berlinquilter

Quiltworkshop No.2

2012-02-27T19:30:00.001+01:00

Wir haben gar nicht lange gezögert und den nächsten Workshop vorbereitet. Es wird wieder ein Kissen genäht, diemal mit einem Log Cabin Muster. Hier werden die Nähmaschinen am 18.03. heißlaufen und ganz tolle Werke entstehen.Vielleicht sehen wir uns ja dort...

We didn´t wait too long and planned the next Workshop. Here we will again sew a pillow, this time with the log cabin pattern. At the 18th of march the machines will run hot and beautiful things will arise!

Endlich.../Finally...

2012-02-21T17:55:00.000+01:00

... habe ich ein Regal für meine Stoffe. Ich hab es selbst gebaut. Und wahrscheinlich wird es doch nicht die entgültige Lösung sein, aber für den Moment reicht es. Ich habe es aus den Schubladen einer ausrangierten kleinen Kommode (eher schon ein Kommödchen) zusammengeschraubt. Auf der Fensterbank noch im Dunkeln sitzend, verschlafen Kaffee schlürfend war mir diese Idee gekommen, während mein Blick auf das leere Kommödchen fiel, welches seit Jahr und Tag an der selben Stelle steht und nichts weiter beherbergt als Ersatzbesteck und die Kaffeemühle.

Nun steht nur noch das Skellet im Flur und wird wohl so bald wie möglich entsorgt, genauso wie die alten Stereoboxen, die da auch schon seit 2 Monaten stehen... Ähem.

...finally I have a shelf for my fabrics. I build it myself. And probably this won´t be the final solution, but for the moment it is ok. It is build out of the drawers of an ugly little commode. While I was sitting on my window sill this morning, it was still dark, and I was still soo tired, my eyes found it and the idea was born. The commode was there for 7 years and there was nothing in it except some extra cuttlery and a Coffee Mill.
So now the skelleton of the little dresser stands in the hallway and waits to be thrown away... It is not alone, two old stereo Music Boxes are there (for 2 months already) to keep it company...

Nun ja, wo ein neues Regal ist und Stöffchen einsortiert sind, muß natürlich auch eine neue Dekoration her.Hier etwas umgehängt und da etwas aufgeräumt, und voila. Hier ist mein momentan aufgeräumter Näharbeitsplatz.

Well, and when there is a new shelf and some fabrics are sorted, there must be a new decoration of course. So I hung up here somethin, and cleared up here a bit and voila: This is my Sewing Space (tidy at the moment!)

Dankbar! Thankful!

2012-02-20T17:01:00.005+01:00

Gestern habe ich meinen ersten Quiltworkshop gegeben. Wow und das hat vielleicht Spaß gemacht! Ich glaube den sieben Damen , die teilgenommen haben, hat es auch gefallen. Kein Wunder wenn man sich die tollen Kissen anschaut, die sie gezaubert haben. Auf jedenfall haben alle mit einem Strahlen im Gesicht und einem neuen Kissen in der Tasche den Nadelwald verlassen, ein paar auch mit der Bitte um Wiederholung. An mir soll es nicht liegen. Ich fand das ganz toll. Ich werde mich gleich diese Woche mit Swantje vom Nadelwald zusammensetzen und einen weiteren Kurs planen...

Yesterday I gave my very first Quiltworkshop. Wow and this was so much fun! I think the seven ladys who participated thought the same, no wonder when you look at the beautiful pillowcases they created. They left the Nadelwald with a smile on their faces and a new pillowcase in their pockets, some also requested another workshop soon. Shouldn´t be my problem, I loved it! I think I will sit down with Swantje this week and talk about a plan.

Hier könnt Ihr sehen was für tolle Kissen entstanden sind:

Here you can see the wonderful Pillowcovers:

Valentines

2012-02-15T18:00:00.001+01:00

If you don´t have a valentine who brings you flowers and chocolate (buh hu... ;-)), you have to make yourself a gift even more!

Wenn man schon keinen Schatz hat, der einem Schokolade und Blumen bringt, dann muß man sich umso mehr selbst ein Geschenk machen!

This is a very fast quilt, made in a day. I just used huge Anna Maria Horner Good Folks rectangles. And I didn´t even quilted it really extremely. Just echoed the seams twice. Thats it. And you no what? I LOVE IT!

Diesen sehr schnellen Quilt hab ich an einem Tag gemacht. I habe große Rechtecke Anna Maria Horner Good Folks Stoff benutzt und auch kaum gequiltet. Nur recht und links der Nähte einmal abgesteppt. Das war schon alles. Und wisst Ihr was? ICH LIEBE IHN!

Miriam goes Dawanda

2012-02-11T13:25:00.000+01:00

Guten Morgen!
In letzter Zeit bin ich etwas schreibfaul geworden, vielleicht liegt das ja daran, daß gerade so viel in meinem Leben passiert, meine Gedanken sich um noch mehr kreisen und der Tag ja doch keine 60 Stunden hat (zum Glück!)

Good morning!
I have been a little lazy writing recently, maybe this is because there is so much happening in my life, my thoughts keep turning around so many things and the day still has not 60 hours. Thank Good!

Ein Projekt, daß ich angepackt habe, ist meine Internetpräsenz einzurichten, sowohl was mein Tagesgeschäft angeht, als auch eine Möglichkeit zu schaffen den schönen Sachen, die aus reiner Freude entstehen, ein liebevolles Zuhause zu finden. Ab nun können schöne Patchworkdinge von mir bei Dawanda erworben werden.

One project which I started finally, is to manifest my internet presence for my everyday job, aswell as for the possibilities to find a loving home for my patchwork things, which I create with pure love!
From now on you can find my patchwork goodies at Dawanda.

Hier sind ein paar Fotos von Dingen die ich in den letzten Wochen fertig gemacht habe. Zum Beispiel auch den Prince Charming Quilt. Ich mag den sehr, nur passen die Farben nicht so richtig in meine Wohnung.

Here are some things I made in the last weeks. I also finished the Prince Charming quilt. I love it, but the colours are not exactly what fits my appartement.

Zuerst einmal bin ich froh das heute Samstag ist und morgen unser monatliches Treffen der Berlin Modern Quilt Guild ansteht, Flo wird uns Sashiko zeigen, da freu ich mich schon sehr drauf.

For now I am happy that today it is saturday and tomorrow the Berlin Modern Quilt Guild will have its monthly meeting. Flo is going to show us some sashiko. I am really looking forward doing this!

Dies und das und die häßliche Wahrheit

2012-02-05T17:13:00.002+01:00

Ich mach so dies und das zur Zeit. Manchmal muß ich aufpassen, daß ich mich nicht verzettele. So viele Ideen schwirren in meinem Kopf. Manchmal, in der Vergangenheit, hab ich auf so vielen Baustellen gleichzeitig gearbeitet, daß mir am Ende alles über den Kopf zu wachsen drohte. Aber heute habe ich eine andere Methode. Heute Morgen wollte ich mir eine To Do Liste machen und prompt habe ich nach den ersten zwei Punkten aufgehört zu schreiben. Ich habe mir die Freiheit erlaubt nur diese zwei Punkte zu erfüllen und dann zu sehen ob noch Energie für mehr da ist, und siehe da, es ist!
Gestern Abend habe ich ein Quilttop fertig gestellt, auf dem buchstäblich der Name meiner Mutter steht. Sie wohnt mit meinem Stiefvater in Spanien auf dem Land. Die Beiden lieben die Pflanzenwelt dort und so besteht ein nicht unerheblicher Teil ihres täglichen Tun aus Gartenarbeit. Dieser Quilt, in dieser Farbigkeit passt wie die Faust aufs Auge in frühlingshafte Pflanzenwelt im Garten meiner Eltern

Nun jetzt ist dort auch noch kein Frühling, erzählte mir meine Mutter heute Morgen sogar von einem kleinen "Schneesturm" vor ein paar Tagen, jedoch hat sie genau zum Frühlingsanfang im März Geburtstag und wie schön wird es dann sein, wenn sie sich an kühlen Abenden auf der Terrasse in einen grünen Frühlingsquilt wickeln kann?

Dies hier ist das Top. Und damit auch zur häßlichen Wahrheit. Ich bin schlampig! Eine Fetzenschlampe gar, bügeln ist nicht meine größte Leidenschaft. Diese Top habe ich mit so wenig bügeln wie möglich gefertigt, denn noch dazu habe ich hier zuhause kein Bügelbrett. Und mein Eisen ist eigendlich schon schrottreif, nachdem es mir kürzlich runtergefallen ist, gibt es keinen dampfenden Stoßseufzer mehr von sich, nur noch laue Lüftchen. Wenn ich wieder zur Arbeit in den Shop gehe werde ich es einer heißen Bügelei unterziehen.
Apropos schlampig, ich hab da mal ein Bild gemacht, um zu zeigen wie es aussieht, wenn ich ins wirken komme:

Da werden Stoffe aus der Schublade gerissen, hingeschmissen, diverse Haufen bilden sich und irgendwann sieht man nichts mehr, geschweige denn findet etwas. Heute morgen habe ich mich zusammen gerissen und aufgeräumt. Aber immer nur schrittweise, denn eigendlich müßte ja alles wieder so hübsch einsortiert werden, wie es neulich mal war...

