duminică, 31 august 2008

The Old Man's Daughter - romanian fairy tale


Once upon a time, there was an old widower who lived alone with his little daughter. He decided to remarry in order to have someone kind to look after his daughter. He married a widow who also had a daughter from her first marriage. All was well while the old man's daughter was still a child but when she grew older she was so beautiful and industrious that the old woman and her daughter became jealous. Young men turned their heads to look at the old man's lovely daughter but ignored the old woman's homely girl. The old woman and her daughter grew more and more jealous of the girl everyday. The sweet girl was in a quandary as to what she should do for it seemed to her that the very sight of her enraged her stepmother and stepsister. Nothing she did ever pleased them and they kept on beating and scolding her and telling her that everything she did was wrong.
The poor child's only consolation was the cow her mother had left her. Her mother had called her to her side as she lay dying and said to her: "My dear child, I am dying. Look after the cow and go to her whenever you are in trouble and she will help you as best as she can." The cow was named Fairywhite and only the girl took her out to graze in the pasture. When the girl's heart was filled with despair, she went to Fairywhite and told her all of her troubles. Fairywhite would lick her tears away and look so sad that one would expect tears to flow down her face.
Unfortunately for Fairywhite and the girl, the awful stepmother was not as stupid as she was cruel. She noticed that whenever she scolded or beat the girl she would go to the barn to see the cow. She also noticed that Fairywhite would let no one except the Old Man's Daughter milk her and would kick and butt them with her horns if they tried. The stepmother realized that there was obviously something to all of this and determined to get rid of Fairywhite.


One day the stepmother and stepsister went to visit a relative in another town. She ordered her stepdaughter to clean the house, cook the evening meal and spin an entire chest of wool into thread. She warned her that if it wasn't done by the time she returned she would beat her until she was crippled. The girl ran to Fairywhite as soon as her stepmother and sister had left. She wept as she told Fairywhite what her stepmother had threatened. "Oh, Fairywhite, whatever shall I do?" cried the girl. "Even if I spin all day, there is no way that I can finish it all by myself and she has promised to beat me until I am crippled if I do not finish before her return" she moaned and leaned her head in despair against her only ally and friend. The cow spoke gently to the distraught girl: "Don't cry dear one; spin away and you'll finish it all and still have time to tidy up and cook." So, the girl began to spin and found herself amazed at the speed with which her fingers twirled the spindle and by sunset she had finished. She quickly ran about the house tidying up before hastening into the kitchen to fix the evening meal. When the old woman returned home and discovered that the girl had indeed done all the tasks she had given her she asked the girl who had helped her with her chores. The girl replied that she had done it all by herself...indeed, who was there to help her? The stepmother said nothing more but her thoughts had turned towards the cow.


The next Sunday the old woman decided to take her own daughter to the town dance. Before they started for the dance, she called her stepdaughter and said: "Take this bushel of wheat and pick out the grains one by one, wash them and dry them, so that everything is ready by sunset." Once again, upon her stepmother and sister's departure, the girl flew to Fairywhite's side to tell her her woes. The cow told her to begin the task and she would find that she could do it in time. She did as Fairywhite said and found her fingers moving quickly and deftly at their task. By sunset, her impossible task was completed and she had the house cleaned and the meal cooked.
The following Sunday, the stepmother and stepsister again went to a dance. In fact, the stepmother had decided that they would do this each and every Sunday in the hopes of finding the homely girl a husband. Before they left, she called the Old Man's Daughter and said: "Take this bushel of millet, count the grains and make little heaps of a hundred and a thousand grains. Count them well, for I'll count them again behind you and if you have miscounted even a single grain, I will cut off your hair and gouge out your eyes." When the girl heard her stepmother say this she began to tremble with fear for she knew that this was no empty threat but she thought of Fairywhite and was comforted. As soon as her stepmother and sister had left she ran to Fairywhite and told her of her stepmother's latest demand. The girl was no longer afraid because she knew that Fairywhite would help her. Fairywhite said to the girl: "Count, little one, count, and you will finish before they return home." When the old woman returned, she saw that the girl had succeeded in this impossible task too and she grew livid with rage. In her fury, her thoughts turned to the cow and she said to herself: "It must be the cow who helped her, for there is no one else who would." Her hatred for Fairywhite grew a hundred-fold and she decided to make the Old Man have the cow killed.


