Something different

This past week I suddenly had the urge to "play" with beads, although I really should have been working on my baby quilts. My excuse was that I needed a birthday gift in a hurry and since I have tons of beads as well as all the components to make jewelry, I gave in gracefully. I remembered I had some porcelain beads I bought in China a while ago I combined them with a few lapis lazuli as well as some sterling silver beads. I strung them onto a waxed cotton thread and made a closure with another bead. By using cotton thread the necklace is soft and very comfortable to wear unlike when using "Tigertale" which is a nylon covered wire.

Of course I couldn't stop at just one and made a couple more

and included some Chinese cinnabar beads. I was wearing one of the necklaces yesterday evening to a party. It went perfectly with my blue and white top. 

My "love affair" with beads started a long time ago when we lived in Indonesia. I became an avid collector and connoisseur of old/antique beads and soon started to make my own necklaces. The idea was that I would sell them, but I seldom could bare to part with any of them and therefore have probably more necklaces than there are days in a year ;)!I have a small collection of those I wear regularly on my dressing table.

Until next time, take care.
Cheers
Vreni x

I'm still here!

Amidst a constant stream of visitors and guests I have found little time for sewing. But I have finish three more Camelot blocks:

Block 9

Block 10

 Block 11

I also started a baby quilt for a soon to be born little boy. He will be the first baby of the next generation on my husband's side of the family and we are all very exited. I'm using the pattern "Rush Hour" by the very talented Kellie from Don't look now. 

I really need to get going with this as afterwards I will have to make another baby quilt for another new baby boy born just last week in Australia. And if that isn't enough, I also need to make a wedding quilt for a friend of my daughter. Luckily the wedding isn't until May. I'm happy to have a "free" weekend coming without any guests, visitors or invitations so I'm planning to spend a large junk of it in my sewing room. I hope you have an equally lovely weekend ahead! 

Cheers

Vreni x

Hitting the ground running!

After missing our connecting flight and an unplanned 24 hours in Doha, we are now home again. We had a lovely time in Switzerland over Christmas as well as a quick side trip to Malta with the kids. I was pleased to see how well mum had settled into her "assisted living home" and how happy she is there. I can't tell you what a huge relieve that is! It was a busy time with clearing some of mum's house, entertaining the whole family over Christmas and visiting with friends but somehow it was just enjoyable. And I loved to be in the fresh winter air, although there was no snow, at least not where we were.

When I got home I had exactly one day to prepare for the Kaffe Fassett lecture and workshop I had signed up for. Both were very interesting, although my jet lagged brain was pushed to its limits!

The quilt we were working on is from his book Quilt Grandeur and is called Shadow Pinwheel. This is the original from the book

And this is my version. I wanted it to be completely different and since I had planned to make a blue and brown quilt for a while, I thought this would be the ideal opportunity. Not as easy as you might think to work while Kaffe and Brandon were "breathing down our necks"!

Here's what Kaffe hat to say to my design attempt:

And a few more examples from my class mates:

Now it's back to my sewing room. Although I had brought lots of hand sewing I didn't make one stitch while I was away. And I had such good intentions. 

Cheers

Vreni x

My crafty year in pictures

Here's to a Happy and crafty New Year! Best wishes to everyone and thanks for all your support and encouragements during this past year!
Cheers
Vreni xx

Merry Christmas

Christmas Market in Basel, Switzerland

With best wishes for a wonderful Christmas. 

Vreni

One more handmade gift

After making the small hoop Christmas ornaments, it occurred to me that I could make mum a bigger version of her childhood home, so she can hang it up all year round. This is a 8 inch hoop, compared with the 4 inch hoop I used before.

It's a bit more detailed than the small one, which I'm going to give to my favorite aunt who still lives on the family farm. 

Now no more dilly dallying in my sewing room as I have to start packing. We're going to spend Christmas in Switzerland this year and I can't tell you how much I look forward to some crisp winter air and with any luck, maybe even a white Christmas. It's funny really, after all these years of living abroad, Christmas time I long to be "home". Or in other words; there's no place like home for the Holidays. Don't you agree?

Cheers

Vreni 

Ticking off the list!

Maybe you remember, at the end of August I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish before the end of the year. Let's see how far I got:

1. Finish hand quilting Big Bloom Quilt: tick

I think this must be my very first quilt which is made entirely by hand; hand pieced and hand quilted. It feels very soft and I'm going to give it to my mum for Christmas. I hope she'll like it. 

2. Finish Winter Quilt: tick

3. Make eight blocks for my Camelot quilt: tick

Block 8

and the first eight blocks together. 

4. Make a few Christmas presents: tick, tick and tick!

5. Machine quilt one quilt top; sorry, that didn't happen. 

Well, all in all I'm quite pleased that I was able to do most of the tasks I set myself. The list has definitely helped to keep me on track. 

I leave you with a picture of a  little Christmas decoration I've made. I've seen something similar on Pinterest and tried to copy it. The stick is actually a long piece of cinnamon.

I hope you are enjoying the season!

Vreni x