farm - to my ex-farm.

I grew up here - my ex-farm. It has changed a bit since I sold it. The main house (part of it logs - very old) had to be pulled down due to big ants destroying the timber. I haven't seen the new house, only on photos. It was done after I settled here. The barn, cowshed, garage, wagon shed etc look the same, but they have been restored. To the right - where the bigger outbuilding is - our hen house used to be there. I know I have mentioned that to Vicki and Lori - ladies - here it was! :)

I don't know if the outbuilding can be called wagon shed? I have called it that, because we had 3-4 horse-drawn wogons- and sledge stored there. They were all from my partenal grandparents, who ran the farm before my parents. My grandfather - Hans - was a horse trader. At that time - he died in 1939 - cars were not common on the countryside, so they always went by horse-drawn wagons when shopping etc. They used to go approx 30 km (18 miles) to the main town - by horse. Thinking of it now - how hard and difficult their daily life was.... But, hadn't it been kind of romantic going 18 miles in a horse-drawn sledge?! The sledge we had wasn't as beautiful as the one on the quilt though! But it was a red sledge - with space for two persons and the coachman.  

My maternal grandparents lived here - on this beautiful cotter's farm. It didn't look like this when they lived there, it has been restored in later years.

My mom's uncle lived here - another cotter's farm - belonging to the same farm. This house is restored too and is situated just across the road from my grandparents home (previous photo). In between the two cotter's farms is an old saw mill, said to be built in the 1600th century. It had to close around 1950. My great-grandfather worked as a sawmiller there for many years. He lived in this house too.

The farm road is 3.2km ( approx 2 miles) from the main road. This is part of the landscape to the farm; the marsh. I used to go skiing here - wonderful skiing country! The marshland was turned into nature reserve in the 1980's - if I'm not mistaken...

Logging track. The track is for tractors only - no cars!

A big hug and thank you to Johnny for letting me use his photos!