The very next day she went to the Old Man to demand that he kill Fairywhite. She said to him: "Listen, why do we keep that old cow when she does not breed and her milk is all but gone. She eats our food but gives us almost nothing in return. She even kicks and butts whenever someone comes near her."
But the Old Man was in no hurry to kill the cow for it was all that his first wife had left him. When he said this to the Old Woman she rose up with a fury and left him saying that she would not return to share his bed or his table again until the old cow was dead. When the girl heard of her stepmother's plans for Fairywhite, she ran to the barn to warn her dear friend. She wept bitterly at the prospect of losing the loving cow but Fairywhite reassured her once again. She said to the miserable girl: "Don't cry my dear child. Don't worry. They can not truly harm me for I am too strong for them. If they do kill me, you must gather my bones, hoofs, and horns and cover them with dung at night when no one can see you. Whenever you need something, come to the place where you have buried my bones and tell me about it, for my right horn is magical."
The girl was only a little reassured but promised to do as Fairywhite instructed her should the stepmother succeed in having the cow killed. And succeed she did for the Old Man was weak and he gave in to the stepmother's constant nagging. He went to the barn and killed Fairywhite and the girl did as the cow had told her. Now the awful stepmother reveled in her success in destroying the girl's only ally.
On the Sunday following Fairywhite's death, the stepmother devised another cruel torment for her hated stepchild. The Old Woman had noticed that the handsome young men in the town thronged about her lovely stepdaughter while they ignored her homely daughter completely. She knew that the girl was likely to marry before she could get a husband for her own child. So, before they started off for town that Sunday, the stepmother poured ashes on the Old Man's Daughter's head and smeared her pretty face with soot. She warned the girl not to wash it off because if she did she would get the worst beating of her sad life.
After the Old Woman and her ugly daughter left for town, the girl ran to tell Fairywhite's bones about this latest undeserved cruelty. She wept and asked the bones: "How long am I to live this way?" Then she heard a familiar voice saying: "Don't weep little one! Just pull the right horn and ask for beautiful clothes and jewelry and put them on. Then go to the village and join in the dance."
The girl did as she was told and found herself magically dressed in the most beautiful finery ever to be seen. She was as bright as sunbeams and looked like a princess. The girl was overjoyed and quickly ran to the dance. She danced as lightly and beautifully as a little butterfly and all of the young men present lost their hearts to the vision of beauty and sweetness that she presented. Everyone wondered aloud: "Who is this girl? Does anyone know her?" But no one recognized this happy creature as the Old Man's Daughter.
In those days, the sons and daughters of kings would often appear and take part in town dances and on this occassion the King's son was among those assembled who stood marvelling at the girl. As soon as he saw her he determined to meet her and joined in the dance next to her. He questioned the girl as they whirled around and around together but she never said a word in response. She was pleased with the handsome and distinguished young man's attentions but feared what would happen if anyone discovered her identity. She danced three times with the prince and then vanished mysteriously from the dance.
The girl dashed home and removed her sumptuous clothes and returned them to Fairywhite's horn. As she did this she found herself once again dressed in rags and covered in soot. She went into the kitchen and sat at the hearth and that is where the Old Woman and her daughter found her when they returned from the dance.
Her stepsister was all aflutter when she arrived home and was quick to tell the girl all about the dance. She told her of the mysterious arrival and disappearance of a beautiful girl dressed in exquisite clothes. Hoping to make the abused girl feel envious, the stepsister said to her: "But as you haven't seen her, you can't imagine how lovely she was". The girl responded to her by saying: "But, if I had beautiful clothes, I could have gone to the dance and seen her for myself!" This quite incensed the ugly girl's jealousy and she responded hotly: "It is not for a creature like you to see such wonderful sights!" The Old Woman, who had been listening to the conversation joined in and said to the girl with contempt: "Your place is by the hearth, filthy with ashes. Dancing! Indeed! Do not ever be so insolant again or I shall beat you 'til you are black and blue!"
