Speldenkussen

Goedemorgen!

 Vanmorgen vroeg heb ik dit fantastische speldenkussen afgewerkt.
Al met al heeft het me een week gekost om het in elkaar te zetten, die rechter vlerk doet nog steeds geen steek, maar het resultaat is gaaf, ja toch?

En ik heb toch weer wat kunnen prikken, dat doet mij ook goed.

Ik ben er wèg van.

~~~~~

Early this morning I finished this fantastic pincushion. 
It took me one week, due to my right hand still being off sewing-duty, but the result is great, isn't it?

I am very happy with it; also with the stitching I managed to do.

  

Het is  Penny's Hexie Caddy Pincushion

en ik vind het werkelijk super!

 In het middendeel is volop plaats voor quilt benodigdheden als potloden, (lijm)stiften, scharen, enzovoorts.

Ga naar Penny's Tutorial en maak er ook een (heleboel) zelf!

~~~~~

 In the centre, caddy part there's plenty of space for your quilting tools and scissors. Hop over to Penny's Tutorial and make one (or many for) yourself!

Ik ga er nog meer maken, alleen een maatje kleiner, want deze is royaal te noemen, gemaakt van hexagonnen met zijden van 2" = twee inches.

Ik denk dat een slag kleiner, zijden van 1 1/4 " , ook wel erg mooi en handig uit zal pakken.

Maar eerst moet ik nu als een haas door mijn huis heen, want morgen is het Sissy Day hier bij mij en dan wil ik de boel wel een beetje aan kant hebben.

~~~~~

 I want to make more of these Cute Caddies, but a bit smaller, because this one is really (Quilting) Queen size, with sides measuring 2". 

Next one will have 1 1/4" sides, which will turn out to be very cute and handy too, I think.

 But: now I have to race, tidying my house, preparing  for Sissy Day tomorrow, here at my home.

Een fijne dag gewenst en tot gauw maar weer!

~~~~~

Have a nice day.

Cheers!

Crochet and Thumbquilting

Hello friends!

 Yesterday Pauline, an online quiltclub friend, came to visit me, to show and tell me about using the Thimblelady thimble, but also Ted Storm's Thumb Thimble. We had a great time, with a chat and a stitch. Thanks once more, Pauline!

That last thimble, Ted's one, is a very promising alternative for me, as long as I can't use my right hand properly for quilting the traditional way.

I bought Ted's Thumb thimble two years ago and now it is the perfect thing to work with for me, I think. I'm reading and asking for information about a hoop, with or without stand. If that's all arranged, I can start practicing; many hours and kilometres shall be spent practicing, but I WANT to learn it. 

Practice makes Perfect.

I am so happy with this new possibility.

Another new little project I am into, is making crochet ice chrystals. The pattern is from Eline's Winter Huis book . They are so cute!

 The diameter is 5cm. / 2".

 I think I'm gonna make lots of them and drop and hang them, for decoration ofcourse, all over my own lovely Winter House :>)

 Just finished cutting the fabric scraps for my swap partners in Marcha's Charm - Club fabric swap.

And I sent thirteen machine-sewn 

 

to the USA.

 ~~~~~~~~~

 'No Impact Week' has started and I must say I enjoy being in. I am discovering that I  have lived  frugally and simply for many years; not being the diehard type with the goathair socks, though.

It is good to live that consciously for one week, finding out what one can do and leave for a better and easier, slowed down life, without having the feeling of missing much. On the contrary: life gets better, richer, more relaxed and satisfying.

 This was Mrs. Zondagssteek's Monday Preach; won't do it again.

 Have a nice day, evening or sweet dreams!

Cheers!

4Patches4Hope

Hello friends!

   4Patches4Hope

   is an American quilter's initiative I read about this morning.

I think it is a great initiative, worth contributing to, but also worth show and telling about all over the world!

 Sending blessings for a happy and healthy weekend.

Cheers!

More Limericks.

Hello friends,

This morning I sent three more limericks to  Two Patch Ladies. They are in Dutch this time. 

It is so much fun and I'll write these three new ones down here:

 Number 3:

~~~~~~~~

Door vrouwen in Ierland, ze lijken getikt,

wordt menig deken doorgestikt,
 

 terwijl wordt gepraat

op rijm, in de maat.

