many different pots

a few little things...

2011-06-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

I know I've been silent a long while, but my craft room, (yes, I now have a whole room to myself at our new house!) has been bustling! I've now sewn three patterns from my new "little things to sew" book from Oliver and S. I love this book!

Both my kids have new hats, (they are admittedly flawed - a bit gathered in places), but they fit great. I will add straps the next time I sew this pattern though. Seems like every day we've worn them has been windy. I also want to size up the pattern for myself and my husband!

I've also sewn the adorable bear carrier. But I unfortunately gave it away before getting a good picture.

And the last thing I did was this bento box carrier. I had to adjust the dimensions to make it the right size for a standard rectangle gladware container, and it works great!

The next time I make one of these, (and there will be a next time - everyone who saw it today wants one), I'll make it even a bit bigger to allow for two containers stacked, and maybe an apple or two on top. This was a "three scissors" project and sure enough the curved edges were a bit beyond my skill level, but it still came out great, and I'm sure each additional one will be better! I used some flannel-backed vinyl I had on hand to make a splash mat for the wipeable inside instead of clear vinyl over regular fabric and it worked great. It probably took me 4 hours total including adjusting the pattern.

I can't wait to make some of the other projects in the book - there's a great vest for hiking that my little girl needs, and a messenger bag too. Check it out!

finally finished!!

2010-11-28T11:57:00.000-08:00

My I-Spy quilt for Natalie's 2nd birthday, (last March!) is finally done! I'd had all the squares done, then stalled at the sashing, then stalled again at the border, and then stalled one last time at the quilting! But it is done, washed (I almost stalled there too, but bit the bullet and just made sure to use a bunch of color catchers!), and in use on her bed. I loved the idea of this quilt, and the finished product, but the next time I do it will be on a smaller scale.
I quilted each colored square with a border and bubbles. This quilting technique is also something I will only attempt again on a small scale. I couldn't believe how much thread I went through!
Natalie loves it, and it seems nice and sturdy, so I'm happy with the results!

Baby Shower Gift

2010-11-27T11:34:00.001-08:00

Almost every mom I know is pregnant with her second baby right now, so a bunch of us got together and did a group, secret Santa style baby shower. I drew a friend of mine who isn't finding out what she's having, but luckily loves the color green, which is pretty gender neutral, so I went with it.

I quilted her a quick, cotton-chenille-lined stroller blankie.
Knitted a tiny cotton hat, (my fave!)
And tried my hand at terrycloth-lined bibs,
and burp cloths.
Top the whole thing off with a cow, and it was quite a popular gift! Phew!
Now on to all my Christmas sewing and knitting!

Birthday Party favors

2010-04-17T20:18:00.001-07:00

Natalie's birthday was last month, and in keeping with my handmade gifts goal for the year I made handmade party favors for her little friends.

The little crayon/paper holders ended up going together pretty quickly when done in bulk. And one would really take only about half an hour or so.
Sewing the slots probably took the longest, (after choosing the fabrics from my stash!)
I personalized each one which was actually pretty easy after getting the hang of it.
Pretty cute, huh? And perfect for little toddle hands I think!

quiet book page, G and H

2010-03-04T13:00:00.000-08:00

I recently began the huge task of creating an alphabet "quiet book" for Natatlie. It should be done by the time she's out of college. Here she is playing with the first page: G-H, (H is on the other side). I have since put button holes on the flowers in the garden.

Some parts of this project are going very smoothly. The applique letter blocks for example are much easier than I expected and are improving my applique skills and my sewing machine confidence. Other things will change in future blocks; more raw edges and felt will make appearances for one thing!

travel sewing case

2010-03-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

I wanted a little something to carry my needles and hooks for just a couple projects, so I made this little carrier. I used some hoarded Amy Butler fabric that I ad a very tough time cutting into. It came out very well, and though I used it for knitting projects on my last trip, in the future I think it will be more for crochet and embroidery/hand sewing that I plan on taking on. It will hold floss and thread very well in the elastics under the flap. And though it folds and is functional, it doesn't look quite right when the flap is folded over the longer knitting needles!

I've been quiet, but busy!

2010-02-10T12:28:00.001-08:00

I'm going to try to get all these pictures organized so that I can share these projects with you! First I'm going to try to get all the various handmade Christmas gifts out of the way! We'll start with just a cute little tutu I made for my niece for Christmas! Nat is modeling it for me. And here is a reversible superhero cape I made my little nephew! My DH is modeling it for me.

So that's that! I've been wanting to share those for a while now. Theres more to come. Knitting and sewing galore.

felt finger puppets - bat, owl, and cat

2009-11-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a bit late posting these Halloween themed finger puppet ideas, but I chose these guys because they are really just animals so would probably transcend the holiday.

These are really easy to make. I used little mini pompoms and beats for the eyes, and other than that this was all just felt and running stitch.
I tried to keep the faces simple and silly.
I sewed the faces and other extra parts on before sewing the puppets together... I tried to sew the wings on when I sandwiched the fronts and backs together, though I did reinforce with some extra stitching there a bit.

Here are the pieces I cut out for the craft playgroup I was hosting. The puppets were a hit!