Despite the harsh rebuke, the girl was still singing inside. She could not remember another evening that was so joyous and gay. As the girl sat by the hearth reminiscing about the dance, her stepsister's words finally sank into her head and she realized that the young man whose company she had so enjoyed was the Prince! The girl sat in astonishment as she realized that she had danced thrice with a prince and not even realized it. She set about her chores with a greater peace of mind and held her happy memories of that night close to her heart.
Only a few days later, it was announced throughout the Kingdom that the King's son was giving a big dance at the palace. All the eligible girls in the kingdom were invited to attend the lavish affair. The prince was orchestrating the entire ball in the hopes of discovering the secret identity of the mysterious beauty he had met and danced with at the town dance.
The old man's daughter was told of the ball by her ugly stepsister. Despite the fact that she was as homely a girl as had ever walked the earth, the stepsister believed herself to be beautiful. The ball was to take place on a Sunday and as soon as the stepmother and stepsister had left the house, the girl ran to the horn and asked for clothes as beautiful as the stars in the sky. She also asked for a horse and a groom.The horn gave her what she asked for and the girl found herself arrayed in clothes even more lovely than those she had worn to the town dance the Sunday before.
She started immediately for the Palace. As soon as she arrived the Prince dashed to greet her and began to ask her questions to learn her identity. But she told him sorrowfully that she could only stay a short time. The Prince's heart seized in his chest when she said this and he declared his love for her on the spot in hopes that she would not leave him again. The girl was amazed by this but told him that she loved no one, but then she danced with no one except him. When she was ready to leave, he asked for her ring and she gave it to him.
The next Sunday the Prince again invited all of the eligible girls to a lavish ball for he knew that he could no longer live without the girl. She came dressed in an exquisitely beautiful gown with twin stars on her shoulders but again vanished at the end of the dance. The prince was distraught and knew not what to think of this strange girl who had so won his heart. Being a man of action, the Prince quickly formulated a plan to finally discover the identity of his beloved. He planned to hold one more ball on the following Sunday and intended to steal one of the girl's shoes from her.
The girl appeared at the next ball just as the Prince knew she would. After they had danced together and the girl was preparing to disappear into the night once again, the prince followed her and pulled her shoe off as she leaped onto her horse. The girl rode away into the darkness with only one shoe. The very next day the prince put the second part of his plan into action. Taking the shoe and the ring, the Prince went to his father and told him that he was leaving to look for the girl he loved and would not return until he found her.
The Prince set out and went from town to town until he came to the town where the Old Man lived. He knocked at one door after another until he came to the house where the Old Man lived with his family. The shoe fit the girl to perfection but the girl was a little ashamed because she was still grimy with the soot and ashes that her stepmother forced her to wear to conceal her beauty. The Prince looked upon her with the eyes of true love and asked her if she was the beautiful girl that he had danced with so many times. The girl shyly admitted that she was indeed the same girl. At this, the stepmother scolded the girl and called her a liar. The girl replied: "Let your highness wait but a minute and I will prove that I am the same girl."
She ran to Fairywhite's bones and asked to be dressed exactly as she was when she and her Prince first met and danced. Immediately she was clean and dressed in the same exquisite clothes. She then returned to her father's house to present herself before the Prince and her family. The Prince was overjoyed to see for certain the he had at last found his beloved. But the girl ran back to the bones twice more and presented herself in turn in all of her other dresses. The Prince lifted the girl into his carriage and bore her off to the Palace where they were married with a sumptuous marriage feast that lasted seven days and seven nights. The awful stepmother's heart burst with envy and her daughter remained a lonely spinster since no man wished to marry such a sour and unkind girl. The girl forgave her father's weakness and bade him to live with her and her Prince in the Palace which he did until the end of his days.