Aber dazu dann irgendwann mal mehr. Noch immer fehlt mir da kleine Regal zum Einsortieren...

Ansonsten backe ich Brot! Das "No knead bread". Ich bin verrückt danach, hier findet Ihr ein wunderbares kleines Filmchen dazu. Ich werde mir gleich mal wieder einen Teig ansetzen.
Alles Liebe Euch, bis bald,
Miriam

Quilt workshop

2012-01-24T17:40:00.000+01:00

Wow, ich freu mich! Am 19.02. gebe ich meinen ersten Anfänger Quiltworkshop. Im Nadelwald werden die 6 Teilnehmerinnnen und ich je ein schönes Kissen herstellen.

Wow, I am so exited. On the 19th of February I will give a beginners quilt workshop. In the Nadelwald the 6 participants and me will make a cute pillow. I am soo looking forward!

First project(s) in 2012

2012-01-16T12:57:00.000+01:00

I am a huge fan of Tula Pinks Prince Charming Fabric Line, when it came out I ordered the whole fat quarter set. I love all colourlines and prints.
A few days ago I finally cut into the the light greens and tangerines. I combined it with a beigish fabric which I bought around the corner on our fabric market.

Ich bin ein großer Fan von Tula Pinks Prince Charming Stofflinie. Als sie rauskam, habe ich mir ein komplettes Fat Quarter Set bestellt. Ich mag wirklich alle Farbgruppen und Drucke davon.

Vor ein paar Tagen habe ich endgültig in die hellen Grüns und hellen Koralltöne geschnitten. Dazu kombinierte ich einen kitfarbenen Stoff, den ich hier um die Ecke auf dem Stoffmarkt gekauft habe.

Because I didn´t want to cut the cool prints into little pieces, I used a very big bowtie block to showcase the prints. Katy from Imagingermonkey with this quilt inspired me for that. The top was very easy and done fast. Now it is all about the quilting. I am thinking about handquilting it, like I did with this pillow cover.

Weil ich die Schönen Muster nicht in kleine Stücke zerschneiden wollte, habe ich einen großen Bowtie Block gewählt um die Muster zu zeigen. Katy von Imagingermonkey inspirierte mich mit diesem Quilt. Das Top war sehr schnell gemacht und jetzt geht es um das Quilten. Ich denke ich werde es so ähnlich wie bei der Kissenhülle machen.

A really cool thing was, that I used the scraps which I cut from the Bowtieblocks rightaway for the pillow cover. I had little HST cut off, sewn them together and made little blocks again. No long thinking, just using all that was left. At the end I had three little blocks from the pillow left, and made a pincushion out of two of them.

Thats it, soon more to come.

Das wirklich tolle war nämlich, daß ich einfach die abgeschnittenen Dreiecke der Blöcke genommen habe, sie direkt wiederzusammen genäht habe und daraus kleine Quadrate entstanden sind, aus denen Wiederum die Kissenvorderseite entstanden ist. Am Ende hatte ich noch drei kleine Quadrate übrig, aus zweien davon wurde ein kleines Nadekissen. Bloß nichts verschenken...;-)

Soviel dazu, bald mehr.

Welcome 2012!!!

2012-01-01T14:50:00.001+01:00

2011 in Quilts.
I am curious what there will come in 2012. I wish us LOVE PEACE and HAPPINESS.

Bin neugierig was da wohl 2012 kommen mag. Ich wünsche Euch viel LIEBE, FRIEDEN und FREUDE!

The finished Flying Geese

2011-12-31T13:04:00.000+01:00

I would show you a mosaic of the quilts I made this year, but I am way to lazy to put that together.But what I can show you is the finished Flying Geese Quilt.

I würde Euch ja ein Mosaik mit den Quilts zeigen, die ich diese Jahr genäht habe, aber ich bin viel zu faul das zusammenzubauen. Aber was ich Euch zeigen kann ist der fertige Flying Geese Quilt.

I am extremely proud of this one. It is so different from the other quilts I made so far, and I love everything about it. There are the colours which perfectly suit my kitchen wall.

Ich bin sehr stolz auf diesen Quilt, der ist so anders als die anderen Quilts, die ich bis jetzt so gemacht habe und ich liebe alles an ihm. Da sind zum einen die Farben, die perfect zu der neuen Küchenwand passen.

The shot cottons are amazing to work with and have this special structure and when washed a little bit of "crinklyness" which I love. I also looove the 3D effect of these "one seem flying geese". To keep that I just quilted straight lines with the machine through the geese, but I used a stich which is thicker and so looks a little bit like hand quilted.

Mit Shot Cottons zu arbeiten macht echt Spaß, sie haben diese spezielle Struktur und nach dem Waschen sind sie ein bißchen knitterig, diesen Look mag ich sher! Und ich finde den 3D Effect der Flying Geese mit nur einer Naht ganz toll. Damit der Effekt auch bleibt habe ich nur mit einer Naht gequiltet es war ein spezielle Einstellung an meiner Maschine, und sieht jetzt fast handgequiltet aus.

And also there is this litlle sprinkle of orange Hope Valley fabric which becomes my absolute favorite fabric line ever. I use little bits here and there and it always so special. The solid orange binding is the perfect finishing touch.

Und dann sind da noch ein paar "Spritzer" orangefarbenen Hope Valley Stoffs, diese Stofflinie entwickelt sich immer mehr zu meiner liebsten. Ich setze sie hier und da mal ein und es ist immer irgendwie speziell. Ich finde das orangefarbene Binding rundet das ganze perfekt ab.

So enough happiness about my quilt, now it is time to wish you all a happy New Year. I am going to meet some friends and again eat and drink and eat and drink and eat.....

So, jetzt habe ich aber genug von meinem Quilt geschwärmt, und es ist an der Zeit Euch allen einen guten Rutsch zu wünschen!. Ich werde mit ein paar Freunden zusammensitzen und essen und trinken und essen und trinken und essen....

Flying Geese Quilt Top

2011-12-29T15:26:00.002+01:00

Flying Geese Quilt Top, a photo by berlinquilter on Flickr.

This is my "Christmas Quilt". I spent wonderful days at home alone (my family lives spread around Europe so we didn´t celebrate Christmas for about 12 years now...). But I didn´t mind. The time before Christmas is always so buisy and stressful, that I really enjoy being on my own. Most years I meet with friends for heavy eating (and some drinking, too;-))
This year was quite silent and so I used the time to relax, which meany clearing and cleaning up my appartement, sewing, sewing, baking, watching movies and just BE!
I also painted one wall in my kitchen, because I wanted a little change. And suddenly the quilt that I cover myself up with in the morning when I sit on my window sill having a huge cup of coffee, didn´t fit the new wall colour anymore. There had to be made a new quilt! This Flying geese "thing" is what I came up with. I absolutely love the look of it, thoughhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif it looks a bit too sophisticated to wrap somebody who just crawled out of bed...
Maybe it would better suit to a mondane woman sitting in front of a fire place drinking some grog in the swiss alps...
Well but because there is no fireplace and no alps here, it can be good old dirty Berlin.
I made the blocks with just one seem after I found this funny video on youtube.
The only question which is left is how do I quilt this one? I have a little idea, but would be grateful to hear what you think.
THANKS!

Dies ist mein Weihnachtsquilt. Ich habe wundervolle Tage alleine zuhause verbracht (meine Familie wohnt in Europa verstreut deshalb feiern wir seit 12 Jahren keine Weihnachten mehr zusammen). Aber mir macht das nichts aus.Die Weihnachtszeit ist immer so voll und stressig,daß ich es dann ganz schön genieße allein zu sein.Meistens treffe ich Freunde für einen Abend und es wird heftig gegessen (und getrunken) Aber diese Jahr ist auch das eher ruhig ausgefallen und so hatte ich Zeit zum entspannen, das da hieß die Wohnung aufräumen und putzen, nähen, nähen, backen, Filme gucken und einfach nur SEIN. Ich habe sogar eine Wand in der Küche gestrichen, weil ich eine Veränderung wollte. Und plötzlich passte der Quilt nicht mehr, in den ich mich normalerweise zum Morgenkaffe auf der Fensterbank einwickle. Also mußte ein neuer Quilt her! Heraus kam dieses Flying Geese "Teil". Ich finde den super schön, aber fast ein bißchen zu edel um mich einzuwickeln, die ich gerade aus dem Bett gekrochen bin. Viel besser würde er zu einer mondänen Frau vor einem brenenden Kamin in den Schweizer Alpen passen in der Hand einen dampfenden Grog...
Nun ja aber, da ich hier keinen Kamin und keine Alpen habe, da muß es wohl das gute alte, dreckige Berlin sein. Die Blöcke habe ich mit nur einer NAht genäht, nachdem ich diese lustige Video auf youtube gefunden habe. So und dnun bleibt nur die Frage, wie quilte ich dieses hübsche Teil, ich habe zwar ein leise Idee, aber wäre gespannt auf Eure Ideen. DANKE!

Huhu I am so organized/ Wat bin ich organisiert...

