Thank you and a happy new year!

First I like to thank you all for visiting my blog and the comments you left.
I appreciate it very much that people like to know what I am doing and that I get feedback :)
It gives me the feeling of working in a group what I used to do when we were living in the Netherlands.

I wish you much love, friendship, a good health and inspiration to make lovely textile art in the New Year.

centre picture Leslie's block RR

On Leslie's RR block is a lovely centre picture. I asked Leslie if she would like it that I did it in redwork ( but not red). She said she would like that, so I did it.
I have used one strand of silk floss and have used stemstitch, outline stitch, backstitch and french knots.
I am very pleased how it looks now and I hope Leslie does also.
You can click on the photo to see it full screen :)
Now I am ready with this block and it goes in the mail next week to the next person in the RR.

Encrusted RR, Leslie's block

This seam treatment was meant to make the braid less heavy. It is the upper left corner of the block from a encrusted RR ,I am in. The block belongs to Leslie.
Leslie added the braid when she pieced the block.
This seam is on the top of the block. It is feather stitch, done with brown, buds/ berries done with the oyster stitch and leaves with silk ribbon. The little bird is m.o.p.

Seam 1 and 2 I made before Christmas and today I made seam 3 with the bell-flowers. sre.
The stem is made from chain stitch and stem-stitch.
I sewed silver glass seed beads on it. I thought this are dew drops in the morning........
I think when you click on the photo to enlarge you can see them.
It was a joy for me to work on this block, I like those colors: dusty pink, ivory and moss green, very much.
Maybe I will do a bit more on this block later........

Healing heart.

I made this heart today for one of my internet-group friends who recently has lost a loved family member. In one of the groups I am in ( a very little group) we make such hearts.
It goes in the mail tomorrow.

The last TAST stitch.

The last stitch from the "tast "year was the Spanish feather stitch.
For me it was a tricky stitch.
The first row above turned out totally wrong.
I didn't remove it, it is just a new discovery :)
The peach colored one below is the right one. Once I discovered the right way to do it , it was not difficult at all.
I did say it before but I like to say "Thank you ! "agian to Sharon B. for all the time she has put into this the past year. I have learned many new stitches and will use at least a few dozen of them in the future on my CQ work.

Have a nice Christmas.

I made this wall-quilt for the family of my eldest daughter. I started years ago and at least it is finished now as a present under the tree. The size is 117x95 cm. , 47x38 inch.
It is hand and machine sewn and hand and machine quilted.
You can click on the photo to see it large.

more nice mail :)

Look what I found in my mailbox today!
A beautiful needle-book from my swap-sister Lynn from Minnesota, USA.
We have been swap-sisters this year, we have sent 3 baggies with nice things to each other and one home made needle-book.
Lynn added also goodies to this one she sent to me.
The needle-book is very nice made with beads hanging along the seams.
Thank you so much Lynn, I will use it and enjoy it every day!

TAST week 51

This week's stitch is the Chained Bar stitch.
Instead of long stitches with thick thread to form the bar I have used a small piece of ribbon.
The thread I have used for the chain stitch is Sassa Lynne perle fine.

surprising mail

Last week I have received unexpected Christmas cards. It was a nice surprise to get an 'angel'card from Helinä ( Finland) a 'star'card with gold ribbons from Corina ( the Netherlands) and "golden stars"from Waltraud ( Germany).
Thank you all very much!

RR block

Hi, I almost forgot to show you the work I did on a RR block. It is called an 'Encrusted RR'.
That means lots of stitching, beads and other embellishments.
I was the first one to work on it.
A naked block is always a bit scary, I think. The colors and style you choose can be determined for the others in the round.
I liked the ciggy in the centre, it is very delicate and I have tried to keep the stitching and embellishment fine too.
Maire, the owner of the block didn't want more blue.
I have added a piece of lace on the blue fabric, so that I could add some blue flowers and use some light blue thread, which is Edmar lola.
I did about 25 % of the block, there are three workers after me.
It was a bit difficult to get a good photo, there are many silk fabrics in this block.
If you like to see it large, just click on the photo.

TAST week 50

This week's stitch is the Berry stitch.

I didn't know what to do with that until I visited Elizabet's blog

Quieter Moments. The second photo is the idea from her.

You can see it large by clicking on the photo.

I made this berries with DMC perle 5 on my TAST sampler.

It is an easy stitch and it gives a nice relief. You can find it on Sharon's blog.

Paper cutting

Yesterday evening I have cut this old Norwegian pattern which I found in a magazine
"Norsk Husflid". It is made from two A4 sheets of copy paper and sewn together in the centre.
Of course I am not a professional as Margreet is, but it came out very nice.
It is 28 cm. high and it took me one hour to cut it.

Seasons to seasons swap."Winter".

I am in a seasons swap at the CQfor Newbies group.

We are supposed to make a 8" block and to decorate the half of it.

The swap-mom sent it out to a partner and the partner has to finish the block.

Here is the block of Norma as it came to my house and after I have done my work on it.

Norma started with red, green, white, gold and silver.

I have continued with those colors to make it finished.

As always you can click on the photo to enlarge.

X-mas quiltlet

While finishing the 101 dalmatians quilt for my grandson I made a little X-mas wall-quilt for my granddaughter too. It is 12", 30 cm. square.
They are both so young at that is difficult to understand that there comes a gift from grandma from Norway for only one.
Now they have both their gift under the tree :)

Tast week 49

This is the Pistil Stitch.
It is a French knot on a stalk.

I made this one just to remind myself that I can use it in many different ways, not only as a stem in a flower....
Made on my tast sampler.
If you like to see it large, just give a click on the photo.

Nice things in the mailbox

Two days ago there was again a surprise in my mailbox.
A fat quarter of quilt fabric and 5 skeins of Sassa Lynne threads.
It came from Susan Nixon, she is playing Santa :)
Thank you so much, I am very happy with this gift.

101 Dalmatians

The wall-quilt for my grandson is ready to go in the mail to the Netherlands.
I did four seams to finish it and added the borders.
The finished size is 20,5x18 inch. 52x46 cm.
If you click on the photo you will get a large one.

cards

Those atc's came this week, they are both very special.

The Craquelures Oranges from Laurence, France. The Armani jeans from Lorenza, Italy.

Thank you both for this swap.

Fabric Postcard made for a swap with the UK Embellishers group.

Wool-felt made with embellisher, embroidered trees, yo-yo's and buttons.

Send to Maria in the UK.