Basting takes time!!!

Not sure why I thought I could baste Dear Jane in one day.... I am on the second day, and still not done! I forgot all the preparations that needs to be done. Like ironing all the parts.

Did I read somewhere that you are supposed to remove all threadends on the back? Where on earth do you start....?

Then the backing needs to be fastened to the floor, real thight. (It is a lovely blue batik with patterns that looks like old Viking patterns. Seemed to fit:))

Then a very nice wool batting. It is soooo soft!

Then I realised that I had not stitches the end block! So that took the rest of the evening.
This morning I spread the quilt top over and started basting. I am about 1/4 done, and my back is already protesting. Necessary breakes takes time... However, I need to get it done tomorrow, as this big quilt takes up half my living room floor, and the furnitures that are supposed to be here are stuck on the other half. It is quite a feat to get out of the room now. Good to have tangible goals, right? :)

The quiet space of Christmas

In Norway, the days between Christmas eve and New Years eve are viewed as a quiet time. Stores are closed between 24 and 27, among others:) Growing up, I weren't even allowed to knit or sew those first days in Christmas, as it was holy days and we should 'not work'. Thankfully, I don't have to adhere to those rules any more:)

I intend to spend these free, quiet days crafting as much as I can! At the moment I am having a LOTR marathon while appliqueing on my Civil War Bride quilt, interspersed with some light knitting.

Since everybody has unwrapped their gifts by now, I can finally show what I have been working on these last few weeks.
Yup, another pair of skull socks. I mixed a few patterns for this. The receiver hasn't received them yet, but has seen pictures of them. They pass.

For my good friend in the US, I knitted another shawl, this is corral red. Hopes she likes it.

Three ladies all ordered table runners this Christmas. Is there an epidemic? Not easy ones, either, as two of them are in colours I find difficult to work with. But this one is for my niece, who wanted something 'romantic' and shabby chic.

Simple pattern of squares. The quilting made it all go togheter, I think.

My sister-in-law wanted something for spring, lilac, grey, silver, green and so on. Sigh. Again, hard colours for me to use. I found it hard to find a pattern that would even show up with these fabrics, but I tried. For some reason I did not take a picture of this finished! I quilted star patterns on the open spaces, just to make it show at all.

Colours are a little off on this one, but you can see a star:) This one is very long, as she has an old table that can be taken out to seat 20 people....
A friend wanted a table runner in dark blue and purple, to fit on a black table.... Ok... So I decided to make my own interpretation of that:) Turns out she likes it:) Can not ask for more than that.

Tomorrow, hopefully, I will rearrange my living room and start laying out the Dear Jane for it to be basted. A full day spent on my knees bent over the quilt - I can feel my back aching already, not to mention my fingertips. But it has to be done before I can start quilting it! Another goal this Christmas break is to rearrange all my fabric to find new ways of putting them together. Enough to do, but fun work.

God jul!

May not have this kind of snowy Christmas this year, but it looks nicer than the foggy thing outside my window at the moment:)
It is little Christmas eve, as we call it here in Norway. Growing up, this was the earliest we decorated the tree. As a grown up, it is the day of relaxing. Off from work, start of a vacation, and this year - my own choice of celebrating:)

I am looking forward to Christmas eve with the rest of the family, and then eight days of doing exactly what I want. Sleeping in, sewing, watching my favourite movies, spending time with friends. Can't wait. It has not been an easy year, and next year will not be easy either. So I need to hoarde some energy this Christmas.

I wish you all the Christmas celebration of your wish:)

Different

When I rearranged my furniture last year, I did not take into account that the space for the Christmastree got moved to a place where I only will see it when I am on my way out of the apartment. What is the point of a tree, then? So after seeing different wonderful ideas on Pinterest (highly recommended, by the way!) - I am trying something different this year:) This one contains all my favourite ornaments, and I can look at it all the time. I might look for new lights next year, I would like for it to have more lights.
Since most of the people I have made Christmas gift for are frequenting this blog, I can't share all the things I have completed! But this one has already been opened by the receiver, so I can share it:) It is a beautiful colour, a light green colour.

I am almost done with all of the gifts. Just a little more knitting and a few more stitches. And it is still a week left! Feels almost luxurious.

Poor birdies

I went on a quiltstore run during work hours today.... Sometimes during winter you just get desperate to be out in the daylight! And desperate to see fabric! On my way back I went by some bushes filled with birdies. I don't know if they were too cold to move much, or that being city birds, they can deal with people passing them by - but they even sat quietly until I got my camera up and zoomed in!
Almost a christmas card worthy, that one:)

I know they do it to keep warm, but I love how they puff themselves up:) In Norway, even in the cold winter, people are real good at feeding the birds, so they do quite well. I really enjoy watching the big flocks gathering in the bushes. And the noise they make! Winter can be so cold and dead, it is nice to see some creatures surviving here, except us.... :)

Oh, and if you wonder: No, I do NOT like winter!!!