Sew Accomplished

Assembly Line Sewing

2011-11-18T15:40:00.001-07:00

I have been sewing a lot, there just hasn't been a lot of blogging or finishing to go along with it. Until now, this is a big project that I finished up ahead of schedule. Here are 132 bags in all their glory. I was going through my fabric and I have so many large scraps, I needed a big scrap reduction project. So I made these bags-they have a purpose, I'm just not expounding quite yet. Anyway, first I cut out all the rectangles, about 8 1/2 x 11. Then I stitched them together on my serger. Then serged around the top, ironed a hem, pinned on handles, and sewed the hem shut and handles on at the same time. At the beginning I made myself a schedule so as to have them all completed by the end of November. The ironing and finishing went super fast, so I got ahead of schedule and finished up-rare in these parts. Now that I have these done, I can move on to other things-phew!

Last of Sultry, Modern Quilt Finished

2011-10-14T15:24:00.002-06:00

A long while ago, I made tons of whirly gig blocks from some Sultry charm packs. I made two baby quilts and a twin sized quilt with them all. This was the last of the blocks. The ones that look all white are not really, they are a white tonal and can be seen in person, just not well in pics. I had a yard left for backing and a little for some borders. This quilt is about 36x44. I do still have some sultry scraps, but all blocks are used. This quilt is off to my newest niece. I would be shocked if my brother reads this blog, so I am not worried about the surprise being ruined, and really quilts are always better in person, so just seeing a pic is like having a fun preview!

This is my finish for the Broadbents Modern Quilt group. I have conflicts this Saturday and am sad to be missing our meeting. This is a nice sized lap quilt. I have gotten a lot of great feedback and want to do another similar to this one. It's great for scraps.

I quilted big butterflies in the meandering of this quilt. I really love how it all turned out.

More baby pants

2011-10-11T07:06:00.001-06:00

I love making these, they go together so quickly. I need to get into my knits and make some really soft baby pants.

I also finished and bound my modern quilt. I will try and get some pics of that. I have a few projects in the works right now and am anxious to get working on them.

Mermaiden

2011-09-29T15:30:00.000-06:00

We are big mermaid fans around here. So when I saw this mermaid pattern by wee wonderfuls, I knew I wanted to give it a go.

The directions were clear and very easy to follow. I used scraps for the whole doll. Perhaps I should make more. I love that I am finding ways to use up scraps. This one was for my middle girl for her fourth birthday. It was a success!

Three Little Owls

2011-09-28T15:30:00.000-06:00

I bought this kit at the Quilts Etc. sale. It was half off and Sophie really liked it. She thought the big owl should be for her big sister and the little owl should be for her little sister.

The owls are super easy to make. The instructions were clear and there was plenty of scraps. The pattern is by McKay Manor. You could really use any scraps to make the pattern, but the minkee is so soft.

Black, Pink, and White

2011-09-27T15:50:00.001-06:00

This is an easy quilt/blanket. It's not really a quilt, I backed it with soft minkee type fabric, so I didn't add batting, too much bulk. I used a bunch of black, pink, and white fabrics I had on hand. The result is super soft. The momma I gave this one too liked it, which is always a plus.

Broadbents Modern Quilt Group

2011-09-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

I got an email about a month ago that my local quilt shop was starting a modern quilting group. I waffled over it for several days, really wanting to join, but seeing we have so many things going on already, I just wasn't sure I should try and fit it in. But I am so glad I did. The first meeting was in August. We got scrap packs to make a strip quilt. This is what I made:

I think it looks like steps and like how its turned out so far. I have a backing that is orange with flowers and butterflies. I am quilting it with a large stipple and throwing in some butterflies for good measure. I haven't decided on a binding yet. I will bring it to the next meeting and see if anyone has any suggestions. The background is a solid called woodland I believe. It looks a little gray in the picture, but in real life it's a pretty warm color. I am using variegated thread for the quilting.

The Loot!

2011-09-04T19:38:00.001-06:00

Every year just before labor day Quilts Etc. in Sandy as a huge clearing out kind of sale. The sale runs for three days and they supposedly bring out new stuff everyday. I have only ever made it to one day-so I can't verify that information. I don't want to subject my kids to that much fabric shopping, seems like I would be pressing my luck. This year I put Tessa in the wrap and Sophie held my hand. She behaved so well! Ladies were complementing her left and right about how good she was being. She's my most mischievous-so I was pleasantly surprised. Tessa slept almost the whole time. The top row are all 3.99 fabrics. A few years ago they had a lot for 1.99 and 2.99. No such luck any more. The bottom are Kate Spain fabrics and they were half off. I always leave knowing I could pick out so much more but I try and restrain myself. It's a great time to get some backings, you can't beat the price. The one thing I was looking for were solids, I didn't see any. Maybe they put those out on the other days....

Itty Bitty Pants

2011-08-17T14:39:00.001-06:00

I have noticed that my newest addition has an abundance of onesies and tops, but not a lot of pants or bottoms to match. I wanted to whip up a quick pair for her, but didn't have a lot of time. I had some baby cord on hand that a dear friend brought me back from Germany a few year ago.

The pants barely took any fabric and turned out so cute. I want to make a lot more, I love that they only take about a half an hour from start to finish. And with all my kids clothes that I make, I just use a scrap of fabric to make a tag so we can all tell which is the back and which is the front.

I plan on making a few more of these soon. Especially when I want to sew but don't have a lot of time and still want to feel a sense of accomplishment.

Pillow Case Nightgowns

2011-08-15T14:13:00.000-06:00

Last year I brought home a stack of pillow cases from my grandmothers house. They were all made by my great grandmother Violet Green, isn't that a great name. There were so many, I knew I wanted to use some to make something. A month or so ago I came across a tutorial on Sew, Mama, Sew making pillow cases into nightgowns and knew I had hit the jackpot. So I picked out three sets of pillowcases and got to work. I used muslin for most of the tops as the pillow case didn't really have enough fabric for the largest size. I also used a white quilting fabric with stars for the blue set. The girls are thrilled. These nightgowns feel cool and comfy on them and they have been wearing them every night since they got them. I love that I can hand them down and that the girls are wearing something their great great grandmother and I made.

Art Gallery Quilt

2011-07-24T09:46:00.001-06:00

I have had an art gallery sugar charm pack for quite some time. In the interest of not taking everyone to the fabric store, and using stuff from my stash, I have been really focusing on easy projects I can quickly do. I love to sew and it relaxes me greatly, but it's summer and I have all these kids to play with, so in order to have the best of both worlds, easy and fast projects are the way to go. I have a small quilt I made about seven years ago for my oldest. It is the perfect size to fit in the pack and play, or to lay a small baby on. I decided I wanted another for Tessa, and this charm pack was perfect. I also added some hot pink minkee. My niece has a blanket with textures that she loves, so I thought maybe Tessa would like that too.

I really only had a little minkee, so it is just in the middle. The fabrics are bright and cheery and the whole quilt measures 35" square.

I quilted an all over stipple. I love the back, I almost considered making it into a bag instead. I only had a yard, so not much is left over. I had a stripe for the binding and decided to do it on the bias just to be sure I remembered how. Sometimes when you don't use a skill you lose it, and I could tell I hadn't made bias binding in a long time. But I love stripes on the bias, it really makes a difference.

Gratuitous baby shot, she wasn't thrilled about being on the wood floor I don't think.

Burp Rags

2011-07-22T09:40:00.000-06:00

If you have a baby that spits up at all, you know the value of a good burp rag. I have had two babies that spit up a little and two that spit up a lot. I wash burp rags more than anything else. I decided to make a few pretty ones as they will be my fashion accessory for the time being. They are all made of scraps from other projects, which was nice. I am terrible at utilizing my scraps and making these motivated me to try and think of a few scrap projects. Suggestions are welcome if you have any great scrap ideas as well.

Top row: Russian Nesting dolls by Hallmark, Blush by Moda, unknown.

Bottom row: Pop Garden by Heather Bailey, Chocolate lollipop by Anna Maria Horner, Westhill by Heather Ross

Neptune Finish

2011-07-20T21:25:00.000-06:00

I took my time getting this quilt done. I really only worked on it in little spurts, it takes me a while to get back in a sewing groove after I have a baby. Anyway, here is the finished product, I really love how it turned out.

