STARS

Today... four stars more

three Pinwheel Stars and one Nested Star.

I have now totally 16 stars: four 12 ", four 8" and eight 4" stars. And I wanted to see them all together in live...

... but also my dear friend, Fenix wanted to see and touch them...

I haven't yet decide the final size of my star quilt.

In the end it might be just like this 60" x 80" or little bit shorter, about 60" x 60"...

I'm happy that you popped here...

A Scrappy Week

As I told you last time, I AM extremely sensitive to everything, which might include Q -addictive elements. I suppose that you also have recently seen one or two blog post, which is told about Scrappy Trip Around World blocks.

I couldn't resist anymore... not after, when I saw some of those blocks at Anne Heidi and Christine and Sherri.

First I tried the colors that remind me of... pomegranate (?), then I wanted to try some lime colors... Hmm, fascinating! If I ever sew some blocks more, the quilt will be named as Bites of Exotic Fruits! That sounds very delicious... and looks too;o)

My squares are 1 1/2", so the finished block size is then 8 1/2 ".

Heartily I recommend that you take a scrappy trip around the world. Bonnie's tutorial is a good place to start it ;o)

The other scrappy block, which has fascinated me, is Granny Square. Lori hosted the Great Granny Along last summer. I simply didn't find time then, but last week I had an opportunity to create couple of granny blocks.

My mother needed a gift for her friend... and what else would be better or more useful gift than a pair of the pot holders ;o)

My star collection grew with three stars,

which are on the right above. There is one 'nested' Ohio Star (12") and two Nested Star (8" & 4") 

I'm not sure yet, am I going to sew more stars with green background.

Hmm.. maybe few more...

Fenix is busy, when he is controlling that all the pieces of background for the Pumpkinville blocks four and five are sewn in a correct order.

The blocks 1-3 are finished ;o)

My photos are quite blurry this week, sorry... maybe clearer shots in the next time...

...until then

HAPPY Scrappy Stitching WEEK!!!

Stars, oh Stars...

Warning: 
this tale may cause symptoms of addiction, especially to quilters, who are sensitive to stars.

I do not know what's wrong with me, but recently I have felt that I can see the stars all over the place wherever I am or where I'm going.  I do not mean by this that I had crashes on slippery winter road...

... but the stars have taken over my quilting hours!

Here's the latest Oh, My Stars: the first Nested Star and four Basic Sawtooth Stars more.
Grit has sewn some stars with the dark background fabric. Hmm... her stars look so fascinating that I'm gonna try that idea. And I'll sew few Nested Stars more.

Here's all the stars together. 

When I look that picture, I almost feel the moist grass under my feet. I don't know, why that occurred to me...

I think now is following the most addictive part of this tale... so if you feel any unsure of yourself, I recommend that you close your eyes and skip over few of the next photo.

At Grit's blog I saw an awesome Sternenquilt. It looks so tempting, that I had to do a one single star.

... dadda-daddaa...

...and the other one!


I'm using 1" hexagons and I found here a suitable tumbling block pattern for the star. I got one charm pack of Kissing Booth fabrics and I got the idea to make a romantic Star wall hanging... which probably will be finished in 20...

But hei,
there must always be dreams, even if they don't take place!!! Don't you agree?

I warned you this star mania is a highly contagious ;o) Look what happened to Fenix!

Ok, you may relax now. And I'm sure you are more resistant to this kind of temptations than we are!

And it was really a fun coincidence, because 2012 Designer Mystery block in January is also one kind of basic sawtooth star... yes a STAR ;o)

It's called 'Lime Sherbet'.
Hmm... I'm feeling a hot summer sun on my face and cool sherbet in my mouth... although there is now freezing outside. Ok, back to the real world...

... when I was cleaning last week I found STAR blocks ;o)

Do you remember these Summer stars in autumn colours, which I sewed last summer. When I found them, I couldn't resist temptation to see what they look like together with this pink sashing fabric. Guess, what I almost taste strawberry-vanilla-chocolate ice cream...

Ok! I stop teasing you with the stars... and with other silly tales...
... but if you someday decide sew some stars ;o)

to this collage I picked up some useful tricks to reduce bulkiness in your star blocks.

I think that now it's time to continue Pumpkinville.

And look there is a st... I mean... a cat sitting on the roof!
It looks a lot like Fenix...

Tähdet

Yön tullen
minä seison portailla kuuntelemassa,
tähdet parveilevat puutarhassa
ja minä seison pimeässä.
Kuule, tähti putosi helähtäen!
Älä astu ruohikolle paljain jaloin:
puutarhani on sirpaleita täynnä.

- Edith Södergran -


Wishing you a creative week!!!

the bad poem translation is assisted by google:

Stars

Night becoming
I'm standing on the steps listening to,
the stars are flocking to the garden
and I'm standing in the dark.
Listen, the star fell and jingle!
Do not step on the grass barefoot:
the garden is full of shrapnel.

