More things nice

Last week I received my copy of the book "Perfect Points" by Maggie Davis. That in my opinion is the perfect guide for when you want to learn to applique, without having to make unneccesary extra . One thing I don't seem to get in my fingers is inward V's. Horrible to do I think. They look awfull so I need to practice a lot!! The rest looks just great. It also covers other things usefull for making a Hawaiian applique (style) quilt. Even when you don't do that, just learning an effective, no-fuss way to applique.

In the near future I hope to move to a gorgeous farmhouse in the country. Here my first priority will be a craftsroom for myself. In the meantime I just look at someone elses.

Speaking of my future house. In a next blog I'll post some pictures and let you in on ideas I have for the interior. Just a sneak preview, although this next picture is on the edge of beïng too cluttery. I think it's the carpet, don't like that. Rest is lovely.

Nice to have a linencloset. If I would want to make one it'll probably look like this. See here how chaos turned in to order. Is a re-accurring theme in everything I do.

This picture just want me so touch the blanket, just like I do with my own quilts.

All things nice

How incredibly cosy a set of pillows looks. These are from John Robshaw. My new found fabric obsession. I am totally in love with most of the designs. Lately I'm understanding a bit of my preference for symetry. I like making order out of chaos, that's why I do patchwork and quilting. That's also why I chose designs like these and more on this blog because they seem organised. Also their layout is sheer perfection in my opinion. That's why I adore those moorish, spanish tiles. They are sooo intricate but oh so ordered. Anyway that's my humble opinion on that.

This quilt shows nicely how you can do such ordering from chaos. All kinds of different colors and designs, but in the endresult it all comes together nicely. I actually think I have an obsession with patchwork quilting. I love they entire process: from choosing a pattern to choosing the colors and fabric, to piecing small blocks into larger into blanketsize. Then the actual quilting and finishing, to the feeling of wrapping one around you and caressing the surface.

I do like the colorsetting of the rooms below. Applegreen looks so fresh and clean. Very nice combined with the wood and wickerlampshades.

Cute the colors in these kiddie blankets are so nice. Need to make a quilt for my daughter. Need more time in the day for all my crafty plans.

Don't you just love these blankets. Don't know exactly where they're from but they look very luxourious. I always try to find out whether something made out of fabric is possible to make myself. These are very do-able, you have the right fabric. Very hard to come by I'm guessing.

Inspiration

I got so inspired by these designs. It's from John Robshaw and they are traditional blockprinted Indian cotton or linens. I find this first picture so sweet and it makes me just smile.
I love the way the indian man is laughing and the way the vintage car is piled with gorgeous pillows. Would even put in on my desktop to look at when your a bit down.

A lot of the designs are suitable for making quilt blocks. Also choices of color are magnificent.
How about the next one, especially the middle red design. Reminds me a bit of that Toile de joue from france. By the way also very beautiful. A lot of great blankets are made from that fabric.
Simple to make. Just quilt through and let the design do the rest. This middel fabric could be used just the same!!

This little one caught my eye because of the close resemblance to an Hawaiian fern or something like that. Would make great pillow.

Never in a million years would I come up with a combination of brown and light blue. I always keep it on the safe side. But this is really really nice. And to the risk of sounding boring. Those designs!!!! Absolutely my thing. Look at the little one on top. The cutest. I could easily combine every piece of fabric in my own home.

The bottom duvet cover is the one I just fell in love with . It's named Walnut I believe, and in my opinion is sheer perfection. It scores very high on my personal wauw scale! Want to start drawing the pattern right away. Not even mentioning how it would feel to sleep under such a duvet. I'm guessing the quality of the fabric is outstanding.

I believe the next design is called Chestnut and is nice to. You got to see it on a bigger scale.

This size will come in handy for future reference, when I want to use it in a quilt.

Just because I love it so much. Justone more picture of the Walnut.

Hawaiian quilts.

How about those Hawaiian quilts. That's a whole different ballgame. The designs are soooo beautiful. I'm an absolute fan of symetrical designs. Especially when they are presented as a sampler. It works so well, and you have to get the colors just right.

This next one just takes my breath away in terms of the size of it and the neatness in which it's made. need to study that artform a bit more. Great way of working with applique.

Black an white wouldn't be my first choice of colors but this one is drop dead gorgeous! It is perfectly balanced in light and dark so it's very relaxing on the eyes.

Folding and decorating

I don't know what it is, but seeing a folded quilt somewhere always does something to me.
This one for instance looks just like you want to touch it.

In a cupboard it's good for storage but it also looks marvelous when the doors are open.

My personal collection of quilts is a humble three blankets. So I don't fill a complete cabinet with it. But we'll get there.

Something different

These quilts were made by Jude Hill. She has her own blog on spiritcloth.typepad.com.
I really like them for the big stitches and also how you can make something beautiful come together out of chaos. This first picture was given the name "The warmth of many stitches"
There couldn't be a more perfect name for it!!

Nice idea, to use reverse applique. Never done this myself, but it seems to work.

Here is a detail of the stitches. Nice combination of straight patchwork and fairly rough quilting.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so it's really refreshing and worth a try to do some applique and quilting in this way. Meaning. letting the adges fray and putting roughly shaped fabric on it.

Some Pictures I Like

I get really happy when I look at nice pictures of quilts. The above one is called Crown of thorns and is what they call a biblical pattern. The quilt I'm working on now is a slightly altered version of the above. Mine is going to have some applique added to it. Thats gonna be my first experience doing that. I have always made patchwork for quilts by hand. Somehow machine quilting doesn't give me near as much satisfaction as handstitching. Besides I can be way more accurate and overall more relaxed using my hands. And lets be honest thats how quilts are supposed to be made.

Over the next weeks I'll try to find nice pictures. I'm very into details of quilted items.

I've got and old fashioned scrap book of pictures I like. Gonna try to make something like that on this blog.

Welcome

In this blog I want to keep track of all things I like in this world. My great passions and things that happen in my life. Hope it's interesting enough. Certainly is to me.

I'm new to the blog-thingy so bear with me.

My first great passion in life is my little 4 year old angel Iris. My darling princess. I live together with my soon to be official hubbie Matthew. We live together for 5 years now.

I'm a very very passionate crafter of things that have to do with fabric, cloth, thread and needles. Needles in more than one way. I love tattoos! I already have one but want a really big one of an Iris flower on the full length of my outer thigh.

Then last thing I can think about is first post. I have a burning desire to quit my job (tell you all about that) and start my own home based craft selling business. I'm bit of a loner who likes to keep to myself and be around the house. I'm probably one of a few women that actually like to be a housewife. Would be a perfect combination to my want-to-earn-money-with-my-hobby idea.

So there we go. My first post done. While I'm typing my mind is filling with all kinds of subjects to write about.