The pattern is from Moda Bake Shop. I did add a few inches around the outer border that aren't in the pattern on the website. I know the sashing looks white, but it isn't. It has an almost taupe shade to it. I quilted it in what reminds me of ripples in water, but in a non concentric design. The backing is Neptune also with a strip down the middle.

Waiting to be quilted

2011-06-21T10:56:00.000-06:00

I put this Neptune quilt together the week before I had my baby. I had hoped pinning it and putting it all together would throw me into labor-no such luck. Anyway, I have everything ready to go, I just need to get going on it. Sewing always takes a back burner to having a new baby, and I am okay with that, so this project may take longer than usual.

Baptism Dress

2011-05-18T12:06:00.000-06:00

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, you can get baptized at eight years of age. I have a daughter that is coming right upon eight and I made her a dress to wear to her baptism. She won't be wearing it during the actual baptism (they have white jumpsuits for that), just before and after.

I used a modkidboutique pattern, Kyoko. The fabric is a white with white embroidery lined with muslin. I used white linen for the sash and grosgrain for the ties.

The skirt is much more full when she wears the dress. I also got her a white hair flower and necklace to wear. I can't believe how quickly she has grown!

Girl or Boy?

2011-05-16T11:55:00.000-06:00

I took my oldest daughter to help me pick out fabrics for this baby girl quilt. She and I picked out a dozen combination's before we settled on these fabrics. She had fun and wants to sew, which makes me happy! We liked the nesting doll fabric because we were nesting dolls last Halloween. She said nesting dolls are like being pregnant, and my husband speaks Russian. The other fabrics are Riley Blake and Michael Miller.

I quilted this quilt with a meandering daisy pattern. It just went with the fabric really well.

The overall effect is a bit busy, but I really like the way it turned out. My kids still use the baby quilts I made them and so it's nice for them to be bright and cheery.

I also made a blessing dress for a baby girl. I wanted to go with the kimono theme again, so I used a side snap shirt and attached a fabric skirt to the bottom.

I also added some lace to the top. It is really simple and light, but should work great for tiny baby.

Now it's just a waiting game to see if I will use the boy stuff or the girl stuff. Any guesses?

Boy or Girl?

2011-05-15T16:00:00.000-06:00

First up boy-I made a quilt with Michael Miller's baby line for my possible baby boy quilt. It is a basic brick pattern and goes together really fast. I love all the prints and didn't want to make any of them too small. I love the bicycles so much that the quilt is backed in them.

I also made a blessing outfit for a baby boy. In the LDS church we bless our babies when they are small, it's really a beautiful ceremony in which my husband will give the baby the name we have decided upon and then a blessing. I had a vision of a cute little white linen kimono for a boy blessing outfit. So I set to work on it and ended up with a very small Karate Kid outfit. But is is very soft and cute in person, so I will just go with it.

I do really love kimonos on babies, but we won't know for a few weeks if we get to use this outfit or not! Next up girl....

Whale of A Backpack

2011-05-12T11:21:00.000-06:00

My kids don't actually ask me to make stuff for them very often. Either they are inundated with what I do make for them, or uninterested. I took Isabella fabric shopping with me to get some baby quilt fabric. She saw this fabric by Ann Kelle and just had to have something made out of it. First she wanted a dress, I thought it would be quite a dress for an almost eight year old, but no big deal. Then she was having trouble with the zipper on her backpack and decided she needed a whale backpack. Yikes! I looked around for some backpack patterns to no avail. There are some out there, just not quite what I was after. Finally I decided to make my own and just went for it.

It was one of those moments where I could see in my mind how everything needed to come together and I couldn't stop until it was all finished.

There are things I would change if I did it again (aren't there always), but I am so far pleased with the outcome. The backpack has three exterior pockets, no interior. I think the straps will need some further reinforcing at some point, we will see.

And I think I would have liked to buy a piece of leather to cover the bottom. Just for the sake of durability. The pack does have a purse zipper, so there are two pulls, and I really like that.

Bella was very satisfied and will be wearing it for the rest of the school year she says.

The main fabric is Ann Kelle Urban Zoology by Robert Kaufman. The polka dot is a Michael Miller print and the solid orange is a Kona Cotton from Jo-Ann's.

Ready to go

2011-04-21T08:08:00.001-06:00

Both of these just need to be quilted and bound. I am slowly chipping away at the baby-to-do list. I am trying to do things concurrently so stuff for a boy or girl will be ready.

Rouenneries Progress

2011-04-09T08:36:00.000-06:00

I bought the fabric for this quilt last spring when the Deseret Book at University Mall cleared out their fabric section and had an amazing sale. The solid is the turkey red from the Rouenneries line by French General. The light is a print from the same line. Usually when I quilt, I am very uniform, I cut out everything, including binding at the beginning, then piece, then put it all together. This time I didn't do that so much. I cut out the blocks, then pieced them together. Then it was time to work on the border and I quickly realized I was going to be short on fabric! Yikes, this is an older line and I bought it on sale as it was. First I did an internet search and found it, but it was a bit spendy. So I decided to check a few local stores. The first one I stopped at had it! And they had just the amount I needed, on a bolt, less than a yard. I got it at Quilting Cottage in American Fork. I guess I hadn't been there in a long time, because they have moved into the house next door to where they were. They are older houses with narrow stairs and all sorts of little rooms. At first I thought they just remodeled and wandered around a bit confused, but no, they moved.

Anyway, I have all the borders pieced, just working on ironing them and then I will get around to attaching them. This project is just not on the top of my list, even though I really want to get it finished. I have two baby quilts ready to piece, a few dresses to make, and some other odds and ends I would like to do before this baby arrives. And this quilt is going to be pretty big, so I am honestly thinking of sending it out to be quilted. We shall see, I really hate to leave it in an unfinished state for too long.

Apron and Hot Pads

2011-04-04T10:51:00.000-06:00

I got to go to a bridal shower last week and decided to make an apron with some matching hot pads for the bride-to be. I love this pink polka dot, my girls call it Minnie Mouse fabric. It's from Jo-Ann's, and the ruffle and backside of the hot pads are an Alexander Henry fabric that I have had for quite a long time. I think I bought on clearance years ago because of the amount I seem to have! Anyway, this was a quick project to whip up and I really liked the result. The bride-to-be seemed to also, which is always great!

Hannah Bella Dresses

2011-03-28T11:34:00.000-06:00

I have had this fabric for years, so it's about time I started using some of it. I think Bella was a baby when I bought most of it. And I still have quite a lot left.

The pattern is McCalls 6202. The blue dress is an eight and the pink/purple is a four. I would do a few things differently if I made them again. Each skirt has an under slip with the ruffle on the bottom. For destashing purposes I used coordinating prints. I would use the lightest muslin or voile for this in the future. The dresses are pretty heavy. Also, the ties that go around the waist are short, so the bows in the back are a bit forced. I would have added at least six inches to each.

Sophie is a bit obsessed with wearing dresses lately, so I am sure she will get a lot of use out of it. And Bella has reached a size that makes finding dresses extremely difficult. I really need to make a her a bunch of skirts and easy dresses for the summer. I am glad she doesn't really like the current styles in her size too much either. But it does make for a bit of work.

Maternity Skirts

2011-03-21T08:00:00.001-06:00

I always get to the point where I am tired of wearing the same clothes all the time. Maternity clothes are so short lived and so I never really want a huge variety. I decided to make a few skirts with the intention of changing the waistband to be non-maternity whenever that applies.

The one on the left is a knit Marimekko fabric I found at a local store a few years ago. I bought it without a purpose in mind, so it's good to finally de-stash. The fabric on the right is a Kaffe Fassett that my mom sent a while ago. I still have a lot left over, so it could become dresses for the girls or a quilt back, who know. Nate thought it looked nice and springy. I just guessed on the panel sizes. I used some white lycra two way stretch fabric. They both should last the remainder of this pregnancy, then I can take off the maternity waistbands and add a regular one. However, not being too naive about these things, I know it could be months before I do that and months before they would fit. Both skirts are mid-calf in length, so I have a lot to play with there if I need it. And they went together so fast, I love my serger for clothes, so fast and easy.