I'd love to see any similar puppets you guys make... I think I'm going to have to start a little collection!

Hallowee costumes - Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood

2009-11-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

I've had a couple late nights sewing this past week! My 19 month old dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood, so I had to make that up, (super quick project!), and then my husband wanted to be the big bad wolf to go with it. Not so quick.

He had a vision of the Muppet version of Big Bad. So I designed a version of the puppet that would fit over my husband's head, and he would look out through the mouth.

Here's the start of it. In a different fabric this could be another super easy knight costume!

After a bit, there were ears to go on that! I put them on by hand... there was a lot of hand work attaching pieces since my sewing machine isn't all that big.
I'm especially proud of the nice doggie nose. I think it came out really well. They Eyes are stuffed balls made from white fleece, and felt pupils - I think the fur eyelids really make them work. The teeth and tongue are felt.
There's also some pieces of old milk bottles in the nose for structure.
Just before we went out for the day I sewed the ribbon on Little Red's hood,
And made the wolf some mits.
Here they are checking out the snow leopards at the zoo.
And doing some trick or treating at grandma's house.

felt carrot tutorial and a birthday felt food feast

2009-10-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

My daughter's best friend celebrated her second birthday today. I made her some delicious felt food. All healthy, with a couple sugar cookies for dessert.

Here's the quick and dirty method I used to make the carrots!

First I cut some rounded out triangles. Two equal sides. About 7" X 5".

I also cut a few narrow green rectangles... about 1/2" X 2. I folded these in half longways and sewed them up with a running stitch.

I sewed some lines in the carrot felt with embroidery floss.

I'm sorry but I didn't take pictures of the next steps. Then I folded the carrots, right sides facing, and sewed up the long edge with my machine. You end up with a narrow funnel. Turn it right-side-out. Stuff the carrot, and then string all three green stems on a thread, and then used the same thread to sew a running stitch along the open end of the carrot. Tuck the sewn ends of the stems in the top of the carrot and cinch it closed. Then just sew it together at the top for a sturdy finish.

Here are some close ups of the other veggies. Strawberries follow the same principle with a stubbier triangle to start, and different greens.

my cousin's baby shower gift

2009-10-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

My dear cousin's wife is pregnant, due in December. The first of all my cousins to have a baby. This little girl will be my niece, (my cousin and I are both only children), and I am very excited.

I made the new little girl an eye-spy play/stroller quilt. It is 44" X 44". I'm so glad I added the patchwork border... this really adds to it I think!

Here is my favorite square...
And here is my daughter's favorite one - Dora of course! She's going to get one of these quilts, only much larger, and with many more things to spy, for Christmas.
Here is the back! I loved this fabric. Got it for a great deal at a quilt shop that was closing. So soft and bright.
The binding.... Most of the fabric came out of my stash - except for the sashing and the back.
And what baby shower gift is complete without a hand-knit hat! I've been making this pattern a lot lately. It's from the 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book. Very easy and quick.

Quilted Baby Blanket - Finished!

2009-08-14T22:23:00.001-07:00

Believe me, I'm really kicking myself for not getting a better picture of this one before I sent it off... I love the way this blanket came out:

And it arrived on the same day the baby did! I've been told it was very well received, so hopefully I'll get a picture of it in use soon.

I've also finished the yellow knitted blankie for Natalie. She's been using it to play hide and seek, and she seems to enjoy cuddling it as much as her old couch cuddly! so that's a success story for sure. Unfortunately, it's a success story with no good picture to go with it! I'll try to get the little mover to pose with it tomorrow, and we'll see how that goes. So stay tuned for a picture!!

And I'm still working on some of that art quilting for the show in Erie. I'm loving my color pallet, so hopefully it all come off okay. I've got to get cracking though... September's almost here!

Baby Blankets

2009-07-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

I have been busy... just not blogging! But here are a couple of quick pics of my two biggest WIPs.

I'm working on a quilted baby blanket for Kathy, a family friend's first grandchild, a boy, who's coming soon. I'm loving the way this quilt top came out. Each square has a different animal in the center. Kathy said the mom really likes brown and natural colors. I picked all these fabrics, except the sashing, from my stash, and I think it really works. And at the same time is still very baby boy.

Sorry for the crumby picture! The backing will be that light blue with dots fabric... I had to go get more of that at Hobby Lobby, but the width ended up being perfect... I won't even have to piece it!

And then I'm also knitting a blanket for my little one. She's really become attached to the junky old couch throw we have. She feels its nubbles when she's going down for her naps. I'd like her to have something a bit more special, (and something smaller!) so I'm making this textured knit blanket out of soft cotton. Hopefully she'll take to it.

Even if she's not into it it will have been good practice for me. The texture seemed complex at first, but I've got it memorized now. Hopefully I'll make some good progress on it on the road trip I'm heading off on this afternoon!

I've also got a couple other things on different needles and hooks, and a few other sewing projects for the show I'm doing in the local Library in September. I'll post some pics of them when I figure out how to mount them!!

