Winter Is in the Air

As you can see from the styling of these photos Winter and Christmas have been on my mind lately. It felt great to get this project finished yesterday. To be honest it began to look like this would end into a closet of unfinished works. Evenings turned darker so rapidly that I hardly found time to make sewing and stitching work in proper lightning. Unfinished works are irritating and that is why I put all my effort to this project. I know that if this would have ended to the closet it would have stayed there to the unknown future. Now this one is better closure to the year's quilting. Next year will bring it's own projects that I am sure of. I have two ideas already and I can sketch those properly during the Winter months. Also it might be that I craft some very tiny projects for Christmas. Quilted Christmas ornaments would be nice and in a size scale one can handle without bigger mess in the house.

Empty table cleans the mind and gives space to create totally different projects and process new thoughts. Christmas decorations have been circling in my mind and I am excited to get to decorate my home soon. Just few weeks and most of the Christmas decorations can be brought in! Christmas being a limited period of time with it's own character it gives a needed break between old and new year. I like to divide projects to two categories at this time of the year. One, a pile of work that needs finishing touches and can be completed from to do list before Christmas. Number two, a pile of work that can be left to wait for next year and fresh start. (Three, a pile of work that can be forgotten :) With this technique Christmas time can be reserved to things that please the mind at the moment, small crafts, slow brunches, reading and just being and resting. 

Today's quilt art is called Net because it got it's color from a fishing net. I noticed during the process that it was difficult for me to create a pattern that is not based on repeating motif. I imagined nine boxes to the fabric and placed one motif in each box. This imaginary grid gives needed rhythm. Then I combined the motifs with stitching. In the stitching I used the same curl shape as in the fabric pieces. Stitching collects the net together. Another combining element is classic red in a hue that goes to orange in some light. First time in my life I made piping myself using the same fabric as in the curls. Red piping frames the work beautifully making it an entity. Otherwise it would be a bunch of curls that seem to run away from the work. I love these small details. Last October I made a cushion that has octagon shape, see more here. Tassels in the corners made a huge difference to the look. Not all works need pipings and tassels, some are best without. But I do love it when I can craft a little extra and test a new element. I was amazed how easy it was to make a piping and by making it by myself I got the exact color and size I wanted. Maybe I could make Christmas ornaments with piping? :)

Happy last week of October to You All!

Sannu

Abstract Quilt Art

It is already October. Last week we had the first snow as usual this time of year. Autumn is turning to Winter and I have decided that this quilt project shall be the last one I am making this year. Evenings are so dark that there is no sense trying to sew by hand and do the stitching as both require good light. In November I am going to a holiday abroad and I have plans to gather as much inspiration in few days as possible. Mid winter is great time to process all that inspiration into new works and maybe do some small Christmas DIYs.

There is something that makes me think of Christmas in this quilt project too. The colour palette reminds me of the colours of the fifties and nostalgic Christmas hues red and green. Christmas was not in my mind when I draw and planned this pattern. It took time to figure out where I had picked the colour combination. It was many months ago when I saw an old fishing net that had the most beautiful combination of reds and greens. I saved that picture to my mind and thought  I could use it sometime. A month ago I was in a fabric shop and began to combine colours that looked new to me. The red I chose turns into orange and it looked challenging with dark bluish violet. Then some green and the combo began to look nice. These colors together are not easy but they pleased my eye so I decided to take a risk. The pattern looks like a net too. It is about separate groups that attach to each other. The stitching will make it visible even though you might already see the links. There are nine groups and one is formed just with simple I. It is like the dot in a clause.

I am quite sure that rest of the October shall go with this project. I have had busy weeks and now I try to narrow what things I will take part to. There is everything interesting going on but I can't attend to all. I have to choose and find time for just being at home sewing and reading. Also I see that i need to lower my standards. I want to do all with 100% volume when at times it is not even necessary. Things would be more enjoyable if I didn't put too ambitious goals. With these quilt projects I think it is good to decide that now I make this one and then have a break until Spring and light arrives. Sure I can make just few stitches every now and then but in reality these projects occupy my whole home and I get pressure to finish these in some reasonable time. It is also appealing to get to crochet and watch movies in November and October evenings. I already bough yarns to one project in August.

What are your plans for creative work this Autumn/Winter season?

