In tougher times we know the true friends

A couple of weeks ago I commented with a blogger friend that I was going through difficult times and I couldn't buy fabric for my quilting. She immediately and most generously volunteered herself to send me some of her fabrics. And today I received  the most wonderful present

   Sue Belleli is an Australian quilter that I've only "met" through  Quilt Blocks Swap Australia, a swap group she founded. She is a wonderful person with a great heart. Even though she never met me, and probably never will, Australia and Portugal are so far away, she didn't hesitated and came to the rescue.

I received a real rainbow of wonderful fabrics. I will treasure them as if they were gold for they represent one of the most important things in life: FRIENDSHIP. I can never thank you enough for your king gesture. You always be in my heart, Sue. Thank you very much!!!



ROSE STAR BLOCK PARTY

Last Friday I entered FNSI and began a rose star, It's English paper piecing and I finished my first one today

Tuesday Treasures

Today I decided to  join the lovely Melody, at The house on the side of the Hill, for more Tueday Treasures. I'm going to share with you my greatest treasure - MY FAMILY!!!

 
     My daughter Catarina when she was about one year old and my son José only six months old.
     They were so cute!!

They both loved to swim in the pool, this photo was taken on the Summer vacation ( a couple of years ago). We had great fun the three of us, I too love to swim.

Here we are in Paris, in a Bateaux Mouche. This photo was taken two years ago on our 20th aniversary. We went to Disneyland Paris and chose this day to visit the city.

I hope you enjoy meeting my family.They are my most valuable treasure.

Look how much he has grown

Our dog Blackie will be 7 months old next Wednesday. He has been with us for only 5 months and we can't live without him anymore.

He has grown a bit since my last post about him and he loves to sit in the sun.

Sometimes he even takes a little nap

  He just loves his red coat

A Sunday's work

Today was a lovely Winter morning, cold but sunny and not a cloud in the blue sky. I got to make all my chores before lunch and in the afternoon I sneaked into my sewing space. The sun shined through the windows and it was warm and cozy with lots if light.

I sewed away until got dark, when I'm sewing my mind flews away from all those bad thoughts about the facts of life. It's like I enter another dimension.
O.K. enough of small talk. Let me show you what I did...

I finished something that is going to be a gift for a dear friend, so I can't show you much or I'd spoil the surprise. I still have to do the quilting and  the biding. I think I might hand quilt it.

 I began this block from Annie Downs book Some Kind of Wonderful. I'm not doing the sew along but I intend to make many blocks and other projects. I love that book.

My First 2012 FNSI

I had planned to finish my Bargello table runner but Katie had some technical issue with her blog and the part 3 of the Bargello Quilt along had to be delayed. No worries, there is always my faithful EPP ( English paper piecing) to turn to.

After sewing millions ( well hundreds ) of hexies I decided to try something new.

Firstly I made a star using diamonds

Then....another star

I finished my FNSI with a beautiful but challenging block ( which I didn't finish, but I will)

The pieces are tiny and hard to baste bur the final result will be awesome ( I think)

 I'll post a photo as soon as I get it done.

A Great Day

I'm so happy I could dance. Some of you know that I've been in economic difficulties and buying fabric was almost out of the question but today I received the most wonderful news. Fat Quarter Shop is now sponsoring my blog. Isn't that great. I love Fat quarter shop and now I can keep on with my quilting.

THANK YOU Fat Quarter Shop!!!

November QBSA blocks from Lyndell

Today the mail man brought me a package with two beautiful blocks.

Lyndell was kind enough to buy retro fabrics specially for me. Not only did she make two beautiful blocks but she also sent me the leftover fabric.

She must have guessed I'm on a very, very strict fabric diet ( due to money shortage).

THANKS LYNDELL!!!

Pincushion Parade

I just love pincushions. I have a small collection of them and it's growing day after day. So, I decided to join Beth at Love, laugh, quilt and show you some of my pincushions.
Sorry about the poor quality of the photos ( it's the photographer's fault.... ME!!!).

Bargello Quilt-Along Part II

I'm so HAPPY. I spent all week waiting for Friday to see what Katie had posted about the Bargello Quilt-Along.

I followed her great instructions very carefully and cut my tubes and unpicked the strips

I assembled all the strips to make sure the design was right

The strips are overlapping but the design is perfectly visible.

 To be pretty sure, I tried the design on the floor

Then I began sewing the strips very carefully trying not to make a mistake and...Wow!!!

     

     I made my first Bargello, I can't believe how easy it was. Thanks Katie for all your help and clear instructions.

Now I have to wait until Friday again to finish my wonderful table runner. In these difficult times I'm going trough, quilting is my therapy. Today it was almost like someone above was helping me, the seams nested perfectly, I didn't make any mistake and the corners matched so well. Maybe it's a sign that things might get better. I really hope it is.

To Keep me warm

It's been very cold this year and I needed something to keep me warm during the cold Winter nights. What better than a warm crochet afghan.

Bargello Quilt Along -Part 1

Katie at Katie's Quilting Corner is hosting the most fantastic Quilt-Along

We will be making a set of place mats or a tablerunner. I've never used the Bargello technique so I'm quite excited to see the final results.

My strips are all sewn together and I just hope I got the color scheme right

I will be making the table runner so I've already made my two tubes. Now I have to wait until next week  ( January 13th) to see what comes next. I can hardly wait!

2011 Birdie Stitches BOM

  The twelve blocks are ready. now I have to decide on the sashing. what color should I use?

First New Year's Resolution

This morning, after a comforting breakfast I made my first New Year's resolution: The queen size quilt top I made last Summer had to be finished. No, I didn't finish it but I got it sandwiched and ready to be quilted.

I've been postponing this for quite a while for I hate to sandwich quilts but what better way to start 2012 but with this sense of achievement. I think I'm going to be able to get over all the obstacles I might face during this year. If I got this done I can do most everything.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!