 Zo ontstaat dus een quilt in Limerick.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Number 4:

 ~~~~~~~~~

 Een stofverslaafde uit de polder

geeft quiltlessen bij haar op zolder.

Maar ze is uit haar doen

 en je krijgt van katoen,
 

 als je zegt dat ze lijdt aan de lappenkolder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Number 5:

~~~~~~~~
 Een domineesvrouw uit het Groningse Leek
 had geen behoefte aan gepreek.

 Zij deed wat ze wilde
 met het Quiltersgilde

 en vond inspiratie in De Zondagssteek.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Yesterday evening I watched 'The King's Speech' at home on DVD that I borrowed from the library.
Fantastic, entertaining, witty and heartbreaking it is, absolutely!

 The weather today is drizzly and grey; perfect day for cooking some nice, warm(ing) stuff like Applecrumble, which will be served for Sunday dessert with whipped cream, lots of whipped cream.

No fabric is cut yet, so no machine sewing / Zondagssteek has been done either.
Maybe next week.


Cheers!

Limerick fun at Two Patch Ladies

 Hello friends,

 Hanneke and Inge at Two Patch Ladies started a draw you can take a chance in by sending a Limerick about Quilting.
There are two stitchery packets to win. Isn't that nice?
 I love everything concerning  fabric and language, so you understand I think it's great fun patching and matching words about quilting, creating a Limerick!

 I already sent one in Dutch:
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Een quiltster uit een Dokkumer streekje
 deed het liefst met de hand ieder steekje,

 maar na een prik in haar jat
 lag haar handwerk plat

 en dat steekt; het heelt niet in een weekje.
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 And I've tried to write one in English:
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Patching and matching and stitching
make a quilter's hand become itching,

 when she goes through her stash
 and pictures in a flash

 the result of her quilt-in-the-ditch-ing.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Enjoy your Sunday; mine is a perfect Autumn one.

 Cheers!

 

The French Connection

Hello friends!
 

 Last September a quilting friend had her birthday and fortunately I had a birthday present ready-made waiting on the shelf for her.

 She is of French origin, moved to Dokkum when she married her Frisian husband, many years ago.

 This is my birthday present for her
 

The French, Dutch and Frisian flags are all to find on this .....

