Intocht Sinterklaas, Holy Stitch! en Lapjespost

Welkom!

 Vandaag was een hoogtijdag, want Sinterklaas kwam met zijn Pieten op de stoomboot uit Spanje gevaren en werd vanmiddag in Dokkum ingehaald!

Dat is toch altijd weer zó'n geweldig feest! Al die verwachtingsvolle kindersnoetjes van het grut, dat in drommen  met vaders, moeders, opa's en oma's naar de Dijk in Dokkum komt, heerlijk, dat is genieten!

Nu kunnen de kinderen hun schoen gaan zetten, tot het heerlijk avondje op 5 december gevierd gaat worden.

 ~~~~ 

 Today was an exciting one, because Santa Claus and his steamship full of Black Jacks were expected to arrive in Dokkum this afternoon.

It always is such a pleasure to see the little children come to town to welcome the old Bishop, gathering at the end of the canal, accompanied by parents and grandparents, singing these typical Santa Claus songs.

Oh, I think  it's is very moving....

From today till 5 December children are allowed to set their shoe near the fireplace or central heater at night, so Black Jack can put sweets like speculaas, marsepein en suikergoed in it. 
 

 Vandaag was ook de eerste dag van een weekend Holy Stitch

  in de Blokhuispoort in Leeuwarden. Ik ben er meteen vanmorgen naartoe gegaan, met de bus, dus ik kon voor de deur van de voormalige gevangenis uitstappen.

Er was weer zó ontzettend veel leuks, creatiefs, vernuftigs te zien en te doen. Ik heb mijn hart opgehaald, een hoop inspiratie opgedaan en een paar 'dingetjes' gekocht. 

 Zo kocht ik bij Jellie Jonker weer een nieuw model vingerhoed, open en verstelbaar van Clover, die ik op mijn wijsvinger wil gebruiken om zo te kijken, of het daarmee handig quilten is, zolang ik met die rechterhand tob.

~~~~

Today was the first of this weekend's crafty market Holy Stitch! at the former jail in Leeuwarden.

 I went there right away this morning, by bus, so I could walk into jail from the busstop that's right in front of it.

 Oh, my goodness, there were so many creative, funny, sweet, nice and inspiring 'prisoners' showing, telling and selling overthere, each in a private cell :>)

In the cell of my personal quiltstuff provider :>) Jellie Jonker I bought another type of thimble, the brown metal, open and adjustable Clover one, to use it on my index-finger, to see if that can be of any help hand(y)quilting, for the time I am struggling with that hand of mine.

 Dan was er vandaag ook nog het een en ander voor mij bij de post!

Om te beginnen: twee enveloppen van de Lapjesruil van

Marianne uit Duitsland stuurde mij dit, met ook nog een mooie kaart erbij

en van Francis uit Zierikzee kreeg ik deze lapjes; zij had er een prachtig geurzakje bij gedaan

  

Heel hartelijk bedankt, Marianne en Francis en ook Marcha!

 ~~~~~

The pictures above show what came by snailmail to me, sent by Marianne from Germany ( first picture), and by Francis from Zierikzee ( 2nd picture), my swap partners in the fabric swap Marcha had organized

Thank you very much, ladies, all the three of you!

 En als laatste lag er een envelop van het UMCG op mij te wachten, toen ik thuiskwam van Holy Stitch!

Op 24 en op 28 november heb ik een afspraak op de afdeling revalidatie.

 Ik hoop dat men mij daar verder kan helpen op weg naar herstel van mijn rechter (quilt!)hand.

Ik ben heel blij met die afspraken, maar ook met alle goede zorg die er toch maar is voor ons in Nederland.

~~~~

And last but not least: there was a letter from the UMCG  (University Medical Centre) in Groningen, confirming two appointments at 24 and 28 November.

I hope to find (total) cure there for that right (quilt!)hand of mine.

I am very happy with that, but also with the good healthcare we have here in Holland.
 

Ik ga de keuken in!