Squares Quilt

2009-07-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I finished this one a couple of weeks ago, but have been having camera trouble, so haven't gotten around to posting it! I love this quilt. I've even been using it though it's been so hot! I can't wait to wash it and see how it comes out after that, but I haven't gotten around to that yet. I really loved working with this beautiful fabric! So fun.

The back is just as nice as the front.

Here are a couple close ups of the patterned squares.

Now I'm working on some quilted art pieces to go in a show at the local library. I'm not sure how I'm going to frame them yet, but we'll see. I'll post pictures of them when they're nicely mounted.

And then next up is a quilt for a baby on the way in the family! I've got lots of ideas for it, but am not positive yet. Can't wait to cut some fabric!

I Won Something!

2009-06-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

Pretty neat huh? And not just anything, but some beautiful yarn, and enough of it to maybe even make something cool!

I won this from Christine at Pink Petunias during the Sew Mama Sew giveaway day. So, what should I make? I'm thinking some kind of short-sleeved cardigan... have you seen any nice patterns? The yarn is a mohair and silk blend. I have five skeins of it, totaling 500 meters.

Guest Room Wall Hanging

2009-06-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

The wall hanging/headboard I'd made for the guest room before just wasn't cutting it for me... the colors seemed way too bright for the room, and didn't work above the quilt that my great-grandma made so many years ago.

So before our guests arrived this weekend, I felt I really needed to make something a little more appropriate for the room.

I love the way this turned out... it's colors are nice and bright, but the tan in between works much better than the pure white did.

And it matches the bedspread perfectly.

Now this room ties together three generations of women's (counting me) needlework.

The pillows on the bed were stitched by my mom's mom, (the quilt was my dad's dad's mom).

And that other wall hanging? I put that into my bedroom, and it works very well on the sage green walls.... when I get around to decorating that room it will be all blue greens to match the crocheted hexagon afghan I made a couple of years ago!! I guess I'll have to post that one when I break it out again for the winter.

Square-in-Square

2009-06-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is what I'm working on putting together with my pretty Amy Butler squares... It's going to be a small throw blanket for our living room.

I'm still working on the squares... I think it's going to be 6X5... I'm debating the sashing... I think there will be sashing for sure... I'm not sure of the color (tan or navy).

I'm very pleased with the way these are coming out... I love seeing all the scraps in the borders, and then the individual fabrics highlighted in the simple squares... I can't wait for it to come together!

Getting things done!

2009-06-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Phew... I'm finally getting a few things done around here... I've pretty much taken the week off from sewing... I did do a bit of cutting, but that's all...

But now I can cross a couple more things off my to do list! Woo hoo!

First off is this little house doorstop... it's actually quite a bit bigger than I think it needs to be, but I think that's okay for now... maybe I'll make another doorstop or two for some of the other doors that keep slamming around here.

This wall hanging has been done for a while, but I didn't have a piece of foam board to mount it on... until yesterday! So now it's up! I'd show it over the bed, except for the bed is covered in crafting stuff... and I don't want you to get any bad (though totally true) ideas about my tidiness! I'm going to have to do another one of these I think... I'm liking these colors for my bedroom and think that the guest room needs something a little less white to go over my great-grandma's feedsack quilt... this one is just a bit too bright. But I'm happy with the way it turned out other than that!

And I also got caught up with my squares again... and a few ahead... I have forty now! So as of today, I think that's two ahead...

And I finally started sewing the blocks together using the beautiful Amy Butler Daisy Chain squares I won from the Fabric Square Shop. I've had these squares for months now, all cut out, but I keep working on other projects... I'm really excited about this... the squares I've put together are looking so cool! I'll post about them when I have a few more.

And I'll also post a picture of what I won on Giveaway Day! :) I'm so excited to get the mail!

Giveaway Winner!

2009-06-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe there were 100 comments! Very exciting! I loved hearing from everyone and getting to read more about you all on your blogs!

The only really fair way to choose was a random number generator!! So, the number drawn was..

So congratulations to Amanda from My GigglyMonkey! I'll send you an email soon, and if I don't hear from you I'll pick another number!! I hope your mom enjoys the needle holder! Sounds like she'll put it to good use!

Please check out the previous post and see if you're interested in playing the Pay It Forward game with me... I need a few more participants!

And again, thanks for stopping by my blog!! I promise, I'll post some new craft pictures soon, (hopefully some finished projects even!!)

Paying it Forward

2009-05-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

I found out about this while perusing all the wonderful Sew Mama Sew giveaways out there! It seems like such a nice way to meet other bloggers, and to spread the handmade love a bit further!

Here's the dealio:

I am entering into the following contract with the first 5 people who comment and then commit to do the same on their blog. Just read below and if you feel up to the task copy the following into your blog and leave me a comment. I am willing to post overseas (I am in Colorado, but remember you must commit on your blog to do the same to others.

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. Whatcha get is whatcha get.
2. What I create will be just for you, with love.
3. It’ll be done this year (2009).
4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. Or it may be monstrous and annoying. Heck, I might bake something for you and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!
5. I reserve the right to do something strange.
6. In return, all you need to do is post this text on your blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to your blog post.

7. Send your mailing address - after I contact you.

Welcome to everyone. I will however, make an effort to do something that you like based on what I see on your blog, BUTthere is no guarantees.

