Little present

Yesterday I got this nice plate with buttons. A customer surprised me with this present. I think she expects some chocolate on it next week with our mystery night!

Gisteren kreeg ik dit leuke bord met knopen. Ik werd door een klant hiermee verrast. Volgende week chocolaatjes?

More quilting....

I like the brown thread I am using. It is Aurifil mako no. 12. It is like a stitchery thread, but wonderful for quilting. I am back on track with this quilt...it is on the couch again, instead of in a bag...where you can not see it....

Ik hou van het bruine garen dat ik gebruik voor deze quilt. Het is zo dik als borduurgaren, maar ook geschikt voor handquilten. Ik ben weer goed op weg met deze quilt. Hij ligt gewoon op de bank, in plaats van in een tas waar je hem niet ziet.....

quilting at home sweet home

After some weeks without quilting on the couch, I picked up my quilt and did some stitches!

Inspired by a visit from Maaike Bakker, I started a new secret garden quilt. This one is for a picnic. I also did the planwork for 2010....new courses and workshops are on my website now.

Na een paar weken niet gequilt te hebben, heb ik de draad weer opgepakt en wat steken gedaan.

Geïnspireerd door een bezoek van Maaike Bakker ben ik begonnen aan een nieuwe secret garden quilt. Deze wordt voor een picknick. Ook is de planning voor 2010 rond....de nieuwe lessen etc. staan op de website.

Mystery Fabricwonderland part 2

These little blocks, 12 x 12 cm are from the little quilt. The right one is with appliqué and stitchery.

Deze kleine blokjes zijn voor het welkomsquiltje. De rechter met applicatie en borduurwerk.

And here some pieces of the paperpiece work. Make 16 of those!

In deel 2 wordt er ook gepaperpieced. Maak 16 van deze deeltjes.

And then there are the bigger parts of this mystery. Here you see some pictures to help you with the instuctions you got. First the layers together....

Hoe leg je de lagen op elkaar, zodat je ook het spiegelbeeld krijgt?

And this is the way to place you templates on the fabric.

Hier liggen de mallen op de vier lagen stof.

Workshop results

Above a detail of my work. I sewed strips together and decorated them with wrappers and ribbons.

Hierboven een detail van mijn werk. Eerst strips aan elkaar naaien en dan versieren met snoeppapier en lint

This is the result. Not completely finished. I have to sew some buttons, but it was really fun to make this tent. I had a smile on my face for allmost the whole weekend!

En dit is het resultaat. Nog niet helemaal af. Er moeten nog wat knopen op, maar het was grote pret om dit te maken. Ik had bijna het hele weekend een lach op mijn gezicht.

Work in progress.

Sinterklaas en Zwarte Piet

Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet are coming. Last week I bought this two. Now they are at home but here they are walking on the shelves to find themselves some presents for quilters!

Sinterklaas en Zwarte Piet zijn onderweg. Vorige week kocht ik deze twee figuren. Nu zijn ze thuis, maar op de foto wandelen ze nog over de planken van de winkel om wat cadeautjes voor quilters te vinden.

Sinterklaas is coming

Yesterday Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Pieten arrived with the train at our home town. My son was really happy to meet the Holy Men and his helpers.
This is a busy time for parents with a lot of secrets, handmade gifts etc.
My mum bought me some Sinterklaas stuff...but I have to make it myself. When to do this? I had the brilliant idea to put it next to my sons shoe last night with the message from the sewing Piet that he had no time...and you have a sewing mum....she can do it. Problem solved to do it in secret!
At school with are going to make something with wood. I used my jigsaw for the first time in my life. It was easy! Just like free motion cutting with a rotary cutter.....
The results later this week!

