This blog is all about me......I come here for respite in between caring for JoJo (our Daughter who has Special Needs)......I am addicted to starting new projects......I am becoming a fabric-a-holic... I love to try out recipes... take a beach walk and breathe in that salty blue air......love to have coffee...sip a glass of champagne......read a book......I am Queen of the Armchair and am inspired by all the wonderful blogs out there!!!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

OPAM...a new sewing machine...catch up with a friend and a postcard from Russia!!!

Wow...the end of August already and another OPAM (One Project A Month)...
how I am enjoying this project hosted by Peg and Kris!!!
Thanks gals so much for hosting this!!!
This month I have finally finished my A Christmas Wish quilt which was a free BOM (Block of the Month) by Gail Pan...
above is the front of it...

and here is the back...
After beginning cross stitch back in the 1980's...after my daughter did a free sample from Family Circle magazine...I went and bought another copy and did the same...and was hooked!!!
I still have many cross stitch projects here to do...
but slowly I fell into stitcheries...
now into quilting!!!

After over 30 years of the same sewing machine last week Mr Armchair and I purchased a new Bernina machine...(instead of saying machine now I will call it Nina)...with a built in stitch regulator...
This will allow me to do free motion quilting with Nina...that's the plan anyway!!!
I'm all keen to learn quilting now and perhaps some machine embroidery!!!

And here is Nina on our dining room table...
I am so keen I have also ordered a new sewing table and this arrives tomorrow!!!

And look Geo...here is the stitch regulator...


The sample from the shop...my bit is on the right!!!

And my gool old trust Husky which I shall keep and treasure always!!!

Hopefully tomorrow this will all be organized LOL!!!

And in the mail today this postcard from Sue...
showing The St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow...
Thank you Sue!!!

And last week my good friend Natima was in town and we caught up at our favourite bookshop and had a coffee!!!
Great catch up Nat...lovely to see your family again...and Happy Birthday!!!
Now I'm looking forward to tomorrow and starting to get organized...
Happy Quilting...Dzintra♥x

26 comments:

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

Love the quilt D.
You'll be busy playing with that new machine of yours for years to come... hope you'll share the delightful creations you make.
Susan x

Nat Palaskas said...

Woo hoo, a new Bernina, how exciting!!! I love th look of it. Your OPAM quilt is looking great - cute name Nina. It was always great to catch up with you. Thanks for making the time to see me my friend - Have a great night - Hugs Nat

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Oh Dzintra, aren't you so pretty? AND YOU GOT A NEW SEWING MACHINE????I need one, at least a portable, to do some lightweight craft projects! I try to do things by hand, but it is too time consuming and I just don't have the hand-sewing skills of the woman of old! Gotta run out to a good store and fine a little one! GREAT QUILT and what fun it must be to meet up with a great pal. Have fun my dearest, Anita

Vintage Sandy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vintage Sandy said...

Dzintra, congrats on your new machine she's a beauty and her name well....it was made for her, your quilt with Gail's BOM is lovely have a great day my friend♥

Fer said...

Woohoo, a new machine! I have 2 Berninas, they really are the best!

The quilt is lovely too. :)

RitaGri said...

Tavs Christmas Wish quilt ir ļoti skaists!Lai tev top daudz skaistu darbu ar jauno šujmašīnu!
Nāk rudens apgleznot Latviju....
Rita

Gail said...

the quilt looks great!! I have that bernina (sabrina) and have done lots of quilting on it, love the stitch regulator. I am also back into cross stitch, especially the Blackbird Design charts!!! have a great rest of week.

Jeni said...

How great is your new machine ...cant wait to see all the new creations Dzintra...enjoy
hugs
Jeni

Amy said...

Love the quilt and very jealous of Nina!

In an interesting case of coincidence, we must shop at the same patchwork store on the far south coast - your name was the one immediately above mine when I signed up to the Stephs Patchwork Fabrics mailing list at the weekend....!

Heather said...

What a gorgeous quilt! you are so talented! And its so nice to catch up with friends :)

Astrid said...

CONGRATS on your "Nina"! I bought my "nina" a couple of years ago - same as yours. I'm sure you will spend many great hours together! Congrats on the OPAM finish too - the quilt is very beautiful. So nice to see you girls! :)Sure you had a wonderful time together!