So that's that!!

Thanks Bec Clarke for bringing this to my attention!! I'm looking forward to a little something from Australia! (Isn't it amazing how the internet makes us all seem just a little closer!)

Giveaway Day

2009-05-26T19:26:00.001-07:00

Hi there and welcome to my crafting blog! I'm so excited to be a part of giveaway day this time around, and am looking forward to checking out all the great blogs, sites and shops out there!

Today, I'm giving away a small knitting needle/crochet hook holder! I use the Beta version of this guy all the time for my own gear, and hope you will find it useful. This one has 21 pockets for straight needles or hooks, and three wide pockets that can be used for circular needles or afghan hooks. It also has a little Velcro-closure pocket that can be used for stitch markers or whatnot!

The flap folds over and it ties closed.

This baby measures in at about 10"X 15". Folded, it's about 10" X 5.5".

I'd be happy to ship internationally.

To win this fine made-by-me prize, please comment below and let me know what's currently on your needles or hook, (or what's up next if you don't have anything going)!

I'll keep the giveaway open through Sunday, May 31st.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you! Thanks for playing.

Busy weekend!

2009-05-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

I got a lot of sewing done this weekend visiting my MIL's cabin in Southern Colorado. This is the first time I've ever taken my sewing machine on a trip with me, and it will not be the last. It was a perfect place and time to sew.

I spent a good deal of my free time leading up to the trip getting my fabric ready to go so I wouldn't have to do much cutting or measuring. That's definitely the most time-consuming part, and also the messiest part!

Anyway, it worked. I made 17 squares for the 9-patch quilt-a-long. Now I'm up to 31, and just barely staying ahead of the game. I think I like the more mono-chromatic squares best... I'll have to do more of those.

And I made two knitting needle cases! One of these has long been promised to my good friend Lesley, and the other one is for give-a-way day on Wednesday!! So check back then and you could win it!!

Here's what they look like inside - I was lazy and just did a velcro patch pocket on these instead of the zipper, but I think it will do the trick.

Not bad for a couple hours work after baby's bed time!! Now if I could only be that productive the rest of my evenings!

Making and Straining Yogurt

2009-05-25T19:40:00.000-07:00

We've been eating a lot of yogurt lately, so I decided I would start to make it myself. This way I would know exactly where the milk came from (our dairy), and I wouldn't have to pay the high prices for the thick, Greek style yogurt I like.

The process is very easy actually, and just takes a bit of time, and some trial and error, (in my case). Hopefully I've made all the errors for you.

All you need is some milk (whole or skim or anything in between), and some yogurt with live active cultures in it. I guess some yogurt might have more active cultures than others, so you may have to test this out yourself. I've had success with Stonyfield Farms and Brown Cow, and maybe a couple others, I don't remember. Now I just use my own yogurt if I have the presence of mind not to eat it all.

You can make it in any quantity you want. The batch in the pictures is a half a gallon of skim milk. I use about two tablespoons of yogurt for that much milk, but I may be using more than necessary. Better safe than sorry.

Heat up your milk to just short of boiling, (the book I use says 180 degrees F but I've boiled it before and it works just fine.) Take it off the burner and let it cool down (according to the book, to 116 deg F). About 20-30 minutes.

While milk is cooling turn the oven on to the lowest setting, (mine is 170 but anything over 120 should be fine). Whisk your yogurt in a small bowl.

When your milk is between 115 and 135 deg F, whisk some of it into your yogurt. This is where I've screwed it up before... I've killed my cultures by adding them to milk that was too hot. They curdled pretty obviously though so I think you'll know if it happens to you. Then mix your cultures back into the rest of the milk. I do all of this in a glass or ceramic bowl with a well fitting lid.

Put the lid on, and stick it in the warm oven. Turn OFF the oven. I turn the light on for a bit more heat.

Let it sit for four hours. Check it, and if it's still very milky, let it sit for another hour or two.

You have yogurt! (sorry I don't have a pic of the plain yogurt done.)

The longer you let it sit the tangier it gets. I've let it sit over night... I've even added more cultures to milk I'd already let sit over night, (I guess I'd killed the first cultures and didn't know it!)

Once it's set, you can stick it in the fridge. If it stays warm the cultures just keep multiplying and it gets even tangier. If the whey separates just stir it back in.

Now if you want to strain it, no big deal! Get a couple of layers of cheese cloth, (or in my case surgical grade gauze), and lay it in a strainer. Spoon your cold yogurt into it and tie up the ends. I did this from my kitchen faucet the first couple times, but then my husband was kind enough to place a hook underneath one of my cabinets for this purpose. Allow the whey to drip from the yogurt as the pressure squeezes it out. Deppending on how thick you want it you can let this sit for hours. I put a bowl underneath because the whey can be tasty in recipes instead of water or milk, (pizza dough, pancakes, smoothies). Or, if you're not baking feed it to your plants.

Here's the final product after four hours and a bit of extra squeezing... I use this stuff instead of sour cream on burritos! And it's very high in protein. And yes... this was made with skim milk!