- Edith Södergran -

After Sewing Sunday

For a long time I have dreamed of making a Star Quilt.

Last year there was Oh, My Stars quilt-along on Thought&Found blog. The great tutorials for the star blocks are still found there.

Now Grit from Germany is calling for everyone to join sew-along stars with her. I think this is my moment to start MY Star quilt.

Then I just had to decide the colour...
oh... that was a very tough part of this 'game'...

On last Saturday I felt greeny and I found some fascinating green fabrics. 

Could green be the answer? Maybe I add a bit purple and turquoise along My Star journey... 

In any case here are my first ones...

Basic Sawtooth Stars: the biggest star is 12", the other 8" and the smallest are 4". 

Sheila has written a good tutorials for the stars. Although you are not interested in star quilt, it's still worth of reading those tutorials. There you'll find many useful sewing hints.

Fenix insisted to introduce to you our next project.

It's a fabric basket & Thread Catcher. The pattern is from Natalie Bird's book called Red Home.

Chookyblue and the other SAL girls are starting a new stitch-along in January and this basket is the first SAL project. I think I'm not allowed to take part in, because I haven't yet finish the previous SAL project, Some Kind of Wonderful. 

The size of the basket is about 3" x 5". The rose applique is also from Natalie's book, I 'borrowed' it from the other project. And as you see I didn't make careful measurements... the applique is a bit too down... under... ;o)

Wow, the second OPAM in this month...

I - finally - finished the first block of Pumpkinville and I started the second...

Happy Moments of Sewing for Next Time!!!

Are You Ready....

for the Sewing Sunday?

I am ;o)

and later than Monday also you will see how ready I was...

Today I was excited about the clear blue sky...

a perfect day for being outside

 and hand sewing = cross stitching veeeeeeeery tiny STITCHES!

But the sky was clear only two hours... what a disappointment!

So I must use - again - the flash, when I photographed Simone's little owls.

Aren't they cute and full of joy?

Enjoyable Epiphany Sunday!!!

Received and Given --- a lot of Joys

But first may I introduce my Morsel 

- the Another Year of Schnibbles project for December -

 UPS! Sorry, the wrong photo!!! 

Where is the photo of my Morsel? I have to go around and look for it... and leave Fenix to continue his dream... looks like he had a hard day's night yesterday...

meanwhile

 may I introduce some joys, which we found from under the Christmas tree

There was presents from dear blogger friends, Katrin from Germany, Simone from Holland, new friend Sue from Australia (SSCS) and Dolores from Canada.

Katrin made and sent along Santa Claus many pretty gifts and a gorgeous machine embroidered Angel card (1). I'm still thinking she is very multi-talented lady. VIELEN schönen DANKE, my dear friend KATRIN!

Santa Claus brought from Simone very beautifully wrapped parcel with flavoured tea pouches (2). It was a pity to open such a beauty, but I was anxious to see what was in it! There was this neatly decorated mug rug and cutest owl decoration, which i have ever seen. Unfortunately you have to wait for a while until you see those owls... the photo, which I took of them was all too blurry to publish. I'm very fortunate to know an other multi-talented lady. HEEL hartelijk BEDANKT, my dear friend SIMONE!

Sue from Australia was my Secret Santa Claus Swap partner in this... sorry, last year 2012.

I think you remember her two Christmas socks with tiny gifts inside them. The main present was this piece of art quilt, a beautiful coastal landscape. Oh, I almost feel that Australian summer breeze!

Look at all these details! I can't believe how fortunate I AM... really! 

THANK YOU so MUCH, my dear friend SUE!

Far away from Canada came this...

... other work of art with very touching story. This tree is called Emma's tree. And I'm feeling VERY honoured to have one of them on my wall. When I look that tree, I understand more the meaning and the priorities of the life. THANK YOU so MUCH, my dear friend DOLORES!

(PS. Dolores: The green Emma's tree found also it's path to me...)

Maybe I can now reveal you what I posted... öhöm... I mean... what I gave to Santa Claus, who delivered it to my SSCS partner, Sonia.

I was quite nervous, when I saw her blog and her pages of scrapbooking net store. Shall I ever figure to make her anything? She makes so many pretty things herself... I just want to make something useful...

Oh, what a pressure!

But then I saw the Idea Pouch on Simone's blog. I rushed to the Michelle's pages and got the pattern. Now the problem was the fabric... 

... but I decided to use quite neutral-to-earth colour, which looks a bit like an antique...

Here is other gifts, which I had time to make and... hopefully Santa Claus brought them safely to their destination... and I hope they will delight recipients ;o) 

Well, at last... I found it!

Little Bites - Morsel - pincushion.

I almost completed it last night, but I think this is my first OPAM in 2013! 

I don't know why, but this pincushion reminds me of Popeye's girlfriend, Olga.

It was a good start of a new year...

I'm happy you popped here!!!