Happy Valentines day!

Another hat is finished, a present for my mother-in-law. (see post for more info on pattern and yarn)

A pair of slippers are also ready for felting. And a new pair of mittens are on the knitting needles.

Otherwise I am busy editing my next pattern to be published in "Norsk Quilteblad".

The other day I helped mom clean up som old clothes, and I found three sweater I knitted as a teenager. Fun to see them again, they were not too bad. They will be given to a orphanage in Russia.

Hope you are having a good day too!

Wood turning

My son Michael at 14 and his Uncle Tom got into some woodworking last christmas. My son made these mini birdhouses. The color of the wood is natural as shown in the pictures, they are only oiled. My favourite is the left one, but I love the purple wood in the middle too.

For my birthday I got two bowls made by Tom, very beautiful.

And I have a new camera, Canon Rebel! And I got horseback riding classes for christmas too. I am blessed with great gifts.

Happy New Year!

Wanted to show you some hats that I made as christmas presents. For my mom, "Anne's Flower", I used Juvel yarn and knitting needles 2.5. I used the privisional cast-on method, worked very well.

For my sister's daughter, Rauma Cable Hat:

I also made another a pair of felted slippers for my uncle, but I forgot to take a picture:-(

I have finished all the christmas present blocks for Kate Spain's All a Flurry. Should I take out the red block?

 I made this angel many years ago, it was on display at moms. Whish I remembered were I found the pattern, very cute. Thinking of making one larger one (this one is only 4cm high!)

Wish you all a Happy Crafty New Year!

Celebrate Christmas Quiltalong

All the blocks (minus one) are done from the Quilting Gallery's Celebrate Christmas Quiltalong.
See more blocks in the flickr group.
I have also received all my buttons that was awarded during the Quiltalong:

Thank you Incomparable Buttons!

Whising you all a wonderful Christmas weekend with this new "classic" Christmas song:

Nostalgic Hunt Quilt

The christmas present for my uncle is done. He will get the quilt together with som fur pillows  from my sister. The quilt kit was purcsased from Elly's Shared Sheep in Chetek, Wisconsin. The fabric line is called "Nostalgic Hunt" by Debbie Field of Granola Girl (Troy Corporation, Riverwoods Collection). The backing is a dark brown batic fabric.The quilt is quillted on my Bernina QE.
The middle section of the quilt is approx 2 yards times width of fabric. The frames are 2 inch, 3,5 inch and 6,5 inch wide including seam allowance. Finished size of quilt is 59 inches times 75 inches.

Traditional Christmas Ball

 Here is another pattern for Christmas Ball. This pattern I remember as the first one I made when I learned to knit with several colors. The pattern is used in many norwegian traditional designs.

For basic pattern, see the book "55 Christmas Balls to knit" by Arne & Carlos.

The diagram is as follows (repeat 4 times):

For my other Christmas Ball designs, see presentation HERE.

Advent Christmas ball

Advent is almost here, and I have designed a Christmas Ball (Julekule) for the season. We have a candle lit ceremony every sunday until christmas, with four candles. 

For basic pattern, see the book "55 Christmas Balls to knit" by Arne & Carlos.

The diagram is as follows (repeat 4 times):

 Enjoy!

For my other Christmas Ball designs, see presentation HERE.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall 2011

I chose to display this quilt "Nicey Jane Crazy Eights Baby Quilt" at the Blogger's Quilt Festival because it gets lots of hits on my blog!
The quilt was completed last year and is a very colorful baby quilt. The fabric and pattern for this quilt was bought on impulse when on vacation in the US. I have started to purchase fabrics instead of regular suveniers when travelling when possible. They are my treasures.
The fabric used is called "Nicey Jane" by Heater Bailey.
The pattern is "Crazy Eights" from Bits'n Pieces. The pattern is great for scrap projects too, and the quilt requires only 8 fat quarters.
The kit was purchased from Charlottes Quilting Web in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Thank you Amy for hosting the Blogger's Quilt Festival!

Work In Progress

 Since my last blog post, I have been working on the Celebrate Christmas Quiltalong, and knitted a hat for my son. The horse and snowman block (Mare'y Christmas by Shelly at Praire Moon Quilt) moved from the praire into the norwegian woods.
I have now completed quite a few blocks, have to start thinking on what to do with them... Any suggestions?