 pincushion!
 :>)

~~~~~~~~

 For Alie Bahlmann, my Q-Teacher here in Dokkum when I first started quilting four years ago, I made this pincushion; it's my own design, using Dutch fabrics and adding self crocheted red  Frisian 'Pompeblêden' at the connecting points.

Pincushions showing the French - Frisian Connection.
Made in Fryslân by a Dutch non-Frisian girl :>)

 Have a nice day!

 Cheers!

House - sparrow

Hello friends,

 A couple of months ago I bought a little white bird-cage in a discount store to house the bird I found (and sewed) in the Eline's Huis book:

 

 

It's in the spare bedroom, waiting for company to stay and play with. 

My own house-sparrow.

 Isn't it a tweety-sweety?

 

Days have become less boring for me, since the pain in my hand is bearable and I managed to change (partially) from being right to lefthanded, which is of good help in housekeeping practice.

You know, the laptop is a wonderful thing and so is the internet but, if that's all there is...... 

And sewing is also quite another chapter...

 Maybe I can start trying to do some machine stitching, this week or next. My both hands are itching! And not only because of the cure.

Today's highlight was my first bikeride in more than three weeks. 

 Oh, how I love that! Just a short ride, to the physiotherapist and to do some shoppings, that could be taken home in the bicycle-bags. No more left arm stretching by dragging too heavy shopping bags.

 

 I am off now.

 Sleep well and till soon.

 Cheers!

Thanks!

Hello dear friends,

 Thank you so very  much for your kind words, wishing me all the best with my hand!

My hand that has to get on the mend, instead of getting mending.... 

Since I can't do any stitching I'll have to find a way to spend my days in another way I like. 

So I decided this morning to alter my home, bringing in a touch of Autumn.

I took out my very first panel quilt and put it on my coffee table:

 

 And what do you think of this pillow case?

 

Another thing I managed to do is grab and put some Fall stuff together, adding a bit more sense of Autumn to my home:

 .

The wooden toad-stool is a gift from my daughter, bought at a craft market and it's made from yew-wood.

It's not hard to recognise a .... pincushion (top right) and a little heart-shaped one in the centre, keeping the wise words about enjoying the little things in place.

The toad-stool gift wrap and some (artificial) fruit were added to make it a nice composition altogether.

One more stitched item I can't keep from you:

All this makes my house my home

  

 Enjoy Autumn!

 Wishing you happy days.

Cheers!

And The Quilt's name is........

Hi friends,

yesterday was my youngest son's 23rd. birthday and I was so happy I was at home in time!! 

 And yesterday I decided to give my 'disaster'-quilt a name. A name I want to embroider on a label when I am fully recovered and able to write and stitch again, whenever that will be.

I think it won't be of any surprise to you that I call that cloth 'Panaritium Tendinosum'... after the disease the curved basting pin pricked me with into hospital and another kind of cutting and stitching of patches and threads........

 I want to show one more photo of  that quilt, that has to wait for its final binding until Mrs. Zondagssteek can pick up the threaded needle again :>)

  

 I love all those colours; they colour my days and cheer me up!

 Well, that's it for now.

I wish you all a lovely Sunday!

 Cheers!

Quilting fever

Hi friends,

 

 eight days of silence on my blog,  rather unusual for me, but the reason is a similar unusual story that started on Thursday last week with sandwiching my batik quilt

using those fantastic curved basting pins that appeared to be S H A R P .....

because, when I wanted to pick up pin number eighty-one something happened that made the pin end up in my right middlefinger tip. Arrrgh. I took it out and finished my sandwiching job, to start the quilting.

 Thirty six hours later I woke up, bathing in sweat and suffering severe pain in that finger and a 38,6 C.degrees fever.

 Consulting the weekend doctor's service next morning at 11:30 a.m. I  was immediately sent through to a surgeon, who operated me policlinically, 'hung' me on bottles with antibiotics and kept me in hospital.

 Monday afternoon another operation (under total anaesthesia this time) was indicated as my hand was swollen, infection levels in the blood were rising and the aspect of the hand was no less than horrible.

 The surgeon did a very good job and my finger could be saved.

 After four more days filled with painkillers, antibiotics (and an allergy for one specific kind of them :>((, a problem that had to be solved as well), wound draining baths and all that, finally I could be sent home after six days.

Recovery will take a long long time, think in months............, in which I can not even think of holding a needle or using scissors, I'm afraid. So, no quilting for me for I do not know how long and that makes me feel sad, so sad.

  Really hand-icapped.

 But I keep up hope and  I will keep on blogging, as one finger is enough to use the laptop for writing updates :>)

 Wishing you all the best.

Till soon.

No Cheers for now, I am sorry.

Step by step and stitch by stitch

Hello everybody,

 A second post today, but I can't wait sharing this:

'Step by step' is what came to my mind, when I found my children's first shoes whilst searching the attic for old sewing patterns.
 

Three sons and one daughter started finding their way step by step in these dear little shoes that I  gave a place of honour in my livingroom, with the little quilt that I finished today.
 

This is what I found too
 