I hope you liked the story .
See you next sunday evening for a new fairy tale :)

vineri, 29 august 2008

Toamna de basm- Fairytale autumn

Am gasit la Jo Ann un material foarte frumos colorat in degrade, in culorile toamnei si "stropit" - ca nu gasesc alt termen- cu auriu sub forma de linii subtiri ca niste meandre...si pentru ca arata tare bine m-am decis sa nu-l tai si sa-l combin cu altceva ci sa fac din el un trapunto.
Si fiindca are culorile toamnei nici nu putea sa fie folosit decat la o lucrare cu frunze moarte..zis si facut..si cam asa arata

I found at Jo Ann store a very beautifully colored fabric in the colours of autumn and "sprinkled " with gold in the form of thiny lines like meanders ... and becouse it look so beautiful I decided do not cut and combin it with another fabrics and make out of it a trapunto.
And because it has colors of autumn it couldn`t be used but for a dead leaves quilt.. .. said and done, and looks like this



Nu stiu ce folosinta sa-i dau pentru ca mi se pare destul de delicat...cred ca cel mai potrivit ar fi pe un perete poate sau pe o masa, ca decor...pana una alta nu mai am unde-l pune :))
Asa ca va sta frumos in dulap asteptand sa fie dat cadou.

I do not know what use I could find for it becouse it seems to me quite delicately ... I think the best place for it would be on a wall or maybe on a table, ... until then I can`t find a place to hang it :))
So it will be nicely waiting in cupboard waiting to be given gifted away.

Patchwork - quilt , quilt si iar...quilt

Am terminat acum o luna un quilt care l-am inceput anul trecut si l-am abandonat pentru ca eram insarcinata si nu prea mai aveam chef..stiti voi :)
A month ago I had completed a quilt which I started last year and had to drope it becouse I was pregnant and I wasn't really in the mood for it... you know ..:)

Are un colorit vesel si se pare ca ..tot karina o sa se bucure de el :)) si mie imi place dar e mic..
It has a happy colouring .. it seems that karina will be the one to enjoy it:)) I like it too but it is too small for me :)) ..



Si in urma cu 5 luni, inainte sa nasc , am lucrat si terminat acest mic quilt care deja e in alta parte si sper sa se bucure de el proprietarul.
L-am lucrat in culorile lavandei si am folosit un bloc din noua patrate pe care l-am taiat in patru si apoi l-am reunit in alta forma decat in cea initiala..cusute bineinteles. Am creat astfel cateva blocuri si am construit quiltul.
Five months ago, I worked on and finished this small quilt that already is elsewhere and I hope that the owner enjoys it.
I worked in the lavender colours and I used a block of nine squares which I cut in four and then I stitched them in another form other than the initial one .. . I have created few blocks like this one and I build the quilt.



Si tot de curand..adica de cateva luni..am terminat si quiltul asta inverzit
And just recently .. meaning several months .. I finished this green quilt



Toate astea pentru ca am fost in criza de inspiratie si timp berechet :)..acum trebuie sa ma rog de maria sa Karina sa ma lase sa lucrez din cand in cand :))
All this because I was short of inspiration and I had planty of time :) .. for now I must ask my daughter Karina to let me work from time to time:))

Soarele si luna - the sun and the moon ( applique)

Anul trecut, cam prin septembrie am lucrat aceste doua quilturi micute care acum stau deasupra patutului fetitei mele.
Last year, around September I have worked on these two little quilts which now stand above my daughter`s crib.

Sunt aplicatii pe un material bleumarin si pe margine un material frumos cu norisori pe care l-am gasit la Jo Ann.
Applications are on a navy material and on its edges I found a beautiful fabric with clouds .

Mi s-a parut frumos contrastul intre galben si bleumarin.
I found a beautiful contrast between the yellow and navy.

Soarele...
The Sun..



...si luna.

...and the moon.




Si aici deja "instalate" la destinatia lor
And here already "installed" at their destination




Mozaic-mosaic

Odata, dupa ce am terminat cateva proiecte mai mici si mai mari- place mate- uri, fete de perna, etc- am ramas cu o gramada de bucatele de panza pe care mi-era tare mila sa le arunc...ma tot gandeam ce sa fac cu ele..si ma gandeam ca -mi vor folosi la aplicatii mai micute poate....si de ce nu la un crazy quilt?!

