Finally, finally done with my Dear Jane!

Yes!! Feast your eyes. I am done. Done, done, done. Did I mention I am done? :) I can now use the title 'Goddess':) It is a strange feeling. Elation, mixed with sadness. And a little feeling of: where do I go now?

One thing is for sure. I am NOT making another one! Though I must say, working on it have made my knowledge about quilting leap forward with big skips and jumps.

So here are the progress dates. My first block was started on August 10, 2008. The flimsy was done by April 2010. I basted it during Christmas 2011, and then let it rest for a little..... until this July, 2013. I swear, I was sure it had only been sitting for under a year.... But this summer was spent quilting it. Which went much faster than I thought it would!

So last weekend I brought it with me to Sweden, had one full day of beautiful fall sunshine, ran down to the beach (without the doggies) and had ten minutes before the sun went down behind the woods.

It looks good, though? I now use it on my bed, and every night it is like revisiting an old friend. I keep finding blocks I had forgotten, and remembering how they were made. 

I remember in the beginning, how I scoured the net to find out how others had made theirs, and in the end I just sat down and figured out a way by myself. And that was fun!:)

So now... I am not quite sure where the road goes from here. I am thorn between finding some other big and difficult quilt to sink my teeth into. Or try something completely different. Maybe not quilts at all? We shall see.

Goddess out! :)

Close, close and closer.... but....

Look what I did this weekend! Yup, the binding is on my Dear Jane. And yes, I should not have cut the excess before I sewed it on. I ended up doing a zigzag seam first to make it easier.

At this time, I am done with hand sewing it down on three sides. Just one side left. This last part of the DJ has gone so much faster than I thought. I was sure I would still be quilting in October. Now it is almost done.... And it feels sad! It's been so much a part of my last four years. The reason I kept my sanity while being unemployed for too long. It kept my mind working, finding out how to solve the different blocks. And I progressed so much in my quilt-knowledge.

And only I know how many episodes of different series I have watched while working on this:)

I almost feel like I did when I was finally done with my schooling - over enjoyed that all this work finally has lead to a result and sad that a part of my life is over. 

There is no way I will start another four year long quilt project! But I do feel a pull towards a 4 000 pieces jigsaw....

There will be socks

This post is not so much about socks, as it is about a decision. I have finally realized that I have made my own punishment. I have, basically, spoiled my friends and family with homemade gifts. Sounds stupid, I know, but increasingly these last few years, I have been adding to and raising the bar so that I have not had a spare minute all fall until Christmas. Apart from making gifts. And too often I have kept on after Christmas, too.

I mean, if they got this last year, I have to do something more this year, right? At least it has to be the same as last year. And so on and so on. I never had time to do things for myself, apart from a few months in spring and early summer. Unless there was a birthday, or confirmation, or something else. Not to mention the costs.

So now they expect it, and take it for granted, most of them. I think the worst part is that I do a lot of these things for people that never can really understand the value and the work of what I give away. It makes me feel that what I do, is not of value, either. And that, is the worst part of it all.

So now I have made a decision. The big, handmade stuff is for the really big days. And for the ones who realize that a handmade quilt is several levels over a quilt bought at ikea. Though some of them are nice:)

I feel quite free, actually. Like a big burden is lifted off my shoulders. And I can finally bring back my collection of ideas, and the long list of inspiration on Pinterest!

And this Christmas, there will be socks. And that is all.

Supernatural again

I just realized that I am again choosing to watch Supernatural when dealing with long winded and boring..ish quilt work. I watched it while sewing that big hexagon quilt for my aunt, and I am using it now for quilting Dear Jane. It really works well to keep me going.

I am now over half way. Woho! It's only weekend work, I just do not seem to be able to get around to quilting during the week.

I found a new yarn place this summer. I have socks on the brain at the moment, so I was excited to find Malabrigo!! Love it. The colors are really nice, fall inspired. Love the name of the color, Archangel:)

I also bought three colors in Cascade. These will be gifts, I think, as I am not a pink person AT ALL! I actually rather detest the color, but some people, it seems, love the color. Brrrrr....

Well, this is embarrassing....

I just found out that my DJ has been lying there, basted and ready to be quilted, since December 2011! I know it is meant to be a journey, this quilt, but seriously! 

So this is what my staycation will be filled with....

It took a while to figure out how to do this. Hand quilting was out! But a big one like this is not easy to machine quilt, either. So I found my old table could help out. Just needed new legs, so off to Ikea. However, my old solid wood work table is slightly higher than tables are these days, so after several tests two big pillows, fastened to the legs, got me the right height. The sewing table needed also a little more height. I found that Agatha Christie worked perfectly. The late books, turned out, had the right height. Not sure what that means. Those are slightly more dark and conspiracy filled than her earlier books...

So here it is. The wool batting leaves a fine dusting on absolutely everything in the apartment, and the tables take up most of the living room, so I am stuck finishing this before I try to sew anything else. I will achieve my goddess status this year, it seems:)

Turns out, yet again, that DJ becomes a salvation of sorts. It helped me through a rough time the last time, and it helps me to concentrate on other things than miserable happenings and difficult times. Good thing, this.

A new life, a new name and a new quilt!

My grandnephew were christened yesterday:) His parents decided on a church christening, which is a very beautiful ceremony. His three godmothers (yes, three:)) all wore their folkdresses, while the baby wore the christening dress his father had worn on his big day (made by me:)). At the end of the ceremony, all the godfathers and godmothers, his parents and the minister placed their hands on him to bless him. 'Nary a dry eye in the house:) And he was quite quiet the whole time, just looking around him with his big blue eyes. I think the beard of the minister were very interesting.... 

So now he has a name, Simon (or the Norwegian equivalent of). 

 His grandaunt had to make a quilt for him, to start him on his new life:) It turned out pretty good, I think.

 It has ricracs, so that he can use his little fingers to pluck at.

 And prairie points, also to pluck at:)

There should be some activities for him to experience as he soon starts to crawl and explore:)

Dress rehearsal

Next Sunday, this little bundle will be celebrating his christening. So we needed a dress rehearsal to see if the dress fits.

I crocheted this at the age of 15. For some reason.... I guess I needed a challenge. My niece and nephew have used this for their christening, and now the second generation will be using it. We have an heirloom in the family:)

It fits, and it seems he enjoys wearing it. If he still does after several hours... Well, we shall see:)