Fabric Box...eZZZZ

I've been waiting for that moment for such a long time now... The boxes itself are very special thing for me - a way to get everything in place, a way to put order... Well, order with my kids is still imaginary word, but I've got a friend that wanted me to make her three boxes and...that's all I needed to start:) They turned out pretty well and she said that they were liked (sewn for a present to her friend's mom:)) And... they were such a fun. I would love to make some more:)

The M. Quilt

Whell, here's the longest waited quilt I've ever made. It took me two months to choose the design and match it with the sentence, required by its future owner... \i really hope the end result was worth the waiting:) I only have a decent picture of the unquilted quilt, but I am definitely satisfied by the end result...

Patchwork BG in pictures:)

I hope you remember the story of the beginning of the Bulgarian Patchwork guild - Patchwork BG. Well, we had the luck to have our lovely American quilter with us - Kathryn who took pictures. And here they are for you to enjoy...















And of course the coffee celebration after the well done work and... a lovely discussion what shall we do next:)

Books and book covers:)

I have a friend that is opening a pretty gift shop soon. I have been working with her on several projects recently, but one of them I find extremely funny. That is the book cover project. I've been wanting to try that for a long time now and I really hope I will manage to make pretty covers for pretty books one day:)

Patchwork BG!

My quilting history starts in 2007. I accidentally stuck upon a patchwork magazine and very soon after that I received an ugly, but warm batted blanket from my mother. I was in my home town then with my newborn first daughter. By the time I came to Sofia I had decided how I shall improve the ugly blanket and... I did it. It took me this little to get hooked to quilting:) Here is my first patchwork and some of my other creations. When I showed it to two of my colleagues for my great surprise they appreciated it. They were so supportive and explained me that what I did was worth. I'm a social animal - I always look for second, third and more opinions, so what they did to me than I shall never forget... Thanx Tea and Petya!
That was a brief history of my start with quilting - how did I get here:)
We started early today:)
But the story actually starts this June. As I have probably mentioned I was on an incredible workshop then. I met a great friend there - my fellow quilter - the girl that supports me and I try to support her in our quilting efforts. I also had the chance to see real quilting in action, in exhibition and... had the chance to meet a lovely, lovely quilter from Hungary - Anna Dolany. I'll never forget her words on the second day when the workshop was over and we were preparing to leave... "You really need to register an organization if you want to connect with other quilds"... The other thing I will never forget was Tea (my quilting fellow's look) and the words "I'm starting the documentation gathering are you with me?". Now, half an year after that we made it to the courthouse - our patchwork guild - Patchwork BG - the first and only one in our country is registered on 11.11.10. The feeling is awesome... For the three years that we run a theme in a Bulgarian forum we have inspired and "infected" so many people with the patch virus and we have created so many beautiful things, but I have never felt like this before. Like...being a part of something huge that accepts no boundaries, that is pure beauty and certifies the achievements of human skills. We have a Patchwork BG group in facebook as well where the ideas are written and discussed, we found three Bulgarian ladies that actually make quilts for 20 or more years and will be able to benefit from their experience. And all that we did together... We started 4 or 5 people and our group is over 20 now:) This guild will allow us to enter the quilter's world, which (from what I've seen so far) is not an ordinary one. I really do believe that quilters are a "tribe" that is a lot better:)
Well, I told you where it started - with Anna Dolany and today - at the end of the process we had another great quilter with us - an American one - to support us and to document everything. She came from nowhere to show us the unlimited possibilities... she came to guide us further, as we had reached the maximum that can be learned only by watching quilting videos on youtube or reading the online information. Thanx, Kathryn, thank you so much that you found me... and that you are such a lovely person... You know what, I think they're gonna remember us in the courthouse - we were the only people there laughing and having great conversations instead of letting the bureaucracy ruin our mood. And...thanx for the time you spent for telling us how a real guild works... and not only that... thank you for your existence...