Gisteren arriveerden de Sint en zijn Pieten met de trein. Mijn zoon was helemaal gelukkig om de Sint een handje te kunnen geven. Dit is een drukke tijd voor ouders met alle geheimen en handgemaakte cadeautjes.
Van mijn moeder kreeg is een paar zelfmaakpakketjes voor Pieten een en Sint....wel zelf maken kind!. Wanneer ga ik dit doen? Gisteren had ik het briljante idee om het naast de schoen te zetten van mijn zoon met een briefje van de naai-piet dat deze geen tijd meer had...en omdat jij een handige moeder hebt....Probleem om het stiekem te moeten doen opgelost.
Op school maken we iets met hout. Net een decoupeerzaag gekregen, maar nog nooit zoiets gebruikt. Toch maar even probern. Het was makkelijk. Net zoals vrij snijden met het rolmes....
Resultaten later deze week!

Mystery part 1

First the extra block from Welcome, the little quilt. this month only the patchwork, but a preview of the appliqué and stitchery.
Eerst het extra blok voor Welcome, het kleine extra quiltje. Deze maand alleen het patchwork, maar alvast een vooruitblik met applicatie en borduurwerk.

The back of part 1. Have a look for ironing your block

De achterkant van deel 1. Kijk hier voor het strijken van het blok.

Part 1

Deel 1

Part 1, how to sew: start with the points and then the red pieces.

Deel 1: start met de ster en dan de rode delen die worden ingezet.

Last: part 0 in fabrics

En tot slot: deel 0 in stofjes

For every one who joines us with this mystery: Have a lot of fun!

En voor iedereen die mee doet: Heel veel plezier!

Homework

Two times a year I have a quiltcourse. A lot of experimental quilting with paint and thread etc.
We got our homework for the upcoming event! Think about your personal theme (Circus), we got this in March and collect some items you like to use during the weekend. I have no idea what we are going to do, but I started collecting: Some blocks of an unfinished quilt. I decided not to finish this quilt, so maybe I can use those blocks and red/pink fabric for something else. I also have a lot of candy wrappers (Quality street) in bright and shiny colours. I bought this candy in a nice tin at the Amsterdam airport on our way to Las Vegas in January. I liked the tin for my buttons.... and I saved all the wrappers..... Guess what I did with the candy?

Twee keer per jaar heb ik zelf een quiltcursus. Veel experimenteel werk met verf en garen. Gisteren kregen we ons eerste huiswerk voor het komende weekend. Denk na over je persoonlijke thema (circus), dat je gekregen hebt in maart en verzamel wat spullen die je wilt gebruiken. Ik heb geen idee wat we gaan doen, maar verzamelen kan: Een paar blokken van een onafgemaakte quilt. Ik heb besloten deze quilt niet af te maken en misschien kan ik de blokken en stoffen in rood/roze voor iets anders gebruiken. Verder heb ik een heleboel snoeppapiertjes (Quality street) in heldere, stralende kleuren. Ik kocht deze snoepjes in een leuk blikje op Schiphol op weg naar Las Vegas. Ik vond het blikje zo leuk voor mijn knoopjes.....bewaarde alle papiertjes....en raad wat ik met de snoepjes heb gedaan?

gingerbreadquilt

The finished top of the gingerbread quilt. Panel in the middle and corners. A lot of bricks with one Bossche rol and a nice border! Only 6 hours sewing is needed (including mistakes....).

De top van de gingerbread quilt. Het panel in het midden en de hoeken. Alle stenen zijn uit één Bossche rol en tot slot een bijpassende randstof! Slechts 6 uur naaien is nodig (incl. uithalen...)

New book and magazine

Finally the newest book from Kaffe Fassett arrived.

Again a lot of inspiration about colour and patchwork, But I was not impressed by the quilting they did! It looks that some of them are not quilted at all!

Eindelijk is het nieuwste boek van Kaffe Fassett leverbaar.
Opnieuw veel inspiratie voor kleur en patchwork, maar ik was niet onder de indruk van het quiltwerk. Sommige quilts lijken helemaal niet te zijn gequilt!

Gingerbread man

Three ingredients: a Bossche rol, a panel and a border fabric! All with gingerbreadmen....
Using the machine it will be a quick and easy quilt. I think you can see the results next week.

And now also in Dutch!