2011-12-08T09:32:00.003+01:00

I have tried to get my fabric chaos organized recently. Well didn´t work. I found out that I have to go to Ikea and buy a new shelf or something. Unfortunately I think there is no more place in my appartement where I could put one.
At least I went through (part of) my scraps and cut them in strips or squares. Now it is really tidy, and I am itching to make a scrap quilt project.
But maybe I should finish the christmas gifts before that. There is a quilt for my sister and I have to start one for my mother though I think this one will be late.

Ah did I mention that there is another HUGE box of scraps which has to be organized?

Ich habe kürzlich versucht meinem Stoffchaos Herr zu werden. Nja das hat nicht funktioniert. Ich habe eingeehen, daß ich wohl zu Ikea fahren muß, um mir ein neues Regal oder Ähnliches zu kaufen.Leider finde ich daß ich in meiner Wohnung keinen Platz für ein solches habe.
Tja wenigstens bin ich meine Stoffreste durchgegangen und habe sie alle in Streifen oder Quadrate geschnitten. Das ist jetzt richtig ordentlich und ich hätte ziemlich Lust ein Restequiltproject zu machen. Aber vielleicht sollte ich vorher noch meine Weihnachtsgeschenke fertig machen. 1. einen Quilt für meine Schwester und 2. einen Quilt für meine Mutter, welcher noch nicht einmal begonnen ist, geschweige denn, daß ich eine Idee dafür hätte... Vermutlich wird das ein verspätetes Weihnachtsgeschenk werden...
Ach ja, hatte ich erwähnt, daß es da noch eine große Kiste mit Resten gibt?

Some News.../Neuigkeiten

2011-12-05T09:21:00.007+01:00

After a very stressful, but successful weekend at a Christmas Crafts Fair I am back at home and I luckily have two days off. I am sure there will be some sewing, but not yet. And so it comes that I have no pictures today, but some news for you.
Our Berlin Modern Quilt Guild site had a little makeover, hop over and have a look. I hope you like it.

The ginger monkey Katy is having a giveaway on her blog and to be honest I would do everything to win this!!! ;-) The prices are extreme, look at this line "Happy Home" isn´t it supercute?

Have a nice week, you all!

Nach einem stressigen aber sehr erfolgreichen Wochenende auf einem Weihnachts Design Markt bin ich zurück zuhause und habe glücklicherweise zwei Tage frei. Sicherlich werde ich wieder nähen, aber noch nicht,und so kommt es daß ich keine Bilder heute habe, aber ein paar Neuigkeiten.
Unsere Seite von der Berlin Modern Quilt Guild hat ein neues Gesicht bekommen, schaut doch mal rein, ich hoffe es gefällt Euch.

Ja und dann gibt es noch ein großartiges Giveaway auf dem Blog von Katy dem Ginger Monkey. Ehrlich gesagt würde ich (fast) alles tun um dieses Giveaway zu gewinnen. Die Gewinne sind so supertoll, schaut Euch allein diese Linie "Happy Home" an, so was von entzückend!

Nun ja, jetzt wünsche ich Euch erst mal eine schöne Woche!

Miriam

Thank You Pillow/ Dankeschön Kissen

2011-12-01T10:50:00.003+01:00

I had some very troubled times this year
My whole life I had problems asking for help. So I´d rather struggle and drown, than ask for help. This year a friend, who isn´t even that close, offered me some financial help for what I didn´t ask. The moment he offered it, it was such a relief, and I also noticed, that it is no failure to need help. No failure to ask for help. It was such a good learning lesson for me.

I hatte wirklich ein paar schlimme Zeiten in diesem Jahr.
Mein ganzes Leben über hatte ich Problem damit um Hilfe zu bitten. Lieber würde ich kämpfen und untergehen als um Hilfe zu bitten. In diesem Jahr hat mir ein Freund, dem ich nicht einmal besonders nahe stehe, finanzielle Hilfe angeboten, ohne daß ich danach gefragt habe. Der Moment als er mir das anbot, war so eine Erleichterung und ich stellte fest, daß es kein Versagen ist Hilfe zu brauchen. Und auch kein Versagen um Hilfe zu bitten. Das war ein großes Lerngeschenk für mich.
When I found some leftovers of this quilt in my sewing chaos, I wanted to make a pillow out of them. And while I was making it, I knew it would be great for that friehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnd who had helped me that much. So here it is the Leftover aka Thank you pillow.

Als ich kürzlich in meinem Näh Chaos ein paar Reste diese Quilts fand wollte ich gerne ein Kissen daraus machen und während des Nähens stellte ich fest, daß es perfekt für diesen Freund passte, der mir so sehr geholfen hat. So Bitteschön: Das Reste aka Dankeschön Kissen:

Babylove Quilt

2011-11-28T11:05:00.003+01:00

Eine liebe Freundin erwartet im Januar einen kleinen Jungen. Natürlich wollte ich ihr ein gequiltetes Geschenk machen.Dieser kleine Babyquilt ist entstanden. Die "Auflage" war, ihn nicht zu bunt zu machen. Also habe ich ein paar Streifen einer Joel Dewberry Jelly Roll verwendet und einen einzigen Log Cabin Block gemacht. Die historische Bedeutung von Log Cabin Block gefällt mir sehr , demnach stellt der Block die Blockhütte (das Zuhause) dar, und das Zentrum ist traditionell in rot gehalten, es symbolisiert das Feuer, daß immer brennen mag, um das Zuhause zu wärmen. Ich habe diese Zentrum etwas modifiziert und um das erweitert, was in keinem Zuhause und in keiner Familie fehlen sollte: Die Liebe.

A good friend of mine is having a babyboy in january. Ofcourse I wanted to make her a quilted gift. This is what I came up with. My friend asked me not to make it too colourful. So I used some Jelly roll strips from Joel Dewberry modern Meadow line and created one big log cabin block. I really like this historic idea that this block symbolizes the Log cabin (the home) and that traditionally the center is red and means the fire which shall always burn in the chimney, to warm the family. I added the most importand thing for a family and a home: LOVE
Diesen Quilt zu machen hat mir großen Spaß gemacht, angefangen vom Paperpiecing des LIEBE blocks über das straight line quilting bis hin zu ein wenig Handquilten in der Mitte. Ich habe mir ein paar Youtube Videos angeschaut und zum erstenmal versucht so richtig mit der Hand zu quilten. Leider hatte ich keinen Fingerhut, so daß meine Finger nach dem kleinen Stück schon ziemlich schmerzten.

I really enjoyed making this quilt from the paperpiecing of the love block, over the straight line quilting to the handquilting, which I tried for the first time (I watched some youtube videos to learn how it is done correctly...). Unfortunately I didn´t have a thimble so my fingers hurt quite soon.

Überhaupt finde ich youtube eine wunderbare Quelle für Anleitungen und Hilfestellungen. Ich liebe es, mir auf diese Art und Weise neue Dinge beizubringen und inspiriert zu werden.

Anyway, I think youtube is a very good source for tutorials an help. I love it to learn some new tings and be inspired this way...

How do you learn (quilting)things that you don´t know?

Wie lernt Ihr (Quilt) Dinge, die Ihr nicht wißt?

Miriam

Ein fröhlicher Sonntag/ Happy Sunday

2011-11-27T10:07:00.003+01:00

Langsam muß ich den Tagen wirklich mit Sarkasmus begegnen, denn meine fiese Erkältung geht in die dritte Woche. Ich würde so gerne mal wieder ausgehen, mit Freunden ein Bier trinken, lange ausgiebige Spaziergänge machen etc. Am Freitag war nochmal ein Konzert unseres Gospelchors (an dem ich natürlich nicht mitsingen konnte, buhu...) und ich wollte es mir dann wenigstens anhören. Danach war ich noch mit einer Freundin in einer Kneipe. Nach einer halben Stunde mußte ich abbrechen und sofort nachhause gehen, weils mir so übel ging. Also muß ich wohl noch eine Weile ruhiger treten.
Tja auf jedenfall wollte ich Euch den Denyse Schmidt DS Collections Quilt nicht vorenthalten, den ich vor wenigen Wochen endlich fertiggestellt habe:
Well slowly I have to become a little sarcastic, because my cold is going in the third week now. I would so love to go out again, meet some friends for a beer,taking long walks...
On friday, there was a concert of our Gospel Choir again, (of course I couldn´t sing, buhu...) but at least I wanted to listen. Afterwards I went for a little beer with a friend, but after half an hour, I had to cancel and go home right away, I felt terrible. It seems like I have to be calmer for a little more time.
Anyways, I wanted to show you the Denyse Schmidt DS Collection Quilt, that I finally finished a few weeks ago:
You all have a lovely sunday!
Miriam

The Cold /Erkältung

2011-11-23T17:04:00.002+01:00

I have a terrible cold for ten days now. I hardly can remember beeing ill for so long in my whole life. Though I have the feeling that it is getting better slowly, I just do this on my days off:

Ich habe jetzt schon zehn Tage lange eine fiese Erkältung.Ich kann mich nicht erinnern jemals so lange krank gewesen zu sein. Obwohl ich das Gefühl habe, daß es so langsam besser wird mache ich an meinen freien Tagen nicht viel anderes als dies:

Even watching series and reading blogs is getting boring (sorry no offence...;-) I am still enjoying all your posts).
I also do a little quilting, but the sewing mojo is not in the house right now. I hope I will be over it at the weekend.
You all have a nice day!

Sogar Serien glotzen und Blogs lesen wird langsam langweilig ( entschuldigung, nicht falsch verstehen...;-) natürlich lese ich all Eure Posts noch gerne!)
Ich quilte auch ein bißchen, aber so richtig will der Drive nicht einkehren... I hoffe das ändert sich dann am Wochenende.
Euch allen einen wunderschonen Tag!

Miriam

More finished projects

2011-11-13T10:47:00.007+01:00

I had such a wonderful weekend. We celebrated two amazing gospel concerts with the Modern Gospel Choir in one of Berlins most beautiful churches. It was so much fun and I can say... we where really good. So now I am husky, but I still can write and sew. So here is the plan:
-show you more finished projects
-take pictures of more finished projects
-finish projects
-go to the Berlin Modern Quilt Guild this afternoon( Yeah!!!), maybe I finish the projects there ;-)

Here you can see the finally finished Kaleidoscope Quilt. I slept under it for about a week now and I can tell, I had the sweetest dreams. It feels wonderful, cosy and happy. It took me so long to finish it, because I couldn´t decide what to do with the back. Finally I just took some simple very soft solids, pieced it together and voila! I also quilted it quite simple. Just echoed around some Kaleidoscopes, and tied it here and there.

These are some pillows which I started maybe half a year ago. I like the results of these log cabin block pillows, I guess they make some nice christmas presents (for all of my friends, who don´t read my blog, or don´t even know that I have one...;-)

So this is the the little DS collection Picnic Quilt which took me a terrible while also, but now it is finsihed, and I didn´t wait until I can go to a picnic again (next summer), but cover me on my couch while I am writing this.
You will get to see a picture of the finished result soon.

So I guess today at the BMQG meeting, I will think about how to put together the blocks from the bee Germany. I made a mistake with telling about the size of the blocks, and now the block are so different, that I don´t know how to put them together... I will try to figure that out later. Wish me luck!

So much to catch up...

2011-10-30T10:31:00.008+01:00

Wow, more than one month without blogging. How could that happen? I will tell you.
For the last two months I was in absolute chaotic and panicing stress.
I renovated two shops,moved from the old one to the new one, had to do some craft fairs, to earn some money while no shop was open, and finally last saturday, we opened our new shop which is called "Liebling Neukölln" (Liebling = Darling and Neukölln=the area in Berlin where our shop is). I am really proud, we made it a little gem.

So now lets hope that people come and buy our lovely stuff.
Since saturday I am sewing (private things) like crazy. I want to finish some projects so I can start new things. I have so many ideas in my head, but I promised myself to have nothing to finish left before I start something new. And wow there was a lot.
I finsihed some pillows, here is a picture of the most simple one, there are three more to come, I am waiting for the right light to take some pictures.
There were also three Bee Blocks, I was not too late, but it felt terrible to have them lying around undone... This one is for Johanna from the Bee Europa 2011 Bee. She asked for some kind of tree block for a quilt for her brother. This is what I came up with, it is quite abstract but somehow I like it.
This one is for Julia from Little Girls Quilts for the bee Germany 2011 and as we speak I notice that I screwed it up!!! She wanted a 16,5" Block and I made mine 12,5". Damned... I absolutely hope she can use it somehow...
Ok well...
The third block is for Ulrike from "Lieblingdecke" also for the Bee Europa 2011 for the month November ( now I am ahead...) She asked for any kind of star, and I made her a little lone star block. Although this took a while, I really loved making this. Maybe someday I will do alone star Quilt for myself..
Last but not least I finished the Many trips around the world quilt top made out of Denyse Schmidts picnic and fairground collection. That was fun, too, but I have a little of a problem to find the right fabric for the Back... I can´t decide. Well this one and the back for the Kaleidcope quilt are the only projects which are left, before I am "allowed" to start something new. Lets see if this works. This is it for now. You all have a wonderful sunday!!!
Miriam

A very productive sunday...

2011-09-19T17:20:00.007+02:00

... lies behind me. I had a long weekend which means that I took the whole sunday as a sewing day. It was a perfect day for that as it was raining cats and dogs for hours. I started with a huge latte sitting in my pj on the kitchen window sill putting the last hexies together for the pillow which is going to go with my kaleidoscope quilt.I appliqued the whole thing to a brown linenish fabric attached a Tula Pinks "Flutterby" binding and here it is- the finished pillow.

I absolutely love it!!! I can´t wait to see it with the quilt. Uhhh, this is not nearly finished... Waiting to be basted and then quilted...
But I can tell you I finished another quilt which was in line. The x and + modified quilt for a friends birthday which was in august. But here it is, beautiful and finished, I quite like it and I hope she will, too.

The last thing I want to show you today are the wonky houses which I made for Monaw in the Bee Germany this months, she sent out some beautiful colourful fabric and we could play with them a little bit. Here they are Monaw I hope you like them.
Have anice week everyone,
yours Miriam

I Jumped on...

2011-09-01T08:57:00.003+02:00

...the hexie train finally.
In Birmingham I participated in a nice hexie workshop, at least half of it. On my way to the exibition center I took the train in the wrong direction so I saw some nice landscape of England while I was driving one and a half hours. I was so angry and sad that I would miss half of the workshop. But when I finally arrived, I could totally embrace the hexie feel and learn something. And here I am. Making little, tiny hexies. I will "hex" a nice pillow matching my kaleidoscope quilt, which is waiting patiently to be (hand-)quilted(?). Well, very ambitious plans, I know. I never handquilted anything and now it has to be the King Sized Quilt.
We will see if it is going to be finished this year, maybe I set christmas as a timeline.
Have a nice day everyone!

Some Goodies...

2011-08-31T20:00:00.010+02:00

When I was at the Quilt Festival in Birmingham I told myself that I am "allowed" to spend some money on fabrics and stuff. On my first day I was just so overwelmed by the quilts, the people and of course the massive amount of wonderful fabrics, that I could´nt buy anything. And then on the second day I said "buy something... just do it". Nothing happened, then after a while I bought a little something and as if I opened a gate, suddenly I shopped, shopped as if there was no tomorrow. Here you can see some of the beautiful fabrics I bought. I am absolutely looking forward doing something nice with them.

A wonderful bundle from Mandy by simplysolids.

An absolutely cool find: three fat quarters of Katie Jump Rope

Some cute fabrics (which are not Liberty, allthough they could be)

And two half yards of Antique Treasures (I love the vintage feel of these! I already ordered some from the same line, this will become a wonderful quilt...)

Featured...

2011-08-26T21:12:00.001+02:00

I have to say I am really proud of beeing featured on Amy´s creative Side Quilt Blog.
Thank you Amy!

Here I try to update!

2011-08-26T16:22:00.005+02:00

It has been an unbelievably busy summer this year. And I wish I could have told you all the amazing things that happened earlier. But unfortunately the lack of energy made me decide to let the blog sleep for a little while. I hope you don´t mind.
What can I tell you? Where to begin? Well the business first:
Why I was so busy was the fact that I am going to move with my little shop here within Berlin. A friend of mine is this amazing crocheted jewelry artist, and we decided to make a shop together. The move will be at the end of september and therefor there is still a lot to do.
The new place is a sunny shop in a litlle different area and I am very exited, though a little scared, too.

Well another cool thing was my trip to Birmingham to the festival of quilts. When Tacha, one of the amazing girls from the Fat Quarterly Quilting magazine, told me about the festival a few months ago, I knew I wanted to go. I can tell you, I had a really good time. I saw amazing quilts, here are just a few of the hundrets of pictures I took,

and besides that I met Tacha, Katy and Brioni and had a blast at their stand of Fat Quarterly giving out there cards.

The next good(or bad) thing was the fabric which could be bought at many many booths. For sure I could not resist and bought some nice little cuties. For example this wonderful fatquarter set from Simply Solids, Mandy the owner is a really nice and funny person!!! And at the end I learned how to make hexies in a very nice workshop.
This is it for now, but I will go on updating you in the next days, I hope.
Take care,
Miriam

Up to a new work week

2011-07-31T22:23:00.005+02:00

As I wrote in the last post, I had some days of and I just closed my eyes for a second - the days are over.
But that doesn´t matter. I have the feeling that I got much things done and one the other side so many things happened that inspired me extremely for the upcoming time. There will be a big change in my life, I don´t want to write about it until it is absolutely sure, but with this in mind I can go on with my work much more happy and inspired than the last months.
I will tell you soon...

I also managed to finish some things of the list from last post:
This is the finally finished Kaleidoscope Quilt top. I absolutely love it, and it is so big, that I think I am going to go with a simpe solid fabric for the back.No more piecing. I have two blocks left, maybe these will go into one or two pillows, we´ll see.

Here you can see two blocks I made for Julia in the Bee Germany. She asked for the circle of geese block and a block of our choice. I decided on a block with the most important thing in life: LOVE

Further on I put together the blocks of my month of the bee Europa, which were inspired by a fiftiish painting by an artist I found on flickr. I won´t show it until it is finished, I need some more blocks, as it will be a curtain for my appartement door and is still not big enough.