 a sweater I knitted for my daughter Loni, about twenty years ago...

It was not only knitted, there was also some darning to be done.

Ain't it cute?

I remember my pride and joy when Loni and her three brothers ( Willem, Hans and Jan) all were wearing their sweaters I knitted in four different colours. For the boys I sewed velveteen trousers in olive green, bottle green and black (depending on the main colour of the sweater), for Loni a nice skirt.

Today I am the happy oma of two darling granddaughters, of whom one already is walking in her own little shoes...

Good night and till soon.
 Cheers!

An apple a day and our daily bread

Hi there,
 

 Look at this freshly coloured, juicy apple that covers my bread-bin:
 

For the white part surrounding the apple I used an old linen napkin from my grandmother that was a gift from my sister Jacqueline 

 Handstitched in the ditch, except for the apple shape.

 The butterdish and the sugar-caster are (sweet(ening)) souvenirs from Norway, where I lived for some months in Oslo, when I was so much younger than today. 

I love that country ( Ja, jeg elsker dette landet...) for its nature, language, art and  folklore. And for everything I forget to mention right now :>)

 Sleep well, sweet dreams, till soon.
 

Cheers!

Houses numbers 19 and 20

Hello :>)

And these are the numbers 19 and 20 of my Homespun Houses:

 Their roofs are made from a new chequered fabric, so two of a new kind can be added to  my Homespun Houses Project.

Twenty houses, all different, unique and all made from real Dutch folklore fabrics.

 It was great fun doing the sewing and it is not finished yet!

 I'll keep you updated about the continuing story of The Homespun Houses Project.

 Till soon,
 Cheers!

House number 14

Good morning,

 

 Yesterday number 14 could be pinned to the wall:

 

 

 Four more houses are waiting, cut and ready-to-be-sewn, to sofar finalise the Zondagssteek Hamlet :>)

project.

 

To keep haberdashery on my sewing table organised I invented this:

 

 

A wooden rotating board. In the middle an egg-stand turned into a scissor-stand:>)

Cheers!

 

Cleaning and organizing: creating time and space for new projects.

Hello everybody,

since I came back from my 'fabric trip' to Amsterdam I have been busy organizing the patchwork and fabric mess  that was heaping in different rooms of my house.

Before I may start a new project I have to clean up and organize the whole lot in Zondagssteek - House, (I force myself) because I can impossibly work in a messy place. Cleaning and organizing also creates time, hours I can spend the way I like, want or have to.

The templates for the Homespun Houses quilt, the one I want to make from the 25 different Dutch folklore fabrics, are ready. Next step is to cut them out of the fabric. O, I can hardly wait.

But at the moment I am a bit busy making yo-yos in various shapes. Yo-yos...... :>/... ???? Yes.

Let me explain what I'm talking about: Mr. or Mrs. Clover, producer of needlecraft necessaries, developed the yo-yo maker. I quote: " A new quick and easy way to make nicely shaped yo-yos!".  Here are some pictures. I hope they can reveal the yo-yo secret:

A few examples are shown. I used thin cotton fabric, polyester and organza. And sewing needle and sewing or quilting thread, ofcourse!

The Clover yo-yo makers are available in quilt(web)shops. I bought mine at De Quiltkoffer.

Start yo-yo'ing, join the yo-yo club and have fun! Twenty- five more yo-yos to go before I allow myself to start with the Homespun Houses quilt.

En-yo-yo-ur evening!

Creations of all kinds.

Hello everybody!

Today I'd like to show a little variety of my last year's creations. They were Xmas-, or birth(day) presents, or just meant as gifts to others, but also to myself :>) :

Besides these socks for my friend Noor in The Hague I knitted cute pink babysocks for my granddaughter  Loni Marije, who was born on April 2nd. 2010. Got no picture of them, but cute they were!

 To pretty up my front door:

Pincushions.......... I'm an absolute pincushion addict:

 Time for tea!

Baby sleeping bag I sewed for my dear friend Yvonne's grandson Laurens:

Did not forget to take a picture of this. Cross stitched for my granddaughter:

I sewed for little darling Loni Marije, this Spring:

 Made for play-pen and bed of my granddaughter Nine, born May 21st. 2011:

And 105 bridal sweets for Niels & Desirée, who got married the 2nd. of May  this year:

                                                                

     Have a nice day!

My walk-in quilt closet.

Good morning!

The smallest bedroom / biggest cupboard in my house has gradually become Mrs. Zondagssteek's walk-in quilt closet; I think it's lovely to be there once and again, to sit down and enjoy my wealthy stock! The activity centre is downstairs, at the dining table in my livingroom.

This is my little walhalla:

Enjoy your day!

Home-made, the continuing story of.....

 Hello everyone, 

as I promised you earlier today here I 'm back to show and tell some more about my patchwork and quilting activities and projects. The first patchwork top shown is made from batic fabric small left-over-rolls I bought at the Quilt Expo in Vijfhuizen, few months ago:

One of my first quilts:

 And so is this one:

My first Attic Window, little quilt:

This one represents the historic centre of Dokkum, with its four town-gates, surrounded by the moats and pastures. I knitted de borders in matching colours:

A nice top in Spring colours:

'Scrap Boxes':

'Deidre', I won the pattern in a giveaway at Jeanneke.com
neatly and safely kept in my blockbook when under construction, as you can see:

Hope you enjoyed your visit, leave a message if you like. You're welcome!