Quilt Art: Everyday We Wake Up

Everyday we wake up and a new day is ahead. A day that will never come back after we have spent it. Time doesn't make difference between Sundays and Mondays. It is wonderful to wake up on a  Sunday morning when you have a free day to spend as you like. But time is spent on Monday too and Wednesday. Precious time of ours that is never coming back. They say a human being only wakes up to die. How I have thought that quote is that we can't actually understand how limited our time here is and we are kind of surprised when it actually ends. It is an abstract thought that we live and then we don't. 

To actually treat everyday with the importance it holds is a difficult task. Time goes so quickly and weeks just float away and that is how it is. It is part of life as time is not tangible. From the view point of time there are no class A and B days. Of course some days have more meaning to us than others. Most of the days hold so much routine it is difficult to tell days form each other as same activities take place in same order. But these are not class B days. When we go to sleep today we cross one day from the calendar. One day of our life that is not coming back. Do we think about it that way or are we waiting for something to happen so that we want time to pass quickly? Is it more important to focus on those days that are more special, more enjoyable? Tomorrow is one ordinary Monday, should we hope that it goes quickly? To get to the next day and finally reach the weekend, if weekend is the one holding more expectations than the five days most of our calendar is filled. 

Tomorrow is a lovely Monday, a start for a new week that waits to be experienced. It is motivating to think what we can do tomorrow, who we meet and what unexpected things may happen. We have had and will have moments we want to wipe out of our memory. But to wipe complete weeks in advance, just because we think those mundane days will have nothing to offer, is quite radical. So tomorrow when we do some everyday task we do it once in a lifetime at that time, at that age and in those exact circumstances. Special day, tomorrow is, as was today. 

This is what I have been pondering when sketching and sewing my latest quilt project. Time and everyday life and how great all days are when you come to think about it from the right perspective. This quilt project is going under the name Morning Puzzle. I have been practicing on focusing and enjoying every day equally as much. I try to book time for things I enjoy the most: crafts, reading, writing, walking and cultural events. I don't have time to make these all every day, it would be impossible. Yet I do some of these things on every week day. It is inspiring to think all the activities that the day at hand holds and make it meaningful. The geometric patterns you can see in the quilt symbolize porridge bowls and sandwiches. Round shapes and the color palette for this work came from my everyday breakfast. Porridge beige, lingonberry yoghurt pink, orange and pale blue, because a book that I was reading one morning had a cover of that color. 

Here are some project pictures. Every part of the process has it's own beauty and it is pleasing to see how the quilt begins to take an actual material form step by step. I will put more pictures when the work proceeds.

Have a truly inspiring new week my dear friends!

DIY Easter Twigs

Easter twigs are an essential part of traditional Easter decor. Here in Finland it is still winter on Easter. Easter twigs have been used to count how many days it is till leaves arrive to the trees. If I remember correct the number of days it takes for twigs to get leaves when brought in is the number of weeks it takes for the spring to be here. Because Easter twigs have been used to wish good luck for friends, relatives and neighbors I came up with the idea to decorate twigs with cute little gift tags. To the tags I wrote words that come to my mind when I think about Easter and Spring. You could also write short poems or wish good luck for the one you give an Easter twig. On an Easter table setting these simple and beautiful words work well and bring positive associations.

This is a fun and relaxing one evening craft. The materials are easy to get from store and you don't need to go to a specialized craft store if you don't have time. At least here in Finland bigger grocery stores sell cardboard paper and Easter craft supplies like feathers.

You will need:

Cardboard in subtle pink or white

Feathers in white, natural white and brown

Cotton yarn

Twigs

Black marker

Pencil

Ruler

Scissors

Needle

Step 1. Make a model for the gift tag. Draw 4 cm high and 2 cm wide tag and cut 0.5 cm from the corners. Then draw gift tags to the cardboard paper with the model. Write something to the gift tags with black marker.

Step 2. Cut out the tags and use a needle to add a hanging yarn. Hang gift tags and attach the feathers to the twigs. Choose a vase that goes with the natural hues of the paper, twigs and feathers.

Happy New Week to You All!

Sannu

Winter Routes

River is a route. Highway since ancient times. Nowadays built roads have made the map a bit different. Before villages and houses used to situate by the river side. I would say quite a few people have a boat they can use in these modern times. During the summer time I take walks following the river line and my walks are bound to human built bridges. Winter gives me back the ancient route and makes it possible to walk to places that are too far in the summer time. 

