Hopfaldera

Studies in quilting

Unlike some people I don't come from a tradition of quilting at all. That makes this quilting thing very easy for me because I don't have anything to live up to and I feel I can invent my own methods to do things. But since I joined a quilting bee, Bee Europa, I thought I should learn some of the traditional methods. After all, I will be sewing quilt blocks for other people, not just for myself!

I started by getting a book from the library about traditional quilt blocks, but it had nothing about the construction in it. Then yesterday I found a great new blog. It is called Modify Tradition and is all about approaching traditional quilting blocks in a modern way. Well, I am all for that! I got started on a nine-patch block, and it went well. They had a great tutorial!

Now the fabrics for the skinny nine-patch and the pin wheel blocks are cut out and ready to go. I'm having fun with my 'studies'!

Another blog to quilt along with is Block Party. They are starting today. I might join them too!

My creative space 08

In my creative space today is the quilt I am making for Craft Hope. I am at the stage of trimming the edges and binding, so it is almost done.

This going to be the binding:
 

 

The quilt should almost be done, so I can send it to the USA tomorrow. I feel like I am rushing like in this video by the Editors. (always nice to listen to some blasphemous music while crafting for charity... just kidding)

More creative spaces at Kootoyoo. Why don't you join too!!

Ornaments

It is that time of year again... time to swap ornaments! I have participated in the Annual Holiday Ornament Swap for three years now, and yesterday I found out that Nicole of Freshly Blended is organizing a 4th round! I'm still deciding whether I should join. I have so many holiday gift making plans already! But it is so much fun to make and receive all those ornaments.

Here are pictures of what I made in the previous years

2006

2007

2008

And take a look at what I received on Flickr (2006, 2007, 2008)

Here is a link to the 4th Annual Holiday Ornament Swap! (I don't think I can keep myself from joining...)

Where I was

It was a bit quiet here on the blog last week. Do you want to know where I was? This was my view...

 
Nice, don't you think! We went to Crete, in Greece!

We made friends among the "wild' hotel cats. They became our pets for the week; every morning when we opened our door they were waiting for us (and the food we secretely gave them). Damaris and Emil gave every cat a name: here you see Taf, Paps, Blackie and Mams.

 

A sponge shop in Rethymno...

 

A visit to the Knossos...

Agios Nikolaos...

We had a great time, caught a lot of sun, the kids did a lot of swimming, I read two books: Sarah's Key and  Hanna's Daughters - A Novel Of Three Generations (the last one I read for the first time on Crete ten years ago, so I thought it was fun to reread it there; the book actually has nothing to do with Crete or Greece but is set in Sweden). Frederik got a lot further in his Wallander book Sidetracked which he is reading in Swedish. I think we all recharged our batteries, so to speak, and are ready for Fall and Winter!
 
 
 
 

Quilting for Craft Hope

The Craft Hope blog announced a new project! I'm so glad this is one I can do. We are to make quilts for homeless children in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. I actually have family in Grand Rapids. Fortunately they are not homeless, but I have heard that the global financial crisis is hitting them very hard out there.

 

These are some pictures from a little Pixi book that I still have from when I was small. They show how a quilt can turn into a safe place.

 

I'll start my quilt soon. The deadline for it is November 15, so the children can receive their quilt around Christmas time.

My creative space 07

I have caught the kntting bug again!

A cowl with interesting stitches for myself.

A new hat for Emil.

This will become a sleeveless v-neck sweater for Frederik. Pattern found via Angry Chicken.

The yarn for a short jacket for Damaris still has to be bought. She needs to come with me to pick the color and to test the yarn for non-itchy-ness!  

More creative spaces at Kootoyoo! Thanks for hosting this every week Kirsty!

Mauries wants to come inside!

Mauries wants to come inside!, originally uploaded by Muriël (doucepoints).

This is what I see next to me, when I sit at the computer. Mauries, intensely letting me know he wants to come inside.
I let him in. Now, after eating something he is fast asleep. Aah, wouldn't it be marvelous to live a cat's life! Except for the food... yuck!

Inspired by
Alicia's post about her cats (and other wildlife).

The Daily Prophet

 

It's the 3rd of October! That means something special in my town. Leiden, in the Netherlands, has been celebrating its release from Spanish Rule on this day, ever since 1574! This is what I wrote about it last year. This year´s report has a moving photo (like in The Daily Prophet in Harry Potter), but I´m not able to embed it in this blog post. Go to Flickr and see Damaris and Emil at the fair!

Some other news in today´s Prophet. Amy Karol put up the gallery of Mad About Plaid-aprons. My apron is among the other wonderful entries.

To bee

Did you notice the new button in my side bar, the one that says Quilting with... Bee Europa? This is a link to the Flickr group of a virtual quilting bee that I joined. We haven't started yet, but I'm already doing some research into block designs. I found lots of Flickr groups dedicated to quilting blocks and bees.

Today I went to the library and found some more inspiration: The Quilter's Block Bible: The Essential Illustrated Reference - 150 Traditional and Contemporary Block Designs and Patchwork Folk Art: Using Appliqué & Quilting Techniques. The two books offer completely different styles. I'm not sure what I will choose when my month to design comes along. Luckily I still have some time.

Some images from the 'Bible':

 

Some images from Patchwork Folk Art:

 

Oh, and I also have to start looking for fabric... there are worse tasks I can think of! 
 
  

My creative space 06

Back in my creative space this week are ceramics. My class started again. I have been taking this class forever, so it's more like having an extra studio space for a couple of hours a week in which I can work on ceramics. That's a good arrangement because working with ceramics doesn't mix well with working with fabric, which is what I do in my studio at home. And taking the class also provides me with fun class mates to share ideas with. I can't wait until my next class!

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo!