Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I wish you all a wonderful year filled with joy along with fabric, thread and quilts.

Margreth

What I found!

Amid all the fuss before advent ..... I took a minute in the studio....

Well it is easy to get caught up in something more interesting than cleaning!

First of all......I feel good in the studio among my quilts and stuff!

.....and this is what caught my attention ... 

......a jar where I collect old sewing accessories.



Lovely...isn't it?

 I got this little cute case from  a good quilt friend.
 Louise D, who I've had so much fun with :)
 In the case there are delicious little spools of thread in amazing colors.
I like :)

This is a smart thing!

I can see, in my fantasy, a fine lady sitting in the garden with an embroidery.

 Dressed i white and the sun shining. In her basket is this smart case.

 Scissors and thimble so nicely and cleverly packed. 

This is dear things to save for.............?

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

I'm on to it!

I have fall holidays ... four days to fill with stuff that feels inspiring and fun.

Such as......  :)

........ go jogging an hour in the biting wind and snow .. sounds lovely eh!

Well....the brain clares and the body wakes up by all the fresh air!

The next thing that makes my day is to take hold of my project

 making curvy and warm ladies.

 A challenge to sew ... but it works if you are stubborn and try your way.

...just a peek for now!

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

Fall and....

I have spent time to make it cozy in the darkness. 

There is so  much in nature to take care of and organize in different ways.

. All the leaves are gone and now I can feel the winter and snow coming.

The garden is almost magical in the soft light.

I picked moss in the forest, leaves in the garden and onions were in the fridge ....

..... it became nicely along with heather.

 A welcome state jewelry on the door .. you will be so happy! :)

 Imagine a small tree, moss, rose hips, and a little more onion ....

The stones are absolutely gorgeous.

Indoors needed light and heat. 

I have dried slices of orange, lemon, lime and tied around the glass jars.

It is a fantastic warm beautiful light when lit.

An old cake mold with candles in hollowed-out apples in water!

Yes....there is so much you can do....just go for it!

Feel Happy! :)

Margreth

Finish nr 5

Fall is making great progress and now you can feel that winter is near.

 I made my first snowball two weeks ago when

 we were at the mountains wandering.

A lovely cloudy day!

 In the studio, it hasn't happened much since Rikstäckets annual meeting,

 but a quilt was finished just in time for the exhibition.

This is the quilt that I started to think about for more than a year ago.

 I started but threw everything away and started all over again.

 Crazy but necessary! 

I needed to take on the project from a new different angle.

 I have worked with both piecing, fabric paint and transmission of images.

 It has been very exciting.

This is  Design What? 


 I don't think my relative ( SnickarPer) Carpenter Per ever pondered the words design and shape. He thought about the function and availability of materials. Today is this worn ragged wooden chair a fond memory in great contrast to today's cool design...tomorrows antique?

Old and modern ... rag rugs and carpets in modern expression.
The rag rugs are quilted and the modern printed with fabric paint.

Quilting Design all over the quilt!

I have a special feeling for chairs :)
 and this is one of several quilts on the theme .... maybe there will be more?


Happy Quilting!
Margreth

Rikstäcket in Östersund

Rikstäckets annual meeting took place in Östersund this weekend.

 Jämtkvilten was the organizer and our guild celebrated

 the 20th anniversary with an exhibition. 

Imagine that it has been 20 years since Ann-Katrin and I called the first meeting in Ås!

It has been a fantastic  weekend with many visitors at the city's theater

 where the meeting and exhibitions was held.

The annual meeting was held in the theater and on the scene there

 was a sea of ​​pillows and quilts on the wall...

 ... it looked inviting.

....and what would a quilt meeting be without the ability to buy fabrics..

...I just wonder?

Jämtkviltens exhibition was highly appreciated and here

 are some pictures....

After a weekend meeting with  quilt friends, 

looking at amazing quilts and a lovely dinner with about 

300 excited quilters...imagine that..... I'm happy ... but tired.

 And best of all .. 

I am so inspired to sew :)

Thanks to you all lovely quilters!

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

.....one day

What do you do to get peace to grieve?

 My dad has past away, three months after my mother.

 It feels hard and empty. I miss them both soooo much.

But days go by and I'm working in the garden ..... walking and spend time in the studio.

 My thoughts go in various directions.... and I think that it feels good 

to work with my hands.

It must have been two weeks since I started to plan a continuation

 of the quilt with chairs .... it needed something to make the design more exciting.

But I got stuck! 

For some reason...don't know why...but today an idea popped up! 

  I began to test my idea with colored pencils on paper ... tried different shapes, colors and color combinations until I was happy.

Then...

I made stamps and printed carpets in modern style and colors.....

It made a big difference and increased the quilt expression.

 The process continues and I hope I can find peace to sew tomorrow too ..... we'll see?

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

A bike!

Hi!

Do you remember the embroidery 

that I started a month ago?

 Well .. now one bike is ready!

Such fun!

I use various types of stitches ... Chain stitch ....

Back stitch....Satin stitch....Cross stitch....