Once, after I finished a few smaller projects and larger ones,place-mates, pillowcases, and so on, I got with a a lot of scraps of canvas which I felt sorry to throw them... I was thinking what to do with them .. and I was thinking that I will use them on applications, maybe for the little appliques .... and why not for a crazy quilt?


Anul trecut cand am facut acest proiect "mozaic" habar nu aveam sa lucrez in paper pieceing..asa ca am decis sa iau o bucata de panza mare si mai ieftina si m-am apucat sa lipesc pe ea bucatelele de panza ramase, dupa ce le-am calcat, intr-o ordine aleatorie oarecum.

Last year when I started this project "mosaic" I did not know how to work in paper pieceing .. so I decided to take a large and cheaper piece of canvas and I started to glue the remaining scraps after ironing them, in a somewhat random order.


Apoi am taiat niste panza de culoare cobalt in unghi bias si pur si simplu am cusut-o pe marginile bucatelelor de panza , bineinteles cu cusatura..zig -zag :)) nu radeti ca eu am fost furioasa mult timp ca nu stiam sa folosesc cusaturile :...nici acum nu stiu sa lucrez cu talpita pentru cusatura invizibila :P

Then I cut some canvas in cobalt color blind bias and simply I have a sewn-on the edges of the canvas scraps, of course .. with the zig-zag stitch:)) don`t laugh at me because I was furious for a long time as I did not know to use the stitches:)... not even now I dont know how to work with the foot for invisible stitch: P

Si cam asta a iesit:

And this is the result:



Floarea soarelui - Sun flower- (wall hanging)

Cum sunt o fire curioasa cum am tot stat pe internet sa ma uit dupa quilturi lucrate si tehnici, am dat si de aceasta tehnica numita trapunto.

Being a curious person and whatching online for techniques and quilts, I found this technique called
trapunto.

Este o tehnica care se aseamana cu quiltul, de fapt e tot un quilt care insa foloseste batting-ul de doua ori pentru a se obtine efectul de "in relief" al modelului aplicat sau dorit.

It is a technique that is similar to quilt, in fact is still a quilt but a quilt that uses the batting twice to get the effect of "relief" to the pattern model applied or wanted

Mi s-a parut interesanta si deosebita tehnica si am aplicat-o in doua moduri:
I found it interesting and special this technique and I applied it in two ways:

odata la un trapunto cu material aplicat
once in a fabric applied with trapunto




Si apoi la un block micut in grena , un trandafir
And then a little block in dark red, a rose





intr -o noua postare voi arata cum se face un trapunto..pana atunci pupici la toate fetele harnice!
in a new posting I will show you how to make a trapunto .. until then kisses and hugs to all hardworking girls :)<


Farfuria romaneasca- Romanian plate

Buuun..deci am inceput sa inteleg ce este quiltul..si nici nu am inceput sa-l stapanesc bine ca mi-a venit ideea sa incerc sa fac si eu niste farfurii romanesti, idee preluata de la grupul peticelelor.

ookk .. so I started to understand what is the quilt .. and I did not even have started handleing it well that I came to the idea of trying to make some romanian plates, an idea taken from the group of Peticele.

Zis si facut! De fapt , preluat si inceput.

No sooner said than done! Actually, over and started!

Am stat si m-am gandit cum as putea sa redau mai bine culoarea si mai ales motivele de pe farfuriile romanesti facute la Corund (imi plac modelele facute in acest loc).

I have started thinking and I thought how could I better render the colour and especially the motifs on the Corund made romanian plates(I love the models made in this place).


Am studiat modelele gasite pe internet- ca alte modele... de unde aici in State...- si am pornit la cumparaturi la Jo Ann.


I studied patterns found on the Internet-as other models ... where here in State ...- and I started shopping at Jo Ann.

Unde bineinteles am gasit tot ce am dorit.

Where of course I found everything I wished

Si m-am apucat de treaba....

So I started the job...

Am scos modelul pe imprimanta de pe computer...l-am marit..aaaaaaaa ..sa nu uit! inca o data multumesc Dorei pentru ca a prezentat pas cu pas cum a construit farfuria ei , lucru care m-a ajutat enorm!