Stina Blomgren said...

Oh oh...lucky you... hope you and Nina will be best buddies.. have fun...:o))
And you finshed Gails free BOM quilt.. congratulations...:o))))

Pooch Purple Reign said...

that is a crazy looking machine. i dont think i would get behind the wheel of that! nina is pretty tho :)
nice quilt too
~laura xx

Bev C said...

Hello Dzintra and Nina, I am so happy that Nina has decided to join you in the sewing room. Gail's quilt looks wonderful,you will probably be onto next quilt by now.
Lucky you to get a card from Russia and catch up with Nat.
Enjoy the sewing.
Happy days.
Bev.xoxo

Anonymous said...

Hi Dzintra, What a lovely photo of you and Nat together. I absolutely love Nina! Good for you and I hope you enjoy it greatly. Love to you and JoJo.

Carla said...

How Dzintra, gorgeous quilt and love the new baby. Thanks for the lovely comments and hope you enjoy the book. CArla

Terry said...

Great Finish!! Lots of claps and a Hug
Enjoy making friends with Nina.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dear sweet Dzintra,
Yes, it IS in venturing OUT into the DEEPER waters that the most precious treasures are found. It's GETTING THERE that is the pain of it all!!!! AHHHHH! I start Tuesday and I am spending all weekend planning, but in the quiet (I hope) and the comfort of my own home....ENJOY THE WEEKEND! Bisous, Anita

Marilynne said...

It's a lovely quilt. I wonder if I have the staying power to do that. Mostly I just flit from one thing to another.

My sewing machine is probably 30 years old. When I bought it I was so proud because it did zig zag and a few decorative stitches.

Kim said...

Love "OPAM" only you could term that time frame of creating. I admire anyone who can sew. Don't know much about it but the know the name Bernina is superb!
My mother in law had dementia and didn't know much of anything but when she looked down at the pants I had hemmed for her...all her faculties came back...She looked down and said..."What the %$#@???" I am not a seamstress...but I tried! Great picture of you, by the way!

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dzintra dearest! THANK YOU! I am actually working on some small but IMPORTANT details that need to be in place by Tuesday morning, and I am stressing out! I want to get them done and over with and then I can take a nap today!!!! THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF ME! Anita

Simone de Klerk said...

Such a happy post, Dzintra! Your Christmas Wish turned out sooooo pretty!!! You did a wonderful job!
And oh, how fun to have a new sewing machine. You must be so happy. Is it much easier sewing than the old one?
What a wonderful picture of you and Nat. Looks like you really had a great time (o:

Sea Angels said...

Love the quilts the fabric and colours xx
I am so pleased. no.. thrilled for you, the Bernina is sooooo fantastic I have an old one and it is like a trojan work horse ha ha...we have them at University and they put up with anything and go forever..
Yes the seasons are changing again!! i said this last year and now look another year passes by..
Blessings for the Equinox xxx
BB Lynn xxxx

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dear, dear Dzintra! WOW, what a week. I am bushed! I made it however, and I can do this...but it is like exercising. The heavier weights you lift, the more sore you become in the beginning. But after dragging all those weights around, you develop the muscles. Well, I am lifting some heavier weights now in my teaching, but I am already strong enough and skillful enough to bear it, as difficult as it may be. But later, we all will be ready for the task. But this initial training, IT IS HARD! Thank you for coming by again dear friend; I am barely typing out my next blog post because last night, when I typically finish my posts, I WAS TOO TIRED!!!

Sending you fond regards and wishes for a GREAT SPRING! And our fall is starting to peek in and show its lovely colors, and I LOVE IT!!! Anita

Lorraine said...

You will LOVE the Bernina...I got mine last year and it is fabulous. The stitch regulator is ok but you will find in time that you won't need it...you will be a FMQ queen!

Welcome To My World

Hello, my name is Dzintra Ingrid ... have been known as Ingrid and since our Sea Change I have started to use Dzintra ... pronounced without the D ... (but still known as Ingrid, I know, it's confusing ...)

Welcome to my world ... a journal of our Sea Change ... Mum to three wonderful children ... bringing up a daughter with a disability and seeing life through her eyes ... being a new Nanna ... photos ... inspiring quotes ... taking on a cookery course ... the odd recipe ... and trying to get some stitching done amongst all this ...