Today is a good day!

Yes, it is! I could quilt for a long time on my Christmas quilt and now it's nearly finished (positive thinking!!)
Bind & wash & finito!
I had a lot of fun doing that project and Flurry is such a happy set of fabric.
Here's the tutorial for the quilt, and here's the quilt:

in the sunshine!

like my pink quilting gloves?

Last time I blogged about not being able to keep up reading all those magnificent blogs, because there are only so many hours in a day. A lot of people recognized this.
What I've been trying to do ever since is to cut down on blogs by unsubscribing from the least interesting. You know, sometimes you start to follow and it turns out it's not your 'thing'. Or you signed up just for the giveaway?
But I found it very hard to accomplish:

Method #1
I read all my blogs through Google Reader: so I clicked on each blog to 'unsubscribe' Do you want to unsubscribe? Yes.

Method # 2
Go to the blogpage itself, to the section where all the follower's photos are displayed.
Already a member? Sign in  
So I signed in via Google
Then your own picture appears above all the other members.

Click on the triangle after Options and then click on Site settings

Another window opens where you can Stop following this site

Click on that.

And you're done, or so I thought.

It doesn't work.

Method #3

Put all those blogs you don't want to read anylonger in one folder, which I called X.

Doesn't work either, it just builds up.

HELP! 

Who knows what to do?

As for my blog birthday: it's very soon!
And not only cake and drinks go with a celebration, but also a giveaway.
So come back in a few days.

A FRIDAY FINISH and more

Yes, I finish! And I was really in need of one. This is made from a layer cake and a charm pack of Flurry by Kate Spain. I followed this tutorial and it was quite easy. 

The top is done and it needs to be basted and quilted, which I'll start today. Haven't decided how to quilt yet: stippling or straight lines.

I bought the same solid light green for the backing yesterday.

Christmas quilt top ready and displayed on my mobile designing board in our hall.

Kati from the blue chair has made me paused to think.
Her last post on blogging realling made an impact on me.
I'm sometimes reading more blogs than actually getting any sewing done. I was following 72 blogs!
That just takes too much precious time! Yes even though I don't work my time is precious too (I just don't always realise it). Even now: I just missed going to Pilates class because I'm stuck on some of those blogs. It's sometimes getting in the way of life and that's not what this is all about!
I want to sew, have fun, a finish every now and then and some inspiration.
So I've ended my subscription (through Google Reader) for a lot of big blogs: they won't miss me. I now follow 25 blog and that's enough.
That feels good!

On a personal note (as if the previous wasn't personal).
Yesterday I was talking to a dear friend about this song we heard on the radio; I wrote about that song before. Well it was played at my father's funeral.
He died 8 years ago today and I can still cry my eyes out (but not all the time).
I'd just brought back my mum from hospital after she'd been through quite a tough spell in (the operating) theatre. He was so happy to have her back home.
That night he had a massive heart attack and died instantly: quick and at home, just like he'd wanted it.
Life goes on and a lot of things have happened since: good and bad (such is life).

As we're speaking of dates: my one year blogging anniversary is coming up in two weeks. I'll have to think of something nice to all you followers. A party at my home with cake (a cupcake party)? Or we all meet for a drink in town? Or something less strenuous on your part?
I'll think of something.

I'll be trying to link up to a Sew and Tell somewhere, but on the other side of the ocean everybody's still asleep.
Yes, linked up to Amylouwhosews here:

And she's back!
Crazymomquilts Finish it up

Wishing you a wonderful weekend: have fun whatever you'll be doing!

FMQ and more

In an attempt to practise more free motion quilting (fmq) I'll be joining the quilters over at Fluffy Sheep Quilting: Every Friday a new project.

The videos are all by Leah Day and by now she has so many videos and two books. I thinks the videos are most helpful. Gosh she makes it look so easy. But then, she also says : practise makes perfect.

More on that this Friday.

