Friday 15 July 2011

New project, and swan news

This week I was looking for a nice hand sewing project for Tour de France, and came across a leftover block from an earlier project. I unpicked the outer row and two hexagons and had this flower for my new Grandmother's Garden:


When I first started blogging, it was to get this quilt finished at last after working on it on and off during 11 summers and leaving it to mature for several years before the final push in 2008.


My daughter's quilt has 2,226 little hexagons, hand pieced and hand stitched. I'm still going to work that way, and use the same fabrics I had chosen for the big quilt, but this time the quilt will just be a little one. I will share this process with you, and I promise it will not take 17 years!

The reason why I needed a new project was that I finished the previous one. I had been knitting beanies and a scarf for Jan's Oz Comfort Quilt projects. Here I used some super soft and fine yarn Stephanie has sent me:


Here is the multi-coloured green beanie again with two others I knitted with my leftover yarns.


I mentioned in my stash use report the clothespin aprons I made. Here is mine, hanging on the washline waiting for the laundry to dry. The fabric is ' "Klopins" - Sven A. Gefeldt - Design Finnish Linen printed exclusively for Nordiska Kompaniet'. Nordiska Kompaniet is a big warehouse in Sockholm, Sweden. The fabric used to be curtains in our utility room when Scandinavian Design was getting very famous, in the 1950-60's. Now the curtains are faded and stained, but they can have a new life in close contact with real clothespins. In case you wonder, the design is white clothespins on yellow background.


Some weeks ago I went to the village centre to take pictures of the swan family, last year's couple with five new cygnets, who had been seen there again. On that day there were big lawn mowers working around the pond, and a man with a trimmer too, so the peace-loving birds had moved back to the smaller, more quiet pond where they nest. Last week I was lucky to have my camera with me on an early morning walk. The pond was quiet and the weather was beautiful.


One of the swan parents was there! They obviously take some time off from childcare and fly in turns to this bigger pond for some private time and a quiet breakfast without interruptions.



I stayed behind a tree and hardly moved when I took several pictures of this whooper swan, but maybe the click of the camera was too loud for him after a while. I felt he was saying something about staring and privacy, so I put the camera away and walked home. I had private cup of tea and some newspaper reading without interruption and without anyone staring at me.


I'm looking forward to seeing the cygnets' flight practice at the end of the summer when they need to get to these wider waters in order to have long enough landing strips.

12 comments:

  1. A very lucky daughter to have this beautiful handmade treasure. The scarf and beanies are so cozy and will be so very much appreciated. Love your photos, especially of the one staring right at you. That look definitely looks like you're being silently scolded. I'm enjoy a cup of tea and a visit with you.

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  2. What a beautiful quilt for your daughter. I actually like it in blue!
    Perfect knitting work. I can almost feel the softness.
    Such an elegant and white swan. I think I have only seen swans with an orange beek. This one is such bright yellow. Such beauty.
    I hope you are able to share more pictures with us!
    Have a happy weekend.

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  3. This will put a huge dent in your stash, Ulla, and you'll have many happy hours with the Tour and your stitching! Someone will be much warmer this coming winter with your beautiful knitting, too! I am envious of your outdoor clothesline - I think one needs to come here to the Squash House! How great that you were able to get so many swan photos! They do not like me at all and I wouldn't feel comfortable even hiding behind the trees!
    Cheers!

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  4. The original hexagon quilt is great. I'm sure this one will be also.

    Knitting for Jan so nice and generous as it includes postage as well.

    Like your white swan pictures. Australian swans are black. The signet is white and changes as it matures.

    Enjoy the summer.

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  5. Sorry if this is a repeat, computer just blipped.

    Wonderful makings both knitted and sewn. What a wonderful hand sewn quilt for your daughter. Good luck with the new one.

    Fabulous pics of the Whooper Swan. I have to go to Martin Mere to see them.

    New girl arrived yesterday- she is a sweetie.

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  6. Hello Ulla. It is a long time since I have been visiting bloggland.. I have summer vacation and have been visiting my mom and I have also been to my father im laws cabin at Hvaler . ( not far away from Koster)
    It has been some wonderful days!!
    What a wonderful hexagon quilt you have made for your daughter! I love the swan picture and yes he looks a bit anoid ;-)

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  7. Liebe Ulla, der blaue Hexagon Quilt ist traumhaft schön! Handgenäht, wow, welche Ausdauer du hast. Ich beneide dich um deine Fingerfertigkeit (meine Finger können leider nicht mehr lange an der gleichen Arbeit sein). Die Mützchen gefallen mir auch...möchte am liebsten auch wieder mit Stricken beginnen. Hast du ein Muster dafür? Als ich noch im Elternhaus am See wohnte liebte ich es auch Schwäne zu beobachten....und wir fütterten sie jeweils ab und zu. Deine Bilder haben gerade glückliche Kindheitserinnerungen herauf beschwört.
    Es regnet hier....ideales Wetter zum Nähen :-) !!
    Liebe Grüsse,
    Barbara

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  8. P.S. Deine Frage: Rosenzucker wird als dekorative Zugabe bei Nachspeisen verwendet (z.B. auf Rahm, Griess etc. wo man gerne Süsse und einen Kontrast möchte).
    Lieben Gruss, Barbara

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  9. Your daughter's blue hexagon quilt is so sweet and pleasant! Gorgeous shots of that Swan! Happy Summer!

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  10. Perfect knitting work you done. I can almost feel the softness. That is an elegant and white swan. I think I have only seen swans with an orange beek. This one is such bright yellow. Such beauty.

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  11. Well, Your daughter done this beautiful handmade treasure. Also the scarf and beanies are so cozy and will be so very much appreciated.

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  12. Like your white swan pictures. Australian swans are black. The signet is white and changes as it matures. These all photographs seems that you enjoyed your weekend.

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