A thread box

So often I see something in a shop and instantly imagine what it will become when I start working on it. This happened one afternoon when I went to a little discount shop to buy my shampoo I use. I saw this box and opened it.


When I saw the inside, an idea I had was confirmed and I knew I had to buy it to start on a gift for a friend.

So I measured out the raised space on the top of the box and worked on a design that would fit just right. When finished, I mounted the stitched piece.

I then attached it to the wooden box to create a thread box for Diane. I finished off the edge with a piece of trim. This sweet little box has a removable tray and little places to hold special threads. I enjoyed trying to turn this box into something just that little bit special.

Monogram fun

I just love stitching these French monogram letters. They are just instant beauty and who doesn't love a gift with their own letters on it?


These are a birthday gift for a friend of mine. She loved the ones I made for our bedroom at Cranberry Cottage. I have been wanting to make her a set.


I stitched the letters S and T for her and her husband's first name and L for their last name.


The frames where ones I found a couple of years ago in IKEA. I fell in love with them right away. I often see a frame and immediately get an idea of how to use it. The funny thing is the this same friend has seen these frames and is always telling me that she wants to buy them from me. How can she when I meant to use them for her own gifts. *grins*

She does not do any kind of crafts herself but loves things like this and I cannot wait until I see her next week to give them to her.

Primitive ornaments SAL - Noel

The 15th of this month came very quickly with being at the hospital most of this week. I am sorry to be so late in the day but here is the third ornament of the SAL. This month, we are doing a universal Christmas word - Noel.


Once again, you can click on my chart photo to enlarge it and print it out. This ornament uses beads under each of the three bells.


Here is a slideshow of all the photos I have received so far. I am thrilled to see the various results and have really enjoyed seeing how everyone is finishing their own ornaments. Another idea for finishing is to complete each ornament and save it until all the ornaments are stitched at which time you can sew them together into a little quilt.

I have also decided to hold a giveaway each month from the photos entries received. Jos has just drawn the name of the first winner. Susan will be receiving a little gift in the mail very soon. I will look forward to next month's ornament and giveaway. I can't wait to see your results.

More swap blocks...the US blocks

I am out of the hospital and back to trying to pick up my handwork once again. I am very tired but the treatments went well. They gave me three days of isolation at home. That is very short compared to normal as my body is releasing all the excess radioactivity very well. I now have to play the waiting game. It will be a year before they know if the treatment is a success. With lots of luck, I may find a 15% reduction in the swelling by about 4 months. I do have to have everything tested once again in 6 weeks as it is almost certain that the treatment will result in my thyroid no longer functioning properly and I will have to take medication. I just pray the treatments are successful so I can breath and eat well again.

These are the quilt blocks that my quilt group received from the ladies in the US. They all live in and around Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Karen led the group on that side. She and I have been visiting each other's blogs for some time now. She asked me if we could maybe organize a swap. It has been great fun!

Here is Karen's block - wool pennies made from cotton fabrics...


Paulette's block - Pinwheel made of MN State fabrics by Moda


Jolene's block - Old Maid Puzzle


Kari's block - Northern Lights


Carolyn's block - Stripes and Star


Joyce's block - Lady of the Lake


Mary Ellen's block - Kaleidoscope


Carri Jane's block - Hole In The Barndoor


Marcia's block - Friendship Star


Ruthie's block - Fall Strip Piecing


Gail's block - Card Trick


Liz's block - Buggy Barn Star


If you missed the entry about the Dutch blocks sent over to the US, you can still see them here. I will be back sometime over the weekend with an update on some things I am working on. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.

Letters of life...

As many of you know, I am having radioactive treatments at the hospital this week. I found out on Monday that I am not allowed to bring my needlework if I have to be admitted. Just in case I did have to stay in the hospital, I started these French monogram letters for a birthday gift for a friend. Her birthday is towards the end of my isolation period. I had planned on working on these while in isolation. Here are the letters 'S' and 'L'. I will have to stitch the 'T' when I am re


I was told this morning that my dose will be too high and I will be admitted tomorrow morning. I hope to be at a low enough radiation level to be able to leave the hospital during the day on Thursday. I have found it all going very easy for all the tests and measurements yesterday and today. Anything I take along will become radioactive and will be disposed of. I am wearing old clothes that can be thrown away when I am discharged.I do however not feel very good about coping with being without my needle and thread for even 24 hours. I am definately addicted! But I am also grateful for the good care I am getting at the hospital.


For now, I am off back home to cuddle my cat and get some sleep for tomorrow morning.I am writing this blog entry from my friend Sonja's house now as she wanted to cook for us tonight. Thank you Sonja!