Penny Lane Quilt

2011-03-19T14:37:00.000-06:00

This quilt was made for a sweet baby boy. I totally didn't take a picture of it finished? Pregnancy brain I suppose.

Anyway, I quilted around the squares and pinwheels overall, then it is backed by this cute letters, numbers, and symbols fabric from Riley Blake's Penny Lane line.

The solid is Kona khaki, then there is some more Riley Blake and some Kaufman fabrics. I bound it the in the green stripe, I do love stripes for binding. Hopefully baby and momma are enjoying!

Bibs

2011-02-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

I finally put together a bunch of new bibs. The church I belong to really does a good job of taking care of one another. And as part of my calling in the Relief Society, I get to visit brand new babies and their moms and give them a small gift. This gift is up to my discretion, so far as I can tell, and I have chosen bibs.

This isn't my entire stock, just the latest I have made. There are many many babies due to be born in my neck of the woods in the next couple of months, and I have an outside hope that what I currently have made will last through this year, that could be sketchy though. I basically cut the bottom off a bibster and used that as a pattern template. Then I picked from my large stash of scraps some cute prints. They are backed with terrycloth for absorbency and have velcro closures

Bliss Quilt!

2011-02-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

I began this quilt the first of the year. It is the Polka-Dot Parfait pattern by Cotton Way. The fabric is Bliss by Bonnie and Camille. I bought the kit in September from Broadbents, then was too sick to really sew, so it took me a long time to get to it.

But when I finally did, it went together really quickly. I love the ric-rac. All the circles are the cheater fabric, so no applique. I used a blue thread to quilt throughout, the fabric has so much movement, the quilting is pretty simple.

I really love how it turned out. It is sitting folded in the sewing room right now, and everyone that has come over has commented on how they love it!

January Finish

2011-02-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

I finally finished Amanda Jean's quilt a long. I am just slow at getting pictures up. This quilt actually quilted a lot better than I thought it would. I was prepared to really have to deal with some flaws, but that ended up not being the case.

I used two bijou fabrics for the back plus a row of extra pieces I had from my earlier miscalculations. I really like how it turned out.

Overall, I would have done a few things differently in the construction, but the final product turned out better than I expected. This quilt fits a twin sized bed pretty nicely. I have no plans for it at this point though, so it's just folded nicely waiting for me to decided what to do with it.

I did do other sewing in January, but mostly mending. As well, I almost finished my bliss quilt, I was binding it, but it will go in February finishes. I have a lot of sewing I want to get done before this baby comes, so I need to get organized with it all.

Quilted and Ready to Bind

2011-01-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

This quilt has been hanging over my head for a while now. I started at the same time as the Quilt-A-Long started. Then during the summer we had a bunch of reunions and company and my progress slowed way down. Then I had a series of mistakes with measurements and directions and ended up with dozens of extra strips of pieced squares, which I put to use on the back. Then, pregnancy hit and really slowed me down. So as soon as I began to feel better, this was the first quilt on my radar. I have hope the binding will be all finished today or tomorrow, better get going.

Skirt for Bella

2011-01-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

I bought Isabella this unicorn shirt on clearance at Crazy 8 a few weeks ago. I have been having a lot of trouble finding her dresses and skirts that are well made and cute and age appropriate. I am going to miss the little kids sizes a lot! I wander through the department stores here to find things made of cheap material that I don't want to pay for. Or it is all way too scuzzy looking for her sweet self. Anyway, I guess I will be trying to sew for her more often as a result, which is a good thing.

That being, when I brought home the shirt, I looked in my stash until I found some coordinates, then just pieced them together to make this simple tiered skirt. It is long enough to fit for a while, and she likes it. And I used up some smaller pieces from my stash. I haven't been out fabric shopping a lot lately, so I am using the opportunity to really use up some stash stuff and do some projects I have yet to start but want to.

Currently I have a bliss quilt all pinned and ready to be quilted. As well as the quilt from Amanda Jean's last quilt-a-long. I bit the bullet and finished the top to that one. I have no idea how so many things went wrong while putting it together. But I will feel so relieved when I get that one bound and washed. I was having trouble liking it due to my many mistakes, but Bella saw it and liked it, so she will probably use it.

Absentee

2010-12-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for such a long time because I haven't sewn for such a long time. In fact the sewing machine and all accessories were put away for a good two months. Why? Nausea, headaches, tiredness and all else that goes along with pregnancy. I am still coming out of it, but think I see a light at the end of the tunnel now. I managed to pull out my machine to make Christmas jammies for the kids. I think I only did it because I bought the fabric so long ago. And I didn't even make full pajamas, just the pants, which I paired with white t-shirts for all. I did make pillowcases with their names stitched on the corners though. The girls fabric is Riley Blake. Also the pillow cases are Riley Blake. Jack's pants are made from a skiing monkey flannel from Broadbents. I didn't pay attention, though it may be a Michael Miller. I just used other pajama bottoms for the patterns.

I didn't take their pics in the pj's until Christmas morning, so it's a bunch of sleepy kids. I think my kids are the only ones that sleep in a bit on Christmas morning. Sophie went to awake Bella and Bella told her she just wanted to sleep a little longer. Funny!

Anyway, I have great hopes of my sewing picking up again over the next few months. I have some projects I want to start-namely a Bliss quilt, and some baby stuff to make. I did notice this is my 100th post! Yay! More projects to come in the new year!

Blush and Fandango

2010-10-15T09:40:00.000-06:00

These quilts are pretty similar, both half square triangles. The first quilt, made with Blush by Moda, had a more random pattern to the pinwheels. I used a varieagated thread to quilt a meandering pattern all over the top. I really love the way this one turned out and I think the recipient did as well.

The fandango quilt has pinwheels that share two fabric for each block. I also used some of the spare half square triangles in the corners. I quilted this one with an ecru fabric in a lazy daisy pattern.

Minnie Mouse Skirt

2010-09-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

My daughter wanted a Minnie Mouse party for her third birthday. So I got together all my red, white, black, and yellow scraps and made her this skirt. It is out of Sandi Henderson's book, Sewing Bits and Pieces.

There are so many projects in this book I want to try. I really want to make the cute little slippers. I have so many scraps and really need to use up some of them.

Anyway-here is the skirt on the girl.

It is very full and twirly, which she loves. If I make it again, I may make each tier a bit longer. The fullness doesn't translate in to greater length, which would be nice. But overall the instructions were very easy to follow and the skirt went together really quickly. I do have a serger and I think not having one would make everything go so much slower, it was easy to serge a rolled hem on all those ruffles. If I had to do a quarter inch one though, it would have more than doubled my time.

Black, Green, and White all over

2010-09-27T09:12:00.000-06:00

I didn't make this quilt. But it's based on the first of the Old Red Barn Quilt-a-Longs. My mom made it and brought it to me to quilt. I used a lime green and stippled all over it. I think she is going to bind it in black. There is a ragged edge butterfly appliqued on the lime green floral back. I don't know what her plans are with the quilt, but I think it will turn out great!

Fabric Stash and Organization

2010-09-26T08:54:00.000-06:00

When we moved into this house, I decided to use the front room as my sewing room. I have little kids, and this room is situated so I can hear them and know where they are while I am sewing. It has worked out really well thus far. We bought this big white cabinet from Home Depot when we moved in to keep all my fabric in. As you can see, it is full, I need to get sewing. The top shelf is the hardest for me to keep organized. I think the fleece is the main culprit, and I need to find some more bins that are the medium size. I love being able to open this cabinet and find most anything I need. But it's kind of crazy how full it is and how much I can fit in it. I reorganize it regularly, just to remind myself of what it in there.

Squared

2010-09-19T19:50:00.000-06:00

I got the backing for this quilt a while ago. It is a Prints Charming print. I love the scale and colors they use. I knew the piece needed to be a backing, just because of the scale alone. So I found some Kona Solids and matched them up to make the top. I used three and a half inch squares for the center squares. I really love how this one turned out. I quilted it diagonally across for the quilting. It now resides with a snuggly baby.