Pincushion

2009-05-07T09:06:00.001-07:00

Last night I crossed one thing off my list! A new pincushion.

I will not be sad to say goodbye to this relic.

I made it when I was 12 or 13 or so. It stabs me every time I pick it up, and it's not very pretty.

This on the other hand is so cute! I made it from tiny scraps that I probably couldn't use for much else. And I found the most perfect button for the top!! I'm loving it already!!

Thanks to Sew Mama Sew for the cute idea during Fat Quarter week!!

W.I.P.

2009-05-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Well, after a long break from my sewing machine, I'm back at it. I started doing squares for Amanda Jean's one-a-day nine square quilt.

I figured getting to my machine once a day would get us both back in sewing shape. And having to make lots of little scraps would also force me to work on some of the projects I've bought fabric for, (and maybe even cut into some of the stuff I've been hoarding!)

And I think it's working!

I've finished up the major blocks for a headboard/wall hanging/quilted picture for the guest room/library/office/sewing room, (I guess everything has to be multi-purpose in that room!).

And at my DH's request I started a little doorstop. I wanted to make it a house because I really liked this one I ran across somewhere.

I also made a little skirt for my baby girl, but I think it'll look a bit better after washing... I have to work the kinks out of the baby alterations I made to this amazing tutorial.

And I'm sure there are some other projects I should be working on too... I think I need a new pin cushion... maybe I'll do that next. I just have to decide which one... I've seen so many cute and creative ones out there it'll be tough!

Fashion Redesign Class

2009-03-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

This weekend my friend Lesley and I took a Fashion Redesign class at a local sewing machine shop. We had a great afternoon, and only wished the class was a bit longer.

We each brought a bunch of stuff to reconstruct. Here's my bag of things, and though I only got to one skirt project, I got a few ideas for the other things in here, (I think my next project will be a sweater-cardigan conversion.)

These are some of our classmates and the teacher.

Lesley was working on a sweater to cardigan conversion herself!

And I was turning a pair of torn but well fitting jeans, (plus another torn pair from my husband's pile) I'd saved into a skirt with some petals.

I really like the way this is turning out... I've done some pin tucks in it to hide some seams, and I can't wait to work on it again so I can wear it this spring! I have yet to wear something I've made, (other than a small knit/crocheted item), so I think this will be a good test of my skills!

Fishy Hair Clip Holder

2009-03-05T06:45:00.001-08:00

I found some cute little hair clips on sale the other day, and my daughter's hair is just long enough to hold them now, so of course, I needed to have them.

But where should I keep them?

So I had to make this little fish with a ribbon hanging from him.

I cut pretty much on the fly, and hand sewed the whole thing while watching TV. I'm pretty satisfied with it, though there are a few things I might change about the shape if I did it again.

The star at the bottom is weighted down with beans.

Doll Quilt Quilt-Along, Part II

2009-02-17T21:04:00.000-08:00

Well, I finished my doll quilt up! I like the way it came out and am glad I participated. I'm pleased with my birdie applique, and enjoyed doing some different, wiggly quilting.

I liked trying the loops around the border without being forced to commit to it for a large quilt. I also liked the small scale for trying out a color scheme that I wouldn't have normally chosen!

My baby isn't too interested in this quilt, but might find it more fun when she's getting into dolls a bit more. Chewy, the cat, on the other hand, seemed to like it a lot!! So that makes it a success as far as I'm concerned!! (Sorry about the sideways picture - it doesn't want to cooperate!!)

Knit Mouse

2009-02-16T21:17:00.000-08:00

When I started this, it was going to be a cat toy, but it ended up being much bigger than I'd thought it was going to be!

Good thing the little one likes it! I'll have to make a smaller one for the cat and fill it with nip!!

The pattern came from the Knitted Toys book that Renee gave me for Christmas!! Thanks again, Renee!! :)

Mittens and Socks

2009-02-13T06:28:00.000-08:00

I have been saving that multicolored yarn for mittens since I got it!! I think I have enough for a pair of matching hats and maybe even a scarf too!! Yey!

I was waiting to finish the last mitten before posting this... four pairs just seemed a lot more impressive than three and a half - but boy did that last one take some time!! I got my mitten pattern from the book Weekend Knits, which has lots of cute things in it. It was an easy pattern, and good thing because I left my copy of it at a friend's house after only the first mitten!!

The socks are from the Debbie Bliss, Simply Baby book. I think my little one is pleased with them!! I'm not even sure her thumbs are in there...

Note to readers though - never let Baby try to crawl in mittens!!

Doll Quilt Quilt-Along, Part I

2009-02-06T07:06:00.001-08:00

Here's my quilt top for the Sew, Mama, Sew Doll Quilt Quilt-Along!! I love the way it came out, and was excited to find a good use for these cute fat quarters my mom picked up for me!! I love the kitty theme, and I think my little one will appreciate it later, since she's such a fan of the feline already!!

I'm planning a birdie applique for the next step. I'm also planning on using a different free motion quilting technique than I usually do, (like I've done a ton of quilting - Ha!)