Drie ingrediënten: een bossche rol, een panel en randstof. Allemaal met gemberkoekmannetjes.
Met behulp van de naaimachine een snelle en makkelijke quilt. Het resultaat: volgende week.

Season started

No picture to show: that's not my idea of a quiltblog, but it happens! I am busy with the new season: shows, exhibitions and teaching. Last week two beginners classes started. It is nice to see those new quilters so enthousiastic. It is allways difficult to chose your fabrics, but also fun. And that all those choices can be so different for the same sampler!
Tomorrow I go to Rotterdam to the Handwerkbeurs (knitting, stitchery, quilting etc.). Friday the show starts, but it is good to have the whole afternoon organising the booth. Fabrics right or left? Is there a place for my machine? Allways more fabrics than space.....

And we (Maaike Bakker and me) are thinking about a weekend workshop in June. The first weekend workshop with My secret garden was succesfull, we like to do this again. Not exactly the same pattern, but something different. We are thinking about it and let you know if we have details.
For now the secret is hidden behind the door of the garden.

Finished mystery !!!!!!!

Between doors the finished top from the mystery home sweet home!
Now I can start quilting!
And of course there is a new one!

New quilt

During the show I started with a new quilt.... it is from the first book Material obsession.

For the centre I used fabric from Las Vegas, so the quilt has a name: Roulette!

I am really excited about this block. Easy to cut and sew.

Summertime Swap

Here you can see the center of the summertime mini quilt I send to the States. It found a new owner. I got a quilt from the States. Is it not interesting to see all those quilts fly around the world to find a new home? All those people who got excited about the mail, real mail.... Sometimes with a present and with friendly letters. And that from an unknown person, but what we all share is our love for quilting. Some are beginners and some are not.
I am happy I signed up for the Christmas Swap, it will be going to Australia.

Now I am ready for take of to the quilt exhibition in Alkmaar. Everything is packed and ready to load. I am going to start a new quilt during the show from the book Material Obsession (One), so I picked a lot of fabrics (of course to much...) and I am glad I can start tomorrow with some pre cutting......Maybe nice for a workshop? I have to think about this.

O...and for all the mystery quilters: my top is finished and sandwiched. See you on thursday evening!

New Swap

Today I posted my summer swap. No picture at this moment. You have to wait. It will be a secret till the new owner has her post. If she is curious....she can not find the quilt here.
After finishing this one I sighed up for the christmas swap. I love christmas with all the decorations and fabrics with gingerbreadman etc.
Now we have some summer weather...but I am thinking of balls and trees...and all the other stuff at the attic.

Two quilts finished

Last week I finished two quilts. This one is a present for a new born baby. It fits perfect in her room.I bought the book with pattern in Las Vegas where the future parents saw this in other colours. But a finished quilt is allways a surprise.

The second quilt I finished was a presents for my son's school. I finished it an our before we had to go, so I forgot to take a picture. It was the quilt with all the square I showed earlier.
Yesterday I started with a bag from Melly & me. Really nice to do.....

Mystery, part 11

The last new sewing for this mystery, home sweet home. It is a small strip with a lot of different fabrics, so you can use all the scraps....
Next month the top is finished. I am looking forward to it and I am thinking now about the quilting!

Fabricwonderland mystery part 0

This is a result of playing with some colours at EQ5. I designed the block: Welcome to Fabricwonderland, as the start of the new mystery. This mystery,called Fabricwonderland, starts in November, but the pattern of this block, part 0 is available at the shop in Den Bosch. The colours used in this quilt are the colours for my own sample. Red is my background colour. Yellow, lime and turquoise are the other three and belong to group 1, the main group. A lot of other colour combinations are also possible.

More from Birmingham

On Sunday I looked a second time at the quilts of Philippa Naylor. Wonderful quilted, but my eye saw some corded piping as a finishing touch between quilt and binding. I was thilled and wondered if she described the technique in her book. I had some money left and so it is of no use at home I can spend it all....Yes it is in her book and I bought it. I started to read her book at the airport during the waiting time (delayed flight) and I find out that she made a lot of big price winning quilts! Her book and descriptions are wonderful and I am really sorry that I find out after the show that she was teaching during the show.
I have to try her way of corded piping, binding the corners, trapunto quilting and quilting itself.