TBQ

2010-09-11T09:36:00.000-06:00

Projects ready to go. I already have the binding made, so as soon as these babies are quilted, I will be ready to finish them up. I am planning on stippling the top one, it is Blush by Moda. The second one is Fandango by Moda and I want to do a lazy daisy pattern all over it. The bottom on is Kona Solids with a Prints Charming print on the back. I am going to do some straight line quilting on that one. They are all baby sized quilts.

Hexagons Galore

2010-09-04T15:41:00.000-06:00

I finished the Hexagon quilt and now it is with its new owner! It was intended to be 51"x54". She wanted it a little bigger, so I kept adding rows so long as I had fabric. The final size was over 80"x84"!

I had to make Nate hold it up to get a picture. He was okay so long as I didn't get him in the picture. This quilt was really fun to make. I tried out some new techniques and had to really keep track of where everything went. The print on the back was so fun! The flowers were huge!

It is an Alexander Henry print, the border on the front is as well. I used fabrics from Botany, Timber,Sugar, Brooklyn Heights, Spa, Modern Meadow and a few others. I also added a bit of Amy Butler's Gypsy Caravan from my stash. I love being able to pull from the stash when I can't find stuff that works from anywhere else. I stippled the quilt with a lime green in the middle, then variegated brown on the edges. I really loved the effect. I can't wait to do another hex quilt! It's scrappy and ordered at the same time. There is a lot of visual interest because of all the different prints, but all the points match and come together.

Coming together

2010-08-12T17:54:00.000-06:00

I am working on a hexagon quilt. I am really loving how it is all coming together. It is a palate I usually don't work with. But I am really loving the tones and how it is all coming together.

I have about half of the top put together, the rest is in strips, so I will hopefully get that together over the weekend. Then I just need to add the borders and get this baby ready to quilt. Here is a picture of the back-it is crazy!

My Mom Made It!

2010-08-02T08:00:00.002-06:00

Someone once told me they didn't want to make me anything because they thought I would be critical of their work-not true. I love it when I am give things that they made! My mother has given me so many quilts and bags and things she has made and I love it! For my birthday this year she sent me a bag and I wanted to get some pictures of it out there!

I know the fabric is Panache by Moda, but I am not sure what pattern she used. It has a lot of pockets though and will be a great go-to bag. Thanks Mom!

Crazy Mom Quilt-A-Long Week 8

2010-07-31T08:00:00.002-06:00

I didn't press the whole thing after I added the most recent four sides, so ignore the wrinkles. This quilt is getting big. I am just doing the twin size, but there is an option to go bigger. I think there is just one more step before I get to the quilting!

Maui Bag

2010-07-29T22:32:00.000-06:00

I saw the fabric and the pattern and really wanted to make it. Perhaps from an underlying desire to go to Hawaii. Anyway, the bag went together really fast. There are some errors in the pattern, but if you think about each step before you cut or sew, an intermediate seamstress should be able to figure them out. Most of them just have to do with measurements. But step 5, applying the magnetic clasp, is all messed up, and it's obvious.

I really loved the way the bag turned out. I want to make it again. These are my first Art Gallery fabrics and I love the feel of them. The flower is hand sewn, and I may replace the button with a bigger one if I find a better fit.

Crazy Mom Quilt-a-Long Week 7

2010-07-26T16:47:00.000-06:00

We are getting close in this one, I think just a few more weeks and we will have a quilt!

Projects on the Horizon

2010-07-24T16:41:00.001-06:00

While The Bossy Quilter was here, we visited various quilting establishments, and I procured some supplies for some upcoming projects.

I love Blush and had a great idea for some of it and found a lot of it on sale. I also love these Art Gallery Fabrics. This is my first purchase from this manufacturer, and I plan to make a bag. I also got a few things to go in my stash while she was here. We had a blast going to all the local quilt stores together, it is great to share a hobby!

Jessica gave me this book for my birthday-and I have got to say I want to make every project in the book! Better get sewing!

Off the Grid Wonderland Quilt

2010-07-23T16:32:00.001-06:00

I finally found the binding for this one! I usually make the binding as I cut out the pieces for the quilt, but this time I didn't have what I wanted on hand, so this poor quilt sat unbound for a few weeks. I really love the way it turned out and may make this pattern a few more times!

Pinwheel Party Quilt Finished!

2010-07-23T16:32:00.000-06:00

This quilt went together really fast once I started on it. And I really love the way it turned out. The mini pin wheel in the sashing turned out really great despite being a bit tedious to put together. I finished this during one of our craft days during my sister-in-law's visit.

Crazy Mom Quilt-a-Long progress

2010-07-21T16:25:00.000-06:00

This is after week six of Amanda Jean's current quilt-a-long. I am using pop garden and a white solid. I like the way the quilt it coming along, and I can see the home stretch! I am a bit impatient with quilt-a-longs usually, but this one has enough pieces that I like having a weekly break.

Pinwheel Party Quilt Blocks Began

2010-06-11T14:27:00.000-06:00

I have had my fabric for the pinwheel party since it began, I just didn't cut into it until yesterday. I cut out all the blocks and sashing, now they just need to be pieced together. That will have to wait until next week though as my machine is getting serviced this week.

I the meantime, I will probably cut out the fabric for Amanda Jeans quilt-a-long. And start focusing on the family craft day Jessica and I are planning.

Dresses for the Wedding

2010-06-08T17:02:00.000-06:00

My husbands little brother got married this past weekend in San Diego. It was such a nice getaway and I am so glad we got to go. I made dresses for my girls to wear not realizing they would coordinate as well as they do. In fact, Bella's dress is the same fabric as the bridesmaids, which was a coincidence. I was surfing the internet and found Bella's dress on mini boden. I hadn't really drafted a pattern from scratch before and am pleased with my first go at it. The top is gathered. There is a keyhole in the back along with a tie. Sophie is wearing a basic pillowcase dress with a big satin sash instead of a ribbon. I found a similar dress on Garnet Hill but couldn't justify the price tag for such a simple dress. Her dress has big flowers appliqued on it. They are the same swiss dot as the material, the edges are serged in hot pink with hot pink satin centers. I didn't have any close ups, somehow I spent a lot of time visiting with my SIL, instead of snapping away. She made the bridesmaid dresses by the way.

Book Bags

2010-05-29T09:32:00.000-06:00

This is another tutorial from Skip to My Lou. These bags are just so cute and go together so fast. The fabric is Wildwood by Erin McMorris. They have it on sale at American Quilting right now. The bags, I made two, are lined with a white on white print I have had in my stash for a long time. I need to make more of these for my kids for summer visits to the library. They are the perfect size at about 12 X 13.

Skip To My Lou Pleated Pouches

2010-05-26T17:46:00.001-06:00

My sister in law was throwing a bridal shower for our soon to be new sister in law. I helped her out by making the favors for the party. I used this pattern from Skip to My Lou. It went together fast! The directions were really clear and it didn't take long to make all these variations. I filled the pouches with goodies. I decided to make all different patterns so people could pick a color combo they would want to have. But the bride-to be's colors and pink, black, and white.

Mermaid Sets

2010-05-24T17:40:00.002-06:00

Nate bought me a serger last year for my birthday and I am continually looking for projects to make on it. I love little knit dresses and my girls love to wear them all summer long. These dresses are actually made from an Ottobre Design tunic pattern. I just lengthened them to make them into dresses. And I wanted to make capris to go underneath so they could play freely without danger of flashing. So I just hacked a pattern from some of their store bought capris.

Del Hi Complete! Festival of Quilts!

2010-05-22T07:48:00.000-06:00

I really enjoyed working on this quilt. I used the Del Hi pattern from Free Spirit fabric along with the fabrics by Valori Wells. I have always really loved her collections. This quilt was not for me, and I hope so much that it's new owner loves it. I quilted a mum type pattern in all the strips and then butterflies in the cross section. The finished size is about 68 x 89 inches. The original pattern was for an 80 x 80 throw and I modified it to fit a twin sized bed. I love being able to change things about ready made patterns to fit what I need. I have to say again, I love how it turned out.

Twin Sets!