And I made a cute little block for Ceri in the Bee Europa aswell. She asked for a block with a flower for a quilt for her daughter. I made something 3Dish as I know that little hands like to touch and feel things. I hope they both like it.
I didn´t piece my snails trail blocks. I am waiting for the last two, but I don´t mind, as there are enough other things on the worktable....
Ok thats it girls. I will spent the rest of the evening listening to the Parlotones, one of my favorite bands, their songs are melancholic but at the same time strong, that they make me happy and optimistic when I hear them...
Take Care!

Holiday

2011-07-22T22:25:00.002+02:00

I am so looking forward spending the next week off the shop. Unfortunately I have to do some work also, but there will be a lot of time for creative things to do:

1. Finishing the Kaleidoscope Quilt Top
2. Catch up the summer sampler Quiltalong blocks
3. Make or finish my Juli Bee Blocks
4. Put together the Blocks of the two bees where I have been the BeeQueen
5. Quilt two already basted quilts
6. Start a new quilt

And this is just the quilting stuff I am planning on doing...;-)

50 Blocks

2011-07-16T09:45:00.002+02:00

At least I finished the blocks for the Kaleidoscope Quiltalong. And I sooo love them. I am absolutely looking forward seeing the finished quilt lying on my bed (maybe in three months...?) There is so much to do at the moment, that I do my quilting stuff in the night hours. Why is the summer always so stuffed with work? I absolutely would love to hang around with friends in the park making a barbecue and just relax. But at the moment its not possible. I really want to look after me, and give me the time I need to relax, but it is hard at the moment. The hours I sew are the only time when I can do that a little bit, but I feel how I need the sun ( my workstudio is Souterrain).
Well Maybe I shouldn´t talk about that but go out and sit in the backyard and do nothing, fill myself up with some sunlight, and hopefully be strenghtened a little bit.
I wish you a sunny weekend!!!
Miriam

New Quiltalong...

2011-07-13T18:42:00.003+02:00

I know, I didn´t even finish the last one (Kaleiscope Happiness...), but already found a new one. Where I can learn a lot. I will participate in the summer sample series quiltalong. And I am really looking forward, learning some traditional blocks. I have to hop over to my fabric stacks and figure out which ones I am going to take.
See you soon, with the hands full of fabric...
Miriam

That´s what´s going on in berlinquilter land...

2011-07-06T16:29:00.004+02:00

I also had a long weekend, the first for many months. I was so exhausted, I really needed some quality time for myself. It started on sunday I stayed in my pjs the whole day I even didn´t brush my teeth, what some of you might find quite disgusting, but, well i just talked to myself so nobody was hurt...;-)
I spent the day on the couch, eating (ice cream), sewing, sewing, decorating and watching "glee".
I did a lot sewing stuff done. I am really happy about finishing the quilt I made for a very good friend of mine. Her birthday was in march and so I was late but I somehow felt unsure about the quilt, as these colours are not totally my type, and i didn´t feel totally in love with the pattern I made. But when I started quilting the whole thing I found out that this was what was missing. I did straight line quilting, about 1 cm distance between the lines. It took ages, I changed directions every five seems, which made some interesting waves in the fabric pattern... After I did ad the orange binding, I really can say, this one is good! Good for my friend and good because its unique. I can say I was inspired by a quilt in Denyse Schmidts book but the results look totally different.

I also sew a lot for the kaleidoscope quiltalong. As I am making a huge version of the quilt ( because I accidentally cut too much fabric), I have triangles for 50 blocks, it took some time and concentration to decide how to put the different prints together. But now I am done and can´t wait to finish the blocks.
The coolest thing ever is that I found an old singer sewing machine from the 6os (I guess) for 30 Euro (42$) at a thrift store. I couldn´t be happier as it makes this really classical sewing machine noise and sews very fast. I have to practise a little bit. I also bought some additional things for it (which cost more than the machine itself) and now I can do really cool things.

And it is so pretty, it has this aqua colour that I do love and it inspired me to install a sewing corner in my appartement. Before that I did all my sewing in my shop. But now I have to concentrate on work more and sew just in my free time. So as you see there were a few things going on in the last days, I hope you had such a good time too.
Have a nice rest of the week.
Miriam

Spicing up the kitchen swap...

2011-06-20T18:15:00.005+02:00

I finished my items for the Spicing up the kitchen swap. It is an apron and a little fabric basket. I made this funny picture next to a globe, as this is how it is done, I read somewhere...;-)
I hope my partner likes the things I made. Maybe I have to perfectionise some little things, but I think I will ship them this week.

A scrappy WIP

2011-06-17T16:42:00.004+02:00

I found the x and + Blocks here, with the link to the tutorial here and a link to the original here. I made some absolutely scrappy ones and I loved that I could use all these scraps. I didn´t think a lot about how the fabrics go together, as I never do...But I really like the look of a single block. All together seemed a bit too much for me, so I decided to add some white, to calm down the whole thing. And now the quilt is waiting to be quilted. But I don´t know how to. Do you have any recomendation?
Unfortunately work is so much at the moment, that I won´t be able to start the quilting within ten days...
But for all of you I wish a nice weekend!

Another commission Baby Quilt

2011-06-07T15:48:00.005+02:00

A friend of a friend of a friend.... is having a baby in two months. She saw some of the babyquilts I made for my shop on facebook and came to buy one. But unfortunately none of the designs suited her totally, so we talked about a design and I showed her my fabrics. She chose the carrots and peas fabric I had, because she liked the vintage appeal and the bright colours. I decided to do an easy pattern, as the fabric somehow speeks for itself, and it couldn´t be too compicated.
The couple found a cool vintage baby stroller from the seventies on ebay. It is bright green, the quilt will perfectly go with it. Ican´t wait to see them all together, the stroller, the quilt and of course the baby and the happy couple.
Now there are just about 4-5 Quilt tops waiting to be finished, basted and quilted. But there are so many more Quilts I want to make. I think I really have to finish some before I go on...
How many unfinished quilts do you have???

A little update

2011-06-04T12:42:00.007+02:00

There are many things going on at the moment, so there is not too much time to blog... Unfortunately! Much much work and a few interesting personal things, but today i want to give you a little update on my quilting live.
First of all I give you a little tutorial of getting a nice suntan without sunbathing:
1. Open your kitchen window
2. Place your iron on your window sill
3. Put your sewing machine on the kitchen table
4. Prepare yourself a huge Cappuccino
5. Put your sunglasses on
6. SEW!

This is what I have done this morning.

I am also participating in the kaleidoscope quilt along hosted by Don´t call me betsy and these are the wonderful fabrics I chose for it. Its all Tula Pink but I mixed the collections: Parisville, Neptune, Flutterby and a little bit of Plume. And a blueish solid.This is going to be sooo colourful, I can´t wait to start.

The last thing I can tell you is that I am taking part in the "Spicing up your kitchen swap". I can´t show to much, as it would be totally clear who is my secret partner. All I can say is I use linen, something red and I will try to embroider something...
More to come...
So guys this is it for today, can´t wait for the exciting weekend, hope you have a nice one, too.
Yours Miriam

Blogger´s Quilt Festival

2011-05-14T14:44:00.008+02:00

I know, that you have probably seen this one before. But its Blogger´s Quilt Fetival
and I participate with my poem quilt.
I made this a few months ago, because I like any kind of art with little poems or words. I browsed the internet and found this one by the irish poet "Samuel Lover" (cool name isn´t it?).
While I was piecing the letters I noticed that I coul have been more effective with cutting the fabric, but so for the next time I know it.
It was a bit stressful to quilt this huge one, but when I finished it, I was really happy. Now this quilt is one of my favorites to be laid on my bed.
I used some grey solid cotton and a layer cake of Tula Pink´s Plume collection. I love her collections, because they are so full of phantasy and creativity.

Happy Blogger´s Quilt Festival for you all!
And a wonderful weekend!

As I said:

2011-05-08T12:23:00.003+02:00

Saturday: basting and quilting and
Sunday: binding...uh, no! Sunday: Barbecue in the park...
Thank heaven for machine binding;-)
See the finished commissioned quilt:

I hope the mother of my friend likes it.
Happy mothersday to all the mother out there!

My first commissioned quilt in progress

2011-05-05T16:58:00.002+02:00

"Hey Miriam, do you have one of your dog blankets left...?"
"Excuse me?"
"Hhhmm, I mean one of you kilts,qilts...quilts???"

Do you see how well known quilts are in Germany?
Well what my friend (he was joking by the way) wanted, is to know if he could buy a quilt for his mother. I said "Sure, do you know what you want? Colour, pattern, style?"
Again: "Hhhmm, something with red." AHA!
"When do you need it?"
"On the 12th of May..." AHA!
"Ok so something easy and fast."
So funny when guys have no idea what style their mother like and when they don´t know about the time it takes to make something....
Well here is what I came up with: A very simple patchwork just made out of 28 10`` squares from a bliss layer cake. I think it is going to be really sweet. The top and the back are already finished, Saturday basting and quilting, sunday binding... Done!
My first, very easy, quick commissioned quilt.
Voila!

