Klosjes and Camelot 'in my Garden' with Dear Jane

What a week: 'Klosjes' got basted, more Camelot blocks got prepped, Charm hexies got dusted off the shelf, I received my long-awaited first BOM (ever!) from Dorry in Holland and my backgrounds for Dear Jane arrived... and we had 2 kiddy birthday parties to attend. ( and my quilt for Japan!)
I'm tired.
:)

and happy!
and I think this is going to be a long post. (while 'they' take a nap...)

Ok, Klosjes. I am so happy with how it has turned out. And reading your comments was like pinching myself- realizing what it all means. Thank you again for being such a HUGE part of it!
This morning I finally set up my quilting station ( at the back of the arm-chair) and put it the first few stitches in. Oh- it feels sooo great to be quilting again! So this is where I will be in the evenings. :)

I decided on Natural colour quilting thread, lightweight cotton batting, and a lovely Delft Blue backing. It will be quilted 'in the ditch' outlining the Klosjes. I will let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, there has been Camelot. Oh, swooooon...

I got the this Trish Harper pattern from Liz. Visit her to see some exquisite pictures of this quilt.
I am still not sure about my background, but love what Shirley is doing with hers...
Una has been drafting her own blocks from the George III quilt that stole our hearts last year at the V&A exhibition.

picture of the original King George III quilt found here

Please visit Una for a much better explanation and to admire her blocks.
I also found out this week that Marta has been drafting the blocks in their original tiny size.
I have resisted jumping into this delicious temptation... so far... :)

I am enjoying my Camelot so very much. I have been struggling with the curvy parts, but I have been learning- while enjoying myself tremendously. I am making mine using my little stack of rainbow Liberties.

(My first ever purchase from Purl Soho, which was a dreamy experience in and of itself!)
So, block 1 got carefully hand-stitched using the first Liberty in the stack, ect. I am enjoying the challenge of picking the colours and well...

Meet block 1

It has been quite hazy today and so I promise better pictures when the blocks are nicely pressed and stitched into their background. I can't wait, :).

On wednesday afternoon I spent some quality time with my hexies. I will report on them next wednesday.
On thursday I got a package in the mail from Holland. My Anni Downs 'In my Garden' BOM that Danielle has been stitching for Dorry. I am so happy to be doing this with Daan and Ria. One of my quilting resolutions this year is to get over my irrational fear of applique. I believe that the relaxed design of this quilt is going to help me to focus and get comfortable with the stitching. I have been enjoying the early morning light to do this... :)

Oh my dear, Jane...
Years ago I started a Jane Stickle Quilt. But I had no real plan or vision, and dropped it after only a few blocks.
Now the time seems right to try again. But I have been struggling with Dear Jane. Settling on one particular style or colour scheme is proving to be very hard. And yet, knowing that this time around I would like to get past the first row, I am savouring this challenge as part of my Dear Jane Journey. I have  joined Jovita and a group of her friends to make a Contemporary Jane, and am really looking forward to all the things that Jane is going to be teaching me. Any suggestions from those of you that have gone through this Journey already, are very welcome!

Sorry for the long post. But it was now or never. The boys are on Easter holidays for 2 weeks, and so I don't know how much I might be able to post in the weeks to come between church services next week and a possible stay in the mountains after Easter. But I will do my best to be back as often as I can.

I have to let you know that I am finally getting this post done as my kids are entranced watching Fantasia for the first time! I had to share that bit of magic with you! :)

Hoping you are enjoying your stitching as much as I am,
Valentina
:)

With a little help from my friends!

I am flying right now, my heart is beating soooo fast: I just finished basting my last corner unto my quilt...   had to tell you, right away...Okay it isn't finished: I need to actually stitch those borders together, but I couldn't  resist taking a picture for you... O my Goodness: I have a Klosjes QUILT!
This week has been a roller-coaster ride: It all started with klosje number 720. I was hoping to savour the moment and decided to make it special:

The moment was fleeting, but I found myself really smiling remembering all the funny places where I have made Klosjes over the past year... 

Klosje 720!

Last one attached to Corner number 4...

Celebration!!!

... and immediately rewarded myself with by starting Camelot! More on that to come... :)

 That means I had to find the right red for the border: Okay. I went for the one that gave me goosebumps as opposed to the one that was just perfect... Now, how to proceed...

Basting the corners was hard because of all that Bias stretch from the halfsquare triangles. So  with resolve I decided to "fake it till I make it" ( my heart was pounding, I felt so unsure, period cramps, coldsweats and feeling like running away and hiding in a cave and take Camelot with me, of course! LOL) so despite all that, I tried to keep calm and carry on... I placed the pieces on my kitchen floor (which happened to be clean) and the floor tiles helped me to make sure it was square. I guessed how big the red border had to be, cut it and then realized that machine basting would be best (needle at 5.0). I found the centers of the each corner and matched it to the borders and machine basted from the centers out: and I couldn't believe my eyes, 

it was actually working...

and so: voila!!!