2010-05-20T17:31:00.000-06:00

Not really of the shell and cardigan style. Bella was invited to a birthday party for her friends a few weeks ago. She has known these girls for a few years and we wanted to do something special. So I made them matching pj's with pillowcases. The girls loved them and I was happy with how they turned out. The fabric is Alexander Henry. I have had it for quite a long time so I am sure it is out of print.

WIP's

2010-04-09T19:26:00.000-06:00

For accountability, I need to catalog some works in progress. Two of them are on my side bar and have been there for awhile. The other three are new.

1. Wonderland quilt, pattern found at Moda Bake Shop. I had all the materials on hand when this pattern appeared, so it's a stash quilt so to speak. I put it together in the past few weeks. I need to get the back ready and get it quilted.

2. This is my Sultry Whirlygig quilt. I started it long long ago. I made a baby sized quilt out of some of the blocks. I put this twin sized quilt together shortly after. It is all ready to be quilted, I just haven't sat down and done it yet.

3. This is fabric that just arrived last week. I really want to get started on it. It is Valori Wells Del Hi line. This quilt already has a home. I think it will go together quickly.

4. This is my fabric for the Pinwheel party that started six weeks ago. I had a hard time finding what fabric I wanted to use. The dots are Tanya Whelan and I love them. I found them on sale, bought a lot, then coordinated from there. I can't decide if I am going to try and catch up, or just do it all at once when all the block patterns are out.

5. This is a stitched pillow I decided to make for my daughter a few years ago. I should never start stitching projects, I just don't finish them in a timely manner at all. I always think I will do it in the evening while watching TV, or while listening to the radio. But I don't, so they always become very slow WIP's. I do have hope of finishing this one by my daughters birthday this year. Faint hope, nonetheless hope.

So there they are all right now. I am in a project kind of mood lately, which is good. I do need to get my machine in to be serviced soon, the light went out and it's one that is not easily changed. But I think all these projects will be completed before I do that. Perhaps I should take it in just so I have nothing else to do but project number 5.

Red Pillow

2010-03-29T17:24:00.003-06:00

I made a pillow to go in my new chair. I thought the black and white could use a punch of red. The pillow is made of red wool suiting, so no fraying the unfinished edges. I made a zipper closure on the back to easily change it out when I am in need of a change. The pillow is 12 x 16 and went together really fast. I cut two inch strips, gathered them, then stitched them on to a plain background square. I am happy with the way it turned out!

Wheels!

2010-03-18T16:46:00.001-06:00

This is a simple baby quilt made from Riley Blake's wheels line. It is so cute and boyish. Nate needed a baby gift for someone he works with and so I put together this I also added a few soft blocks for the baby to squish around. I just did a big stipple for the quilting, it went together really fast and I am really pleased with the result.

I have quite a project list building right now. I am going to try to start and finish each one with minimal overlap. Overlap is what gets me in trouble and causes UFO's. I am behind on my Pinwheel party quilt-a-long, but have plans to really get going on that next week.

Table Runner and Crayon Rolls

2010-03-13T09:38:00.001-07:00

I made this table runner from Moda Rounierres. I really loved the pattern and colors in this line. I used charm squares for the middle and some yardage for the borders, binding and back. It's off to a friend in New England, hopefully it will coordinate somewhere in her home.

Also in the package I included a few crayon rolls for her kids. We got one of these as a gift and love it. They go together fast and easy and make coloring not at home so nice. They hold sixteen crayons, though you could make them bigger or smaller. So enough colors to have variety, but not so many that we are losing them every where and finding them melted in the car.

Project Linus Quilts

2010-02-17T13:20:00.003-07:00

We did some quilts for Project Linus for Disney's Give a Day, Get a Day program they have up and running right now. Each family member over the age of 6 needed to make a quilt. So I taught Nate and the kids to sew a straight line. Harder than you would think. Jack likened sewing to driving a car. Having to keep you eye on the fabric and keep track of pedal speed. Bella loves to sew and would do it all the time. Nate did great until he got toward the end, then he would panic a bit. It was fun for me to watch and share some sewing with them.

Polka Dot Bubbles

2010-01-16T11:02:00.001-07:00

This quilt was a labor of love. I saw it in a past issue of Quilt's N' More. The fabric however, a Prints Charming print, couldn't be found anywhere. I looked all over the valley with no luck. While on vacation in spring of 2008-cause who doesn't shop for fabric while on vacation-we stopped at Rosie's in San Diego. And there it was, the bubble fabric I had been looking for. So I bought some, brought it home, and started stitching. The circles are all hand stitched with DMC pearl cotton. There are sooo sooo sooo many circles. I tried to stitch them in between other projects, I find I need frequent breaks from hand work. So, this quilt sat in progress next to my sewing desk for almost two years! Yikes! I had periods when I worked on it a lot, and long periods of ignoring it. Finally, last week, I stitched the last circle and bound the quilt. I am very pleased with how it turned out. I don't think pictures really depict it terrible well. The quilt measures 40" x 48".

Old Red Barn Scrap Quilt

2010-01-15T10:51:00.001-07:00

I am finishing things up left and right around here. I participated in the Old Red Barn Quilt-Along last spring and was left with some scrap blocks after putting together the quilt. I didn't really want to incorporate them in the quilt back at the time, so I saved them waiting for a project. Finally last month I put together this little quilt top. It is baby sized quilted with a small stipple. I love the way the colors pop on the white. And feel much relief to have finally used the extra blocks.

Dress for Me

2010-01-14T10:44:00.001-07:00

I made this dress about two years ago. It was all finished except for the zipper, which I put in last week-sad I know. It is mid-calf with a cross-over top. I made an attempt to take a picture wearing the dress, attempt being the key word there.

Pink Lemonade

2010-01-13T10:44:00.001-07:00

I started this quilt about four years ago. I began collecting pink and yellow fat quarters. I had intentions of giving it to my daughter when she got a big girl bed. Well, it got pushed aside and the top lay finished while we moved and then for a few years after that. Finally, I found a back that I liked and quilted it. It's a bright and cheery quilt. I am sure the girls will use it on their beds. It is a twin size. The quilting is loops and flowers.

I used the spare blocks on the back. I love doing this, it relieves any guilt I have about orphan blocks laying around.

Done!

2009-12-20T15:25:00.001-07:00

Sophie's stocking! Finished! Complete! Ready to stuff. This is her third Christmas though. Nonetheless, this unfinished project was weighing on me and I really needed to take it off the UFO list.

Also, I have new niece! She is a darling little thing! We were so excited to go meet her yesterday. The kids were very excited to have a new cousin.

Anyway, I put together this pink and black quilt. I always refer to this as a wall paper pattern, I don't know if I have seen it called that somewhere or not. I used Minkee for a few of the stripes and various cottons on the rest. I love making baby quilts. It's always quick gratification. My sister-in-law liked it, which is of course the best part.

I have no further sewing projects between now and Christmas, which seems kind of weird. Not to say that all my UFO's are all gone, I just don't need to get anything sewn for Christmas specifically. I did a lot of knocking things off my unfinished list. I am hoping for an uneventful January where perhaps I can knock out a few more. Then I need to start and finish some new things as a stash reducer, more specifically, a scrap reducer.

Accountability

2009-11-23T12:35:00.001-07:00

So, on my to do list for the past few years has been Sophie's Christmas stocking. I am just slow with the handwork these days, because this will be her third Christmas, and unless I really focus, there is no way this kid is going to have a stocking.

Here is current progress, and what the stocking should look like when complete.

So, now it is out there, maybe I will be motivated. We shall see.

In other news, I need to send out a big Thank You to Jessica! I got this in the mail today from her!

She made them, I said I liked them, then one showed up in the mail! How awesome is that!

Simple Abundance

2009-11-01T21:31:00.004-07:00

I find that every time I am near a fabric store, I buy a half yard of Simple Abundance. I love the reds and blues the best. What about you-what fabric are you in love with right now? At some point, I will have enough to make a quilt. Until then, I will be working on Sophie's Christmas stocking. It is one of those felt applique stockings. I am on piece 37 of 112. Wish me luck.