I will be back in a couple of days and visiting you all once again.

Sweet dreams...

This sweet little child's bed really caught my eye at the quilt exhibition in the Fries Museum. I love things like this along with little quilts made especially to fit these elegant girl's toys. It is a special piece of social history.

It made me think of the antique cradle I have and decided to show these old photos once again. I had just given a workshop for a tabletopper quilt and had lots of triangle corners that were cut off. Instead of throwing them away. I sewed them together and created a little doll's quilt. I was very happy with the results of this tiny pinwheel quilt. I had been dreaming of finding a doll's bed or cradle one day.

While out shopping one day with a friend, I found this antique cradle in a garden center that also sells antiques. I just knew it was the one I wanted even though it is tattered and worn. I loved the primitive looking paintings around the cradle. I said to my friend as I place it in my car that I was sure it would be just right for my quilt. She laughed but was amazed when we got it home and it was a perfect fit.


"Sweet dreams form a shade,
O'er my lovely infants head.
Sweet dreams of pleasant streams,
By happy silent moony beams

Sweet sleep with soft down.
Weave thy brows an infant crown.
Sweet sleep Angel mild,
Hover o'er my happy child."

~ William Blake

Shamrock fun!

Last year, I wanted to make something for St. Patrick's Day but just never got around to it. This year, I am ready for March 17th to arrive as my house is all in clover...


I saved this sweet pattern and it was so much fun to make these shamrocks. I did not 'grunge' (dirty look) them as the pattern suggested. I like these fabrics from my stash as they are.

I used gold safety pins instead of the rusted ones. To me St. Patrick's Day says leprechauns and the pot of gold. Still looking for both by the way...

I wonder if anyone will believe this when they come through my front door? *grins*

It was fun making these muslin tags to attach. I had to draw the letters freehand as I don't have a stamp but am pleased with how they have turned out. Having learned calligraphy as a girl really does come in handy.

Note to all who have been supporting me through the health problems with my thyroid, I wanted to let everyone know that I just spoke with the doctor and the biopsy was okay. She is not happy with the amount of cells removed and wants to repeat it in 4 to 6 months to be sure but says I can go ahead with my treatments starting on Monday. I will not know until Tuesday whether I am able to go into my isolation here at home or start it with a hospital stay. I also have no idea yet how long the isolation will be but it is a maximum of three weeks. Thank goodness for blogging as it will keep me in touch with the world. I am used to seeing my stitching and quilting friends here and while I am allowed to have visitors it is with restrictions. I will leave them the choice as to whether they want to come or not. Thank you so much for your supportive emails! I really do appreciate it and all your thoughts and prayers over the past month.

History thread into patchwork

If you do nothing else this weekend, take some time to look at these beautiful patchwork skirts. They are not just any skirts but garments that tell a story of people's hope and courage. At the Fries Museum, they exhibited a few of what is referred to in Holland as a Nationale Feestrok or National Celebration skirts. These patchwork garments tell a very deep story about a country that was torn apart but not defeated by a war as well as the story of a courageous woman named Mies Boissevain-Van Lennep.


You can read her story here online and also see another skirt here at another museum. I think after you have read this story, you will not help but to be inspired by the fortitude of those who went ahead of us in history. For Dutch readers, another interesting article here.


1940 - 1945 "Bent, not broken"...

The Jewish star...

Red cross patch...

I am always touched at how woman turn to needle and thread to leave an imprint of themselves in history. Remember as you perhaps sit down this weekend to stitch or quilt, that your piece is not simply something for today but can also have an impact on your family as an heirloom for coming generations.

It's laundry day...

...and that means work is being done on my wash day quilt. I have lots of fun while I wait for my washer to switch off. I am pulling out fabrics from my stash to add more colors and textures to this quilt.

Here is what I have come up with so far. I hope to get most of blocks sewn together now this week as I have it all laying out on my cutting table. While trying to find enough reproduction background fabrics, I started borrowing the fabrics I am using for my Centennial Sampler. They are melding very well with the other fabrics. I want to use many of my purple fabrics in this quilt.


It was a fobbing weekend this past weekend for me. I got started as I needed to make a fob as a gift. I think I got a little carried away. I made key chains this time too. They are birthday gifts for my grand nieces and nephew.


And finally, here is my French ABC sampler all caught up. My goal was to be right on track with everyone in the SAL by the end of February and I finished it with a week to spare. The new part should be out this week and I am excited to print it out and start it because there is a sweet little squirrel this time.

I had many questions about what color I was using for my sampler. I am using DMC 3787, DMC 3721 and DMC 223. I am enjoying balancing these three colors throughout the sampler.