In time

I must say that I’m mighty pleased with my achievements this year and – that they all were finished in time. I came halfway with the Softie Slippers for my sis and then had to wait for the gripper fabric to arrive, hoping, begging, praying that it would arrive in time – which it did. When they was all done, I decided to add some “bling” to them.

The tote bag got ready too and then a decorative purse (also for sis and her American coins) and at last, the Christmas gift for my niece Mathilda, a real goodie bag
made from the Nest jelly roll I got together with the charm pack and filled it to the brim with Swedish candy.

At the last minute, I decided to make new placemats and even though I did opt for the very easy way (panels) I still had to add some borders, quilt them and do the binding and the very last stitch was put into them on the night before Christmas Eve.


Today I made one more bag made with the Nest jelly roll; I wanted something nicer than just gift paper to cover the bottle of wine we are taking with us to a dinner party this evening. For the first time in eons of time, me and the DH are invited to a party without kids (and dogs) – what a treat:-D

Caught in the middle

Have it ever happen to you that you started not one, but two projects only to find you are lacking material to continue either on them? This happened to me this week - first a tote bag made with a gorgeous moda charmpack "Nest" that a darling friend sent me. I decided to use it to make a sort of modern art tote bag and lined each square with black modal fabric. Oh it does look good, but to use that thick heavy fabric for the top, bottom and sides of the front and back panel simply would not work. So I needed something softer, like a nice black corderoy which I of course lacked of. So that project was set aside and I started on a gift (very usable) for my sis (Åsa - naninaninahaaaa ) and got it under way until I realised that I did not have enough of a very important part. Well the corderoy I can get here, but this speciality stuff have to be ordered from the USA and I have, so now I can hope for that the USPS and SPS will work in a jointly haste so I'll be able to finish it of before my sis leaves for Flint MI to spend the Christmas with her darling daughter.

Live well and sew easy;-)
Wolfie

Back to my fragrant roots

Before there was quilting, there was botanical natural perfumery. Well at least that was my main passion in the creative department until I got sick and once more couldn’t stand scents. But early this summer I got kick started by a group assignment and managed to create an Eau de Cologne that I named “Howl at the moon” and this is the first scent I have ever created that I actually could stand smelling day after day, so I might be on the mend – heh?

I have been into my studio quite frequently because the fragrant materials share the room with all my quilting stuff. I have picked up a vial here and a bottle there, but nothing has called my name. Until today; after having mused over vanilla in its various forms, I finally cleared the desk in my study enough to start a small trial blend. Vanilla me here and vanilla me there… a tad of aged patchouli, some home brewed tinctures: beeswax, Grasseouse (is there such a word??) lavender honey and green pepper corns start to make it interesting. Found no flowers to add, so a bit of lingonberry tincture steered the blend away from overly sweetness and there I stopped for today. If it’s one thing I learned over the years, it is not to go happy galloping, adding this or that until it all turned into some variety of eau de chat LOL.

I also found a maybe quilting project in a jelly roll book (the very same one where the stars in the tablecloth came from), but reading the instructions I realized I need to get another (I only have one) Omnigrid triangular ruler (in inches, not cm) before I can even get started. So online quilt shop owners – beware.