Summer Recap

Well, it's been awhile since I have blogged. My apologies if you have missed me!

So I have a little recap of what I have been up to this summer.

I'll start with my finish for the store sample:

 

The pattern for this quilt ended up being super easy to put together. I had a ton of leftovers, So I used some to piece the back:

 

I also added a close-up of the quilting from the back. I did this on my own machine here at home. I did an allover feathering design. This is always my favorite free-motion design:

 

This quilt has already made it back home to me. According to my aunt, the pattern and fabric sold out right after they put this quilt up in the store.

How cool is that?

 

I also put together a cute summer bag:

 

This is the 'Pinafore Bag' by Me and My Sister Designs. I made this out of some Amy Butlers that I had stashed away. It was not easy to cut into this yardage, but I loved the end result. This bag is awesome- it's cute enough to go anywhere, and it will fit all sorts of baby paraphernalia!

 

This next quilt is my Bohemian Kaleidoscopes:

I finished this in June for the wedding of my husband's cousin.

 His cousin had told me that they had an "Eclectic Bohemian" feel to their home. I have always wanted to try a kaleidoscope quilt, and felt like that this would be perfect for a Bohemian scrappy quilt.

I loved this quilt. I ended up pulling out ALOT of my Kaffe Fasset and Amy Butler prints for this.

The red border with the 'exploding' kaleidoscopes were a last minute decision, because it just needed 'something.' - It really did give it that special something that it needed.

Like I said, I loved it, and so did my husband. (He didn't want to give it away)

The newly-weds loved it!

My only regret is that I didn't get a better pic. The above pic was taken in a hurry with my cell phone as we were packing up the babies to drive out to Massachusetts.

(That was an experience - an almost 2 year old and a 6 month old on an 11 hr trip...)

 

And I have been making clothes for the kids:

These are a pair of pajamas for my little man. Little projects like these help to keep things fresh and interesting.

Like they say, "Variety is the spice of life."

 

This next one is a quilt 3 years in the making:

I started this quilt in the summer of 2010. It was my first attempt at applique.

I loved pairing the colors together for the flip flops. They are all outlined in black button-hole stitches (by machine).

This has been sitting in my finish piles for the last 3 years, because I didn't know how it was going to be quilted. It's amazing how things change in 3 years.

3 years ago, I was not confident in my machine quilting abilities, and did not want to quilt this quilt for fear of screwing up something I loved so much.

I was able to use my mom's long arm for this quilt- I ended up quilting the black background prints in bubbles and did little loops in the pink sashing. The green border has a palm leaf sort of motif going on.

Here is a shot of the back:

 

Can't wait to use this on the beach next weekend. Both the kids love this quilt. My little man has been 'trying on' each of the flip flops.

So funny.

Have a wonderful afternoon everyone.

It is great to see you all again!



National Wear Red Day

Did you all wear red today?

I accessorized in red today.

I wore my Go Red for Women heart.

(Did you catch my tutorial?)

I added a pin backing to mine and attached another one to a headband for #2.

(I'm totally posing in this pic... it's a bad habit)

 

I'm finding these days that just about anything could look cute attached to a headband for a baby girl.

 

Unfortunately, no finishes to post on this Friday night.

Maybe next week.

 

Do you like the new look?

 

I'm lovin' it!

 

Have a great evening everyone.

WIP Wednesday: Caught in a Bind

Well, I was not as productive over the weekend as I had hoped.

 

Much of my Saturday was spent visiting this sweet little girl:

My sister and brother-in-law welcomed little Willow Grace into the world on January 26th.

It's so exciting to think my little girl and her cousin are only 9 weeks apart.

Hoping that they will be as close as their mommy's are!

 

My Sunday was spent with sick kiddos... again. We can't seem to catch a break.

First the stomach flu, now the cough.

Looking forward to the end of the sick season!

 

Anyway....

Let's talk sewing!

My WIP this week is my Valentines quilt.

It's all quilted and I just need to get the binding hand stitched to the back.

If I can get my act together, maybe I could possibly have a Friday Finish!

 

I was getting quite envious of every one's Block of the Month projects- and then I came across this Mystery BOM that is being offered by Riley Blake's blog.

The month of January featured a 12" chevron block:

The blog features a video tutorial for block construction... So take notes ;)

My plan was to construct the block out of things I had in my stash.... but, (as usual) the glitter cotton solids caught my eye... and I had to buy a yard of each. I think they work quite well in creating the ombre effect in this block.

 

My Scrappy Stash QAL still waits patiently for me to finish quilting her...

 

I did play around with a few things for the babies in my life:

I made up this sweet pair of shoes for my #2 for Friday's 'Go Red for Women' and Valentine's day.

(I did use my stash for this)

 

And I made up a pair of headbands for the new baby.

These were seriously fun... and quite addictive.

My sweet #2 was the obliging model :)

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

I'm linking up with Lee for WIP Wednesday 

 



Out of Focus

I simply cannot focus on one project at a time right now.

 

I have started quilting my Scrappy Stash QAL quilt:

I got through one bobbin of my quilting, and had to give in to the stomach flu.

 (I was trying to ignore it.)

 I knew it was coming...

My son brought it home and gave it to my husband and then he gave it to me.

(Even though I had emptied half a can of Lysol around the house and washed my hands incessantly.) Thankfully the baby didn't catch it!

But anyway... That's where my SSQAL quilt has stayed... one bobbin in.

Then, I had the opportunity to use my mom's Long arm last weekend. Because my SSQAL was sitting on my machine, I pulled a top out of my WIP pile and took the kids up to Grandma's.

 Long arm quilting at my mom's is wonderful. I get to quilt [mostly] uninterrupted and grandma gets time with the babies. 

I made this stack and whack top back in the winter of 2011. I quilted each of the strips within the block alternating between bubbles and hills.

If I can get this bound, it might make it up on the wall for Valentine's Day.

 

And of course, spending time in blog land is a HUGE distraction to my current sewing To-do list.

Do you ever get caught in the chain reaction of posts and tutorials and pictures and such?

It all started with falling in love with Tessa's ruffly skirt.

So I started to look for a ruffly skirt tutorial.

(I found one)

But... then I found the sweetest handmade baby shoes!

So I went in search for a tutorial for that.

(I found one)

I loosely followed the pattern and came up with these:

These are slightly small for my little one (who is already 2 mos old... can you believe it?).

These are more or less a prototype... I didn't like the way the pattern had me assemble the shoes.

The next pair will be much better.

Sewing these tiny shoes make me think of wanting to make Barbie clothes when I was about 7.

I begged my grandma to let me make 'real' Barbie clothes from a pattern

 (My homemade barbie clothes consisted of scraps held together with safety pins).

She told me I wouldn't like the tiny seams...

You were right, Grandma, tiny seams aren't much fun.

 

My sister is expecting a baby girl- and is due on the 30th of this month (so any time, now).

I'm thinking a pair of shoes and a ruffly skirt and maybe even a flowery headband are in order for my sweet new niece.

 

Maybe even matching outfits for our little girls?

 

See... there I go again, losing focus!

 

So on the list for the weekend:

 

Binding

Quilting

Outfits.

 

(and maybe a visit to see the new baby)

 

I hope everyone has a very wonderful and productive weekend!!

 

(They are just getting so big!)