About the Double Wedding Ring Quilt

2011-04-25T11:19:00.007+02:00

This is going to be a very personal post again. I don´t even know yet, if it is not a bit to personal. But on the other hand I have the feeling, that it is the right thing to write about it.
When I first saw a Quilt with the Double Wedding Ring pattern, I loved it, an when I found out about the name of the pattern, I knew that I wanted to make one some day. And here is why:
I am a single women in my late thirties. I have been single most of my live. I didn´t choose this purposely. It just happened. Some difficult childhood, some heartbreaking, nothing special, I guess that is what happened to many of us. Some can handle this better, some worse.
I never was somebody who would say, "I am happy with beeing alone" or "I prefer to be alone". I was, and still am, sad about that, especially because I wanted to be a mother someday. As I am getting older the clock is ticking louder and this doesn´t help at all. I tend to feel ashamed of beeing single, because a part of me sees it as a failure not to "manage" to have a constant relationship. And this is why I think that it is important to write this post, because even if I feel ashamed, this women with all these feelings is still me. I deny this part of me so often, I play this tough girl role. I can come along with this better that way.
I´ve been going to the shrink for a long time and still do and I know that it helps me to get through trauma and to get along with live. But sometimes I think,"I have done so much, I tried a lot, I worked so hard, why is there no salvation finally".I am tired! I tried a lot of things from spiritual techniques over therapy to online dating...didn´t help...
But one thing I always had:
Imagination
I try to visualize all my goals, my wishes and my dreams. I ask for things. And it worked for me in the most ranges. I wished for jobs, for a particular appartement, my shop and I even visualized and got my vintage motorscooter in the exact colour I wanted. It worked for mostly everything, but not for love. Maybe it is because I want it so much, and I think about it often.
When I started to make the Double Wedding Ring Quilt and while I worked on it, I always visualized how I and the man of my heart would sleep under it, how we would cuddle under it. I can see this picture so clearly and this is the little rest of me who still believes that someday it will happen, there will be this one who I can love and who will love me back. I promise I will tell you when that happens, maybe sooner as we all think, because the Quilt wants to be used!
( Now you know why I am not going to make the "single girl" Quilt, allthough I quite like the pattern, I would always see it as a bad sign...Seems like I am a bit supersticious).
So this is my very personal story about this Double Wedding Ring Quilt.
Thanks for reading,
Miriam

Babyquilts

2011-04-16T15:54:00.004+02:00

This week was all about "Shop-Quilting". For my shop here in Berlin, where you can buy mainly fashion, but also some accessories and home accessories, I made some easy and cute babyquilts. For these I used a Sherbet Pips Jellyroll and a Hushabye Layer Cake. So nearly no cutting (except some binding, batting and backs), which made these quite easy to make.
I love these, and wished I was still a little, little one who would be wrapped up in one of these cosy blankets. And then take a deeeeep nap.
Well I am not, but my workday is finished soon, so I can go home and sit on my balcony in the sun, a good alternative I think...
Have a wonderful weekend!
Miriam

Life is a huge quilt!

2011-04-09T13:40:00.002+02:00

Ok after this one I will go back to lap quilts. I will make some cute pillows, some tablerunners and mug rug. At the moment its absolutely not funny to quilt this huge double wedding ring quilt. I HAVE NO FUN! But I know that when I am done I will love it. I know it. And this is why I really just do little pieces of quilting every day. I don´t want to be annoyed by this one. Because it means a lot to me... I will tell you something about it when its done.
So be prepared for another very personal blogpost...;-)

Bits and Pieces

2011-04-01T16:26:00.003+02:00

I had no special plan after finishing the last quilt. Just try things, find out what pattern to use for some American Jane fabric I collected in the last months.
Well and while I was looking at a old book about log cabin my mother gave me (it sat in a damp cardboard box for a while and looks awfull) I absolutely fell for it and thought about which fabric I could use for a classical log cabin block.
I chose a flutterby jelly roll and some yardage. I cut the jelly roll strip lengthwise and have some narrow strips of 1,25" now.The finished Bock is about 10". This is what I have so far.I love it. The plan is a nice Quilt for the couch, which would be 48 blocks. That sounds much, but is definetely possible, We will see how long that takes.

On sunday there is our second "Berlin Modern Quilt Guild" Meeting and I am so looking forward seeing the crafty crowd again. Who ever is near Berlin is invited to join us. Here you can find everything you might want to know.

Am Sonntag ist unser zweites "Modern Quilt Guild" Treffen hier in Berlin. Ich freu mich schon auf diese kreative Gruppe. Wer hier in der Nähe ist, ist herzlich eingeladen dazuzustoßen. Alles genauere findet Ihr hier.

The L-Quilt

2011-03-29T09:21:00.002+02:00

It is finally done. The binding took me ages. But now it is finished and I really like it and I know my friend down under is going to love it.
The funny thing is this quilt was not ment to be for him in the first place. I started it for another reason.Long story, are you ready?

I once had a very good friend(lets call her L.). We´ve been friends since we were 13 years old. We did everything together. I think we were best friends for nearly 20 years. When I moved from Munich to Berlin our friendship still held, but as it is we didn´t see each other very often anymore and also the telefonecalls became less often. But we still were good friends and we missed eachother, I think. Then three years ago L stopped calling. And as I was in stress because of opening my shop and becoming a self employed fashion designer, I didn´t call also. But then, after a while I began to worry and called her, I asked her if she was mad, and she said yes a little and that she will call me the next days and we would talk.
Well that never heppened. I tried to reach her the next weeks, she didn´t reply my messages and calls and after a while there came one email in which she told me she doesn´t want to hear from me anymore, never ever.
She never explained to me what had happened, what I did wrong. After that I went through all feelings: Absolute anger, total sadness, and I couldn´t understand, that after such a long time she wouldn´t give me an explanation.
I am sure that I also did things wrong, but I believe that we always have to talk about things, even if the friendship is over afterwards, but leaving me without any explanation was horrible.
In the last years I always had the same dream about her and I couln´t let go. When I talked about her, or I looked at the pictures from the time we travelled together, went out together or did home facial masks together, I had to cry, in fact I still have to.
And i could not find a way to let go.
Then I read the story of Jennifer
I had the idea that making a goodbye quilt could be a possibility to come over it.
I started to make a L-Quilt in january. I had two jelly rolls of fabric which i bought in Munich when I visited another good friend.
I sewed them together, hated it, ripped everything of again and was angry (like in reality). Some minutes i sat in front of my sewing machine and was crying, because I didn´t know what to do (like in reality). Then I found the postage stamp quiltalong and started to use my jelly rolls for that. It was a perfect symbol, for what our friendship had always been, little pieces of good times and bad times, laughter and tears, love and hate.
And I always thought about what would I do with the quilt, when I am done? I thought about going to munich, giving it to her, try to explain, send it without letting her know that it was from me, keeping it to remind me the good times we had... But nothing seemed right. And then one morning I just felt clear, there was no anger, no worries, no saidness anymore. Just one little sentence: I miss L.
But as I know i can not do anything about it anymore. But you know what? I didn´t dream about her for a longer time now.
And the quilt? When I saw what it would look like, I knew that my friend Paul in Australia would absolutely love it. He never met L he has nothing to do with her, he is far away. Well I see it as a sign, that with sending it to him, making somebody very happy, i can finally let go all the feelings I had over L an our friendship. Make my peace with it.
I really hope that this will last.
So this is the story about the L-Quilt.
Thanks for reading.

Proud

2011-03-21T14:11:00.003+01:00

Wow! For the first time one of my quilt is featured. Heather from Modern Day Quilts posted my Poem Quilt as todays "most awesome" quilt... Yeah. Here it is again:
Thanks Heather! Have a nice day!

Neptune Quilt

2011-03-17T09:07:00.005+01:00

I told you about the Neptune Honey Buns I purchsed a while ago. Here is what I made from it. I didn´t want to waist a single inch and so I made a string quilt (hardly inspired by this)
I quilted it with uneven lines and I really like the style of it, but not the making of straight lines, I prefer stippling. The back is just randomly pieced together, I nearly like the back as much as the front...
Unfortunately it is a little narrow, so it has a strange size. But I wanted it to be long enough to cover my feet, when I am snuggeling under it on the couch. I had to cut of a bit on the sides, as it was somehow wonky and I tried my best to even it. Well I really like how it looks, I added some teal, green, light brown, aqua and white to "stretch" the honey bun. Because I gave the second one a good friend who totally fell in love with it...
I have to say, I don´t like the honey buns. These narrow strips don´t show the fantastic fabrics enough and you don´t have so many possibilities to work with them (well I don´t know many...)
I really love my Neptune String Quilt.
Thanks for looking!

The best recipe for a bad mood...

2011-03-12T14:51:00.003+01:00

I had a tough time the last two weeks. I am sure everybody knows these times. There are things and circumstances which keep you in this mood and everyday is a struggle. I always try to find ways to let these feelings go and most of the time I can manage it. I think I am a quite positive person. But the last time I really had difficulties to stay positive. It already started in the morning. But two days ago I found the best recipe. I am not the very religious person, but a few weeks ago I started to sing in Berlins biggest Gospel Choir. And so I found out the other morning that the combination of quilting/patchworking and Gospelmusic (listening and singing) is the absolute salvation for me. I started feeling confident and positive again, I had the feeling that as long as I can create,sing and somehow believe, everything will be alright.It gave me strength! I am really grateful for that!

So, long talking, here is one thing I did for pimping my mood.Maybe I can call it the Good Mood Floor Pillow!