 Tot ziens!

 ~~~~  

 I am off to the kitchen!

 Cheers!

11-11-11

Vanmorgen kreeg ik bezoek van Klaske , een getalenteerd quiltster, die ik ken uit blogland, maar die nota bene bijna bij mij om de hoek blijkt te wonen.
Het was een heel gezellige kennismaking en ik kan van haar nog veel leren, zo getalenteerd als zij is.
Een Klaske Apart!
~~~

This morning Klaske came to visit me. She is a very talented quilter I know from blogland, who IRL happens to live very nearby in Dokkum. And I did not know!
 It was very nice to have her here and I can learn a lot on quilting from her, talented lady as she is!


Vanavond tegen zeven uur kwamen er drie meisjes aan de deur voor Sint Maarten, om hun liedje te zingen. Ze hadden zelfgemaakte lampionnen in de vorm van een gitaar; geweldig leuk.
Later kwam ik er achter, dat één van die meisjes vandaag, op 11-11-11 11 jaar was geworden.
Heel bijzonder.
 Nu zit ik dan voor het eerst een tweetalig kletspraatje te typen en ik weet niet waar het aan ligt, maar het gaat allesbehalve vlotjes. Die tongriem van mij werkt beter dan het toetsenbord :>)
Ik heb in ieder geval gezegd wat ik te zeggen had, al was het niet veel.

 Fijne avond en tot ziens!
 ~~~
 Tonight at about seven o'clock three girls came at the door to sing their Saint Martin's song. They had selfmade guitar shaped lanterns. Really nice and very creative. Later on I found out about one of these girls growing 11 today at 11-11-11. Quite special, isn't it?
Now I am blogging bilingually for the first time; I don't know how come, but it doesn't feel like the words come flowing smoothly from the keys...
My tongue is a better tool than the keyboard, I think.
 Anyway, I shared today's news, although it was not very exciting.


Enjoy your day or evening.
Cheers!

~ De Zondagssteek ~ goes Dutch as well

Welcome you all!

 For quite a while I have been thinking about blogging bilingually, in English and Dutch, to be able to serve both my English and non-English readers.

And today I've decided to start doing so from now on.

I will start writing in Dutch, adding the English translation below.

Suggestions for lay-out improvements, making blogreading easier, or anything, anyhow, are welcome!

As you know: I am a (trying to) quilt girl, using a laptop, not an editor! :>)

~~~~~~~~~~~

 Welkom allemaal!

 Al enige tijd liep ik er over te denken om tweetalig te gaan bloggen, in het Nederlands en het Engels, zodat iedereen die mijn weblog bezoekt, zonder al teveel moeite kan volgen waar ik het over heb.

 Vandaag heb ik besloten om de daad bij het ( tweetalige!) woord te voegen.

Ik begin in het vervolg in het Nederlands en daaronder komt dan de Engelse vertaling.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Tot gauw!

 Till soon!

11 November - Sint Maarten

Hello friends!

 

 11 November is the day, that Saint Martin is commemorated. 

Children will come to our homes as soon as it's becoming dark outside, carrying a Chinese lantern (often self-made), singing at the front door a Saint Martin-song, hoping for some sweets or fruit we'll give them in return.

It's not an all-over-the-country tradition, but in my region it happily is.

 I am gonna buy a basket of tangerines for those sweet little singing children, that hopefully will come to my door, accompanied by a grown-up.

 I remember,  when I grew up living in Groningen city, we went singing at the doors, sometimes not taking a Chinese lantern, but a scooped out sugar-beet, which is grown very much by farmers in this northern area.

But growing older, too old for singing ourselves, we had to walk with the little ones of our family. And that I loved!

 Some songs one can hear at the door tonight:

 Wij komen hier met lichtjes aan

het is Sint Maartensfeet

en als u ons nu lang laat staan

dat is niet goed geweest.

 Mijn kaarsje is haast opgebrand

zeg nooit 'wij geven niets'.

 Sint Maarten, ja die brave man,

die gaf toch altijd iets.

 ~~~~~~~~

 To show gratitude for the sweets:

 God zal u lonen

met honderdduizend kronen,

met honderdduizend lichtjes aan;

 daar komt Sint Martinus aan.