House Quilt Top

2009-01-29T09:31:00.000-08:00

I've been taking advantage of my last couple of days of daycare, (paid in full through the month of January!) to get some quilting done!! Well... this quilt will take quite a long time to actually complete, but at least I can clean up all the little scraps making it created in my guest room (so now you have a place to sleep when you come to visit!!)

Anyway, here's the full post, on the Lazy Cal: House, Home, or Pantry Quilt Along blog. I think I've been a bit ambitious with my quilt, since it's really the first time I've done any free-piecing, but I love my little houses, and my DH requested that I work on that one before starting another quilt I've cut pieces for. He liked the houses too!

So now I just need to decide what to do about the back, and if I'm going to add any lettering to it!

Crocheted Octopus

2009-01-20T10:14:00.000-08:00

This was a really easy project so I think I'll be trying some more of these little crocheted animals!

Since I'm a bit out of practice with my embroidery though, the face took a bit longer than the actual crocheting did!! But I like the way this guy turned out, and my little one really likes to grab his legs and fling him, so I think it was a success all together!!

Jumbo the Elephant

2009-01-15T07:47:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty happy with the way this guy turned out!! I love his ears... I used some Amy Butler fabric squares I had from a charm pack, and some ribbed border from an old, felted sweater for the backs. Both were reinforced with some iron-on stabilizer before I blanket stitched them together .

I wish I'd stuffed the front legs a bit more. They're just not quite sturdy enough. But they hold okay.

Sew Free Update

2009-01-12T13:27:00.001-08:00

Well, since it's been a while since I last posted, I thought I should do an update!

All the elephant pieces are done! I'm probably about halfway through sewing them together now. Here's where it stands now - check out that cute little circle at the bottom there! That's the last foot I have to sew on... I should probably get it attached before I lose it! This guy worked up pretty quickly - though I did goof on the second part of the patter when I was supposed to switch every "K" call out for a "P" call out... I was on autopilot and just started making the same side again. Good thing I caught myself and was able to use what I'd knitted for the gusset, and only tear out about ten rows.

But I got a bit bored with sewing and wanted to be making something, so I went to the library and picked up some books... I got this one about Amigurumi, and my husband picked out the octopus... I haven't crocheted in ages, and it kind of hurts my hand to work so tightly, but it is very fast. My little one really likes to hold and throw this toy already, so I think I'll be making some more.

And because what's one more iron on the fire, I've picked out another pattern and some yarn to make myself a shawl. It's from the book Beautiful Knitting. I've never done any open work, so I thought this might be a good time to try! I really love this yarn - I used it for a baby blanket, and I think there should be plenty for this project as well.

So now I just need to finish putting together Jumbo the elephant, select some ear material, and embroider his face on. I need to wrap up three more octopus legs and put them on, and do his face up too. And I need to get started on the shawl.

Time for some knitting!!

2009-01-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I just dropped my sewing machine off at the shop!! It'll be there a couple weeks at least. Ouch, that hurts! Maybe it'll give me time for some prep work for some new projects.... Though my DH and I just agreed on a spending freeze, so I guess I'll be limited to my stash - so either every quilt back will be pieced, or I just won't get around to finishing anything!! Neither prospect is all that great!!

So I guess it's time to pick up my knitting again! I could finish something I've started already... but that's no fun. My friend got me a neat book of knitted toy patterns for Christmas, so I started making the elephant from this book, out of celery green soy yarn from my yarn stash! :)

Since I don't have a picture of that, here's a picture of my little one wearing a pair of socks I knitted for her before she was born... she finally fits in them!

My Great Grandma's Quilt

2008-12-14T11:26:00.000-08:00

Wow, how cool is this?! My Grandpa dug this out of his crawlspace the other night for me. His mom made it, but we're not sure when. He said it doesn't look like her usual ones, because they were usually more scrappy. She used to first make her dresses from the feedsacks, and then with what was left, or maybe after the dresses were worn out, she would make quilts.

After a very rough and quick count, I found more than 80 different fabrics in this quilt. There is no border, but the top wraps around to form a border on the back, which is made from a large piece of green flowered fabric. It fits jsut right on our double bed.

The quilt is both hand pieced and hand quilted, though my grandpa remembers his mom sewing on a foot treadled Singer as well. A couple of the patches are worn through, but other than those, this quilt is in remarkable shape. If anyone has any suggestions on how to replace a patch on an old quilt, and also, on how to wash one, I'd love to hear them!! For now I think the quilt will rest gently on our guest bed... at least until anyone visits!

The pillow on the bed was cross-stitched by my Grandma from the other side! I love having all this family history right in my own home! And I do apologize for the striped baby outfit in these pictures... I know it's a bit overwhelming!

Ribbon Snuggly

2008-12-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

This was not my idea, but I love making these!!

My baby just loves them, so I'm planning on giving them to some of the other babies I know for Christmas... I used this tutorial from oh Fransson to help with the appliqued initial on the other side, (not shown since this one is a gift!) But it was my first machine applique, and I think it went really well!! I never really knew what to use that buttonhole function on my sewing machine for, (besides the obvious, but I'd never tried that either!!)

