I'm back from the Ecumenical Pilgrimage Tour  in Italy
with True Life In God.

We were 800 people from 60 countries. Amongst us were about 100 clergy:

Cardinal, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Monks and Nuns.

It was a very difficult tour, the day started between 5 and 6 in the morning
and lasted until 11 at night.

I did not sew one stitch the whole week.
My sewing remained in my suitcase.

I'm glad and thankful for this tour and I'm also very glad to be home again.

We visited many Churches and the floors captivated me,
 I was always thinking of patterns and saw them everywhere

These are all floors,
while other people were looking up at the ceiling, I was looking down at the floor.

Well I better get into my sewing room and do something.

Until next time
Happy stitching

Paula

On a pilgrimage

I came back home last week from Iceland, went for a weekend to Rotterdam and tomorrow I'm going on a Pilgrimage Tour to Rome. I will show you some pictures when I get back.

But what I brought back from Iceland was this seaweed,

 which I'm going to try to get some dye from,
Isn't it pretty? and the smell, now filling my cellar -  wow, wonderful.

I had this top quilted by a Long Arm, 

as I did not want to spend more time on this quilt.

I'm working on my second block for Sweet Nostalgia, 

selecting fabric for CWB block no. 11

and doing some hexagons for my Flower Garden.

One picture from Iceland, 

from the mountain called ESJA

I love hiking up there and enjoy the view to Reykjavík

unfortunately it was a bit cloudy that day.

Until next time

Happy stitching

Paula

Civil War Bride block

A little progress, one more block for my CWB quilt, I finished last night,

by laying them out together the thought passed my mind that I could stop now, nine blocks and it is not to big for any wall.

But then I decided - I will do them all, just one at a time.

Sweet Nostalgia 

Started a new top, this one is stitched and my first block July, 

is called "Fun at the Beach".

The pattern was a free Block of the Month from Dorothy Baker Designs some years ago. You can see a picture of the quilt  here

New books

I purchased three books, one is Masters Art Quilt,  it was published 2008 so it is not quite new but there are over 400 pages of beautiful pictures of art quilts from all over the world.

The second one is Wildflowers, designs for appliqué and quilting by Carol Armstrong, I thought I might need it when finish my Flower Garden. 

The third one is Jelly Roll and charm quilts, if one day I  buy a Jelly Roll.

Until next time - happy stitching

and thank you for stopping by.

Paula

Flowers and CWB

These flowers are ready to be added to my Flower Garden.

I have 67 flowers joined together.

It is still growing.

If you like to see some beautiful flowers, 

visit One Flower Wednesday and have a look

what the Ladies in this Flower Club are doing.

Thank you Karen for hosting this Club.

This is my 8th block for The Civil War Bride Quilt,

going very slowly there!!!

If you like to see more blocks from this quilt 

visit The Civil War Quilt blog 

Two very pretty cushions my mother made many years ago.

This is a Snowball quilt I made, using fabric 

by "Den Haan & Wagenmakers" in Amsterdam.

I'm not very pleased with how it turned out, the fabric is very nice though, 

I should have chosen another pattern.

Well next time I will.

Thank you for stopping by

and happy quilting.

Paula

Some old embroidery

To day I would like to share with you some of my mother's  embroidery. 

She was born on July 7th 1921 and died last February,

She would have reached 90 tomorrow.

This beautiful wall hanging she made 1945, with her  initial at the bottom.

Her name started with this Icelandic letter Þ.

Three beautiful rococo chairs (one for each child). 

They were always in use in her living room, for about 40 - 50 years.

Still beautiful.

Single chair. 

Later I will show you the dining room chairs. 

I forgot to take photos.

This is called "puntuhandklæði"  in Icelandic, (decoration towel)

Behind it you hang the tee towels.

My father made the wooden piece, he was a very good craft man.

Here are two  "puntuhandklæði".

I don't know how many she made.

She also crochet lace. 

This is just a tiny bit of her work.

Always doing something,

amazing woman.

Hope you enjoyed this,

thank you for stopping by.

Happy stitching

Paula

One flower Wednesday

One flower from a fabric I found at OEQC in Veldhoven.

It was a great show, beautiful quilts and many good sales stands.

 Ohh and was my trunk packed when I headed home!!!

So now there are 60 blooming flowers in my garden.