 ~~~~~~~~~

And a very quick one, in a hurry to collect as many sweets as possible :>)

Sint Maarten, Sint Maarten, 

de koeien hebben staarten

de  meisjes hebben rokjes aan

daar komt Sint Martinus aan.

 ~~~~~~~~ 

 And in case there is one in the house, who does not want to come to the door though, next song

is appropriate!

Hier woont juffrouw kikkerbil

die ons nooit wat geven wil!

~~~~~~~~~

 Till soon.

 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!

No Impact Week

Hello friends!

 Especially for my friends in The Netherlands and Flanders 

~~~~~~~~~~

 Speciaal voor mijn vrienden in Nederland en Vlaanderen:

 No Impact Week NL

Lees de
  handleiding 

  Ik doe mee.

Laten we samen doen!

  

Cheers!

2nd. handy update

Hello friends,

 this morning the surgeon was not happy about my hand's recovery. In spite of  the good physiotherapeutical treatments twice a week, I am still suffering nasty squeezy pains in the finger that's still stiff. The tendon problems in the palm are not diminishing either.

He has sent me through to a hand therapist at the UMCG, in Groningen. We hope they can help me forward to (total) cure and suppleness........

 I keep ( some of ) my  fingers crossed; would you  please join me?

 I really do hope so very very much, that I can stitch by hand again, whenever it may be!

And I hope the special hand therapy can start soon; I'll have to wait for

their call.

 Yesterday I tried to stitch some little blocks on the machine, just straight seams, but it was not much of a success :>(

My right hand can not be pressed down flat to lead the fabric properly, so the fabric took the Drunkard's Path Route... and I stopped sewing, putting the machine back to where it came from: behind the curtains :>)

 A couple af new and 2ndhand books I bought were delivered today, so I can go on reading about and planning for the future quilting projects.

This is one of those wonderful Autumn days, calm, fresh, sunny,  and a carpet of magnificent coloured leaves covering the outdoor world.

I love and enjoy it!

Hope you can enjoy this day too.

  Cheers!

November

Hello friends,

 

 Wishing you all a wonderful start of November.

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!

Sissy Day 2011 and more...

Hello friends!

 I think I told you before that I am blessed with five sisters and two brothers?
These five sisters have planned a 'Sissy Day' on Saturday 19 November, here with me, in my home. What a surprise!
We all live in different places, spread over the country, so it was quite a job to make sure every sissy can join that party :>)
 I don't need to prepare anything ( due to that hand-icap ); they did or will do, from cooking, baking, buying, bringing, sleeping and carpooling to doing the dishes after the party.
They arranged this all because a Sissy Day that was planned earlier this year had to be cancelled.
By then I could not yet travel for long, as I was still recovering from surgery for colorectal cancer in August last year.
And now they did not want the year to go by without having had our Sissy Day, so I got a phonecall a few weeks ago from Ingrid, revealing their surprising plan.
We are all looking forward to Sissy Day 2011!

~  The SissieSix ~

From top left it shows me, Ingrid, Jacqueline  and Loni
Sitting on the floor are Stella and Annelies.

 This picture was taken 1st.of November 2008, Sissy Day at my place.

 ~~~~~~

 Today I received the Thimblelady thimble  that I ordered from Quilthuis Lieselotje
That thimble promises to offer perfect handquilting, without tendon or gripping pain, and that's what I am looking for at the moment, well, months.
If my finger will not get back in its old supple shape, I want to try to handstitch with this thimble.
At this very moment my finger still is too thick to fit in ( although I bought size L ), so I must be patient for some more time. Yet it is something I look forward to!
 For now I am thinking of machine stitching a charmpack diagonally, cut the blocks and stitch the whole lot together in some kind of pattern, to make a mini quilt.
 Hope I can handle the rotarycutter or the scissors.....
Putting this Frisian saying into practice:

( If it can't be done like it should -  It should be done like it can )

 ~~~~~~~

She ( Jim Shore's 'Sew Angelic') is in my Little Walhalla, watching my stash for the time being:

  ~~~~~~

 Tonight the clock will be turned back one hour, so we can sleep a little longer :>)
 Won't be of any problem for me, I took this crocheted coverlet
 this morning to upgrade my bed, making it winterproof as nights are getting colder now.
I crocheted the coverlet 32 years ago, double sized; must have been suffering from a serious crochet fever. Don't know.. I do know I was in love, we had planned our wedding and I was making this for the newly-wed's-bed :>)

~~~~~~~~

 
 Have a wonderful weekend!

 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!

 

Grandma's laptopped lap

Hello dear friends!

 Yesterday afternoon I went to Nunspeet, where I am still at this very moment, to my daughter Loni and her husband Gerben with their sweet little five months old darling daughter Nine.

 Being, or at least feeling a modern gr@ndm@ I took my laptop with me, as I  am on duty today, caring for Nine. She is so adorable and I enjoy doing  this so very, very much.

So, when Nine's asleep I can fill the duty-breaks surfing, blogging or e-mailing.

 After lots and lots of rain during the last three days, today is a sunny, clear and crispy-morning day.

I went with Nine in the stroller and Border terrier Jayden on his 4FT for a  lovely fifty minutes' walk and it was great.

I'll go back home next Saturday, so there are still many hours of pure grandmother's joy for me to come!

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!

Handy update

Hello friends!

 More than one whole week without posting; quite unusual for me in normal circumstances but, since I am handicapped there's not so much left to post about.

However, today I can Show and Tell a bit about The Hand, if you don't mind.
If  you do, please quit this blog and hop over to quilt-blogs you like :>)

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

 

 My hand is on the mend :>)

 New skin is now covering palm and finger, antibiotics and their anti-allergic medication are swallowed to a finish; the only medication I still need are painkillers.
Without that stuff I feel like hand-stuck between the door.

 And that's a horrible pain  I really can't cope with.

I don't bother about stiffness or limited power or suppleness, but P A I N ... I hate that, especially that kind of pain.

  Twice a week I go for physiotherapeutical treatment, which means  massage and applying lymphdraining tape to reduce the swelling.

 This is what my taped hand looks like now, five weeks after surgery: 

Next  picture was taken after two weeks, when the surgeon had removed the wound drains:

 ( the colour is bad, too blue-ish )

  I think you can imagine how glad and thankful I am, that all has come to such a happy end, with my finger still where it belongs; could have been much worse if I had come a little later...

 And I think you can't imagine, like I couldn't, that this is caused by
one simple curved basting safety ( !! ) pin.
And nasty bacteria giving a hand.

 So, I think you can also imagine that quilting and stitching by (that) hand have to wait for some more months. I'll see what comes and when, and in the meantime I do my stinking best to sew with my left hand and with my dear friend the sewing-machine, which already had some surprising results; not to Show and Tell about yet, because it's for a swap I joined :>)))
~~~~~~~~

 To show you something nice I made and bought before the Big Sting, look at this:

 The peace of cake is a p........n,
yes-guess-yes,
a pincushion!

 The biscuit that looks so real that you'd like to take a bite, is a coaster I bought at Blond Amsterdam, when I was there, shopping for real Dutch presents I wanted to take for my friends in Australia, two years ago.
This funny biscuit was a present for myself.

 Well, I think the pictures of this deli stuff give this post a happy and tasty end, don't they?

 Wishing you all a blessed and sunny weekend!

 Cheers!

My mother's sewing - box

Hello friends,

 today I'd like to show you my mother's sewing - box, that's got a place of honour in my living / craftroom, after I furbished it:

 Shortly after my Mum got her first electrical sewing - machine in the early 60's of the last century (sounds like a fairytale, just like my  Snow-white-like-finger-story), my Dad bought her this box to go with the machine.

 Originally it was beechen with black painted handle / legs, but after all those years it was fairly worn, you can imagine. 

I decided to paint the box mahogany and the handle / legs lavender. 

 In this lovely  heirloom I cherish some of my mother's haberdashery that came with it. Some empty jars filled with buttons, lace or ribbon, spools for frivolité, sew-on badges and frill and a little brown paper bag filled with dried lavender. An old little paper bag from the shop ( Zuhorn in Groningen ) where she had her nylon stockings repaired, which was not unusual in those days, as nylon stockings were not cheap and the 'disposal age' wasn't invented yet.

Noah's Ark, in the background, is made by Jim Shore, an artist who's highly inspired by his quilting grandmother, or his grandmother's quilting.

Till soon.

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!