By the way, thanks to Tonya at Lazy Gal Quilting for the gift certificate to the Fabric Square Shop! Woo hoo! I love winning stuff!! Now I just have to commit to some fabric!! They have such a great selection, I don't know how I'll choose!!

Knitting Needle Keeper

2008-11-17T08:11:00.000-08:00

So I finally got around to making myself a holder for all my knitting needles so I don't have to dig through a messy box to try to find matching pairs in the right size!

I'd seen one of these in a knitting shop and I drew myself a picture, but when I went to design mine I didn't look at the drawing... now that I look at it, mine is probably at least twice the size of the other one, but it seems to accomodate my whole collection, (including crochet hooks!) with some room to grow. I might need to make myself a small version for current projects though.

I just finished it up last night... didn't even take too long once I put my mind to it! And I think the next one will be much faster now that I know what I'm doing.

Here it is loaded.... (for scale, the longest needles are 17".)

The center pockets are for my circular needles. The two zippered pockets on the left are for my stitch markers and yarn needdles and cable hooks etc.

Here it is with the flap closed so the needles don't fall out the top....

Here it is all wrapped up.

BEST SALE EVER!!

2008-11-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

I have to shout out a great big THANKS to the Emily Griffith Opportunity School Sewing Department for cleaning house and sharing the wealth!!

I got all this for $10!!

And I was just grabbing whatever seemed interesting! My little sweetpea wouldn't let me get away with any sorting, and her stroller wouldn't negotiate many of the isles. And after a very fast 40 minutes or so, she got hungry and cranky! I'd only just discovered the large free piles where I picked up some of the samples.

It's probably for the best though... the large garbage bag full of stuff that I bought bare balanced in the back of the stroller for the 4 blocks I had to walk back to where I'd parked.

The sale is tomorrow too, so if you're anywhere near Denver, check it out!!!

Amy's Baby Quilt

2008-10-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is! I love this quilt and will probably have to make another one similar. I think it's just the right size for a playmat, or stroller blanket! I added the flower patterns after Amy's third ultrasound, (or was it second?) said it was almost definitely a girl!!

The border is the small green dots, (forgot to get a closeup!) And I labeled it after these pictures.

Pumpkin Hat

2008-10-25T21:24:00.001-07:00

Well, it's not the best pictures of the baby, but I think it's one of the better ones of the hat!! I made this from a pattern in Itty Bitty Hats, and it was very easy, and I think came out pretty well! I probably would make it a bit shorter if I were to do it again! That way her head would really fill out the top. There are a couple other patterns from this book that I might try out.

Sneak Preview

2008-10-25T21:22:00.001-07:00

I'm giving this blanket as a gift tomorrow, so after that I'll post the pictures of it!! I'm really pleased with it... my best so far no doubt!! And my baby girl loves it, so I'll have to make her one that's similar.

Anyway, here are the fabrics... sorry they're so washed out in the picture!!

Busy Weekend

2008-10-16T19:40:00.001-07:00

This past weekend was a great one craft-wise... I did some knitting with a couple girlfriends while the boys watched the kids!! What a nice way to get away for a couple hours... and I finished this pink baby shrug (made from soy yarn) that's been sitting in my living room for ages!! I got to my last ball of the yarn, and then couldn't find any more in the store, so I was sure I would run out and have to do the borders in a different color, which of course made me not want to even bother with it. Anyway, it turned out I had enough and was able to finish it in one sitting!! It's funny the reasons we put stuff off. This pattern was really easy and fits great... it came from the Debbie Bliss book Simply Baby.

I also finished this quilt for a friend's baby boy due next month. The border of this quilt has taken me ages to complete... again mainly because I didn't want to do it. But now it's boxed and I just need to get it to the post office tomorrow with the rest of her gift!!

And this little blanket for Sweetpea is finally done too. I might add a bit of applique to the back corners to finish it off. It's made from recycled cashmere sweaters that shrank after too much tough love, (I don't dry clean anything.) I ended up backing it in a cute dotted grey cotton fabric. It's very lightweight and soft.

Now I need to start cutting fabric for another friend's baby blanket... I'm excited about this one... based on a doll quilt I saw on Amanda Jean's site!

Is this bad....

2008-10-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

Is it bad that the list of upcoming projects is growing faster than the list of in work ones? I was able to cross three off my list this weekend!! Of course I don't have pictures yet.... I finished Beth's baby blanket, Sweatpea's pink shrug, and a small sweater blanket in pink and grey. I'll post them coming up soon. And hopefully I'll get to some of the other projects on my list!! :)

Sneak Peaks, and in the Mean Time...

2008-10-10T06:09:00.000-07:00

So I've been busy working on a quilt for my friend Beth's baby.... it's been done except for the binding which is taking me forever!! Well... not literally... it's almost done. Then it just needs a label. I don't think I'm going to do prairie points on something so big again for a while. Here's a sneak peak!

I'm also working on a small recycled sweater blanket for Sweetpea... I'm most of the way through the piecing of that now too, and just trying to decide if I should back it with something to make it more durable... I have some poly satin that matches perfectly, but would that just cheese it up? It's mostly cashmere... Maybe I should look for some coordinating cotton for a light backing.... I just don't know... here's a teaser for that project as well.