I'm sorry if I may sound profound to you but this really is a huge step for us. Bulgaria is undiscovered quilting market - every single tool or a book that I have I have ordered on ebay. Now, few years after I started quilting the situation is changing slowly. I hope fabric dealers will soon realize the need for at least a few decent patchwork prints and we'll be able to import some magazines... My dream is to have enough budget to invite guest lecturers and make a library...And above all I dream that one day people will understand me when I answer the question "what do you do" with "I'm a quilter:)"


So please, have a bite from my celebration fruit salad:)

Multifunctional Advent Calender

This year I was planning to make my daughters an advent gift calendar from paper. I would love to make my kids glad and expecting Christmas though I did not fancy the idea of having so much paper wasted. That is why I came up with this sachets. Each one can be tightened to a rope or somewhere in the house where all 24 can stay together. At the same time I thought it also would be nice if they are fastened all over around the house, so kids can look for them and find a different one each day:) The best part is, that they can be folded together with the Christmas decoration, so you don't need to buy another one next year. And even more - filled with lavender or other nice scented herbs they can decorate and healthy (much better to use such scents than the artificial ones)scent your house all year round:)
(Already in my Etsy store):)

Vanessa and Martin's Quilts

Before leaving to London and after that I've been working on two quilts for a sweet girl and her brother - both same age as Eva and Iva... It was so exciting, cause I wanted them to be alike and at the same time significant on their own. It turned out just fine... I even used the fabrics we bought in Cardif - my first REAL quilting fabrics... You can't find such here, you simply cannot... I enjoyed the process so much - the kids that are going to use them are so sweet and the mother is so relaxed and pleasing customer... Maybe that is why they turned so fine:)

The Perfect Gift

I'm not a gift person... I mean I love, adore making gifts but from those that I am sure that they are necessary, long craved and will be used... Otherwise the very idea of "buying SOMETHING NICE" horrifies me. I always mess up things and choose the worst possible one (I'm Libra - I can't take decisions:))) I think I'm even worse with receiving gifts - something like I don't know what I want, but I want it now... Some years ago I even had a friend that is now ignored and forgotten due to the "present" subject. She was so occupied with what people give her for Christmas and how much the gift costs, or what trade mark it is that I got so worried what to give her and completely neglected choosing presents for my dearest loved ones - she was satisfied with her present from me, but it was the last thing I gave her... We have a family rule - my husband chooses the presents (he covers me thoroughly on the gift matter)
However this year is a huge change for me. I managed to organize a surprise party for my husband's 30th birthday (pregnant in the 9th month) - no one believed that he was really surprised as I can never keep something secret from him for more than 10-15 minutes.
For a first time in my life I made a present that I was in no doubts about and... was liked... My best friend turned 30 this June (just like me) and I gave him a picture of us with the date 16.07.1996:)) on which he was with a t-shirt which was a present from us for his 16th birthday... and made him the very same t-shirt for his 30th as well:)
I had no "present" expectations for my 30th birthday. I was extremely glad that I got the chance to be in London at that time - a town that I've dreamed about half of my life... But it turned out even better... I got that lovely thing early in the morning on October 11th:):)

It made my lovely bigger daughter repeat all day long with a sweet mocking voice "Look who's 30, look who's 30" I wore it all day long and all through London (we made a looong tour that day) and everybody looked smiling at me:) Then I got the best sunset EVER (I am crazy about sunrises and sunsets) Here it is...



The only museum we managed to visit there was the British History Museum (Don't get it wrong - it turned out that there's NOTHING "British" in it...but there was a lot of history anyway:)) I found one thing there that I liked a lot

For my great surprise that was not all... When we came home a very dear friend of mine had prepared a surprise for me - she knitted a nice scarf and a phone case, but the biggest surprise was a small pouch containing 30 buttons. All different an all gathered and chosen and one even made especially for me - with great attention and love. I melted... It was such a nice feeling...

The finishing surprise came from my best-girl-friend who also turned 30 this year:) She came one day after work with the words "When I saw it I thought of you" and gave me that...

I will not comment that "coincidence"... It was just hard to believe:)
So... as a man that believes in destiny and faith and all nice and good things I can definitely say that it is a good sign and I hope I'll follow the wonderful lead and manage to make more people glad with what I create:) Wish me luck!