I printed out the pattern from the computer and I maximized it... aaaa ..!Once again I thank Dora for her step by step presentation of how she asambled her plate, wich he
lped me a lot!


Deci, am scos modelul, apoi am scos fiecare element al modelului in parte- flori , frunzulite- le-am transferat cu hartia speciala pe material fiecare model, apoi l-am aplicat pe modelul desenat pe panza , fiecare la locul lui.



So, I printed the pattern, and then I put every element of the pattern in-hand, flowers, leaves -I have transferred them with the special paper on the fabrics , each model, and then I applied it on the drawn pattern on canvas, each on its place


Cu cusatura am folosit zig -zag, ca anul trecut abia asta invatasem -de, eram si eu la inceput -si elementele mai fine le-am brodat cu masina.Lucru care il regret pentru ca masina mea nu e atat de performanta sa brodeze singura , iar mie imi cam tremurau mainile pe darning foot -ul ala chinuitor :)).Ce mai! mi -a fost greu sa invat sa lucrez cu darning foot ...deci, elementele brodate sunt cam "tremuracioase" dar per ansamblu eu zic ca pentru foarte de inceput a iesit ceva.


I used the zig-zag stitch and the more fine motifs I stitched them with my sewing machine.This one thing I regret that my sewing machine is not so performant to make embroidery. Well! It was hard to learn to work with darning foot anyways... so the items are pretty unstable embroided, but overall I think that's very uncommon at the beginning of something.

Dupa ce am transferat tot modelul , am trecut fixarea lui cum am mai spus cu cusatura zig -zag, apoi broderia , am aplicat banda bias sa dau forma farfuriei si am trecut la quiltuit . Am ales design-ul free motion pentru ca atunci atat puteam si stiam si am cusut si in jurul florilor si frunzelor.

After I transferred all the motifs, I began to fix it as I said with zig-zag stitch, and then the embroidery, I applied bias band to the plate to give it shape and then I have quilted it. I chose the free motion design because that's how much I knew at that time, and then I sewed around the flowers and leaves.


iata cam ce a iesit....

this is about what came out



Asta e prima farfurie care sta deja pe un perete in sufrageria mea , apoi alta



Si ultima care poate ca nu are un contur perfect rotund- si sigur nu are :(





Dar o salveaza culorile specifice.
Si inca doua carora nu le mai pot face poze pentru ca au luat drumul casei unui medic american...cadou.
Sper sa va placa :)





joi, 28 august 2008

Fairy flower (zana florilor)

In ultimul timp am vrut sa mai fac si altceva decat quilt si m-am decis pentru a incepe un goblen.
In tzara am lucrat cateva goblene si imi place foarte mult aspectul lor final.
Asa ca am mers la magazinul de fabrics and crafts de aici - Jo Ann- sa caut un model.
Surprizaaaaaaaa!!! Nu am gasit absolut nimic din ceea ce stiam eu ca se cheama goblen! Tot ce am gasit sunt modele care se lucreaza pe panza Aida- nicidecum pe panza speciala de goblen- in punct de cruciulita. Buuun..adica nu e bun ca am fost total dezamagita :( eu am vrut goblen nu cruciulita... si apoi toate modelele gasite lasau de dorit ca tematica - numai animale, flori si peisaje moarte- asa ca am renuntat sa iau totusi un model in punct de cruciulita.
Mi-am adus aminte ca am achizitionat de pe Amazon.com doua carti frumos ilustrate si absolut practice; au zeci de modele in punct de cruciulita.
Si in timp ce le rasfoiam sa-mi aleg un model - tot vroiam sa cos ceva asemanator goblenului - am dat peste acest model dragut si delicat si m-am decis sa ma apuc sa-l lucrez

In Romania I worked a few gobelins and I liked very much their final appearance.
So I went to the fabrics and crafts store - Jo-Ann, to look for a model.
Surpriseeeeeeeee! I found absolutely nothing of what I knew is goblen! What I've found are models that work on canvas Aida-not on special canvas goblen.... okkk .. I mean, not ok because I was totally disappointed: (I wanted goblen not crossstitch ... more than that, all the models were not satisfying regarding to the themes - only animals, flowers, landscapes and still lifes - so I quit to look for a model in crossstitch.
I remembered that I acquired two books on Amazon.com beautifully illustrated and totally practical; they have dozens of models in terms crossstitch.
And while I have looked for a model I found a fairy flower .I found this model over sweet and delicate and I decided to start working on it.



