Absentee

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

 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

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

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

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

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

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.