Sultry

2009-10-19T09:48:00.004-06:00

Here is one of the quilts from all the sultry blocks I made about a month ago. I also have a twin size ready to quilt and some more blocks to make into something else. I love the whirlygigs, they go together so fast and look so cute. The colors in this are so soft. I used a light pink thread for quilting a meandering daisy design. Then light green loops on the small border. The finished size is 40 x 50.

How Much Fabric? Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-12T21:51:00.000-06:00

How Much Fabric? Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

I need this, not that I mind purchasing extra fabric. But I am not as good at estimating for clothes as I am for quilts.

Tumbling Blocks

2009-10-06T13:31:00.001-06:00

I love the colors in these fabrics. They are from the All-Star collection by Riley Blake. I was really excited when I got the opportunity to make a baby boy quilt from them. I love the honeycomb look you get when you put the same color blocks together. This quilt went together really fast. I quilted the middle with an echo of the honeycomb shape. Then I stitched swirly stars in the border.

The mom-to-be loved it! Which is always the most exciting part. The Young Women threw her a baby shower and we also gave her some coordinating burp cloths and soft toy block to go with the quilt. It is always hard to find boy fabric and I love this line a lot. There is something about orange that really draws me lately.

I met Heather Bailey!

2009-10-05T22:22:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago I scored a bunch of her fabric at the annual Quilt's Etc. sale. I had been amassing quite a collection of Pop Garden, and I easily doubled it. Then I heard she was going to be at Material Girls, a quilt shop up in Salt Lake, so I decided to go.

She was very nice and it was fun to meet a fabric designer. But I really wish Jessica or my mother could have come with me. I need a partner in crime!

Ottobre Outfit

2009-09-16T16:47:00.001-06:00

This little outfit is from the Ottobre 3/2009 collection. I found both the knits at Hobby Lobby. The jacket is a velour knit and is so so soft. This project was the first I made using my serger, it went sooo fast. And I am loving the knits on the serger. The leggings took only a minute to construct. I do love my sewing machine, but it has always struggled with knits, even with proper needle and all it still skips stitches and gives me fits. And while the serger in no way takes the place of the sewing machine, it really compliments it. This out fit is 80cm, and should fit Sophie through the winter.

My New Baby!

2009-09-15T16:54:00.001-06:00

Very excited about this little machine! I have wanted a serger for a while, looked at quite a few, and decided that me and the Imagine should become best friends. I spent a couple of hours threading and re threading so I would get the hang of it. Then I did samples of all the stitches listed in the book. I still need to change out the feet and see what the other feet can do, and I need to make a little bag to catch all the scraps as they are cut. I've been surprised with how quickly I have got the hang of using it. I plan on making the girls a lot more clothes now-not that they need any. And pajama pants will go so fast, with edges all finished. I may as well go work on something right now!

Craft Apple Car Organizer

2009-09-14T12:56:00.000-06:00

When I saw this pattern, I knew I needed to try it. But every time I went to the store to get some stabilizer, they were out, so the pattern languished on my shelf for quite some time. Finally the stabilizer was in stock at Jo-Ann's and I went for it.

I do love the finished result. But some of the directions seemed a bit confusing. And I had to do a few steps and walk away for a while just so things would be clear. I am sure it is a combination of me being tired and the pattern. I bought enough stabilizer to make two, but my main motivation for doing so is that the stabilizer takes up a lot of space in my cabinet.

Twirling and Twirling

2009-09-12T12:52:00.000-06:00

When we were gearing up for family pictures I decided we should all wear turquoise and brown. I had a really hard time finding anything I really liked for Sophie, so I decided to make her a shirt. When I got home with the fabric, it was had more blue than all our other clothes. but I still wanted to make something out of it. So I used a top pattern from Ottobre Designs and some of my Amy Butler Charm. Then I added a skirt to the bottom of the shirt and a sash. I really love how it turned out. It is a little long right now, which is good, it will fit all next summer.

Log-Cabin Christmas

2009-09-10T12:47:00.000-06:00

I put this together about five years ago from a Moda Kit. It all came in a stocking and seemed so appealing at the time. Well, after I put it together it had some strangeness. I found out there were some errors in the directions, and at that point it was too late. So the top got folded up and put into the ufo pile. A few years ago I found some backing fabric and decided to pull it back out. Then I remembered how bad the flaws were and put it away again. In the spirit of getting things done this year, I finally finished it. But after being stored, and the errors, it really needed to be tied instead of quilted. So I tied it with embroidery floss, bound it and called it good. I still really like it despite the frustration involved, and it will be a nice cuddle on the couch quilt during the holidays.

Name Pillows

2009-09-08T12:08:00.000-06:00

I finished these pillows a few weeks ago. The girls whisked them away as soon as I was finished, so I have to wait until they were not paying attention to to snap a picture. These are all Lakehouse fabrics. A few years ago they had alphabet panel that I really loved. Last year it was on clearance at Mormon Handicraft along with the coordinating prints. I made cording to go around the edges. The girls have used them as horses, doorways for forts, and they sleep with them like mini body pillows.

In Progress....

2009-09-06T12:16:00.000-06:00

I made some whirlygigs from some sultry charm packs. I ended up with 80 blocks. I am working on a few different things with all those blocks, they are 9 inches each.

Fabric Bliss

2009-09-04T12:00:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite local shops has their big sale the week prior to Labor Day.
They clear a lot of things out. Sometimes I don't find much, sometimes I hit the jackpot.
All of this was only 2.99 a yard, and there are over twenty yards. I could have bought more if I could have carried any more bolts.
If you are in Utah, the store is Quilts Etc. located at about 8800 South and State in Sandy. The sale is still going on today and tomorrow. If you're not here, my condolences.

Finishing Up Pillows

2009-08-13T10:47:00.000-06:00

I stitched this about three years ago, then left it as it was. Finally I made it into a pillow and I feel much better getting it off of my to-do pile. I used some Amy Butler Charm to make the pillow. Now that I look at it, there may have been a button that was supposed to go in the center of the big flower, but as it is not there, it just wasn't meant to be.

This one was finished at least four years ago, but never framed. I decided to make a frame with a yellow solid and some black and white polka dots. There is a sleeve on the back to hang it up on the wall. The walls in my sewing room are bright and sunny, so it will probably go up in there, hopefully before another four years elapse.

And for some reason this picture wants to stay oriented this way no matter what I change, grr. Anyway, the general idea is there. I stitched this in the car a few years ago on a long road trip. I made it into a door hanger style pillow and it is on the girls room door now. They also think it is a good pillow for all sorts of baby dolls. The star is full of french knots, which I am not fond of, and at the time gave me trouble. I am still not fond, but they give me less trouble.

All in all, three unfinished projects finished! They were quick and easy, and it always makes me kick myself when I am done to think these languished on my to-do list for so long when a good solid hour of work was all it took to knock them off. Lesson learned-I doubt it.

Freezer Paper Stencils

2009-08-12T10:41:00.000-06:00

The kids and I had planned on doing this project at the beginning of the summer, but for some reason we kept being too busy to fit it in. There are tutorials all over the internet on how to do this and where to get clip art for it. The kids picked out the kind of things they wanted. Sophie got a shark because she bites, hard. Even Nate got in on the fun and did a guitar shirt.

Fresh Cut Charm Quilt

2009-08-11T10:17:00.000-06:00

I made this quilt about two years ago while I was expecting baby number 3. The Fresh Cut charm packs were the first charm packs I had ever purchased. It's a bit addicting, now I have quite a charm pack stash.

The pattern is from a Better Homes and Gardens Quilt's n' More magazine.

I did a basic quilt in the ditch design so the back of the quilt just looks latticed. Sophie loves this quilt, it is the perfect size for a crib.

Ottobre shorts and tunic

2009-08-10T10:07:00.003-06:00

I have had this eiffel tower fabric for quite a long time, and this is the first time I cut into it. These little shorts are from an issue of Ottobre Designs magazine from last summer I believe. They are a size 80cm. They will fit Sophie this summer and maybe next.

I love the ruffles across the bum!

Next is a tunic from this years Spring Issue. It went together really really fast. I used some Pop Garden for the tunic, and some bubblegum basics for the bias trim.

I have several little leggings that match this, and it also looks so cute with denim. I made this in an 80cm, but was a little skimpier on the seam allowances, so it's a bit big and will last longer.