Trying to see which stitch make the most of the design.

 So..... now I can continue to work out a design

 on the quilt to fit a variety of bikes.

 I have some ideas to work with!

Bikes seems to be a hot fashion detail that is used in interior, hung on walls or standing as an accent in the room.

 Wondering if you can ride on them?

Well ... my bikes will definitely hang on the wall! :)

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

Finish nr 4

Actually, it's just too hot to sew!

But I'm up early in the morning .. running ... do yoga ... 

and then sew before the sun gets too hot.

 How wonderful it is to be free making the most of my day.

It's luxury!

Sooo....:)

My scrap quilt is quilted and bound .. 

feels good!

I wonder how many quilts I've made with Coltsfoot on?

 It must be something special with spring and Coltsfoot

 that make me get started on a quilt in fresh, bright colors.

Well.........

Now I have another one! 

Tomorrow I'll continue with the quilt with chairs .....

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

Summer days

We have had some beautiful days in our summer paradise, Öregrund.

An old house my grandparents bought almost 80 years ago and it was build in the early 1920.

 Most of the old things are left from my grandparents and cared for by the family.

The kitchen is so charming with its fireplace and beautiful windows. My mother and I stitched the curtains many years ago.

In the garden a sea of ​​lavender blossoms ....

 and smells so wonderful.

Much of our time has passed in the garden ... beat the meadow...weeding...

 But also time to eat delicious food at home and at the restaurant in the harbor.

But....

 what's a vacation without spending a little time to sew?

So of course I had packed fabric and embroidery thread to start a new project ... again!

I A while ago I bought a mini bike made ​​from

 tin cans. The small size made it possible to photo at different angles and positions given to embroider bikes on a quilt.

 I got the idea when I saw a program on television about how to compete on a bicycle in an obstacle course.

 We'll see how the project develops :)

Now I have a lot going on ... that means....it will be many hours in the studio :) 

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

I couldn't help....

 I really should complete the projects 

sitting on the board design and the quilt to be quilted

 ... but sometimes curiosity takes over.

An idea that has been in the drawer for a while 

and insisted on attention.

 I just had to see if it was possible to sew from the
 simple sketch on curvy women .....

......... and it worked. :)

It needs some adjustments but basically ... it works!

This is a first draft. 

Feet .. legs ... forms ... need some adjustment.

 I think I go for it......

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

I'm back!

There has been a long time since my last post.

The reason is that I lost my mother in may.
 I miss her a lot every day...thoughts and memories.
 I have so many things to thank her for.
 One thing.....

 It's my mother's doing that I have become a good craftsman.

She's the one who inspired and thought me how and we shared the great joy that it brings to create something unique.

THANK'S MOM!

Well after a while life goes on......even though you don't believe it. 
I had promised to participate in an exhibition in  Kaxås, Offerdal. Offerdal is where I grew up.

This is where Lisbeth Genstrand runs a shop with interior
 and clothes on their family farm.
A lovely place!

Atelje Lisbeth

You are greeted by a stunning view over the countryside

 and

 a Welcome billowing in the wind ...

...you know you found the right place.

 Jämtkviltens local group West has combined their quilts for an exhibition and
I was invited to show some of my quilts.

Here are some of their great work!

My ambition was to at least show you one new quilt

 but it was not finished....... so it became golden oldies being exhibited.

That's life!

Look at this!

Lisbeth and my Red Cottages in the bakgroud.

In one room hangs Cat Walk and Coltsfoot.

 It is a little short on space in the house 
so the stairwell may also be used for exhibition space.

Well... if you are passing by....

please check Atelje Lisbeth and revel in lots of quilts and great stuff to buy in the shop. 

The exhibition runs until Sunday July 7 at 12.00-15.00

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

. 

Garden Angel

I would have required a Garden Angel

 in my garden this winter. Mice have eaten at my newly planted hedge ....grrrr crazy!

And there it was.........

 I found this little quilt

 with Garden Angels stitched in pale colors .. a low volume quilt.

 I think it's four years since I sewed it .... and not until now it shows up in a forgotten box.  :)

.......I think I will dress in shocking pink in the garden this season ... or not!

Happy Quilting!

Margreth

Garden inspiration

Last weekend I was at the garden show in Stockholm .... great fun and a big inspiration. 

What a lot of fun to make and grow!

 I enjoyed all installations of plants and environments. Colors and shapes endlessly :)

Look at these incredibly beautiful balls of willow and check out

 the seed pod of the poppy

 made ​​of steel wire!

 Fantastic!

I had to make one myself!

Said and done ....

  I filled it with the moss and a spring flower.

 Not too bad! :)

I've had a day full of fun things to do .....

I've fixed the conservatory with putting the plants in new soil 

 and I made a bit of styling  among other plants.

.. and I have cleaned the store and guess what I found!

This is a small quilt I made several years ago after a trip to Barcelona

 and a visit to the Picasso Museum. 

 It has been missing since we moved but now it turned up in a forgotten box.

Great fun!

 It will probably turn up on the wall!

Happy Quilting!

Margreth