Next Project

2011-03-09T14:36:00.006+01:00

A few weeks ago I visited a fabric shop just around the corner of my own shop. The Lady at Offstoff sells mainly home decor fabrics, but a few designer patchworkfabrics aswell. I was thrilled, when I found some Tula Pinks Neptune inbetween. I talked a little bit to the lady and in an accessory sentence she said that she has some neptune honey buns in stock... I was totally exited and told her that I am going to buy them, no matter how many she has. There where two left, and because she already had them for quite a long time she made me a really good price.
I was so happy, and as I nearly finished one project yesterday, I am going to start a new one today, at least in my head.
This is what I am going to use:

I am really looking forward using "famous" Neptune...

Edit:
Sometimes the pictures I upload, turn as they want, I don´t know why and how to fix it. If anyone has an idea, I would really apreciate an advice!

One step further

2011-03-08T16:19:00.003+01:00

I have the feeling I didn´t finish something for ages. But today the postage stamp quilt was done finally. I really like how it turned out, allthough these are not my colours. I won´t keep it. A good friends birthday is in may and he is going to get it, as these are also some not to girly colours. For taking the picture I went out of my shop and pinned the top on the fence just behind the little soccer field. Luckily the kids of the neighbourhood were still at school, so didn´t need to explain myself...Well in the middle of a big city like Berlin it is not easy to find the right fotoshooting spot for a quilt...
Well, with the pickledish quilt I progress so I hope to finish this in about two weeks...
Just because I want to finish it before I start another one. And unfortunately there are so many ideas swimming around in my head.I help myself with making pillow covers and little stuff.
SSo this is it from here, have a nice day you all!

Berlin Modern Quilt Guild

2011-02-26T10:32:00.002+01:00

As there are at least four modern quilters here in Berlin, we founded the Berlin Modern Quilt Guild. The first meeting will be on the 6th of march. If anyone wants to join, hop over to the brand new blog and see all the details.
I am really looking forward starting this. It is always fun to sew and chat with other interested and interesting people.
So hopefully see you next sunday!

Da es also mindestens vier moderne Quilter in Berlin gibt, haben wir die Modern Quilt Guild gegründet. Unser erstes Treffen wird am 6. März stattfinden. Wenn jemand mitmachen möchte, dann schaut rein beim brandneuen Blog für alle Details. Ich freu mich schon sehr. Es ist immer schön mit anderen interessanten und interessierten Leuten zu nähen und zu quatschen.
Also, hoffentlich bis zum nächsten Sonntag!

I Create ergo I am

2011-02-21T10:34:00.003+01:00

I can´t help it. I always have to create something. It is not enough that I sew in my shop everyday.It is not enough that I sew one quilt after the other in my spare time. No, even when I sit back and watch some television I have to do smething creative. So I started to make another blanket. I crochet little flowery granny squares. These I also can make while sitting in the tube or waiting for the bus or, or, or...
I am somehow looking forward to the moment where I just sit somewhere and stare. Or I just close my eyes and listen to some music.
I am not sure if this behavier is healthy. But beautiful. I love my granny squares.Already 30 done, about 100 more to go...
So lets crochet.

I had a fight with a monster

2011-02-12T09:49:00.003+01:00

The last days I had a hard fight. There was this huge...thing...which was constantly wrapping itself around my sewing machine, my sewing table my lap and my shoulder. I nearly couldn´t handle it, but than finally, after two days with aching shoulders and sweat running down my back, about eight yards of binding and 6 episodes of "Private Practice" later, it is done! Now there is a huge smile on my face, and a huge QUILT on my bed, and I am really proud. I can tell.
It is definetely not perfect, I try not to take closer looks, but I SO love it!
And I also made three pillows to match with it. It is 10 am at the moment but I would love to crawl under my new quilt, lay my head on one of the pillow and stay in bed all day.
BUT: the sun is shining, work is calling and so I have to wait until tonight, when I will be really tired and so happy to sleep under this one.
And all this beauty (sorry, you see I am really extremely in love) is made from just one Tula Pink "Plume" layer cake, some grey cotton and a little bit Plume Yardage for the binding.

Do you guys also get so euphoric, when you finish a piece which you really love?

Better late then never...

2011-02-04T14:19:00.003+01:00

I finally started the "Postage Stamp Quiltalong". But I made it a little different. I didn´t want to buy some new fabrics, so I took the things I had, which were two wordplay handcut jelly rolls and one Robert Kaufmann jelly roll from different colours (i don´t remember the exact name...)So this will have a very scrappy look. I somehow tried to sort the colourgroups together which didn´t work out exactely, but I think as soon as I start to assemble the blocks and later the rows and then the whole quilt it will look just fine. Its a good feeling for me to use the stuff I already have and to see, that I just didn´t buy it to look at it. I already know whom I giving this quilt when its done, but this is another story....
Take care and have a nice day!
Miriam

Inspiration

2011-02-02T13:51:00.003+01:00

I don´t remember if I already told you that I am a fashion designer with an own shop, where I sew the clothes I sell. If not, now you know it;-)
I would like to show you how patchwork inspired my daily work recently:
Do you remember this mug rug?
Last week I needed an idea for a nice longsleeved shirt. I had this blue/white/red striped knit fabric, which somehow reminded me of sailing on a sailboat in wonderful sunny weather. And "klick" the sailboat mug rug popped back into my mind. This is what I made, I quite like it. Now the sun has to come out and I can see this shirt clearly be worn by some happy people around here.
Also the denim skirt was somehow inspired by patchwork, do you see the applique stripes? It is so much fun to see, that patchwork and quilting is not just for the fun for me, but also a good inspiration for my work, which I really need desperately sometimes! It is hard always to come up with some fancy ideas for my fashion. I can´t be creative all the time, particulary when I am exhausted...
Good to know that I found another source. So I will have a good excuse for browsing flickr for hours...? Damned;;-)

A Design Wall and a Party

2011-01-27T22:13:00.005+01:00

I have a design wall now, I love it. With it I can see what my pickledish will look like when it is ready.
I would love to go on sewing, but I am waiting for my Kona snow ( it takes ages to ship from the US, I really have to find a shop where I can get Kona cotton for a reasonable price in Germany, any suggestions?)
Well, while I am waiting, I plan on a party on saturday. I didn´t throw a party (at home)for seven years and decided that it was about time. It is going to be a seventies party. I already bought a teal, glittery Partydress at the thriftstore, planned on some terrible seventyish food (cold platters with eggs, tinaspargarous wrapped in ham and mayonaise etc), drinks in funny colours, groovy seventies music and so on. I guess it is going to be a blast!
Maybe there will be a foto in the next post what we looked like...
Until then,
a nice weekend for you all,
Miriam

Tiny packages...

2011-01-20T15:19:00.008+01:00

I have to say, when I met Julia last Sunday and she told me, that she irons her scraps, I had a little inner smile and asked myself if this is really necessary....
But I can say now: it is!! If I ever want to use my scraps again.
Maybe not really necessary but totally helpful and even inspiring.

I felt a little bored an hour ago and was wondering what to do, so I grabbed my two scrap bags and started ironing...
Then I sorted them after colours. Well the next step would be to sort them after the size... but here I stopped. Enough alignment...
Now I have these tiny, tiny little packages and if there were´nt this, this and this project on which I am working currently, I would start a scrapbuster project. I could make another mug rug in this style for example
or some scrappy pillow covers or some cute pincushions.
Oh, so many possibilities and so less time...
What are you guys working on at the moment?

Addiction!

2011-01-13T17:43:00.004+01:00

...ok,
I have to confess:
These wonderful fabrics out there make me sick. Sure not the fabric itself,no it is my willing to have them. And I have to say I AM WEAK! In the last months since I started quilting, reading these always inspiring blogs and browsing around on flickr I got more and more addicted. Sure I could blame these blogs, the newsletters of the quiltshops, flickr or the wonderful fabrics itself, but infact I am the only one to blame. As I said: I am weak!
Ok, there are some more little parcels with fabric to come, but I really have to try to stop this, I would like to go for a summerholiday to Ireland in Juli, and I HAVE TO safe some money for this.
Why am I writing this? I am sure you all know this problem. I hope that now, that I wrote this and all of you know that I should go to the AF (Anonymous Fabricbyers) meeting regularely, I will stand the holy cuteness allover blog-,shop-,flickr-land.
There is also a funny group on flickr which I found recently.
But because a blogpost without a photo is not a good post, here is the finished quilt I made out of leftover fabric of this one
It is not my favorite quilt, but I know that a friend of mine will be very happy with it...
I am still working on my pickledish quilt, I have 50 arches more to go...
And I started a very cut project with some Tula Pink Plume. I already love this one...Pictures coming later.
This is it for today.
I wish everybody a wonderful day. (How about inventing the NO FABRIC THURSDAY?)
Miriam

Hi There...

2011-01-06T13:50:00.004+01:00

Lollypop Quilt Front
Originally uploaded by berlinquilter

... and a happy new year to you all.
I finished another quilt yesterday. I call it the Lollypop Quilt because it reminds of some sweet lollies from my childhood.
I used one (!) charmpack of punctution and I was really surprised that I could make a really cool quilt out of just one little charmpack. Ok, I had to add something else (some Kona, one yard of another punctuation fabric...) for the back.

