See you again in 2014!

This probably is my last blogpost of the year 2013. I am not the reflecting type, most of the time I just act and do what I am supposed to do or, creatively, what I want to do. But the year 2013 brought me some hightlights I just want to mention.

My youngest graduated and left the nest, leaving her parents and brother at home and went for a long trip to the USA. After that, she moved to another city to study. Surprisingly, after missing her the first months, I adjusted to the situation and I am happy seeing her live her own life.

In the context of DD's trip to the USA I spent a week with her in New York. The highlight of the year. It was a journey of meeting my own strength, meeting places I've never been, meeting a grown up daughter and love what kind of person she became. It was fulfilling a dream I wasn't aware I dreamt.

DS studies at Groningen University and got his B.A. degree last August. The ceremony was in October and we attended it as proud parents. Now he opts for a Master's degree.

It was also a year with continuing trouble at work, but somehow I learnt this year to draw a line and to be clear about what I do not accept. And to be able to communicate that with the people I work with.

Before I switch to stitch related things, I want to thank you all, for reading my stories and leaving a comment. I love every comment and I hope to 'see' you all in 2014!

On the edge of this year I have been making two almost identical quilttops in memory of our trip to NY, one for DD, one for me. 

And I have been sewing  these last days. I made a huswif and another framed purse. A little needlebook completes the set. 

Call of the Raven is growing steadily (pictures next time), and so does my bedquilt. 

I wish you all a happy New Year's Eve and 

New projects

Is it because it is the end of the year that I feel the need to start new projects? I don't know, but I think I just go with the flow and let it happen.
Last week's projects is gone. I rippes it, after starting over at the same point three times. I don't know if it's me or the chart, but when I found myself on the couch saying some ugly words I decided to rip it and start something new. So I casted on Renee Leverington's Winter Mystery Shawl and knitted the first clue.

Another new project is a shawl, knitted from the yarn DD brought home with her after her trip to the USA.  I name it New York City Found, the pattern is Myruni

Today was the first day of my vacation. We stay at home for the holidays and I refurnished our living room into a sewing studio. And so I could cut fabric into a jellyroll and make the top of a New York Quilt. I plan to make two of them, one for me, one for DD. 

Everything we experienced in NY is there. The green of Central Park, the huge buildings, the clock of Grand Central Station, the lights of Times Square, the traffic, the Stars and Stripes.  And sweet memories, of course...

Quilting again

Somehow I got in the mood these last weeks, so I have been quilting. The result doen's show that quick, but here is an idea of what I've done.

I also knitted on Ambrosiane, a shawl designed by Birgit Freyer. I bought some yarn in her shop in Berlin over a year ago and I decided it has to be used for a shawl of hers.

I started, but made a mistake that I couldn't fix, so I pulled it out and started all over again. I think she will become a beauty!

And there is something else in a corner of my mind. I dream about it, but haven't decided yet how to work my dreams out. DD brought me some fabrics from her trip to the USA and of course they must be used to make a New York Quilt. I have been searching on the internet and in my LQS and came up with these fabrics. Now I hope I can find time and spirit in the next vacation. Which is in about a week!

Man! I Feel Like a Woman!

Yes, it's finished! And I am happy with it. My Halloween KAL is a bit late, but we don't celebrate Halloween and it is just in time for Christmas.

 With this finish I was looking for a new knitting project. I casted on a new shawl and I winded some delicious yarn into yarn cakes. I am still thinking over the pattern I will knit with it.

Remember this one? I haven't been quilting for over half a year. In summer it is just too hot to quilt and I was in a knitting mood. But yesterday I went to the LQS with a dear friend and I bought some lovely fabric for a New York quilt. That made me think it is time to finish my bed quilt.

Of course I show the lovely fabrics I bought, look at these! I think I can make a lovely memory of New York out of these.

They are an addition to the fabrics DD brought me from the USA.

Putting them together gives me this ;)

A finished page!

It looks like I only could concentrate on Call of the Raven this week. That's not completely the case. I have been knitting almost every evening on Man! I feel Like a Woman! But pictures don't do the shawl justice, because there are a lot of stitches on the needle and you really can't see the design. I have completed chart three now and started to knit chart three another time to make the shawl bigger.

Call of the Raven kept my attention too, so I could finally finish the page I have been working on. To give you an idea about the amount of stitches:

Chart is 450 x 600 = 270.000 stitches
Done : 450 x 470 = 211.500 stitches
That is 78,3 %

If I want to have it done within two years it means I have to add 2437 stitches each month. Until now I add about 1000 stitches a month. Going on like this means it won't be finished until the year 2017 (!).

Peppernut, Raven and a new shawl

Finally I can show my latest finish, a green shawl, that is named Peppernut. It fits in this time of the year, Sinterklaas is arrived in The Netherlands and one of the sweets that belong to this time are peppernuts.
This Peppernut was a gift to a friend, she just got it last Saturday and she let me know she is happy with it.

Then there is quite some stitching done on Call of the Raven. I am determined to finish the page I am stitching on this month.

And a new shawl is on the needles. I am far behind, it was meant as a Halloween KAL by Boo Knits. But I bet I can wear it on other occasions. Here is: Man! I Feel Like a Woman!

Clue one and two are done, just started clue 3. There are four clues in total.

Two purses

It is so much fun making these purses that I made another one yesterday. It is done in one afternoon, that is, if you are not distracted by your computer, or your boxes of fabric.
Most of the job is sewing on the handle, it is done by hand and it takes some time. But after finishing that, you have a lovely purse,for your own use or to give away to a dear friend.

This afternoon I made another one. It is just so much fun! I love to see how different they turn out, just by using some other fabric!

Thanks and continuing stitching

First of all I want to thank you all for the lovely words and ooh and aahs concerning my Plantation Sampler. I appreciate your comments so much, reading them gives me the feeling I accomplished something very special.
Of course I didn't stop stitching after this finish. I have another design that I would like to see finished! Another page done and still stitching on Call of the Raven.

We also went on vacation and I love knitting while DH drives. So I finished another shawl, not an intricate design this time, but a simple one. Brittania:

Plantation Sampler finished!

My Plantation Sampler is finished! I promised myself to have it done by the end of the year, so I think I can be proud to have it finished two months earlier. Here she is!

I did some alterations, like the saying.
The original sampler (the link is going to a much clearer view)

I also changed some DMC for other threads. Crescent colours (CC), Sampler Threads (ST) Simply Shaker (SS) Week Dye Works (WDW) Gentle Art (GA).
225 CC Little Pink Peony
760 ST Pink Azalea
761 CC Blushing Beauty
435 WDW Pumpkin Pie
437 GA Brandy
502 GA Ltd ed. Green
319 GA Blue Spruce
3012 SS Chamomile
3013 CC Dandelion Stem
Ecru ST Roasted Marshmellow
504 ST Sea Spray
869 ST Picnic Basket.