My quilting machines experience so far... Brother CS 8060, Pfaff Quilt Expression :)

It has been three months since I decided to bet on Pfaff Quilt Expression 4. The choosing process was long and hard as almost all choices I have had in my life so far, but that's just in order - I'm Libra above all...
So here's my machine story.
I have had the Brother Innov-Is 8060 for 5 years now.

Some of its decorative stitches didn't work well - they have never worked well, but I thought it was me who couldn't set it to function properly. So I decided to get a technician to fix them and guess my surprise when I found out that the problem was not me, but the machine. As it was out of warranty I decided to go to the service to ask for help. They said that it'll take a loooot of time to fix it. I mentioned that I've been meaning to try embroidery and really, really, really would love a machine with a bit longer arm than my innov-is, so they offered me the 9000 something:) I started looking for reviews about it and stuck upon one really helpful site I read a lot and decided to write a review about my Brother. By weighing the pros and cons of that machine I found out that the things I don't like about it highly exceed the things I like, so I started thinking whether it would be a good idea investing in another Brother... At the same time I bought a Husqvarna for my mother - a used one and fell in love with it. I couldn't leave it for a whole month, but even that I liked it a lot I knew this wasn't my machine either. I spent many, many days and nights reading reviews and calculating costs and finally decided I won't take the embroidery and sewing Brother, but will choose a separate machine for both actions. I had a great luck with the embroidery part - a used, perfectly functioning Janome 200E. As I live in Bulgaria we cannot count on ebay to buy and sell heavy machines, so it was a great luck. It's perfect for my humble embroidery needs:) It works alone and I'm very, very happy that I chose the separate functions alternative.



For a quilting machine... after a looot of additional thinking and reading I decided to buy the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0. As it has a large arm and the word "quilt" in its very name I had never expected what am I "investing" in(I bought a new one for a great deal of money). It took me a lot of time and effort to become acquainted with that machine. I don't mean choosing the programs and adjusting the stitches etc. - just the way it sews. I had various thread tension problems, it even didn't want to free motion quilt and when it did quilt it broke thread every few seconds. I did everything I could, everything I found on the internet as a possible solution, but with no satisfactory result. I kept repeating myself "You need time to adjust, you need time to learn your hands to work together with her"... Things changed a bit after I got my Pfaff quilting tool kit for the additional 150 euro :( It free motion quilts FINALLY, but the pleasure of quilting on it is all gone. Now I only check my stitches on both sides and pray I don't have to thread and rethread. If I have to answer the question "Would you recommend it?" I would definitely say NO - I have never spent so much money on something as unuseful as that machine... Anyway I'll keep sewing on it - it's my choice and I have to take it, but I'm definitely hunting for THE free motion quilting machine :) This time it will be a semi industrial full automatic (probably a second hand one):) I would really love to buy a machine that I can put on a quilting frame one day when I'm big enough to do so:) Any suggestions?

Sasho's quilt

Let me present to you my quality manager:) She made sure that all safety pins are eatable, which makes the quilt chewable:)

In other words this was my quilt to enjoy... A dear, dear, dear friend of mine said "You know what... I need you to make me something to cover my bed with." The answer was ok... but I can't start before next month - No problem...
On the next day I was on my way to the fabric store choosing fabrics:) The person for whom I made it is an extremely lucky and easy going person... I love his attitude toward life and maybe that's why the quilt just happened... Sharp and exact to the final centimeter... wonderful...
And here's the just washed wet and un-ironed picture of it:)

I created those lovely place mats inspired by a friend of mine who bought himself a long desired new home. Therefore the place mats from the picture are present for him, but I really, really, really enjoyed the creation process, so I would love to create the same ones if somebody likes them. The coasters are also part of the fun I had with them... I simply can't stop watching them and put them in the washing machine:)

Owl and owls and owlZ

It turned out that my owls became quite popular:) I love the comments I got and the first quilt found its owner in Belgium the very same day as it was listed in my Etsy shop:) I got few more requests for owlish quilts and amused myself making three different quilts from one and the same pattern:) I also made three cute pillows and am very proud that I finally managed to make them look as professional as I wanted. I hope you like them too...