And here's a picture of my sweety this morning in a sweater I knitted when I was pregnant!! Isn't she cute! The sleeves are rolled up, so I think it should last her through the winter!! :) The hat she's wearing was knitted for her by my aunt Sue's mom. :)

I'm meeting some friends for knitting tomorrow!! I can't wait!! I have this pattern for a pumpkin hat that I think my little pumpkin HAS TO HAVE since it is October already!

My First Quilt, Part II - Uh Oh

2008-09-19T20:25:00.001-07:00

So with the quilt mostly done, the last things I wanted to acomplish were the aplique and embroidery, and the label on the back. And I also needed to wash it for the first time! I've been a bit afraid of this step, because I didn't have the forsite to prewash all the different fabrics first! This is not a mistake I will ever make again... the worry has been haunting me!

It turned out I had a reason to worry... I didn't notice any shrinkage, but a couple of the seams didn't hold up to the wash... It was on the thin green flanel strips. I will try to tack them in place, and then add extra quilting to those areas to hold everything together. I guess the lesson learned here is to give the flanel fabrics some extra seam allowences! I think this quilt will now become my quilting techniques test piece... I might try stipling in that area now, and when I get the guts to try other methods I might use other squares to test them... it will become my sampler quilt! In the meantime I'll just have to be more conservative with my future quilts!!

I did do the aplique, but I think I'll skip the embroidery... unless I want to practice... Oh well. I guess I'll just have to allow a bit of error due to the learning curve... hopefully my next will be much better.

Stipled Bib!

2008-09-19T20:00:00.001-07:00

So I just made this bib from this post... Okay, so mine is a bit different, but the basic concept is the same... I ended up tracing one of my bibs because I liked the shape of it a bit better. I still need to add a bit of velcro on it, but I've tried it on the baby, and it seems to do the job! I made it from the same cute flanels that I made the dress from the last post in. But I did the border in a print I found in my scrap bag. It was just barely long enough after I trimmed the bib a bit to make it work. Phew. It was close. Thank goodness I pinned beforeI started sewing it on!!

One reason I chose this project was because I needed something to practice stipling on.... I love the look of it, and I really would like to try it out on a bigger project, but am afraid of ruining something!! Anyway, after checking out CrazyMomQuilts blog about free motion quilting (Amanda Jean, you rock!!) I figured I'd give it a try... here's a close up of my work. I think the tension was a bit too loose, and there was one blank area that I missed and had to go back to, but I'm satisfied with the restults!

Baby Dress

2008-09-18T12:58:00.000-07:00

Yey free sewing patterns! As a pretty new sewer I really appreciate the low commitment level of free patterns. I found the pattern for this dress in this post. Thanks Rae! I enlarged the pattern 125%, and still I think it could go a bit bigger... N is a pretty sturdy little girl so she won't be wearing it too long... it'll get a bit too cold for it soon anyway! I'm not too crazy about the fit, but I think I may try it again with some different fabric... I like the idea of the flannel, and I loved this owl print on the bolt, but Todd thinks it looks like N is wearing curtains!

This weekend I'm going to make a bib to match from this post! I'm excited to try out stipling on a small piece. I love quilts with that look and feel, but am afraid to try it for fear of ruining a pieced project... so if I start small... we'll see.

My First Quilt!

2008-09-13T22:09:00.000-07:00

So I finally have gotten around to making a quilt! I've always wanted to. Like most of the crafts I do, I've read books about them, and designed many on paper. I've fantasized about fabrics and edges. I've even attempted practice squares with junky old fabric. But I've never actually sat down and sewn a quilt! Until now. Maybe I just had to have a baby who I'd want to make things for! She also spurred my knitting on to new levels. So why not my sewing?

Anyway, I just finished attaching the border moments ago. The piecing didn't go perfectly, but I'm satisfied with the results for my first time. If all the fabrics were similar textures I think I might have had better luck getting the edges to line up. But I have flanels, and fluffy furrs, and light cottons all in one. The quilting itself went surprisingly well. And it was much faster than I'd expected as well. On my next quilt I think I will be more ambitious with the quilting pattern. Maybe throw in some curves, and a few more lines. But the simplicity of the diagonal lines that I used on this quilt work with the simple baby pattern.

I got a bit fancy with the edges, and put cute little triangle tabs on. The corners were a bit of trouble for me, and I think that if I plan out the edges a bit better next time I could do a better job on the corners.

Before I can say it's totally done, I'm going to applique a few flowers onto one of the back side corners. Maybe add a bit of embroidery to it as well. I'm really looking forward to that part! I would also like to add a tag with the date and occasion.

Knit Baby Sweater

2008-09-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

This little sweater was one of my very first knitting projects! I've decided that knitting for babies is really the only way to go: the projects are smaller, so you can make mistakes, and you don't mind going back as much... and since they're so small, you can afford to use the really nice quality yarn without breaking the bank! This sweater is knit in a cashmere, silk, merino wool blend by Debbie Bliss. What a lucky little girl! I was so happy when it finally fit her! Right now she's wearing it with the sleeves rolled up a bit... hopefully it will last her through the fall!