Sunday, June 26, 2016

Finishing? More, please!

A photo repeat... just to confirm the fact that I don't seldom plan ahead, but try to prepare adequately.  Point is I have an abundance of dark brown bias binding.  Lucky for me, I have a truly scrap cover awaiting at home, and it could use a binding.  
Remember my many starts and stops:the coverlet/duvet cover  Only 6 years languishing in the closet.

I can dream! Maybe TWO QUILTING PROJECTS IN ONE YEAR!

Friday, June 24, 2016

At last!

How satisfying to sew by machine.  After years of hand sewing, not continually but in spurts, I think this is the end.  I don't know what happened to my plan to machine quilt the borders.  I'm glad I rejected it.  

I love this quilt.  Created by my daughter in 2004, as a project to keep her sanity between countries and education degrees, and discovered by me on an island off the west coast of Norway.  I scooped it up, and over the past years, as I spent a month or two a year visiting, I became obsessed 
...determined that it would finished in my lifetime, and NOT cross the Atlantic a second time.
Success it IS!  
I have to admit that it is not perfection.  The piecing design is lovely, but there are flaws everywhere.  I got so frustrated with the last border puckering that I had the scissors wrestled from me by my daughter, who insisted that it deserved to live.  So, people of the future, do NOT judge me by this beauty.  I used to make much neater stitches and measure more carefully.

I rest... until I finish here and pick up my knitting. 

Thursday, June 23, 2016

The beginning of the end


The quilt from another decade...
And finally the binding for it!  I see a light!


Monday, June 20, 2016

Bolero

AHHHHHH!
Quilting has taken over my life, but since my little cutie has two summery dresses, short sleeved and sleeveless, to make them more useful in a climate that rarely gets to the high 70's, (or 22+ C), I found this CUTE bolero to make.  
Pattern:
I found this pattern at the Sirdar website.  I extended the ties by attaching an I-cord (not shown in the photos).

Yarn:
DK / 8 ply, 100% Cotton, 220 yards / 100 grams

I'm as happy as she is!  AND she learned to tie a bow for the occasion. 

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Construction

I received a lot of comments on the "bunad" costume for my granddaughter.  Here are some close-ups:
Hardanger style embroidery used in the apron.  This is a stock, buy-by-the-meter,  lace band.
And another apron... Think of the work if this was handmade!  It would take me many painful months to sew and cut the threads...
The vest is totally lined and sewn to the skirt.  The skirt and vest can both be lengthened here.
The shoulder tops are lengthened or shortened, here.
This is the front of the vest.  There are three hooks holding it closed.  And two more hooks holding the tab.  You can see that the first threads are still there from when the tab was used for the 2-year-old size.  (Looking at close-up photos...someone didn't do a very nice job of attaching the tab...hmmm, me?)
Inside, the vest can grow in width and length.
We'll see how much we need for next year!

Thursday, June 16, 2016

The 17th of May

Reporting a month later, but still fun to remember!

The school children meet up at their schools, and...

with their banner (Kronstad Skole), they begin the 2 mile walk
into the city center, meeting up with other schools along the way.
Everyone dresses up and takes to the streets... 
Here are some of the teachers.  The woman on the right showed us her jewellery which is made from rare coins that have been in her family.
And here is my family.
Here is another school coming down the mountain to meet us.
Here is the beginning of the real parade, 2 hours later!
The "People's Parade" has all of the colourful organisations represented.
Bagpipes to African Dancers, 
and bicycles of all types.  The two parades pass each other and we are there at the ending of one parade and the end of the other.
Yep!  This is definitely why I planned this trip THIS May.
We weren't the only ones taking pictures!

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

A hike a cache

Everything is UP from here!  Or so it seems...  Mountains on two sides, with caches everywhere.
I tend to make fun of the weather in Bergen, because it usually is chilly and rainy... all summer, but I'm not complaining!  Soon it will be mid-summer.  The sunsets at 11 pm are so foreign to me!
And geocaching becomes a hike.  Bergen!


Lots of WW2 history around here.  I find it surprising that there is so much in memory of those who died on both sides of the war.  This was occupied territory, and there are several cemeteries with ally and enemy graves.  I have no idea what this marker is for.  It is high up the side of one of the mountains, at the edge of the (now) forest trails.

And I took this photo because I was sure it means something.  I just don't know what...
Paper swans? Origami?  Maybe it's there to liven up an otherwise drab gray apartment building.


What I really mean is that the weather has been great.  Pleasant 70-ish, I'm delighted to leave my raincoat and boots at the door.  And by "hike" I mean "climb".  

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