I have abandoned a few projects, though.
I joined the Farmers Wife Quilt along very enthusiastically but haven't even done one block!
So I've chucked it out as I'm not even going to start on it in the next year. Well, the book's still on the shelf.
As for the sewing by hand project (easy to take with you on holiday or in front of the telly) hosted by Lynne:

no, the hexagons didn't fit when I sewed them together and I didn't have the courage to unpick them all. Maybe I can go over it by machine? I don't think it'll look nice then.
I've abandoned that one too, but it'll keep brooding at the back of my mind.

Last week I got all of my Christmas Charms as promised by Emily from the Strawberry Patch.
Aren't they just beautiful?

I think I'll make a herringboneblock (look-a-like) tablerunner of them.

As for the rest of life as it happens over here: I've not been sewing at all these past 2 (3?) weeks because my head won't let me. If the migraines are not too bad or non existent I don't feel fit at all. So I'm more of a zombie at the moment, which was appropriate for Halloween, but not any longer!

I'm going to see a neurologist for the migraines and I'm sure I'll get the right pills this time.

And then I can really get started!

Now I feel good and I want to get some sewing done, so I can show you something on Wednesday.

Quarter inch tutorial

On the web I see the most fantastic tutorials, in fact that's one of the first things I'll spot on a quilting blog.So it's about time I joined in!

Most tutorials are about quilt blocks or how to tackle a certain technique itself. Some are about the basics of sewing, like this one about unpicking seams. Hang on, everybody knows how to unpick something. And when I actually did read it, I learnt something new!
So I hope you'll have the same AHA-moment here.

There are many tutorials on the quarter inch seams, here's one and here's one, but this one comes closest to my approach.

Let's start with a roll of masking tape; I mean the kind of tape painters use: easy to take off and cheap. Cut through 10? to 15? layers of tape with a sharp knife.  Then about 2" further you make a cut as deep as the first one. We need this 2" chunk of tape later on.

Next is when a quarter inch foot is really handy. When you've got something like it, attach it to the foot of your machine. Mine looks like this:

Now for the measuring part. I put my smallest ruler right next to the quarter inch foot; I really push it against it.

 Then I put my needle down to see where it touches the ruler.

If it's to far off, I adjust the position of the needle on my machine: I move my needle to the right so it fits a scant quarter inch.
I adjust the needle position with the - + button: by adjusting the width of the stitch the needle moves to the right (that's what I want here)

When all is set, get your masking tape and tear it off the roll (always easier with two hands):

Stick this chunk right next to your ruler and press down
The best thing about this chunk is that you can really push your fabric against it, which (sometimes!) makes pinning unnecessary.

Press down

Remove ruler

You can see here how battered my machine is ...
But it wasn't me! I bought it second hand.

And start sewing!

One more tip:

I check this every day before I start sewing: I take my ruler and push it against the foot. I let the needle down and check whether it's still right and sometimes adjust it.

Because I know it can change overnight (leprechauns in the Netherlands?)

Have a great week!

Tidying up, part 2

I'm so sorry for not blogging earlier, but an unexpected migraine got the better of me.
So you couldn't find me again ! in the Small Blog Meet or Fresh Sewing Day all hosted by Lynne: I'll be there again in December!

In the meantime, about 10 min. a day, I have been able to finish what I started. At last!
So, from this:

To this:

What a relief!

If you're wondering what the picture on the wall is in the last picture: it's a picture of Mousehole in Cornwall I took a few years ago. I love those colours.

I found a few WiP's:
1   Movin' on up: top needs finishing.
2   Starry Sashings: top needs finishing.
3   Red yellow green: border needs to be added, then it can be quilted
4   disappearing 9-patch christmas quilt: quilting needs to be finished.
5   My Asterisk quilt: haven't acutally found it, but needs more work.

So I'll know what I can do the rest of the week, if my brain'll let me.

Have a great (rest of the) week!