The hat is called "We called them pirates" and I have made about 10 of them. But when your son (14)asks for one in a bigger size, who can say no?
For more info on pattern and yarn recommandation, see my first pirate post. Here I used knitting needles 4 mm.

Mended Hearts

My local quilt "Sølvtråden Lappelag" guild is having a raffle for the local housing projects, giving local women and children temporarily housing when they are victims of violence from close relations.
The idea was Eva's (good thinking!), and she has chosen very approriately Mended Hearts as the quilt block. I have made the above two blocks for the quilt.
I made a Mended Hearts Quilt several years ago.

Felted slippers, snow and horse back riding!

I have finished my second pair of felted slippers, first pair to my hubbie, this time a present for my dad. I added leather soles, they wear fast. Free pattern: Drops Design #0-568
Yarn: Eskimo
Last weekend I spent in the mountains with family. Saturday was beautiful.

Sunday, the first snow came. (Møsvatn, Telemark, Norway)

I also made time for my first ever riding lesson. Another dream fulfilled!

Celebrate Christmas Quilt-Along Week 2

Block 6 (right in picture): Road to Retreat designed by Barbara Raisbeck.

Block 5 (left in picture): Holiday Ribbon designed by Ryan Walsh.
I thought this block was too large, it did not blend in well with the other blocks. I did like it a lot when several blocks were put together, it made the ribbon come out better. So I decided to downscale the block. I made 4 blocks each 3,5 inch.  To make this block, you need 1 square 4,5 inch in green, 1 square 4,5 inch in white and 2  4 inch squares in red. See Ryans instructions!

Block 4 (middle in picture): Cookies 4 Santa, designed by Kim Hanson.
We feed the Santa porridge in the barn in Norway. But we have a strong tradition on making gingerbread cookies for christmas, so I adjusted the design slightly.

 

Free Pattern for Georgia Orange Dishcloth

Last summer we drove from Miami, Florida and all the way to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. We had a great time. When travelling I always bring a small knitting project, when its summer I prefer cotton yarn.
I made up a new pattern when driving through Georgia. The peaches and oranges were the inspiration.
Here is the pattern (made with Sugar'n Cream Cotton, Candy Colors):

Cast on 42 stiches, needle 5 mm or US 7.
1 row:Knit
Pattern to repeat: (yo, K4, K2tog in back, k2tog in front, K4, yo)
2 row: slip 1, k1, pattern, k1, pattern,k1, pattern, k2.
3 row: slip 1, k1, purl until 2 stiches left, k2.
4 row: slip 1, then knit
Repeat row 2-4 until desired size of dishcloth.
Cast off after a 4th row in pattern at the same time as you knit:
Slip 1, K5, (k2tog in back, k2tog in front, k9) twice, k2tog in back, k2tog in fron, k6.

During the trip I also made other dishcloths.

My experience from the last years is that Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn is a good yarn to knit with, but does NOT keep the color well when washed. So now I have tried to use Lion Cotton also.

Celebrate Christmas Quilt-Along Week 1

This is my first quilt-along. I like it so very much, but I think it will stress me a bit, but also push me to do new blocks and styles. I have so far done everything from stashed fabric.
The first block (top left); I liked a lot, but I might have to add something more to it to "soften" it up.
In block two (top right) I made  the "bow-tie" blocks in a different way than the designer, see below.
In the last block it was supposed to be a stichery, but I have problems with man hand, so I chose to modify the block here too and use a print in the middle.
(The "black" in the picture is dark green.)

If you want to piece parts of the block "Santa's Mittens" here is how:

Picture 1:

Cut 2 squares 3 *3 inches, one in each color. Cut them in half diagonally.

Picture 2:

Make the block by placing the triangles into a new block with the straight corners in the middle.

Picture 3: Attach 2 and 2 blocks. Attach the resulting 2 blocks, see picture.

Picture 4: Trim block down to 3,5 * 3,5 inch.

Make 4 blocks. Cut 4 additional (white) blocks 3,5 * 3,5 inches. Piece block as indicated in the design.

PHD: Frolic



I had to start another project.... This pattern I purchased from Katrines Quilte Stue this summer. The pattern is called Frolic by The Vintage Spool. It will be my first larger applique project, I am getting bored by only doing patchwork. This will certainly take time to finish. I do not now which block to make next, some of them look very difficult...