Cathedral Windows

I love Cathedral windows and this is my second project using them. Today I will show you just a few pics for I'm preparing a little tutorial. Many people may think it's very difficult but it isn't. It just needs a bit of time and patience.

It's almost like Origami .

     

I'm slowly coming back

Here are some of my last projects.

 This is a needle case. It was a kit that my friend Celia offered me when she came to Portugal last Summer.

It's all wool and I loved making it. The button was also an old gift from her, I was keeping  it to use in a special project and this couldn't be a better occasion.

My September swap blocks are also ready. This time I was asked to make Log Cabin blocks ( one of my favorites ). My partner requested green and blue ones

Finally I've been working a little on my Kim Diehl's project

Well two projects actually as I mixed two of her patterns into one project only ( I seem to be doing that a lot, in my sewing and in my kitchen too).

A little sewing...at last.

This Summer has been a hot one and during my vacations I didn't sew anything. It was like my mojo went on holiday too.
This week I finally got something done,

I worked a little on the  Kim Diehl's block. I've done mostly hand sewing for my sewing corner seems like a hot oven these days and it's impossible to sew there. In my living room I turn the air conditioning and I'm able to work for a while.

I've also started a little wool needle case. It's a kit from Quilted Crow Girls Designs that was offered to me by my friend Celia when she came to Portugal last month.

                                                                Hugs,

                                  

FLABBERGASTED!

Today I had one of the most amazing surprises. Deb from  Frog Cottage Designs visited my blog sometime ago and saw some of the "Kim Diehl " projects I made and how | like her work and fabric.
She sent me the most amazing e-mail, she asked if I wanted some of her Kim Diehl's fabric and she would sent it to me. Can you believe such generosity.
Well the mail arrived this morning and I was absolutely speechless when I opened it. She sent me some gorgeous Kim reproduction fabrics , some wonderful patterns and a lovely kit. She also has a web site with some great stuff to us quilters. Be sure to make her a visit
       

frogcottagedesigns.com

Now delight yourselves with the great gifts I got. Ain't I a lucky girl ? I can't wait to start a new project using these awesome fabrics!

                            Thank you very much, my dear friend Deb 

I've been missing but I'm back!

First I have to warn  you my dear friends that this will be a long and heavy photo post

It's been more than a month since my last post but I've been really busy.
First it was my daughter's Graduation. She is now officially a Certified Nurse. It was a beautiful ceremony, it seems that it was only yesterday that she was just a little girl.

                                              Catarina between her PROUD Mom and Dad

                                                     Catarina after receiving her diploma

                                               My daughter and a couple of good friends of hers

After the Graduation I have a small vacation with all the family ( that mens the four of us)
We went to Algarve, to a place we love and have been going there for almost 15 years.

                                                            Walking  in Monte Gordo
                                               

                                               And my favorite place ... The pool

 We stayed only a week but it was great, I relaxed by the pool, got some sun and forgot all the problems of our daily lives.

My great friend Célia came to Portugal again. It was her brother's birthday and she came to celebrate with the family. She lives in Australia, her brother in South Africa and their mother lives in Portugal.
Of course we didn't miss the chance to meet again.
She came to my house and we had the most wonderful time. I got spoiled by Célia for she brought me so many fabulous gifts. She is a really generous and kind person.

                               
                                    Me, Célia and Blackie in my livving room

                                              Posing in front of one of my quilts

I think I'll stop right here. I've done a little sewing lately but I will show it in a another post.

                                                                        HUGS,

Just a little something

It's going to be a pillow

More swap blocks

They are made and already posted. These are the blocks I've made for Carolyn, in Australia. I just hope she likes them.

She asked for any block in bright colors

A nice surprise

Even though I post more or less once a week I don't receive many comments so I don't really know if many people visit or enjoy my blog.
Today I received a comment from a spanish blogger, her name's Susana and the surprise was that even though I never visited her blog she knew mine and also gave this award - The Liebster Award

It was a very nice surprise. It seems that this award is given to blogs that have less than 200 followers and now I have to follow some rules. Firstly I will have to tell you seven things about me

1 - I love my family

2 - I love quilting

3 - I love fabric

4 - I love to cook

5 - I'm a teacher and love teaching 

6- I love  going to the beach in the Summer

7- I love chocolate

And then I have to award more 15 blogs that have less than 200 followers as well as leave a comment on their last post to tell them they have been awarded.

 Quilting by Celia

BillieBee's Blog

Quilting is my down Time

Tea Fabric and other things

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting

Atelier-Arte

Charllote's Web

By Daisy

Cristurices

Kraftier

Bloglovin, here I come

I don't know if I'm doing this right, I'm not very good with computer stuff.
I'm claiming my blog with bloglovin, I just hope it works

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4016918/?claim=cyhqjduq6fr">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

What I've been doing

Just finished the " Short and Sweet" runner, a pattern from Kim Diehl. I used felt leaves on the border and blanket stitched them with DMC embroidery thread.

 I like having more than a project going, usually I have a machine pieced project and a hand sewn one

 My mini quilt/ table topper is almost done. This past week-end I joined all the blocks I had previously made, now it needs a border and some quilting

Can you please vote for my quilt?

I've entered a quilt in this week's  "Quilters' Show & Tell" from Quilting Gallery

It's a pieced and embroidery Christmas quilt that I've made two years ago. I call it "Merry Little Xmas" and the pattern is a free BOM from Gail Pan

 If you would like to vote for my quilt just click HERE. Thank you so much, I really appreciate your help.

                                                                         HUGS,

Two small finishes

A little table runner, the pattern is Anni Downs' from her book " Some kind of Wonderful ". The runner is pieced and appliqued, I love projects that use both techniques

The second is a small pincushion that I've made using my favorite block : Log Cabin

Swap Blocks

This month my partner  at the 6 Inch block swap was Brenda from Ohio, she sent me three gorgeous Log Cabin blocks. She also gave me a history lesson that I loved, she made me a yellow centered log cabin. That block  was used in the civil war times to help the running slaves find safe houses to stay in during the escape to the North.
Thank you so much Brenda!

Brenda requested any block using 1930's reproduction fabrics. This is what I sent her

Look what I got

My family is the best. I love Kim Diehl', work and I've been wanting one of her books for quite sometime, I was even saving the money to buy it but my family gave me this as a late Mother's Day present

I'm thrilled and I just began a project from the book

This is just the center block. Now I'm off to do the appliqué, I'm sewing everything by hand not machine.

 I found these lovely wooden buttons in a Chinese shop nearby, they are gorgeous and were incredibly cheap, couldn't resist.

Some felt key rings

My daughter is studying to be a nurse, in fact she is almost finished and will have her graduation next month.
She asked me if I could make some little gifts to offer some of her colleagues. I came up with this idea of making monogram key rings. Each key ring has the letter of the first name in yellow felt. I added some beads for color.