Blasts from the Past Part 4

2009-07-30T08:34:00.000-06:00

This is a quilt I made for my Mother-In-Law at least five years ago. It's a basic nine patch quilt pattern. I had a lot of leftover pieces, and I think I managed to send most of them to Jessica, but every once in a while I run across one. This quilt is between a full and a queen. And at the time, it was the largest thing I had quilted on my machine. It is quilted with a giant stipple.

I made these booties from scraps of fabric from Heather Bailey's Freshcut. I made a charm quilt for my youngest daughter while I was pregnant and had a few tiny scraps leftover. I loved how these little booties looked on her tiny feet. They are lined with a supersoft terrycloth. I still have then in her sock bin even though they haven't fit for quite a long time. There is just something so lovely about tiny things. This is a quilt I made for my oldest daughter when she was a few months old. My mother sent me the fabric-it is Free Spirit I believe. I loved it so much at the time, and still do. She sent me the book Quilts from the Quiltmakers Gift and enough fabric to make one of the quilts from the book. Luckily, she sent more, or the pattern called for more than was needed, so I still have some of this left, I delight in scraps of my favorite fabrics.!
Anyway, this quilt is still regularly used by the current six year old and it still quite large enough to cover her up. I used a lot of different machine quilting styles, there is stippling, stitch in the ditch, and some freehand flowers, crowns, stars, and magic wands. This was one of the first projects where I really started feeling like I could draw anything on fabric.

Ottobre Dresses

2009-07-28T11:57:00.004-06:00

About a year ago my mom sent me some fabric with instructions to make dresses for the girls. She had seen a dress in Sophie's size she really loved, didn't want to pay full price, so found similar fabric and sent it to me. So, I pulled out the ever loved Ottobre designs and found a few patterns. Just after I got the fabric cut out, the dress she loved went on sale and she bought it. Well, that made me lose steam in a major way. So, the dresses sat unfinished for almost a year. Last week I rectified the situation. For Bella, I made a bigger size, still fits as a dress. Sophie's dress has now become a shirt though. But, the main point being, they are done. I added the green fabric as accents. I have enough of the blue left to back a quilt-small one, or make a skirt for myself. Sophie was not thrilled to have her picture taken.

Both of the dresses have a lot of detail I failed to capture adequately, but I really love how the bodice of Bella's dress turned out.

Blasts from the past 3

2009-07-06T15:26:00.000-06:00

I made this ladybug quilt for a friend three or four years ago. She went into labor the night before her baby shower and sent her husband in her stead. It was hilarious. He was a little uncomfortable at first, then started getting into all the unwrapping and such. He held up a few outfits and said things like "This is so cute, I bet we won't return it!". He had a roomful of women laughing so hard. It was so sad his wife couldn't have been there for it all.

I made this quilt for Jack right after he got his big boy bed. It's a crazy cut quilt with all the blocks cut at a slight angle. This was one of my first big lessons about mixing fabrics. I used both quilt store fabrics, and fabric store fabrics in this quilt, and the fabric store fabrics have really not held up as well as the others. This is a quilt that is used a lot, washed a lot, and loved a lot. So I really didn't expect it or need it to stay pristine. But some of colors still match my original scraps, and some are unrecognizable. Frustrating considering all the time put into it.

I love this jacket, so much so that it is still hanging in my closet despite the fact that it doesn't fit anyone who lives here. Jack was four when I made it and he wore it for about a year and a half. It is a dark blue corduroy lined with a baseball print and has olive green cording. Not really a water-proof type coat, but warm and toasty and snuggly. It has side pocket and the sleeves roll up for extra growth. I have big plans of making a few of these for my girls this fall.

Old Red Barn Quilt Finished!

2009-07-03T14:42:00.003-06:00

I am really loving how this quilt turned out. I tried to use brown as a central theme, then go with colors that coordinated.

The finished size is 64 x 82. I used a 6 by 7 block formation. I stippled the quilt using pink thread on top and brown thread in the bobbin.

The quilt-a-long was great. All the instructions were clear and easy to follow. I loved seeing all the different choices people made in the flikr group. If anyone out there wants to make a quilt, try this one out.

Teacher Gifts

2009-06-24T09:25:00.000-06:00

Each year I try and make something for the kids teachers as a thank you. This year I made patriotic table runners for each of them. Of course, I didn't remember to take pictures until the absolute last minute, so they are not great examples, and excuse the feet. But I really loved they way they turned out. The fabric is Moda Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. I quilted in the ditch for the most part. They went together pretty fast, considering I had company the week I made them. And everyone loves red, white, and blue, right?

Blasts from the Past 2

2009-06-20T09:14:00.002-06:00

I made this jacket about a year ago. We called it the Peep Coat because she looked like a marshmallow peep. My mom had sent me a yard of the yellow plush and I had the Heather Ross fabric in my stash.

This skirt is from an Amy Butler print from her Charm line I believe. The flower is detachable and can be a hair flower as well. This outfit should fit my younger daughter in a few months.

I made this quilt and outfit for a friend for her baby girl. It is Seaside Rose from Moda. One of my most favorite lines of fabric. I have made four or five quilts from it and two or three dresses, and I still have quite a bit left.

Every year I make the kids Halloween costumes. They sometimes have an opinion, sometimes not. But Jack really wanted to be Harry Potter and Bella had no opinion, so she became Hermione. I got the Hogwarts patches on eBay and I knit the scarf (badly).

This little shirt has a fairy hand-stitched on the front. I had quite a bit of this floral fabric as well, I think it is Moda, but the line name escapes me. I made quite a few clothes from it, but have no memory of using it in any quilts.

Old Red Barn Quilt A-Long

2009-06-14T19:59:00.003-06:00

I managed to get this together this afternoon despite being gone all week. I really want to keep on track with this quilt-a-long. My quilt measures 62 x 84.5 inches. It's bigger than I pictured, which is great. I have no idea what I am going to do with it, my daughter is really liking it. I plan to go get the backing tomorrow and starting on the quilting. I do love the way the colors turned out. I am thinking maybe a brown damask back, I don't have anything big enough in my stash to really cover it, so a shopping I will go.

Blasts from the Past 1

2009-06-06T16:07:00.002-06:00

I am not always great at taking pictures of everything I make. Nut going through my archives I have found a few. So I am going to try and regularly post some pictures of projects past. The first is a star block sampler quilt I made for Katrina when she was expecting her baby boy. I think he is closing in on three now. I remember really loving the small pieced inner border and the star quilting.
This one is a wallpaper stripe quilt I made for my nephew. I think this one was constructed in 2007. How is it holding up Jess?

Each year I try and make something for my kids teachers as gifts. This was for my son's first grade teacher. He was so excited because she wore it all day the day he gave it to her. And he picked out the fabrics. I have made this apron a few times since and have always been pleased with how it turned out.

Stuff I occasionally make for me

2009-06-05T08:34:00.002-06:00

Every once is a while I get the idea to make myself some clothes. I love this Amy Butler Daisy Chain fabric. I used an old vogue pattern for the skirt. One of my favorite things is the skirt has pockets, I can always use pockets. The shirt is from Old Navy, don't you love how is coordinates.

This shirt is from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. The fabric is a gauzy blend from Jo-Ann's, with a white tonal flower for the placket. I really love all of Heather Ross's fabrics and was really excited to get her book. One of things she said she hoped for was that people would alter her patterns to really fit themselves and their lives. When cutting out this pattern, I took a few inches off the sleeves, which was a good thing, you can tell they are plenty long. Next time I may make way shorter sleeves. And the other thing I changed was the darts didn't have any extra reinforcement, and with this particular fabric, they needed it. But I really like the way the blouse turned out and will probably make it again. I saw someone make it into a full dress, not sure if I could pull that one off, but maybe.

Bella's Birthday Quilt

2009-06-01T10:48:00.003-06:00

Last Summer Isabella picked out this blue Heather Ross fabric and wanted me to make something for her. Then she promptly forgot about it. We were in Oregon when she found it and had too many other diversions to be thinking about fabric while on vacation. Unlike her mother who definitely thinks of fabric on vacation.

