Easter in my Mind

Last three days has been quite sunny here in southern Finland. So it was more refreshing to be outside than indoors...

And it seems that here is no volunteers to go to work tomorrow morning...
Maybe I have to... atleast my 'batteries are charged' now;)

Among sewing blocks and BOM's I managed to finish this little Noah's Ark -quilt during last week. I spent many enjoyable moments with these tiny stitchery blocks...
THANK YOU, LYNETTE!

OH, the First OPAM finished;)

A Tisket a Tasket -story continued with the Bunny and shamrocks block. Little trace of Easter...
So CUUUTE!
Remember, you'll find the pattern here and there is also a Flickrgroup. It's amazing... the same pattern, but the blocks looks so dissimilar...

SUNNY wishes to you !!!

This 'Girl' Just Wanna Have Some Fun...

... and she have IT!

I'm so excited! Look, what our postman brought me yesterday... it's the first block of the 'Girls Day Out' -quilt. I ordered it as a BOM from Kirk Bride Quilting.
A perfect way to start this week and WINTERHOLIDAY!!!

So I have been 'busy' this morning...

... starting two new project


the other one was Baltimore Bliss.

And I'm really gonna enjoy my life this week...

Doing the things what I like without hurry... reading good books and interesting blogs... sleeping enough... seeing family and ...

JUST RELAX and ENJOY !!!

Thousands of Diamonds

March 1, 1864. Isabella Buchanan Edmondson wrote in her diary:

First day of Spring - Laura awakened me for my breakfast. I looked out of the window and to my surprise, one of the hardest snow storms I ever saw was prevailing - lasted until 11 o'clock, when the sun shone out brightly. A more magnificent scene I never witnessed, the forests glistened like thousands of diamonds, sun set was glorious. (quote from the book Civil War Diary Quilt by R. Youngs)

This morning I saw this scenery when I looked out. Fortunately no snowstorm but no sunshine either... Well, I must find my feeling of SPRING from my fabric stash...


Stripe after stripe it began to feel more and more springlike...

I almost saw the snowbells and tulips growing... waiting for sunshine to warm up...

I used Judie Rothermel's pink fabric from Charleston V line, lighter green is Lecien's Quilter's Basics, dark green is tiny piece of fabric from Quilt Gate's Mary Rose Collection.

Block 37. Thousands of Diamonds

When I finished this block there was still quite gray outside...

... even a slightest reflection of the REAL Spring seemed to be SO DISTANT!

So if there is still Winter, though it's the first day of March I need a new pair of woolsocks. It was a perfect craft, while I watched winter games from Liberec (men's 50 km).

Maybe the sun will shine someday... or is it always so gloomy as today - like Dark Gloom.... ;)

I Did it TWICE... in February!

Did what?

Tervetuloa (WELCOME) -stitchery is done!

Oh, I'M so PROUD of myself...

I finished both of my OPAM projects which I promised to do ;) ;) in this month.

In March I have planned to finish some larger project.... There is atleast one secret project on my list (Easter Swap gift to my secret pal - I can't show you it before the end of March).

MY 'REAL' OPAM will be

Noah's Ark quilt

Still I try to keep my aims of the finished projects low... because I'm going to start some new project too... My fingers are itching... The Baltimore Bliss block 1 is waiting for me... and the pattern of the block 2 is already available here!

It seems to me... we all have a lot of bliss in March;)

Hungry Soldiers

Feb. 26, 1863 Rachel Young King Anderson wrote in her diary:

... a company of soldiers with over 100 horses fed off of us today. They robbed all my hens nests, boiled the eggs in my milk bucket, stole my milk cups and plundered into things generally. (quote from CDW book written by R. Youngs)

And her diary notes continued with the writings of hungry soldiers, who disturbed Rachel's and her family nights searching for food and lodging. I can only imagine how terrified she must have been...

So the block of the day is called...

Block 8. Hungry Soldiers

Fabrics are: green is from Quilt Gate's Mary Rose Collection, light brown is one fabric from Bonnie Blue Basics by P. Barnes for Marcus Fabrics and cream is Farmyard Toile by C. Carpin for Benartex Fabrics. With my fabrics I tried to find atmosphere of the farmyard and the poultryhouse, yet I wanted it to be sensitive, perhaps a little bit sophisticated too.

I'm soon back with my next block... since then... the diamonds are for ever...

I Did It...

... the first OPAM in February!

It's not a big achievement... but it always feel so good to finish even a small project;)))

CUTE as a BUTTON -pincushion is the design by Grabapple Hill Studio and it's the Pin Cushion of the Month -pattern. Exactly it was the second month's delivery. Now I have received six pin cushion kits. Other five are still filling my "I'll do on some day" -drawer;)

During the last week (despite hard week at the work and flu -again!:( Now I got some antibiotics from the doctor) I have continued sewing blocks to my WISP's:

1. I stitched the final block from Lynette's Noah's Ark. I'm pondering over colours of the stripe fabrics... Hmm... perhaps cream, brown and red...


2. I have sewed six super EASY blocks for my Dear /Blue Jane...

Blocks are
I2 Kaye's Courtyard
F3 Snowball
J7 Chicken Tracks

Tomorrow I'll sew the next ones and one triangle... if the medicine will work...


3. Today I had enough strength to finish this week's BOW from Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.

Luckily it was easy one too... E6 Jack in the Pulpit (bottom right). On the left is M9 King David's Crown - with it I spent much more time... and nearly lost my nerves. I had problems with measurements... Somehow I survived;)))

The third block is E5 Handy Andy. I'm not quite satisfied with my choice of the fabrics... It looks little bit too pale... But atleast now I'm not going to redo it...

So here was the latest tales from my sewing corner...

I'm happy that you joined me...

Ps. Some time ago I found (by the aid of Simone, THANK YOU, Simone!!!) a new free BOM called Baltimore Bliss. I have dreamed of Baltimore quilts for a long... Lately my applique skills are improved and I'll think it's time to try this one. I have already ordered some suitable fabrics from Kimberly. And the pattern is sooo tempting... Now I 'm leaving the computer and starting to watch WM -competitions... second round in skijumping...

United No Longer

...I promised to sew this block today

Block 112. United No Longer

Feb. 16, 1861. Sarah Lois Wadley wrote in her diary:

Father brought us some newspapers from which we learned that Jeff. Davis of Mississippi and Alexander Stephens of Georgia have been elected President and vice president of the Southern confederacy, formed of all the seceding states. I had almost written the United States, how sad to think that we are united no longer, that we are no more natives of one common country, necessary as is the separation how can we think of it without grief. (quote from the book The Civil War Diary Quilt written by R. Youngs)

Sarah's father returned to Vicksburg as to being present at the meeting. It gave me idea to use this blue fabric in my block. It's from Vicksburg collection by Judie Rothermel. Unfortunately I wasn't careful enough with the middle part's seams... and I should have done this block as mirror image...

... the next block is... the date Feb. 26, 1863