I have not decided yet how many flowers I will add,

as long as I enjoy doing them, they keep coming.

Lenna Green at Stitchingcow 

has a  give-away party, if you go to her web site you will also find 

many free stitching patterns.

Until next time,

enjoy what ever you are doing.

Paula
stitching with a smile

New fabric

This fabric which I bought on my last visit to Iceland, 

when I went to that workshop by Guðrún Erla,

is her newest design (I think) called Flair. 

It is beautiful, and 

 this is the pattern. 

I'm very excited to start on that one.

I just finished this top I started in that workshop,

the block is called "Strip To Be Square".

Also new pattern from GE design,

and will be published next month as a pattern.

When I look at this picture I see that the top needs

 some border in good color.

Today I prepared some "siggies" and sent them of to 

USA, Norway and Australia.

I also started on my 8th CWB block. I decided to do number 18.

Hope it doesn't take to long to finish it.

Until next time, happy stitching.

Paula

My 7th block and some flowers

Block 10 is my seventh block for the Civil War Bride quilt.

I must say, there were some difficulties with this one, I'm glad it is done.

But I can't wait to start the next one.

Two flowers for "One flower Wednesday" 

I'm still enjoying every minute I spend making these flowers.

65 flowers made.

This was a gift we received at the workshop in Iceland with Guðrún Erla,

lovely pattern called "Journey Roads", designed by her.

This is hers newest book called "Table talk".

"In this book are 16 projects designed to grace your table 

and Gudrun's family recipes to share with yours,"

says at the back cover.

The book is in English, published by Kansas City Star Books.

Happy stitching

Paula

Class in Iceland

Some days ago I took a class in Iceland with Guðrún Erla.  I was lucky, she offered one class in Reykjavík and I arrived that same day at 1600 hours and the class began at 1800 hours, I just made it.

My first three blocks

I really enjoyed that class, which was called "Destination unknown trip". 

We didn't know what pattern we were making, 

we only got one step at a time.

 I had never done this before, it was fun.

At the end she showed us what we were doing.

Guðrún Erla is Icelandic designer living in Minnesota. 

Take a look at her website and see her beautiful pattern and fabric. 

She also has blog.

Here are two more tops with the same pattern, 

beautiful aren't they?

Happy stitching

Paula

Flowers Wednesday

Five flowers this week, not bad, 

and in this picture is also a little fairy

my sister-in-law made some years ago

and gave me, now isn't she cute? (I mean the fairy). 

Memories from my trip to Dubai in February.

It is in progress, 12" circle.

EQA Exhibition "Spinning Circles" 

are to be made in black and white plus up to 30% of purple

in its tints/shades/tones.

Do you think the purple in this mini quilt is more than 30%?

This proud mother was on a golf course in Marrakech,

 13 little ducklings. So sweet.

Happy stitching to you all.

Paula

Birch

Last summer I collected leaves from Birch and dried them. 

Now I have dyed some wool using these leaves.

(The fabric in this DJ block was dyed with Procion MX

the leaves are underneath) 

The yearn prepared

Here you can see the wool waiting and the Birch dye.

In the pot on the stove slowly heated up to 90°C

Slowly cooled down.

Washed and dried

And ready for knitting.

My seventh CWB block in progress.

I have not yet started my DJ again, after all this traveling back and forth, south and north, 

but will do that soon. 

The European Dear Jane club is preparing a DJ Quilt Expo in Brussels May 2013.

Now isn't that just groovy?

I plan to have mine finished by then.

Happy stitching.

Paula

Collecting siggies

Since my last blog in January 12th lots of things have happened.

I've been traveling to Iceland-Luxembourg-Dubai-Luxembourg-Iceland and at last back in Luxembourg for a few days.

To little time to sew. 

I have received many interesting "siggies".

Most of them are from The Netherlands, but also from Italy, Germany, Belgium, Croatia, Canada and USA

This block I found at Quilterscache 

24" and very easy to make.

It is perfect for baby quilt.

Some years ago I knitted this outfit for my grandchildren (twins),

and now in April they will have their confirmation,

I can hardly belief they are 13 years old already.

I'm still working on my flower garden and The Civil War Bride.

Nothing has happed for a long time with Dear Jane. Hopefully I can do something about it, soon.

Happy stitching to you all 

 enjoy what ever you are doing.

Paula