I decided to make it into a really basic quilt. I didn't want to cut too much into the horses as I think their simplicity adds to their beauty. So last fall I made this quilt and put it away until last week for her 6th birthday. Bella is in a loving horses stage. We pass them a lot on the way to school, and occasionally one rides down our street. She was pretty excited and has snuggled the quilt all weekend.

I just did some very basic in the ditch quilting along all the squares and sashing, then I quilted diagonal lines across the large and small squares. The quilt is backed with a tonal ecru floral. It is throw sized.

Finished Denim Blues

2009-05-17T09:31:00.003-06:00

I finished the denim quilt on Friday. I knew it was one of those projects I needed to stay on top of, or it may end up sitting halfway done for quite a long time.

I backed the quilt with a soft floral flannel. Now it is pretty heavy, but great for picnics I think.

I just did a running stitch with some specialty yarn I had leftover from a sweater I made Bella a few years ago. I ended up with just two inches of leftover yarn. I wouldn't have cut it that close had I planned ahead better.

I really like the way it turned out. The finished size is 60"x70". I used warm and natural batting to reduce bulk. Perhaps it will be used today for a lunchtime picnic.

The Blues

2009-05-12T13:09:00.002-06:00

I have been saving jeans for the past several years. Finally I cut them up and pieced them together in a picnic blanket. Nate can still identify who's jeans were who's. I am backing this quilt with a flannel that is pink with flowers. Mainly because I had a lot of it and am trying to do some stash busting. Especially with fabrics that have been around for years. I am hand quilting it with some yarn in big running stitches. I have no idea how long this will take me, I just wanted to get it out there so I will feel more accountable. I do have hope to have a picnic on this blanket before the end of the summer.

Table Runner with Pattern

2009-05-09T10:09:00.000-06:00

Finished Size: 22"x42"

Materials List:
3/4 yard for backing
1/2 yd tonal red for outer border and four patches
1/2 yd stripe for inner border and binding
1/4 yd green fabric
1/4 yd blue fabric
1/4 yd red/white fabric
1/4 yd brown fabric

24 x 45 piece of batting

Cutting Instructions:
Outer Border- 2 strips 2 1/2" x 38 1/2"
2 strips 2 1/2" x 22 1/2"
Inner Border- 2 strips 1 1/2" x 18 1/2"
2 strips 1 1/2" x 36 1/2"
Squares- Cut 9- 4 1/2" squares from Blue Fabric
Cut 9-4 1/2" squares from Red/white Fabric
Four Patches- Cut 2-2 1/2" strips from tonal red, green, yellow, and brown fabrics

Binding-Cut 4-2 1/2" strips from stripe fabric

Piecing Instructions:
Four Patches-Sew tonal red 2 1/2" strip to green 2 1/2" strip along long side of fabric. Press seam toward red. Cut into 2 1/2" pieces. You will need a total of 18 pieces. Sew yellow and brown strips together in the same manner pressing seam toward yellow. Cut 18 2 1/2" pieces.

Sew together one red/green unit to one brown/yellow unit matching seams. Repeat until you have 18 squares. Press seams to one side. Each square should measure 4 1/2".

Piece together long rows starting with a four patch unit followed by a blue square. Then another four patch unit followed by a red square. Repeat pattern until you have nine squares across, ending on a four patch unit. Move pattern one to the right for the next three rows.

Press the first and third row seams to the left and the second and fourth row seams to the right. Piece rows together matching up seams. Press long seams flat.

Add inner border along the long side first, the 1 1/2" x 36 1/2" piece. Do this on both the top and bottom. Press toward border. Add ends in the same manner pressing toward border. Repeat with outer border.

Quilting:

Layer backing, batting and top together and pin with safety pins every four inches or so. Quilt as desired. I did a meandering daisy pattern. Then I stitched in the ditch along the borders.

Binding:
Sew binding strips together using a diagonal seam. Press seams open to reduce bulk. Iron binding in half. Stitch to top of quilt mitering corners. Hand stitch binding on to back.

I used Rambling Rose by Henry Glass in this runner. But the pattern will work for all sorts of fabrics. It goes together in just a few hours. Feel free to use the binding method you like best or are used to. I know there are a lot of great tutorials out there. For batting I like Hobbes and Warm and Natural the best.

HMQS

2009-05-08T15:48:00.000-06:00

Sophie and I went to the Home Machine Quilting Show yesterday at the South Towne Expo Center. These are three of my favorites that we saw.This one is butterflies, of course the pictures don't do any of these quilts justice. But I loved the detail on the wings.
I have always love the Hawaiian quilts. And I love purple. I have a pattern, one day I will start on making it.

And this one is all polka dots. I have a huge love of polka dots which is reflected in my stash. I am liking the pineapple blocks. This would be a great scrap quilt.

There were also over 175 vendors. There were tons of long arm quilt dealers. My mom is interested in me buying one of those. Also lots of cutting systems and such that I really didn't have too much time to focus on. Sophie was in her stroller, but would yell "Go!" loudly anytime I lingered too long. I did manage to buy a few yards of Wonderland by Momo. I seem to be accumulating that fabric lately.

Pajama Pants

2009-04-30T10:29:00.000-06:00

With the weather warming up, the kids needed some new pajamas. I keep checking on them at night and finding them all sweaty in flannel and polar fleece. So last Friday I pulled out some stash fabric and went to work. Jack got two pairs because he has less jammies over all. The girls love to match and love the sea friends fabric. I really like making lots of pairs at once, it seems to go faster.
One thing I do when I make them clothes at home is make sure and put a fabric tag in the back. This way they know, and their dad knows, which way is which. Just take two scraps of fabric and cut into little squares. Stitch the squares on three sides right sides together. Then turn them right side out. Put then unfinished edge in the waistband while when you sew it. I used to stitch the size on the tags, but the kids wear these until they are unwearable, so I don't worry about it any more.

Star Quilt-a-long Complete!

2009-04-22T18:10:00.001-06:00

I am so happy with how this quilt turned out. I did some things that I haven't before. I had originally planned on adding boarders. But when I put everything together it was 62 x 88, so boarders would have made it way too big for the twin bed it is covering. Then without the boarders, I ended up quilting edge to edge with the same design.

I did a meandering stars design that I really love how it turned out. I had an extra star block, so I incorporated it onto the pieced back. I used scraps for the rest. So overall, I didn't have too much left over from this endeavor, which is not a bad thing.

So, I am not great at doing quilt-a-longs. I really had to be patient in doing the blocks each week instead of all at once. I suppose Jess and I kind of threw in the towel on that one anyway. I do better doing stuff all at once overall. Not saying I'm not up for another, it's good to learn new skills and patience.

Whirly Gigs

2009-04-16T10:23:00.000-06:00

As soon as I saw this pattern I wanted to try it. I love the movement and the many possibilities that come along with it. So when commissioned to come up with a baby quilt, I knew exactly what I wanted to go for. The pattern wasn't too difficult to draft. I did have more trimming and squaring up than I anticipated, but I love the way it turned out.

I stippled with white thread from edge to edge. I am going to do this pattern again and again I am sure.

I have pieced the top of the star quilt-a-long quilt. Now I am getting the back put together. I am really pushing it right to the wire. I have six days before Jack's birthday-wish me luck!

Lila Tueller Shirt

2009-03-31T21:57:00.000-06:00

I bought this pattern as soon as it came out. Then I had to wait for the fabric to come out. Then I had to find the time to make it. Finally a few weeks ago I finished it up. The shirt has zipper on the side and I am slow with zippers. I used to be speedy with zippers, but I hated the way they looked. So now I set them in by hand and I like my results much better.
I really love the way the shirt turned out, it fits nicely, and the instructions were clear. I will probably make it again in different fabrics. I will probably lengthen it next time for variety, and I would also like to try some bell sleeves.

Blocks 12 & 13

2009-03-26T10:49:00.000-06:00

All the blocks are finished! I found the backing I want to use and am ready to get it all put together. I still need to decide on a border and binding, but I am sure I have materials to cover both. I just need to get everything laid out while the kids are at school. One of the blocks will be used in the backing because I am laying out the pattern into a twin size instead of a larger square. I need to play around with things to decide which one.