Spring is here!

Finally spring is here! Lots of sun this weekend and I enjoyed as much as possible. Last few weeks I enjoyed an extra day off work on Friday and in future I will too. Only four working days a week, quite a luxury!

Last Friday we went to Amsterdam, DD went to a concert and we, her parents, went with her. Not to the concert, it wasn't our kind of music, but to Amsterdam. We left at 13.30 and arrived there at 15.30. As the concert was until late at night, DH and I went walking through the city. We listened to some music at Rembrandtplein, went to a movie and met the girls again at 00.15 to drive home together.

Saturday was a sunny day too, so I cleaned our terrace, washed the windows and enjoyed reading a book in the sun. And I got a surprise, but about that later.

Some pictures now. First of all a flower grew, block 9 of Flower Garden. The pictures (front and back) are too light, the colours are brighter than this. The lines are for blocking the quilt block, look here for an explanation.

Here's an update on VHRH. I'm constructing a house again, but it isn't ready to live in yet.

And as I was travelling a lot these last weeks (I went on a train trip with DD too, a week ago) I had a lot of knitting time. So here's a little slouch hat again, it's now on its way to a girl that liked the picture of the one I already knitted for DD. This one is lilac, picture is also too light :(

To end this post I'll show the surprise I got Saturday morning. I just woke up, a bit late (due to our trip to Amsterdam the day before) and there the florist was at the door. At first I thought the bouquet was meant for my neighbours, but no, it was for me. But I'm not ill and it isn't my birthday, I said.
There was a card inside that said I had been working for the company for 12,5 years now! Isn't that nice, receiving flowers for that?

Remember this?

It's some time ago, but it still is here, in my livingroom, waiting for quilting. And this weekend I got the mojo back, so I did a whole block! Three finished now in addition to some rows. Way to go!

Block number eight, the flower I showed you last week, is now finished. And boy, does this look way better than the earlier finished blocks! I think I have to do them again, my teacher won't be happy, seeing those ;)

Last weekend I was busy knitting and all of a sudden one of the needles broke. I use KnitPro needles, so I emailed the shop where I bought them. No problem, after sending the broken needle he resent a new one. so now I can knit again. Not being able to knit on my collar I knitted the last square of row 1 of Expectation.


Today I finally finished the top of My Tweets. Ah well, not completely finished, I just prepared the applique of the borders. At least I know what to do next weeks! Picetures are a bit pale, due to the sunlight(!) in my bedroom.

For those of you who think I quitted stitching, don't worry! I still stitch every evening, but progress is slow, since I also do the other crafts. Next week there will be an update of the VHRH again!

Applique and knitting

As expected, I stayed tuned on applique, after the masterclass. After sending pictures of my finished tulip to our teacher, she told me I could embroider a little bit around the lighter leaves to add some contrast with the background. So I dis this week and here it is (approved by Ted!).


I had the courage to go on with the next flower of Flower Garden by Kim Mclean. Quite different colors. I made a little mistake in trimming the background so all of a sudden there was a little hole in one of the leaves! No panic, as I learned in the masterclass, I could solve this problem quite easily ;)


Yesterday I visited the Handwerkbeurs at Zwolle, where I saw the perfect background for my nes applique project. Unfortunately there was't enough at the shop, so today I ordered it. Just wait until you see my new project! I did buy some other stuff (how could I not??)

And for my knitting, this project is coming along nicely, don't you think?

Again: Holland Springtime and a flower

Do you know the feeling to be close to someone you never met? I do. I have a friend, I can call her my dearest friend. We share not only our hobby, but also our feelings. And although we never met, I feel as close to her as I do to my sister.
As she is going through a difficult time I want to give her some signs of spring. DD made these pictures exclusively for her. But all of you: enjoy these signs of life, after a hard winter.

As for stitching: Holland Springtime is here again. I added a tile this weekend. My goal is (was?) to finish it in May but I am not convinced I am going to make it. June is okay too, don't you think?

And a flower to add to Flower Garden. Makes a total of seven flowers.

And for fun: some pictures of my local quiltshop Cordi (with permission of the owner). It's a party to enter that shop, all vibrant colours, it always makes me happy.

Springtime

This afternoon it was sunny with a rather cold wind. But ... I could sit on the balcony, face up to the sun and do some stitching (then looking down of course LOL). The first time this year and first things always have something special ;)

This week I have been busy stitching on Holland Springtime. The lower onion is decorated with flowers now, all I have to do is add some clouds. I think I'll do that this evening.

Another flower has grown in Flower Garden. It is number six.

Besides sitting in the sun I have been preparing part of Miss Kelly, the centerpiece for My Tweets. It's a rather big one, 32 inch square.

Again, My Tweets and a holiday

Last week DH and I went on a short trip, we spent some lovely days together in a hotel near Zutphen. As DH loves me and I love my quilting, he suggested I made a program to visit some quiltshops. So on our way to the hotel we made a stop at Wapenveld, to visit Klazien's Kreatie, I was welcomed with a laugh and I bought a great knot of wool to knit a shawl. She even taught me how!

After that we went to Zutphen, where Petra Prins is located. While DH visited the church (which was closed) I dreamt about quilts ...

The days were filled with trips to Deventer, where Quiltshop 100 Roses welcomed me, with a cozy walk in Oldenzaal, where I visited Lohuis-Tijhuis.

Friday our ways seperated. DH dropped me off at the station in Zutphen and drove to Doorn, to visit Huis Doorn, purchased in 1919 by Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor, as his residence-in-exile (1920-1941) after World War I.

I went to Zwolle, to meet some friends and visit the Handwerkbeurs together. We had a great day, talking, laughing, looking, buying fabrics, woollies and threads.

And in the evening my Red Delicious waited for me in our hotelroom ;)

Of course I have some finishes to show you. My Tweets, block two:

Another ornament of LHN, All is Calm.

And, just before we went on our trip, I finished another flower for My Garden.

A BIG thank you

Thank you all for your useful comments on my blog and groups! I asked for your opinion on block 4 of My Garden and I got some good advice. I have been tossing it around and around in my head and last night I decided to rip out the orange parts and replace them. So here is the result, block four of My Garden. I really think it fits in better.

Holland Springtime needed some attention too . I promised myself I want it to be finished in Mai 2011, is it realistic? I don't know, we will see.

And I prepared block one of My Tweets. The colours are quite different , but that's what I like ;) Now all I have to do is stitch it.

Also stitched on an ornament for the HoE. I finished it today, but no picture for obvious reasons. And I have done some quilting on Red Delicious, I am halfway now, I want this to be done before summer.

And last but not least I added my 1000 stitches to Call of the Raven this week Looking at this it seems I had a busy week, but it really felt like normal ;)