Aici este ce am lucrat pana acum....am incercat sa-ll lucrez cu jumatate de cruciulita ca pe un goblen dar nu iese nimic pentru ca panza nu e panza speciala si are ochiuri mari.

Here is what I worked so far .... I tried working with half crossstitch as a gobelin but it is a big difference between a gobelin and crosstitch..so I quit sewing it with half cross...







Cred ca o sa iasa foarte dragut pentru ca are niste culori delicate si varfurile aripilor le-am lucrat cu metallic gold , culoare cu incarcatura magica.
De abia astept sa o termin si cred ca o voi transforma intr-un tablou micut in camera fetitei mele.

I think it will be a very nice picture becase has some delicate colours and delicate wings. I worked them with metallic gold, with a dark magic load.
I'm very excited to finish it and I think that one will turn into a little picture in my daughter`s room.


Acum o imagine cu magazimul Jo-Ann de unde ma aprovizionez cu toate cele necesare lucrului si vreau sa spun ca e foarte dotat! As fi vrut sa fac poze si in interior sa va arat cum arata rafturi imense si intinse cu materiale in toate culorile dar nu am avut curajul. Poate ca data viitoare voi cere permisiunea magazinului si voi posta ceva poze...pana atunci intrarea in magazin


Now a picture with the store- Jo-Ann- where I get my supplies from.A store with all the necessary for work and it's needless to say that is very supplied! I have wanted to make pictures and inside to show what it looks like..there are huge racks and fabrics in all colors but I didn't have the courage. Maybe next time I will ask for permission and and make some pictures for you... until then, the shop entrance.





Si cele doua carti achiziotionate de pe amazon.com


And two books purchased from amazon.com



Nu-mi mai ramane decat sa termin modelul si sa-i gasesc un loc in casa.

Ador ingerasii si fairies! :)


I love the little angels and fairies!!

miercuri, 27 august 2008

O pernuta pentru Craciun - A pillow for Christmas

Am terminat de cateva zile o pernuta lucrata in tehnica applique , un model luat de pe internet.
I finished a few days ago a pillow worked in the applique technique , a pattern taken from the internet.

Imi place foarte mult applique-ul si cred ca o sa-l folosesc mult timp.
I like very much applique, and I think I will use it for a long time.

Motivele le-am aplicat cu masina de cusut unde am folosit cusatura zig-zag si backstich. Mi-ar fi placut sa folosesc si cusatura invisible dar habar nu am cum sa folosesc talpita speciala pentru aceasta cusatura si sincer nici nu am exersat destul cu el. Va trebui sa o fac curand insa.
The pattern I applied with the sewing machine on which I used zig-zag stitch and backstich. I would have liked to use the invisible stitch but I dont know how to use the foot for it and truthfully I didn`t have practiced enough with it. I'll have to make one but soon.


Poate ca voi gasi o explicatie mai concreta pe undeva..deocamdata pe internet nu am vazut o demonstratie de folosire a acestei talpite.
Maybe I'll find a more detailed explanation somewhere else on the internet .. now I have not seen a demonstration of use of this foot.


La aplicarea motivelor am folosit acum talpita walking foot si mi-a fost destul de greu pentru ca dimensiunea pernitei e mica - trebuia sa o fac mai mare poate- si modelul mi sa parut migalos..dar am reusit !
In applying the pattern I used the walking foot and it was quite difficult because the pillow`s size is small - I should had make it bigger, and more than that the pattern was meticulous .. butI have succeeded!


Si iata rezultatul
And here is the result






In realitate culorile sunt mai aprinse si vii dar probabil acest efect de sters al pozei e datorat luminii prea multe din incapere..incerc sa revin cu o alta poza.