To see more of her work go to her website:http://www.philippanaylor.com

If you expected to see a photo here: I did not ask her permission (and I did not make any pictures because I bought the book)
Please be aware of copyright rules: it is not allowed to publish books, media, art and that included also quilts without permission of the artist. This is against the law. The maker has the rights to decide where and when to publish his work. More about this law on f.e. Wikipedia.

Back in town

Birmingham was full of quiltinspiration for me! A lot of quilts, shops and demo's. I can not tell you all at once, but one of the interesting places was the corner with young textile students. They got the opportunity to show their work. My favorite is Naomi Cotrufo (www.artsfringe.org.uk for more information about her). She works with paper and fabrics and creates sweet things. I asked her permission to show her work here! It remembers me of my childhood, the books and soft colours. It makes me smile!

Look what you can do with an empty box, scraps and the most important thing: inspiration and creativity.

This little piece of work was really cute. To find her weblog: embroidered fancies!

Later this week more about thinks I find out.

Birmingham: we are coming

Tomorrow I go to Brimingham, to the big Quiltfestival. so now I am busy to clean up my bags, to ploish my credit card, to count my English Pounds and to think what to wear. I need some space left..in my suitcase.
I take an early flight tomorrow morning and meet my mum in Birmingham. But I think there will be a lot of other quilters on the plane.
I will tell you all after the visit. I hope for a lot of inspiration and new ideas and products.

New mystery fabrics

It is not allways that I wash my fabrics, but with a lot of reds...you never know, but it was not neccessary. Above all the fabrics for the new mystery: Fabricwonderland, starting in November.
I promised to finish the design before the 5th of september, so the lay-out is ready. I have to fill in the details, but I know the monthly parts. I can not show you anything of this...I am sorry. You have to wait, but part '0' wil be available on the 5th of september, start of the new season.

This little log cabin is really scrappy. Small strips (2,5 cm including seam allowance), but a lot of fun and the result is great. Look for your scraps and get started or buy you self some 'Bossche rollen' or the equivalent: Jelly roll. Last monday I saw also Sushi rolls from Lecien, a Japanese fabriccompany.

Mystery part 10

Tulips belongs there too, I think. A real dutch one. And do not forget the classic log cabin. the parts of this log cabin are very small. I did it without paper piecing: you have to be very precise, otherwise they are not 10 x 10 cm and you have to start again.

Kaffe arrived

Fourteen brand new Kaffe Fassett fabrics arrived. We stroked them and smiled and created a lot of new quilts in our mind. Keep on dreaming!
I sandwiched my memory quilt (schoolquilt) and as it is my shop challenge: I have to finish it before the 5th of September. I decided to handquilt little hearts (192) and made myself a schedule. To finish the quiltwork at the 29th of augustus, I have to quilt 8 hearts each day, except from the days I am at the quiltfestival in Birmingham. Till now my schedule works.... I know there will be days that it is not going to work, but on my countdown list I write down if I am behind or ahead of schedule.

It would be a shame if I do not manage my challenge for the third time on a row.

Melly and me!

The patterns from Melly and me (Australia) are wonderful. Next week I hope to order them for the shop. Very nice bags and 'sweeties'. That is how my son (2) is calling them. I promised him to make him a cute schoolbag when I have their book.
Have a look at: http://www.mellyandme.typepad.com
I have been to Maaike Bakker the last two days to work at our project My secret garden. We are designing for Christmas. It feels a bit strange to do that in a sunny garden, but we made it. Tomorrow I will have a look for the right fabrics.
And....New Kaffe Fassett fabrics are on their way to the shop....

