Classroom Bunting

A few years ago, when my daughter started teaching, I made her a Dr. Seuss quilt for the reading corner and gave her some of the books for her own classroom library. I still had some fabric of that quilt in my stash and decided to make a bunting to hang up in her class room. I added a few other pieces from my scrap bin. 

It's actually one long sting of bunting, but I couldn't get it all into one picture. A friend of mine was kind enough to cut the letters on her AccuQuilt fabric cutter.

With the few flags I had left I made another shorter bunting. I think that would look nice in a baby or kid's room.

I also had to make a block for another of my quilting friends who is leaving Singapore. She requested Singapore Nature and I came up with this

It's supposed to be a lotus flower bud, in case you can't tell.

And I've been shopping! A local shop is carrying the whole of the Steel + Cotton range and at a very competitive price too. For now I bought mostly blender fabrics, but I might have to go back for more. I think they are such versatile and pretty colours/patterns and are great additions to my stash. 

We are off to Bali next week; let's see if I can find some lovely batiks for my stash as well. I'll keep you in the loop.

Cheers

Vreni x

Checking in

I have made myself scarce here, it seems. But I have been busy, just nothing finished to show, except for two more friendship blocks for friends who are leaving our group and Singapore soon. 

I've also sandwiched my bloom quilt and have started to quilt it. For the time being I'm just quilting the small squares. 

I'm also in the middle of raw edge appliqueing (is that a word?) my fish quilt. Here's a little "teaser".

Other that that, we've  been to a quick visit to Beijing to see DD. It was lovely to be with her and meet her colleagues and friends. We got to visit her classroom. How strange to see her as a competent teacher where as in my heart she is still a second grader herself ;)!!! Here they are practicing a song for their end of year concert. 

Unfortunately the weather was terrible and it rained cats and dogs most of the time we were there. The pollution was quite bad as well but nothing compared with what we found upon our return to Singapore. And it's become increasingly worst as this week went on. It's the same story every year - although this time is by far the worst - as the farmers in Indonesia clear large areas of forest by setting deliberate slash-and-burn fires, sending clouds of smoke into the atmosphere. 

click image for source

from my window this morning

For now I'm keeping my head down and out of the haze as much as possible, even though it seeps through the closed windows and through the AC and everything starts to smell like it's been in a smoke house.
Oh well, what to do lah (that's a Singaporean saying by the way)!
Cheers
Vreni x         
                                                        

Can you tell what this is supposed to be?

Another of our friends from the Tuesday group is leaving and she has requested flower blocks for her friendship quilt. And not just any old flower, no, it has to be the flower from our countries of origin. It was  obvious what I had to make, but the how is another story altogether. As there are no quilting or applique patterns for Edelweiss available, I had to design my own. I'm just hoping it is obvious as what it is supposed to be. 

 And a closeup of my French knots. 

To be Dutch would have been much easier. Anybody can applique a tulip, don't you agree?

And now back to my Scrappy Trip Along.

Cheers

Vreni x

Biting off more than I can chew....

is what I'm doing at the moment. When I decided to join another quilt along a few weeks ago, I should have known better, especially since I'm behind with the Blogger's BOM and I don't even want to think about "Building Houses from Scratch". I have exactly 5 houses "built".  But it seems I just can't say no! The "How far will you go? QAL" is already at week eight, but I have only managed three blocks so far.

At least I'm caught up with the Bee blocks. Here are my August blocks.

I also had to make another friendship block for someone who is leaving our quilt group.

As always, we are making blocks with a bit of an Asian flair. I hope she'll like it.

Have a good weekend and whatever you have planned, enjoy it.

Vreni x

Friendship and other Blocks

In one of my quilt groups it's custom to make a friendship block for the leaving member. The person leaving chooses and prepares the background blocks for everyone as well as a few coordinated fabrics. Unfortunately we have to say good bye to two members very soon. That's definitely the downside of our "expat" life. Nothing stays the same; people come and people go and one has to adjust constantly to the new reality.

I also made my second block for Blogger's free BOM.  It was designed by Vicki Welch and you can find it here.

I think I like the combination of the soft blue with the red. I can't wait to see how it further unfolds.

I also found a lovely tutorial here via A Spoonful of Sugar for paper flowers and though I could make them into Christmas cards. 

I hope you were also enjoying a bit of sewing or crafting time this week.

Cheers

Vreni