O mica aniversare-my daughter`s birthday

Astazi, 27 august, fetita mea Maria Karina a implinit cinci luni de viata.
La multi ani scumpa mea mica! :)

marți, 26 august 2008

pillow and baby blanket - patchwork

Iarna anului 2006 , mai precis pe 5 ianuarie 2007, m-a gasit departe de casa, loc unde ma aflu si acum. Au fost curiozitati de inceput, framantari, indoieli si apoi dupa ce toate acestea s-au consumat a intervenit plictiseala; mai ales ca nu aveam un job si eram si insarcinata...hmmm...grea situatie...aici viata este cu totul altfel decat in tara. Oamenii au alte preocupari, alte principii poate, alte tabieturi..poate ca voi scrie in alta zi despre viata in America.
Deci...ma plictisisem cumplit! Aveam o cunostinta in messul meu care se ocupa si se ocupa inca cu croitoria mai precis confectioneaza genti foarte dragute din material textil. Intr o discutie mi-a sugerat sa ma ocup de ceva..un hobby..si mi-a venit ideea! ce ar fi sa ma apuc si eu de cusut la masina!Era incitant dar m-am trezit repede la realitate:habar nu avea sa cos la masina, nu stiam nici cum sa o pornesc..nu-i nimic! Daca Teo a putut sa invete o sa invat si eu!
Am discutat cu sotul meu si am pornit prin magazine sa cautam ceva care sa semene cu o masina de cusut :))..noroc cu Teo ca mi-a dat cateva informatii, ce anume trebuie sa existe la o masina de cusut, in principal.Vreau sa spun ca aici masinile de cusut sunt destul de accesibile la pret; adica dintr un salariu iti poti permite sa o cumperi...cea mai ieftina e 98 dolari, un Singer pentru incepatori.
Am hotarat sa incep cu aceasta..buuuuuuuuuunnn
Am ajuns happy acasa cu ea si incepe "munca"..nu stiam nici cum sa o pornesc! nu stiam cum si cand se apasa pe pedala! Norocul meu a fost manualul cartii care ma ajutat foarte mult chiar daca nu excelez in limba engleza...chiar deloc.
Insa masina mea m a ajutat si ea si a dat dovada de o maaaare rabdare cu mine ...intre timp am schimbat-o cu una mai noua mai performanta...iata singura mea "prietena" aici in tara oamenilor invizibili --le spun asa americanilor ca practic nu-i vezi pe strazi mai deloc..aici lumea circula numai in masina personala..si pe jos merg veveritele si eu..in fine.



Nu-mi amintesc in ce imprejurare am auzit de termenul "quilt"..cred ca navigand pe internet...in fine..deeeeci, in timp ce ma straduiam sa invat sa folosesc masina de cusut , incercam sa deslusesc informatii legate de quilt in limba engleza. Nu mi-a fost usor deloc..m-au ajutat filmuletele de pe youtube, slava Domnului ca exista!
Si incet , incet am inceput sa descopar , asa cum spunea cineva "zona quilt" .
Bineinteles ca ceea ce a iesit la prima incercare lasa muuult de dorit dar oricum eu eram fascinata de faptul ca pot manevra masinaria aceasta numita Singer si ca ceva ceva poate iesi si din mainile mele. Foarte magulitor a fost pentru inceput gandul acesta.
Acesta e primul meu quilt



Bineinteles ca e o incercare si ..atat.Arata jalniiiiic.....dar pentru mine, cand l-am terminat a fost o opera de arta:))
E o incercare de quilt applique ...nereusita
Iar acesta este ultimul meu quilt la care am lucrat pana cand am nascut, acum 5 luni,
Un quilt in nuante de roz,galben si lila, un patchwork transformat intr-o paturica pentru fetita mea Karina



Un mic detaliu dintr-un colt al quiltului



Si o pernuta lucrata in acelasi ton



Se vede clar ca mai am de lucrat la detalii si poate nu numai..dar pana acum cred ca e binisor..oricum mai am multe de invatat.
Bineintels ca intre acestea doua quilturi au fost altele dar imagini cu ele pe curand .
Pana atunci, spor la lucru celor care se straduiesc pe "altarul" creatiei si nu numai! :)

Am obosit...