Here she is! All 3688 pieces of her!

It all fits! the quilt is a bit shy of 2m square, and now I have to focus on actually hand-stitching the corners down... once I come down back to earth... and then we'll get a better picture! :)
Yippie!

Wanted to keep you guys up to date, because I LOOOOOOOVE you! And cannot thank you enough for all the support and encouragement you keep giving me...
xox
V.

Spring has sprung!

the poppies taking their rightful place in the olive groves
:)

Corner #3!!!

And there was cake!
:)

Hoping your week was a happy as mine!

Klosjes!

After being at odds with my Klosjes last week, this week we kissed and made up. I kept being lured away by all the new projects dancing around in my head and haunting my dreams since the inspiration binge in Holland. :)

Our love is back and stronger than ever, and we were inseparable again this week. 

The result is that I finished my second corner and am well on my way to finish the third.

:)

This week we enjoyed a lot of fresh air as a family-yesterday was a national holiday- and had fun finding the first spring blooms in the fields. And we even managed to convince our kite the go up (long enough to get a picture!) despite the little whispers of breeze.

My heart jumped at finding a wild grape-hyacinth and spotting the first of the wild poppies among the tall grass.

 

The wild Thyme bushes filled with new growth

 

I had to take a break from machine quilting my quilt for Japan as I felt strain on my shoulder and wrist earlier this week. I am not happy with how it is turning out, but keep telling myself that comfort has very little to do with aesthetics. So I decided to put my walking-foot on my machine and finish quilting it in straight lines. You'll let me know what you think.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and that it includes some happy stitching. For us, our 4 year olds' social calendar is booked solid until tuesday with kids' birthday parties "Cyprus-style". Wish me luck-- I plan to break protocol and sneak in some stitching!!!

:)

Valentina

And it seems my new allergy meds are doing their job!
:)

Quilts needed for Japan

Please, friends: if you haven't already, visit Janet. She has information on how we as quilters can help the relief effort in Japan.
I will be putting my Klosjes aside for a little bit and start making one. They need our quilts; new or used.

while searching for fabrics I came across this lonely top
and just knew her time had come to shine and bring comfort.
Now it is basted and I will start machine quilting it this afternoon.

Jinny Beyer workshop in Sebaldeburen, The Netherlands

I am back!

:)

Okay I was back sunday night but it took a little longer for all of me to come back down to earth.

It was fantastic, it was exhausting, it was overwhelming, it was everything and more I had hoped for...

Imagine my delight when I got seated next to Inge, a fellow quilter who was  returning home to Holland after spending a few weeks vacationing in Cyprus. She was giggling when she introduced herself saying: I knew you were a Quilter the moment I saw your bag. Huh? But when you took out your Hexies... LOL
Inge, it was so wonderful meeting you, and I know we'll see each other again. And I can't wait for you to start blogging!!!
:)

I even got to make some hexies in the train!

Spending time with my Sis & my nieces was so much fun...
What is it about girls!
:)

I loved the signs of spring everywhere, but that didn't stop me from feeling soooo cold!
:)

Star-struck... Jinny Beyer really is a Master-teacher and Master Quilter.
I felt so honoured to be in her class.

the presentations and the classes were so incredibly professional.
 As a teacher I learned just as much about teaching, as I did as a student.

we were kept busy-busy-busy
Right, Ria?

And by Saturday afternoon I was begging for mercy!!!

the classes were extremely hands-on,
and I will share with you what I got from them when my head stops spinning...

I actually cried when I saw Day Lillies.
This quilt has to be one of my all time favourites.
and yes, I was allowed to touch it!
:)

Still star-struck, but at least we were able to joke about it!
:)

One of my dreams going to the workshop was to see Jinny stitch.

... and I got my wish!

:)

Bliss...

Thank You, Jinny, It was really an amazing time.

Thanks Tineke, you're the one who got me here!
And thanks to Trijntje for doing such an amazing job organizing it all.

My roommate Danielle
:)
Can't wait to do this again!!!

And an unexpected delight: On the way back to the airport, I got to spend 5 minutes in Ria's sewing room, and meet her Josephine...
I had to take this picture for my Wilhelmientje!

My little trip to Holland was wonderful, and really felt too short. I would have loved to spend more time and meet more blog-friends. But the time was so limited and I never expected to be so overwhelmed and exhausted by the workshop. I have to say though, that being in a room with 30 plus other quilters, learning and sharing in that experience, was almost too much for little me to handle. I really kept pinching myself... :)
I hope to share more of the workshops themselves with you, with as I start assimilating them and applying them to my work.
Ok, back to Klosjes. I have to say it has been difficult to get my nose back to the grindstone...
Hoping to have another corner stitched together in the next few days!
xox,
V.

Please visit Stephanie and support her in her effort to raise money for the relief effort for Japan. Every little helps. Thanks, Stephanie, I hope we surpass your expectation!