Summertime swap 2

Quilt in a day....the top YES! I cut from a lot of fabrics two pieces 12 x 12 cm and put them all toghether in this quilt. It is a kind of memory play. Just a border and quilting to do.....It is a present for my son's class. They have a little bed to play and sleep and whatever came up in their fantasy...I decided that their has to be a quilt too. This is my summer challenge. I didn't decide yet about the quilting. I have 6 weeks, handquilted hearts would be nice, but a lot of work. Well, I sleep about it.

Today I started with the summertime swap. I did some applique with Vliesofix.

The theme is:

In the middle of fabicwonderland is a big fountain.....

Summer time swap

This is what I selected for the swap. I have an idea about a fountain. Bright colours, applique and stitchery that's what I have in mind.
This is our second week of our holiday. We are staying at home with some day trips. It feels very good to stay home. I had some time to look IN all the boxes in my quilt room. Some projects I have nearly forgotten... I am going to work on one of them back at work in the shop. There are no courses and sometimes business is a little bit slow during the summer, maybe I have some time...

New book and dreamcatcher

This dreamcatcher I made as a present. My little son has to bring it to school as a present for his teacher. He liked my work very much...he is trained well! I used some of the buttons..... and instead of patchwork some crochet.

And this book is new! After the first is this second one also full with inspiration and I like to start a new quilt, but I have a long list to do first. Maybe I give one block a try, because it is holiday. We are at home, so my sewing machine and fabrics are around the corner.

Part 9 home sweet home

These are the two new parts of the mystery. This is the last house in the row. Next time I will show you my own row....I start thinking now about stitchery and quilting....

Summertime Swap

Today I signed up for a summer swap! I like to see how this works. It is only a small quilt, so I find some time to make it. I will show you the progress after the start. I have to wait if my partner (not in crime, but in quilting) has some special wishes.

Little blessings

Two weeks ago I started with a gift for as a birth present. The little girl is expected in August, so it was time to start. I do not think that the parents will read this, so I can show you some of the machine appliqued pieces. The moter saw a quilt like this at a shop in Las Vegas. She just knew that she was pregnant when we visited this City. I bought the book Little Blessing from Nancy Davis Murty, see: www.beecreativestudio.com and I promised her to make her a quilt.

A few weeks ago I asked for the colours of the nursery: red, pink and a little orange. I picked up some fabrics and hope the girl (and her parents) like the quilt.

Not finished yet, I have some weeks.....

I did the applique by machine, the stitchery by hand (lovely to do...)

mystery part 8

Here a picture of part 8. Not completely finished. Days are to short and the weather was to nice to sit behind my sewing machine. Instead I was outside, working in the garden and playing with sand and water! But this work gives me the opportunity to think about future projects, like the next mystery.

Finished top

Last week I showed the fabrics and here is the top. Made of 192 squares and a nice border fabric. We made some nice rolls to use for the squares. Maybe you know the Jelly rolls from Moda? We made Bossche rolls (like a Bossche bol, a specialty of our city Den Bosch with a lot of chocolate and cream), one big roll contains 20 fabrics, each 10 x 110 cm. Enough for this quilt!

The small bossche rolls contains 10 fabrics, each 5 x 110 cm. Very nice for a log cabin (big or small). I started to make small blocks from my scraps as a cover for my fabricwonderland sketchbook.

new fabrics and idea

New fabrics gives new ideas. Today I started a quick quilt with these lovely, fresh, summerfabrics. Mmmm, I am happy to go to the shop tomorrow and sew for a couple of hours!

Fabrics.....

Yesterday arrived some new fabrics from Alexander Henry. Immediately I knew which fabrics to use for the new mystery starting in november 2009. For the background I choose reds. The greens, yellows and blues gives a good contrast. It really is a fabricwonderland! I have to design the pattern, but I will start during the holidays. I promised myself to finish also the details before te start of the new season in september. I can not show you the results of this promiss of course, but I will tell you.

For this mystery, 240 x 240 cm, you need 14 meters of fabrics. One background group (total 7 meters) and the other group (also 7 meters) is contrasting the background colour.

Mystery part 7

Some pictures of part 7.

Ideas for the next mystery are coming in my mind....title: Fabricwonderland!

Tickets not available at this moment......