There are many kinds of routes on the ice. Paths to walk, skiing tracks, snowmobile routes and car roads. Sometimes these little paths appear to curious places which tells a lot about the human nature. Shortcuts can be made through a pile of snow. One is ready to clear a path no matter how tricky it is and how much snow goes into the legs. This is me, this is my territory. I need to leave a mark. I have a freedom to go through, walk straight. And that freedom is used. Trickiest routes have butt prints. I guess it was worth it to stumble. Or maybe it is in human nature to seek adventure. On a way home, with large shopping bags in your hands you don't choose the pedestrian walk. Instead of that a slippery shortcut through a thick bush seems more appealing. 

When you look at these pictures you might think that there are no people anywhere. There is a contrast between what the pictures tell and how I would describe the same moment. On a sunny and warm winter day the river ice is full of people. Some ski alone enjoying the feeling of freedom and vast scenery that makes you think you can ski as long as your feet and skis take you. Some are with a friend sharing latest events of life. There are families having a picnic. Dog walkers. Enthusiastic sports people. What makes the pictures so empty is the space. Nature is something so big that only the prints on ice tell about the traffic. Human being alone looks small. The prints, stripes, dots, abstracts, that we make every day make us visible.

Adventurous paths to your week my Friend!

Sannu

Quilt Tutorial: April Eclectic

Happy Weekend! This week my evening program has been clear and simple, stitching and some more stitching! To get beautiful texture and 3D effect to this pillow I covered bigger areas with stitches than I usually do in my quilts. Hand stitching makes the look organic and alive and it is always worth it to put some extra hours to finishing touches. I have been inspired by coming spring and its clean green and blue hues. It is still two months before the spring comes rushing to these hoods. When it arrives the pace is breath taking. The small idea of spring turns into first leaves and lush green forests. The scenery goes through rapid changes sometimes in a matter of days. I think the traditional quilt patterns I combined in this work resemble quite well the energy of spring and April, month that brings it to us living here in the North.

As you can see from the pictures this new pillow works well with the other pillows I have already published in my quilt tutorial series. You can check all the tutorials and make these pillows your own! I will put direct links to the tutorials to the end of this post. I would love it if you could share my posts on social media so everyone else interested in quilting can find these and maybe get inspiration to create.

You will need:

Cotton fabric in: Purple, Lime green, Blue and Lavender

Batting Fabric

Batting

Back fabric (Blue)

Sewing yarn

Embroidery yarn

You will also need:

Sewing machine

Quilter's rule

Cutting mat

Rotary cutter

Scissors

Iron

Needle

Embroidery hoop

Pins

Ruler

Pencil

This stunning pattern is actually relatively easy to make and we have already used different modifications from this basic technique before (in case you have followed my quilt projects). The pillow consist of two chains and three whirl and square rows. We actually make the pieces for the whirls and chains at the same time, as you will see.

Step 1. Cut following pieces:

Purple 10 pieces in 8*8 cm and 30 pieces in  7*7 cm

Blue 10 pieces in 8*8 cm and 30 pieces in 7*7 cm

Lime 20 pieces in 8*8 cm and 20 pieces in 7*7 cm

Step 2. Put together following combinations in 8*8 cm: 10 blues & 10 limes. 10 purples & 10 limes. Put right sides together, draw a line from corner to corner and sew from 0,75 cm from both sides of the line. Cut according to the line and iron open. 

Step 3. Now pair triangle squares with 7*7 cm purple and blue squares: Blue & lime squares with purples. Purple & lime ones with blues. Do the same thing as before, put right sides together and draw a line from corner to corner and sew and cut according to line. Then combine the rest of the 7*7 cm squares: Blue & lime together and purple & lime together as in step 2. 

Step 4. Now collect the chains according to the picture using the parts you have.

Step 5. Sew first the rows of four together and then combine the rows together. Remember always open the seams before you go to the next step.

Step 6. Then use the rest of the tri-colored squares to make whirls. Then cut 6 10*10 cm squares from lavender. Sew three whirl blocks and two lavender squares to a row as you can see from the picture. Make three rows. 

Step 7. Sew whirl rows and chains together. Iron properly.

Step 8. Now put together batting fabric, batting and quilt and sew loosely together. Using embroidery hoop stitch one part at the time following pattern's lines. I usually use the same color's lighter hue in the embroidery yarn as I have in the fabric.

Step 9. When you are finished with the stitching cut of the extra batting and sew quilted piece to a pillow. Tips for that I have got in this previous quilt tutorial.

Inspiring quilting days to you all!

In case you got interested in quilting and want further inspiration check these quilt tutorials <3

>Brisk Winds, Warm Stoves Part 1. 
>Brisk Winds, Warm Stoves Part 2.
>Bohemian October
>Memory of August