Today I want...

The dish rack... I have the blue color on my crafty shelf, I have the strawberries in my garden. But I don't have that dish rack... Found something similar here but it is black...

Photo: Lantliv

The rib-backed chairs. I have an old-fashion iron stove. I have summer flowers in the field behind my house. But I don't have the rib-backed chairs. I will absolutely start searching for rib-backed chairs on markets and thrift stores...

Photo: Lantliv

I want rag-rugs. Everywhere. I LUUUUUVE rag-rugs.  Preferably made from our own old bed linens. I have some rag-rugs that I bought from IKEA. But it is not the same. I think I might have some at the summerhouse in Sweden. Handmade by my late grandma Eivor. Maybe it is time to bring them across Europe to my home???...

Photo: Magasinet Jeanne d'Arc Living

White wild flowers in a white jug reflecting in a mirror. I got the white wild flowers, a white jug with a pink rose on and that could be just as pretty. :D

Photo: Magasinet Jeanne d'Arc Living

I have a lot after all. Everything I really need. But sometimes it is nice to want and dream too...

Have a lovely Sunday!

Kärlek
Annette

Cutting new fabric

The fabric arrived and I started the cutting process. I don't particularly like cutting. I think it is fiddely, time consuming, hard, boring. Especially if you get poorly cut pieces of fabric from your supplier (Grrrrrr....). But the results are very awarding.

The scraps are crazy pretty (only a big fan of quilting may think so as others probably only see "a bunch of fabric scraps tossed up in a pile").

The left overs are inspiring for a complementary project (a pillow case to match?).

And the squares makes all the difference in the world. Can't wait to get started on my design wall and plan it all out.

Have a lovely day.

Kärlek.
Annette

Just an idea about a new quilt in my head...

Playing with fabric on a design wall... It is fun. A friend is getting married... I was thinking light and flowers for the theme. Maybe trims between the squares. Then I thought "There is a man living in that house too...". Maybe it needs a bit of plaids and stripes. Or paisley or more geometric patterns...

And when I found this wonderful collection from Tilda...

...and mixed it up with some ginghams and stripes, I think I just found what I am looking for. Classy, fresh, crisp, girly romantic, manly, old fashioned and modern all at once.

I am thinking big 10 inch squares and backing it with a nice pic-nic style gingham, preferably in beige or brown. Any suggestions on where to find that backing fabric...???

Just brainstorming with myself (and you guys...). I am sure this quilt will change appearance a hundred times before I actually buy any new fabric...

Kärlek!
Annette

Quilting Emmy's Quilt - finally!

Hi there. This project has been hanging over a cabinet door for about... is it 1 month or 2 months...??? First it was the border fabric that needed to be ordered. And then life came in the way just being to busy for me to even get started on the sandwiching. And then I got carried away in crochet land with new and old lovely projects. And then suddenly, magically all kids had playdates Sunday afternoon and I did it!

I finished the quilting of Emmy's Quilt. So now there is only the binding left. Maybe it will take me another month or so to get that part done, or maybe not. I am quite excited now so maybe I will be able to finish this soon. Plus... Sorry to say but I did over do it with my hook. AGAIN! My arm is acting up and all the crochet is once again put aside. So when one can't crochet one can sew right?

Kärlek!

Annette

The pattern is found - Bohusrutan!

And the blog world can be such a wonderful place! :D

Just look at this. Pattern is found! Just like that. You see my grandmas square from my bed throw  I wrote about yesterday? Down there in the bottom right corner? It is called Bohusrutan.

Read more about it over at Sofisan's The (Yarn) Stashbuster Blog. She was so kind to share this information with me (probably just as excited as me). She just started her blog to document her joyride of using up scraps of yarn (Scraps? We are talking tons of it - I think she is a yarn addict like so many others of us. Hi hi hi!).

I can't wait to give this  square a go just to feel the work eivor once did for me. This is fantastic! And fun!

