Visiting Vastseliina

Photographs by Kadri Kivistik

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This time our crowd of patchwork enthusiasts visited the Vastseliina craft workshop.
By way of background: last time we went to Saaremaa, to the Leisi Patchwork House, to look at, touch and try out the quilting frame there. This time we got to know a second frame of the same kind, a Husqvarna product, in Vastseliina. We were welcomed, and a lovely time arranged for us, by the leader of the society, Ilme Aim (in the photograph).
I did not take many pictures this time; I was so busy listening and looking that I simply forgot to take photographs.
Kadri kindly allowed me to use the lovely pictures she took here.

I liked everything there, everything, everything.
The cosy craft workshop had been set up in what was once a farm barn. The room was decorated and made pleasantly cosy by a splendid display of patchwork, plenty of stained glass, charmingly decorated furniture that has seen its years, a great deal of exciting craft work of every kind, a colourful array of diplomas and letters of thanks and, like the cherry on the cake, ceiling beams painted with national ornament.

Thanks to various programmes and support from the parish, the local craft society today has the use of an enviable selection of sewing machines as well as the quilting frame we came to see and try.

At the head of everything achieved has been Ilme. Today too she arranged a memorable day for us, telling us about the work of the society there, introducing the machines, showing us pieces of work and teaching us new tricks in patchwork, and of course we all got our hands on the quilting frame. What astonished me most about this capable lady of golden years was how easily she explained the computer programs connected with her machines, how they are set up, used and troubleshot. I, who feel quite confident with a computer, am afraid I will never be that practised.

Vastseliina käsitööühing, Ilme Aim

I also caught the account of how the parish orders and buys a quilt from that craft society for every baby born in the parish. Of course the number of babies in Vastseliina parish cannot be compared with the number of children in Tallinn or Harku parish, but twenty odd quilts a year is still a fine number and a lovely present for the parents.

We all came away from this visit with plenty of thoughts and inspiration to try something new and different once again. My aim is to sew, at the first opportunity, one large white quilt with dense quilting, with a little cream tone as well and certainly a certain amount of rose patterned fabric.

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Violin case repair

Last school year, I repaired my grandchild's violin case. The loops meant for attaching the backpack straps had torn off. She cycles to school, and it’s impossible to ride while holding the violin in your hand. Naturally, the violin and case—which belonged to the school—went back at the start of the summer. Now that the new school year has begun, she has been issued a school violin and case again, but this one is in even worse condition than last year's. So, I undertook the repair once more. This time, I decided to replace the entire back panel—including the piping—and cover the torn section at the end of the case with a leather patch. I used reflective tape for the top layer of the piping. The video condenses six hours of work into three minutes. If anyone finds themselves in need of a similar repair, I will be able to take on a few jobs starting in February 2027, and I can handle a few at a time during the summer break.

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