Owl Quilt

So here's my loooong planned Owlish Quilt. I really enjoyed making it as I had it in my head for a long time now. It turned just great. I am a bit annoyed by a fabric glue that I used and didn't wash out, so I had to change the whole thing...anyway, I'm so glad that I did it as I have always known that applique is my cup of tea and now I have one more owlish proof of it:) I am quite glad about the use of the background fabric - I bought it one or two years ago and didn't dare to cut in pieces those lovely yellow dots... well, they made a great night sky with tiny little stars:)
It'll be in my Etsy store:)

My absolutely favourite exchange:)

This is one of the things that I made with greatest pleasure and love


The owner of the bag (they are three bags actually as the owner has two lovely girls who also wanted one)oferred me an exchange for that lovely tattoo - they own a studio and guess whether I wasn't the happiest man to accept such a generous offer...



That was such a lovely experience that gave once again a meaning to what I do:)

Wonderful experience

Here is the Double Quilt recreated. This one is made especially for a cute little girl to whom I got accuainted via Etsy. Actually I got accuainted to her mother:) The process of recreation was funny - I had never "enlarged" a quilt before, but I hope the final result will bring joy in their home. I am very excited as that was my first Etsy sale:) And at the same time I really liked the recepient and wish all my future clients will be as positive as mommysteffen!
And...it is so imcredibly wonderful to feel that your work and efforts are appresciated. In that way you are not just sewing, but flying on the wings of your imagination and... creating...

The Situation

I got that on the mail and really, really liked it, so I would like to share with you all... Enjoy:)



THE SITUATION

In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.


About 4 minutes later:


The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.


At 6 minutes:


A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.


At 10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.


At 45 minutes:


The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $200 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.


This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

This experiment raised several questions:

* In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

* If so, do we stop to appreciate it?

* Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?


One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .

How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?



video

That's the quilt I made for my teacher in informatics. I really apppresciate all she did for us regarding the relationship between man and computers, so I really wanted it to be perfect:)
It turned out a great sunny thing due not only to the chosen colors, but the flame flower quilting in the middles as well. I really hope she'll enjoy it as much as I did while sewing it...

Tanusheva Jr Jr Quilt

That is a project that was in my head for a long time now. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, afterwards the suitable fabrics came. Few days ago I was speaking to a friend who is 6 months pregnant now, that I'm going to sew some sunflowers she answered "Oh, I love sunflowers" it became clear who was that quilt for. I put my greatest love and care in that thing because I really like her whole family and I'm sure the sweet wonderful baby will be comfy in that quilt:)

Little Miss Sparrow Sling

That is my new sling. I really fell in love with the pattern and as it is summer and it looks very much like the navy pattern I couldn't resist to finish it with a pirate:)
As for the colors - a friend told me that when Lady Diana came up with the "red&pink" combination theysaid it was only her that could wear such a thing. It became quite modern afterwards (of course). I have some more of that fabric, so if somebody likes it as much as I do you can order it (the cost is on the "patcheZ and priseZ" page):)

Baggy

Here's my yesterday's project. I came upon that eco, undyed fabric which I find quite inspiring and created a small bag and a purse for it:)

And here's how it looks unfolded as it is quite easy for those who want to try and make it.

Flowerish Quilt

That is one more result of my almost two weeks lasting inspiration. I was planning to make something like that for a long time now and finally managed to find all those flower patterns for my pretty Flowerish quilt. The other thing I experimented with was the quilting itself which is all over the quilt and not just partially. I succeeded with that as the batting that I used this time was quite thinner than the one I used before. I really enjoyed working with it, so I believe it will be repeated. The handles of the flowers are hand sewn as I discovered that wonderful applique technique, although it didn't work with the very flowers - they are made with one of my machine embroydery stitches.
You can find that item listed for sale on the last page of my blog or the other places that I use:)