Ciao!
Annette

Photo: The (Yarn) Stashbuster Blog

Mother's Day - about a bed throw

Today it is Mother's Day in Switzerland and my dear children celebrated me with handmade gifts and cards they had made in school. I guess I could have shared it here but as the gifts are very special and unique to me they might not be as wonderful for anyone else to see in a picture... It is the gifting part, the proud faces, smiles and my hugs in return that makes them so special. Without that they are only kids' crafts. Any kids' crafts. So I decided on skipping that part. Instead I want to share some words about another mother who now is in heaven looking down on us.

Eivor was a hell of a woman. Independent and devoted to life in the old fashion way. She went fishing, berry picking, mushroom hunting. She was baking, sewing, crocheting and knitting. Embroidery. Yes, you name it. A real grandma with all the old fashion skills. She made jams and compotes and filled our cupboards with homemade cookies and breads. In blueberry season we had blueberries in a big bowl waiting on our doorstep. Cleaned and ready to eat with milk and sugar. We had chantarelles for the autumn roasts. The freezer full of gooseberries, raspberries, cherries and cranberries. To make crumbles. Or just eat as they were, sucking on the the frozen berries like candy. I still do. She made wonderful blankets, made us rag-carpets from our old bedlinen and clothes. She was fantastic in many ways. A quiet woman though, prefered to be on her own.

Eivor made me this bed throw when I was 16. At the time I guess I didn't really reflect over all the work behind it. It was on my bed for years up until I met Jay and moved from Sweden. The bed throw ended up in our country house in Sweden, in a box, like so many other things that I owned. I found it last year and was overwhelmed by its beauty.

After starting to crochet myself I suddenly realized how precious this piece of art is. I brought it home with me. It stays at the bottom end of our double bed. It is beautiful. And I love it. I can't really figure out how it is made though... It would be fun to try and make a square...

Thank you Eivor for such a great gift. Happy Mother's Day to you up there in heaven. Thank you for being an inspiration to me.  For making me realize the importance of continuing using the old fashion skills of making homemade produce, artisan crafts and the value of hard workmanship. I will do my very best to teach my kids about these skills as well. I want the next generation to know and understand the pleasures you get out of making your own things and growing your own food. I wish I had understood how beautiful this throw really was back then, but better late then never.

Ciao!
Annette

Lotta's blanket

My Flower Power Quilt is nicely folded, ready to become a parcel and get sent off in the mail to my dear friend Lotta.

Last night I finished the label I wanted to make for it. Very simple with white muslin, interfacing and a permanent textile pen. I hand stitched it on to the backing. It says (in english) "Lotta's Blanket, The year you turned 40".

I feel so much love for this blanket and so much love for the receiver.

Ciao!
Annette

Garden report

I have been neglecting the garden totally. Well to be completely honest I am a plant killer of high degree and anything I touch from the flora dies within seconds (or at least days after me forgetting to water and care and love...) But Jay loves the garden and I am very happy to show you that his passion now is starting to give us produce.

We have salad. Ruccola and normal salad. No more buying salad in the store for the next 6 months or so. The Ruccola we eat plain as a salad or cook with pastas, potatoes or just plain as it is, like spinach. It is delicious!

And red beets and carrots are showing up with their small teeny tiny leaves above the ground.

Strawberries are in bloom.

Ooops! Not just in bloom! They carry fruit!!!! Already! Please please please, don't give us bad weather now... I don't want them to die.

And I have planted my geraniums in pots. And I was beautifully accompanied by the cows' bell orchestra just a step away. I love having the cows right outside my door step.

This year I am going to plant some seeds. Flower seeds. I have decided to become better with the greens. To be more careful and nurturing. Successful. Concentrate Annette. Concentrate and don't forget to water the plants. "I can grow plants. I don't have to be a plant killer. " The mantra has to be repeated over and over again and maybe, just maybe - I will be successful.

The cows now leave for the night and walk up the hill (it is funny how they have their inner clock set and walk up the hill every day at the same time, 5 pm sharp.) See you again another day.

Ciao!
Annette