2014 Retrospective

Today being the last day of 2014, I thought of sharing with you the pictures of the quilts I managed to finish this year. Among those ten quilts six are baby quilts, as they were six babies born in my circle!

I wish everybody a wonderful New Year's Eve.

See you next year for new creative adventures!

Christine

Slow Sunday Knitting

For me, wintertime is not wintertime without knitting near the fireplace! I love the warmth of the wool, and nowadays you can find such gorgeous yarns, with a wonderful soft touch and in a huge range of colors, that it's impossible to resist! At this time being I am knitting a blue jacket using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino yarn, and I just received a great wool from Rowan : Felted Tweed, of which I love the soft tune and touch. Most problably for another jacket...

Sharing today a "slow knitting" post at Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching as I do not have any quilting to show today.

Christmas Cookies

During these days, definitely no quilting, no sewing, no knitting, only cooking all day long!

I baked the traditional Greek Christmas cookies called Kourabiedes. They are done with almonds, butter, eggs, wheat, sugar and cognac, and they are delicious!

Today is the preparation of Christmas Eve diner, but I make a short break to send all my cyberfriends my best wishes for a HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Neutral Hues

My sons are coming to Greece for the Christmas holidays, and my eldest son brought me new fabrics from Chicago. I had ordered several neutral hues to mix with my Liberty fabrics, for a 2015 quilt project : I plan to make a new Log Cabin quilt with a tender soft look. These days, I have no time for quilting, considering I can barely keep up with cooking! I just knit for a while early in the morning with a cup of tea, when the house is still asleep...

Christmas Quilt

 

When I entered a quilting group about twenty years ago, everyone was working on an Eight Point Star quilt. They showed me how to proceed, and I did my first quilt using this pattern. With the enthusiasm of the beginner I finished it quickly and started at once a second one with the same pattern : this Christmas lap quilt. It is hand pieced and hand quilted. Every Christmas since twenty years I enjoy taking it out from the closet and display it on a sofa.

Christmas Handmade Ornaments

 

For many years I was preparing, together with a group of good friends, Christmas ornaments for charity sales. Nowadays, when I hang mine on the Christmas tree I remember the good moments we were sharing, doing such activities together...

This year I decided not to put anything fragile on the Christmas tree because we shall have our first grandson who is now 18 months and who will try to catch the toys! I recall some kind of dramas with my own children breaking every year beautiful ornaments, with the result that from those days only two or three are still "alive"! 

Hoping everyone is enjoying the feasts preparations!

Monday's Meeting

Pastafiore tart

Kaffe Fassett blocks and tablecloth

Kaffe Fassett bag

Kaffe Fassett bag

Embroided belt

You have often seen in my posts Kaffe Fassett creations, so you understand that several persons in this group, me included, are fans of Kaffe Fassett fabrics. Here is a wonderful tablecloth and a bag done by Eleni. Agnes is preparing her spool blocks with KF dots.  

Last monday Eleni was helping Michele for the binding of  her friendship signature quilt. The marvellous belt is a work  from Chantal. Some of us are sometimes alternating quilting, knitting or embroidering activities. But whatever we do, we share the same love for handmade crafts and the same pleasure to be together!
Of course after work... coffee and Greek pastries as pastafiore, melomacarona...
Hoping everybody enjoys such a nice group as ours!

Quilt with Knots

This is one of the first quilts I did, with pieces of fabrics offered by my quilting friends. At that time, about 20 years ago, I had very few fabrics, found with great difficulties! I just cut squares and machine sewed them together almost random. Then I hand tied the three layers with knots. It was quickly done! Though I never considered this quilt as "beautiful" it remained dear to my heart because the fabrics were offered to me by friends, and because I enjoyed sewing it naively, without too much wondering about the result. As a matter of fact, it was of great use, washed and rewashed again many times with no fear, and is still on my bed after all those years!

Christmas Charity Sale

As every year for Christmas we are having in Athens traditional charity sales, and I love them. I really think that there is nothing nicer than admiring all those beautiful crafts handmade with love. This bazaar I participated was happening last Sunday in the Archeological Institute of Athens. It was very successful and we had a great time enjoying the meeting of friends, and sharing with them typical French Alsacian specialities such as quiches, soups, spicy hot wine, warm chocolate...  I hope everyone is enjoying those pre-Christmas festivities as we do here in Greece!