Cakes and coffees

Three of us met last Thursday with coffee and cakes. Ursula brought her first grandson's photo album. Soon a tiny men will be big and will demand even bigger quilt from grandmother. She was working on a little quilt all hand quiting. Irene continued working on her houses. It was funny that she said that she likes simple things, we did not agree.

Regina came with her Easter quilt.

I made for my DD1 little summer dress and her Barbie matching dress too. I never ever in my life thought that I will make a dress for Barbie. Anyway, I made two dresses for Barbie!

Last weekend Lisbon celebrated Santo Antonio's day. Lisbon was full of smell of grilled sardines. More info here

Free motion quilting with Jenny Bowker

Last Tuesday I went to Caldas da Rainha to learn about free motion quilting. I needed someone to teach me basics and there was a one-day course organised with a Bernina dealer, Mario Felizardo. A little project can be done in one day. Look carefully, a little pattern continued from the fabric with free motion.

Of course, I had my photo opportunity with a famous quilter, Jenny Bowker. She has been quilting for 15 years. She started quilting because of her diplomat husband was posted to the Middle Eastand could not continue her work as a scientist. Now she travels all over the world teaching, giving talks and attending quilts shows. During lunch she was telling us that she would have only four days in June at home in Australia. July was her happy month, she will be at home for two weeks.

This is her Australian landscape quilt. Lots of details and lots of free motion.

This is one of her many amazing quilts. First of all it is huge, as you can see from the photo. Great details!

It was my second time going to Bernina organised courses. Last year I went to see and do some work with Doris Teixeira, an amazing Brasilian artist. 31 May was Jenny Bowker's last of four days course in Portugal. After she was traveling to Holland, Germany and some other countries to continue her European tour! My thanks to Mario and Alda, who worked hard and gave me an exciting day with my sewing machine, fabrics and great time with Jenny.

A cat and a hat

This little cat is made by Ursula. Happily hanging behind a chair.



And here is the cat in full display.



For a nice spring weather I knitted a white hat for my DD1. Once in a book shop I saw a knitting book showing how to use beads for knitted garments and here is the result.

No internet and busy, busy

Hello everyone, I am sorry that I have not been able to post for a while. First of all I did not have internet for a while. My sister was here last week for couple of days and she helped me to bake some cakes and biscuits. I was really busy baking for three nights in row for my DD1 birthday and entertaining my sister during day time. After all these hectic days I have to recover, right?

Anyway here are some photos of last last meeting. Ursula brought her big double spiral quilt. It just reminds me that I have to do mine one day.

This was Fatima's second visit and last time when she was here she made a cushion but decided to convert into a bag. She has a very good sewing skills.

During morning she looked through about little library magazines and found another cushion to make and this was the result at the end of the meeting.

Ursula started making these appliqued cushion with Paula. I might consider making them as well. But when?

Irene worked in one of her hundrends of projects. My Pfaff was happy to have a Irene's Pfaff as a company.

I made ten of these little coin purses. At the IWP coffee morning these were sold for the charity for Japan. All of these purses had a Japanese print. I loved making them all and the money went for good.

It was a nice sunny spring afternoon and we had delicious and healthy lunch, while my husband slept on the lawn with his dog.

Our dog needed dog sitting because he was bitten by a tiny little one while walking and he needed some stitches on his left ear. A vet stitched his ear several times but he is going to have split ears.

Birthday Quilt Blocks

If you know who came this Thursday you can just look at below quilt calendarn and try to guess. A printing companies make calendars for all sorts of areas of human interests. Here is the one for quilters. Looking at these images Irene's birthday really matched her work interest.

Regina brought her wedding present. This is the bedsheet embroidery with her and her husband's initials, all handmade with nuns using silk threads. The work was perfect, even better than machine embroidery. A piece of art, which could be in a museum.

Now she is standing with her night dress, hand sewn. Again perfect work, like machine work.

Ursula enjoying her late morning coffee with her tiny doll. She finished binding her baby quilt.

Happy Susan with her bag wallhanging. It will be send to far-far-away land to her friend.

Inspired by her bags Susan started another little quilt with shoes and bags. Shoes were paper-pierced and she made bags smaller.

We had a new keen learner. Fatima came to make a cushion. This is her ver first patchwork cushion and at the end of the meeting she made two. Sewing was in her blood, her mother used to sew clothes for living, even bridal dresses.

I forgotten to take Irene's work. She was there yesterday, handstitching her quilt.

My work not always here because I do concentrate more about other members work. While teaching Fatima to make cushion I sewed binding for my bag wallhanging.

More birthday presents

These are my birthday presents. Dutch Irene's presents were very appropriate that I straight put my needles in a very cute needle holder. It was easy with Ursula's chocolate, we ate them all straight away. Yummy! But I will decide later what I will make with golden coin fabric.
Ladies were very colour coordinated with my bright blue cushions. They are having coffee, cakes and chocolate.

Irene brought her make it row quilt. She is making with Helen in Arco-Iris.

Some of her quilters were very creative. Here is the row with button flowers.

Here is someone painted chickens.

Regina worked hard and did washing up as too. Thank you, Regina.

Irene was busy with her small, no tiny projects.

Ursula brought her bag wallhanging to show us.

This is the back of the wallhanging with her name written. Mine is still not yet finished.

She made for her friend notebook cover with her friend's design.

I cannot remember what I did last Thursday. I definetely, remember eating chocolates. Still eating... Different ones.

Surprise! Surprise!

Look who came to the meeting on last Thursday! After long winter months staying at home Regina, finally got out of the house and visited us. She was blossoming like plum trees. This is the time where you can see tiny white flowers in plum trees. Thank you Ursula for bringing her. Ann, Regina and Ursula are sitting in front of my kimono quilt. Sorry, have to mention my quilt.

Ursula was talking and picking threads from her finished wall hanging. She was very happy that this project was so quick and easy. Tah tah and finished!

I worked with Ann on her spiral quilt. We managed to put together some corners of the quilt. I was a little bit to put off to continue working with my spiral quilt because of complications. Never mind, one day I will have inspiration to continue until then the quilt has to wait.