In my backyard

Hi friends,

October has arrived smoothly, bringing along September's wonderful weather with the

morning dew and freshness, many hours of golden sunshine, line-dried sheets with that lovely smell...

  

 

 After showing you the little Autumn make-over of my livingroom yesterday, I'd like to share some pictures of what my XXXS backyard looks like, now BBQ and most of the outdoor furniture have been moved to the attic.

   

 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!

Like a pincushion...

Hello friends,

 This morning I woke up at 04:00 a.m. feeling like a pincushion that's stabbed with thousands of those nasty pins

**************    :>(   **************

Another allergic reaction, I guessed, which was becoming worse in the following hours.

Happily I had an appointment at the surgeon's at about eleven o'clock for a wound check up ( kind of Show & Tell ); I hoped he could help me out of this prickly situation too!

 I am trying to adapt to the new situation that offers me  loads of time for reading and blogging about needlework, patchwork & quilting. 

 The bees, lessons, courses I had planned to take or was already doing, all had to be cancelled.
That hurts, I can tell you!

 The more it hurts when tuition fee is not restituted. That's what I am experiencing now in one case, and I am talking about a substantial amount.

 This bad luck that came over me doesn't even seem to be  reason enough to let 'rules' go and pay my
over-one-hundred euros back.

I might sound bitter, but it truly is how I feel right now. Bit disappointed I am.

By twelve o'clock I was back from the surgeon; the four drains were removed from finger and palm, I got  medication against this new antibiotic allergy,  new and better fitting finger bandages and a letter for a physical therapist for excercises to get my finger / hand back in shape.
New appointment Wednesday next week.

I'll spend this afternoon reading and maybe do some organizing in my little Walhalla, where I want to pile up neatly the fabrics that are still in my sewing area / on my dinner table :>)
Just try and feel how far I come with only one hand available.

 Wishing you a wonderful day!
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!

Soother ribbons

Hello friends,

 While it's raining a flock of cats and dogs, I am in my cosy home spending my time sewing, stitching and quilting.

 With Autumn blown into the country I feel happy at home with my fabrics and threads, patterns and the time that can be spent the way I like the best.

So I plugged in my sewing machine to make some new soother ribbons, that also can be used to take a little toy safely, because clicked to coat or safety belt it can't be lost.

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

Two days ago I was called by a lady who works in a so-called Thomashuis, taking care of mentally limited people living there.

She told me they are planning a Christmas Fair on the 8th. of  December and she asked me, whether I would like to join that Fair. I can have my own table to show and tell, sell as well (about) my patchwork and quilting activities and products.

I am thrilled, you can imagine!

 So, from next week forward I'll be busy sewing Christmas 'stuff' for that event. Wow :>)!

 Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers!

Bagging quilter's and lace-worker's stuff

A Sunny Hello to you!

 How are you doing? Enjoying a lovely, sunny day like I do? It is so good to see and feel the sunshine, which is promised to last for the next two days here in Holland....

I have been stitching, ofcourse, what else am I busy with every day again?

To create order in quilt stuff that has to be taken to bees or lessons, I sewed these bags:

  

 Fabrics are from my little Walhalla. I bought the beads at the Kruidvat sale, enjoying 70% discount :>)); they were sewn for decoration to women's belts. I took them off to make my own new creations.

 As you can see the inside of the bag contains eight compartments for yarn, needles, scissors etc. 

And look what I made and put in the centre...

a pincushion!

 The paisley-print fabric is from the sale at Kwantum's curtain department, a couple of years ago

What would the other bag be without a pincushion for itself?
 I made the largest pincushion I ever did until now, size 5XL, using an old button I got from my old (in every way) landlady.   I think I'll use it for my many curved basting pins.

& 

 

Look at the mess in my 'crafting area', which in fact is my dinnertable :>)
 Every day I sweep the whole lot off the table to another table or the settee, so I can enjoy my dinner the appropriate way.

 One more bag I made; this one is for the lace-working lessons I am to attend, to organize and take the bobbins, etc.
I like the lace-like fabric print; think it's suitable

 Adding a(nother)............?
Pincushion!

Well, that's it for now.
 I am going out for a bikeride in the sunshine.
 Have a wonderful day!

 Cheerio!