Showing posts with label presents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label presents. Show all posts

Monday, June 16, 2014

Once a Day

Today is my birthday.

A birthday is the beginning of a new segment in your life. On a birthday, I get the same feeling like I do on January 1st or the first day of school, either for me or my children, in September. For me those have always been the times for new beginnings.

Today is a good day to start something new.

I am taking ONE photograph per day for the next 365 days. That's my new thing. I'm calling it "La Bellezza di Ogni Giorno" (the beauty of every day).

Here is today's picture.

I entitled it Focus.
There is only one pin head that is in focus and in a perfect spot too!
 It looks suspended.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Austrian Quilt Gruppe

I spent a lovely day with Austrian quilters Lilo and Dani last week while I was in Vienna.

Daniele Samec's work, detail.
Hand dyed fabric and free-motion quilting with her long arm machine

 They took me out for lunch. They gave me some presents!


A present from Lilo, taken from her collection of antique,
hand-made lace and doilies.

Pins from their guild and the Austrian Association,
which I promptly pinned to my sewing bag.

They took me back to Lilo's apartment for coffee and a little 'show and share'...

Lilo and Dani's favorite block is
the log cabin and all its variations.

Lilo's piece was selected
for an exhibit in Houston in the mid-2000's

Work by Lilo Wesely and Daniele Samec.
Their version of a Dear Jane.
It is made using a combination of
quilter's cotton
and other very interesting fabrics.

...and a glimpse of her stash!

I felt at home in this room! She was very brave to show me.
Yes, well, we all have a stash don't we!

Later in the afternoon, I met many of the quilters from their guild.



What impressed me the most about the group was the way they all create works together!

"Blick über Wien" created by the group in 1998.
You can see the Vienna Woods on the left, the agricultural fields,
the Heurigers (Austrian vineyards),
the Prater Wheel, The Stephansdom steeple,
and a tiny bit of the Danube that flows through the city.

This week's project was a scrap quilt. Every member made one very large block. Those were cut in half and the job at the get-together was to decide on a pleasing design for the quilt top.


Everyone helped and made suggestions and in the end one of the ladies took the blocks home to sew them together.

A work in progress. Blocks pinned on their
 vertical design wall.

It will most likely get quilted by Dani who has a long-arm machine. She told me she is a beginner but I can tell you she does amazing work, all free hand and all without marking the quilt. She uses the seams as an indicator when drawing with thread.

The back of the group's raffle quilt quilted by Dani.
I love the way she used dark thread!
It makes the back of the quilt very interesting.

It really was a lovely day! Thank you to all the Patchwork Gruppe Wien members for welcoming me so warmly. Vielen Dank!!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Presents

My tennis partner gave me a welcome back present!

My present! Made from Laura Ashely cotton from England
and a ribbon from Korea. 
She made it for me. Who doesn't like hand made gifts!

Thanks T. I love it! 

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Giving and Getting

At this time of year, we think of GIVING.

Last week, I did some GETTING!

I won the block-of-the-month blocks at our guild Christmas party! They picked my name out of a hat!

The blocks I won are on my design wall for now.
I plan to sew them up over the holidays.

I won the table prize (my chair had the Christmas sticker!) and everyone at our table got a present from Margaret!

filled with chocolates, Danish cookies,
sewing related items and of course, FABRIC

I, too, gave myself something ... I jazz concert! I went to hear Bill McBirnie and Robi Botos perform during lunchtime at the Four Season's Centre for the Performing Arts. Ahh- one hour of inside quietness during this crazy time of year.