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

Voting is in progress

I forgot to mention yesterday that I've entered another quilt of mine into the Quilter's Gallery's Weekly Themed Quilt Contest.  This week's contest is all about "Trees, Leaves and Flowers". Go here and take a look.

"Marianne's Garden"

It is still one of my all time favorite quilts and I'm always happy to see it again when I go back to Switzerland where it is living with my dear friend Marianne. I'm still planning to make another one, one day!

Vreni x

Surpises

I love blog land, I really do. It seems people "there" are kinder than in any other "land". And I tell you why I think so. A little while ago Eva from the Czech Republic left a comment on my blog, to which I responded to which she responded again. Soon we had a nice email conversation going. And before I knew it, I got this lovely hankie in the post

Eva hand embroidered it and it seems she is a bit of a wizard with the needle and thread. Unfortunately Eva doesn't have a blog where you could see more of the lovely things she produces. Maybe I have to try to convince her to start one.  

Yesterday I found a another little parcel in my letter box. Conny (she is the lady who won my 100th post give away) sent me some lovely Dutch goodies. Look at these blue and red fabric together with the gorgeous ribbons! Aren't they just perfect for my Blogger BOM? And the little lavender soaps smell heavenly and are going into my closet so all my clothes will smell heavenly too. There was also a small Dutch chocolate bar, but as you can see, I already ate that. It was really delicious too, and that's saying something as I'm a bit of a chocolate snob and I usually only like Swiss chocolate! Thanks so much Conny, it really wasn't necessary, but I do appreciate it. 

Moving on to what I've been up to these last couple of weeks. I'm still sewing and crafting away for the Christmas bazaar in November.

More table runners; this time I put batting in between and quilted them.

Another bag (tutorial for the felt flower here)

A few pouches (tutorial here, except I boxed the corners)

My friend Heather and I have been experimented with tissue box covers. Hers turned are perfectly

mine still needs improving.

As we're having a house guest staying over the weekend (and it's his birthday tomorrow) I've been baking. I've seen the recipe here and wanted to try it out. It turned out absolutely delisious and what's more, it's so easy and fast to make. 

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That's it for today. Have a great weekend ahead.

Vreni x

Another Little Quilt Swap 7 and another UFO finished!

This is was I made for this round of ALQS7. It's machine pieced and hand quilted with Pearl cotton 8. It's quite small, only 12 inches square, which was the rule this time.

Since I thought it would make a nice cushion  I've made a pocket at the back to insert a cushion form. This way it can be used either way.

As I didn't have a cushion form with the exact measurements at hand, I made one myself. I just cut two pieces of batting, sewed around it, leaving a opening for turning. After turning it, I stuffed it and hand stitched the opening closed. Voilà!

And another UFO is finished. Although I nearly gave up the will to live as my machine just wouldn't cooperate. I lost count how many time the thread broke or how many stitches were missed. But it's finished now and if you don't look too closely, it not too bad. 

Have a great week.

Vreni x

One done, five more to go!

OK I've started with the baby quilt, but I thought it's a good way to get into the free motion quilting rhythm again.  

After initially playing up, the machine behaved itself after changing the thread, the needle, the tension several times!

Now that baby can arrive!

This month's bee blocks have already been sent and also received.

It's the first time I've made granny squares and I really enjoyed it. There might be a granny square  quilt in my future! 

I also did a bit more crafting and sewing for the charity bazaar in November.

 Of course I'm hoping that we'll be able to sell lots, but whatever doesn't, will be "recycled" as Christmas presents. So either way, everything will be useful, one way or other. 

Enjoy the weekend and the Olympics!

Cheers

Vreni x

And the winner is

comment number 39, which was left by Conny in the Netherlands.

conny's quilts said...

Vreni congratulations with your 100 th post!! Please go on this way, I love your blog!

Conny, please check your inbox for an email from me. I will need your address so the box can get on its way to you. Congratulations. 

Thanks to everybody who left a comment!

Cheers

Vreni x 

I made it..... 100 posts!

It took me exactly three years! Although technically I only posted regularly for about 2 1/2 years. When I started this blog, we were still living in Shanghai and I soon found out that it was and still is very difficult to blog in China (all kinds of restrictions and censorship). Well, there are ways to get around all of that, but I already knew that we would be moving soon, so I didn't bother.

Anyway, as it is customary to have a little give away on the 100th post, here is what I'm offering:

A handmade box, covered with Japanese washi paper

  and  filled with a few of my favorite things!

• small cutting mat (excellent for "swivelling" while cutting small blocks
• 4 by 8 inch ruler
• triangle trimmers
• quarter inch ruler
• Hera marker (excellent for marking quilts)
• needle threader and cutter
• Japanese sewing needles
• spool of Mettler 100 % cotton thread
• small rotary cutter
• small scissors
• Edelweiss pin cushion with Iris superfine pins
• wooden seam creaser
• and of course the obligatory seam ripper 

To be in the draw please leave a comment. And if you happen to be a follower, you get to leave a second comment indicating how you follow. I will draw a winner on Monday evening (my time).
Good luck.
Cheers
Vreni