But for the main pattern the charmpack was enough.
Today is my last day off, and after I finished this post, I will run into my studio and stipple another quilt in progress. Then there is just the pickledish quilt left to do and this really gives me a better feeling (especially when I start a new one). Over the last two weeks some awesome fabrics arrived and I can´t wait to start some other projects.
This is it for now, I hope you all have had a fantastic start of the new year!
Miriam

Christmas

2010-12-23T13:42:00.003+01:00

I finally finished my current work and now I can start to relax...
And I am already working on a new quilt.
Since I discovered some very old vintage quilts on ebay made from feedsack fabric in the double wedding ring pattern, I wanted to make one by my own. As I found it quite hard to get feedsack fabric for a reasonable price, I found the 30ies Reproduction prints and knew that these were the ones I needed.
The Pickledish Quiltalong from Aneela is the perfect possibility for me to start with this project, because of the wonderful and easy description from her.
I already made the first arches and can´t wait to finish the whole quilt. My plan is to combine it with snow white Kona cotton.
Oh I already can see the Quilt lying on my bed...
OK I guess this will be the last post for this year.
After Christmas I am off to the mountains. I will say hello again next year.
A wonderful Christmas for you and a happy new year.
Miriam

Another one done...

2010-12-16T18:14:00.001+01:00

I am sooo happy that this one is done. I worked on it for a while, and it took ages, also because there was so much "real" work to do, that there was so little time for the good things.
Tommorrow I am going to Stuttgart for the weekend to visit my sister and for a Christmas Craft Fair.This is why I really had to finish the Quilt so I can give it to my sister when I am there.

And this is also the reason for the bad photos. I took them this morning when the sun wasn´t totally up just before i wrapped the Quilt in Wrapping Paper.
I slowly start a new project the Pickledish Quiltalong with Aneela Hoey.
For this I ordered a Fat Quarter Bundle of thirties reproduction prints. This will be a very traditional looking Quilt. But more about this another time...
See You,
Miriam

Mums Quilt

2010-12-06T12:15:00.004+01:00

I finally finished my mums quilt for Christmas. The first where I did a little handquilting also, which took ages, as the most of you might know.
But I am quite happy with how it turned out. I would definitely not choose these fabrics and colours for a quilt for me, but I know (hope) that she will like it.
Now I have to finish the That Girl That Quiltalong Quilt for my sister, and as christmas rushing towards us, I have to hurry!!!
Two more "Craft-Design-Market-Weekends" till Christmas and I must say there is nearly no energy left inside my brain and body...
I am so looking forward to go on my skiing holidays from the 25th of december. The austrian mountains are waiting for me... can´t wait either, I didn´t go skiing for ten years, i hope I still can come down the mountains....;-)
I hope you guys have a little calmer christmas time and enjoy some hot drinks on some funky mug rugs...
Have a very nice christmas time!
Miriam

I caught up finally!

2010-11-20T12:24:00.002+01:00

I was behind in the Quiltalong...
And I don´t like being behind, I have to say. I developed this manner with getting older. In school I didn´t care if I was behind. But my teacher and my parents cared. Now I am here, have a proper job and a good life, so somehow I made it.
And now that nobody pushes me I don´t want to be behind anymore. Strange. But whatever, now I caught up.
Here Is my finished quilttop. Maybe I will ad a white sashing at the top and bottom to make it long enough to cover my sisters feed. It is going to be a christmas gift for her.(Just to inform you, nearly nobody knows about this blog, so I think she won´t see this before christmas eve...I hope.)
So this is it. I call it the Bonbon Box Quilt because the colours and the pattern remind me of a box of sweet, colourful lollies.
I wish you a wonderful weekend,
Yours Miriam

I am back...

2010-11-18T21:37:00.004+01:00

...since last week, but there is so much to do that I had nearly no time for blogging or quilting. But here is a little bit for you.
I am taking part in the "Scrappy Mug Rug Swap"
and this is my Mug Rug for the secret Swap Partner.

I couldn´t stop adding little details like the spiders, but then thought that my partner might want to put her mug on the rug and it would be a shame to put it on a little bird or leaf or whatever I had in mind.
Have a nice day!

I am heading to...

2010-10-31T15:30:00.003+01:00

...Munich tomorrow for a work trip. Because of that I was a bit fast and started sewing some test blocks for the Quiltalong. I love the blocks and would love to go on, but unfortunately it is not possible to take the sewing mashine with me... on the plane...?
Well looks like if I won´t sew anything the next two weeks, as I am addicted to my sewing mashine and my fabrics and patchwork etc this will be a tough time for me. But there is enough other work I suppose, that I won´t miss it to much...Maybe...
Have a nice week, folks,
Miriam

A new Quilt...

2010-10-27T22:03:00.003+02:00

...till christmas.With this Quiltalong I will make the Quilt for my sister. These are the fabrics I have chosen for it:
I can´t wait to start a new project (allthough there are waiting three Quilttops to be quilted...)

Here is what...

2010-10-23T10:56:00.004+02:00

... wanted to become a "quilt as you go quiltalong quilt" (hosted by heather some time ago).
I was not patient enough, and somehow I didn´t get the method of piecing the whole thing together in the end. So I decided to make a normal wonky log cabin quilt out of the blocks I already had started.
I call it the "Dolce Vita Quilt" because of the little houses printed on the backfabric (a vintage douvet cover from the seventies) and the red/white striped binding which reminds me of Venice and the funny gondolas...

Relax! or "Entspann Dich!"

2010-10-20T21:21:00.006+02:00

Today I made some "sort of" wonky log cabin eye relax cushions. They are filled with flaxseed and lavender. I love them!
I just made seven but I think they make wonderful little chritmas gifts, so I will make a lot more, this is a perfect possibility to use my scraps.
On the back (unfortunately I forgot to fotograph it) I embroidered "relax" (in german: "Entspann Dich").

What I like about quilting

2010-10-15T17:53:00.003+02:00

I am a perfectionist. In so many things. As a self employed fashion designer and shopowner there are so many things I have to have my controlling hands on.
And here is what I noticed after the few quilts I made: I like to be unperfect. With the last quilttop I just did what was neccessary. I had no pattern and just added something here and if there was too much fabric here, I cut it away and so on. In fact I like this spontanious habit about it. I am sure not many like doing the patchwork this loose, but for me it is an example how I could ad some unperctionism in my normal life.
So here see my unperfect wonky log cabin quilt top waiting to be quilted after two others...

Blog Difficulties

2010-10-11T15:32:00.006+02:00

I just started this blog. I already have another one about my shop and my work as a fashion designer, but I have to say I never gave much about the designing of the blog because I am not very good with computer stuff. Now I spent about two hours to find a way to upload a nice photo of one of my favorite quilts for the header and it didn´t work. For now it is enough! Why shouldn´t I use these cute backrounds and possibilities blogger offers?

So better lets talk about quilting:
As a quilting beginner I want to try a few patterns which interest me and hopefully later make some patterns and figure new things out. But until then I can show you the quilts I made and I am really happy with.
I finished the binding of this "dissapearing ninepatch block" quilt while I was working on a community/art market yesterday.

It will be a gift for my nephews birthday in three weeks. He is turning 8 and I really hope that he won´t think that he is too old for a "blanket".
Anyways - I love it. I used some "wheels" fabric from Riley Blake.
The back is made from an Ikea cotton which I had on my stash for years.

I quilted it with wavy lines and I really like how it came out.

This is it for today,
it is grey in Berlin Germany, but I send you a sunny salute,
Miriam

Dresden is not far away

2010-10-07T17:15:00.003+02:00

As the name of this blog tells you, I live in Berlin, Germany.
I love this vibrant city, there are new things happening every day. People are open minded and creative. But unfortunately the quilting tradition didn´t grow big in Germany and when I tell my friends, I make quilts now, they are a little confused at first, because "Patchwork" has a quite oldfashioned mosty odour in the imagination of people. But when I show them the "blankets" they really like them. I am so new to quilting and I am fascinated everyday about the possibilities it gives and the wonderful artwork you can do with fabric.
I also love the traditional patterns like "the double wedding ring" or the "dresden" Pattern. When I noticed that there is a special tool for cutting the dresden wedges I had to have it. And this is what I am doing now. I am working on a quilt for my mother made from the fabrics she gave me, definetly not my style,) but they really suit to my parents home and style. I thinks with a little modern twist it will become a cute warm and cosy quilt, as a thank you for her giving me the tools...
Here is where I am so far. Cutting all wedges for five dresden plates, chainsew some little "prayer flags" and already finished two.
Stay tuned to see how I am doing the new dresden quilt.

Miriam

P.S. Did I tell you that Dresden is about two hours away from Berlin? And maybe somebody can tell me why this pattern is called Dresden?

Welcome!

2010-10-06T23:39:00.004+02:00

In the summer holidays I visited my mum in Spain. After a few days she gave me a rotary cutter, a cutting mat, a quilting ruler and some fabrics. Ten years old but never used. She had thought quilting could become her passion. But it didn´t. It became mine!
I made a little baby quilt for a friend and instantly I was hooked.
Now 9 quilts later I start this blog.
I hope you enjoy!
Welcome!
Miriam