Lots Of Little Projects

Allyson is demonstrating what kids do when their mom wants to take a picture. This is the best shot I could get. I was experimenting with the lattice look on a table runner. It came out ok. I was trying to copy one I saw. I couldn't tell how big it was so I guessed.  Well after I made all my pieced blocks I decided that the pattern I copied, was probably made with 10" squares, not 5". So, i'll probably try it again.

 I was browsing images of quilts on google to find some inspiration for a quilt back.  I have designed the front already. I want it to have a back that could be showing on the bed. Well, I found the Swoon block and really liked it. With a little bit of searching I found that it is very similar to the Carpenters Star. So I found a pattern tutorial online for the Carpenter's Star block. I changed it  so that I wasn't using so many quarter square triangles, and instead did flying geese. As I get it finished and figured out how to do it best, I should post the directions. I should be able to finish the block tomorrow.  I wanted to finish it last night, but last night became this morning too soon.

II'm not sure if i'm going to use this block for my quilt back, or not. I figured that I could just start making them here and there and eventually I'll have enough to do something with.

And here is another version of the One Star wall hanging.  This one I made slightly larger and traded out some of the red stripes for blue.  I just have to sew on a boarder.
It is a pretty easy pattern.  I was more careful this time with my ironing so that my middle star was more accurate. I also learned how to sew Y seams.  I improvised a little since there are 5 seams, not 3. The pattern just assumes you know how to sew 5 pointed blocks together properly and have it look great.

So there are my 3 of my unfinished projects. I have a few more to start and a few more to work on. Like, my Christmas Quilt. I have to finish machine quilting it. I just haven't had the desire to FMQ (free motion quilt) lately.  I have 7 months to get it done though...

Old Glory

I really like the look of paper pieced blocks.  I just finished this small (16") wall hanging. The pattern can be purchased on Etsy or Craftsy.  I will be making a few more of these as gifts.This one is for my mom.

Now that I know how to do it, I should be able to get the center star points perfect the next time. I didn't realize I hadn't ironed them back all the way until after I had stitched all 5 blocks together.

My husband said he liked it, which is huge for him. So I will have to make one for us. 

Now that this one is done, I have to start to work on other small projects that I want to make for gifts for Christmas.  I have to get started early this year. I am not waiting until the middle of December to come up with grand ideas again.

Allyson's Disappearing 9 Patch

IT is finished. I finished the quilt just a few days after Allyson's birthday. I got a little pooped out and had to take a little time off. I am pretty happy with how it turned out.
I changed it quite a bit from my play originally. I added sashing and used all patterned prints in the blocks. I wanted the random look since I was using so many different prints.

I wanted to practice as many free motion quilting designs that would look good on the quilt. I ended up doing 6 different designs. On the top boarder you can see feathers.

There are two different arrangements of the blocks. I quilted each different.

This one I quilted echo shells in each of the squares. The half and quarter squares I quilted wandering clover.

This block has strait line stitching in the "pinwheel" shape in the center. The other parts have stippling. 

The back side has some of the extra charm squares and some stripes. I used up the extra sashing and binding fabric on the back. 

I learned a lot making this quilt. It was a great way to get some serious practice of free motion quilting in.  Now that it is done I have already started a few other small projects. I'll post those soon.

new Christmas Stockings

Finally whipped together some new Christmas stockings.  We didn't really have any for the kids.

I added felt monograms to them.  It is attached with Hean'n Bond. The font is 200 pt. Deutsch-Gothic. It can be found at http://www.fontsquirrel.com/ for free.

Christmas Quilt

Well, I have decided to learn how to quilt better.  I need something else to spend my time sewing.

I found a fun 20 block quilt on Craftsy.com It is their 2012 Block of the Month Quilt. It is a free class on their website.  So I have been watching all the lessons as I have been working on getting all my fabric together. I have most of my patterns.  I'll have the rest and my background fabric on monday. So I'll be able to finally get some blocks sewn. I have a few of them cut out and planned. 

As you can see it is a Christmas quilt.  I don't know if I can get it done in time.  I may be able to get the quilt top done.  We shall see. Some of the blocks are going to take some time.

Update: Finished Blocks

The Baby Shopper

As some of you know I recently published my first sewing pattern.  I figured if I was going to take the time to redesign something that I didn't have the pattern to, I might as well create a pattern for it as I go.

This is what I call the Baby Shopper.  My mother used a similar  thing when we were little. She let me have hers when N was born. I liked it, but wanted mo make some improvements and make it more functional.  The one she had used Velcro and had long straps that I ended up just wrapping around then tying around N's waist.  I shortened the waist straps and added nylon webbing and d-rings. I wanted it to be easily adjustable to whatever shopping cart I was using.

This is the one I use with baby N.  I loved Michael Miller's Forrest Life print.  I originally wanted the print in another color, but my local quilt shop didn't have it in stock. So I went with the orchid color and ended up liking it better. I used a avocado colored duck canvas on the undersides.  You might recognize it from the diaper bag I made in a previous blog. I like the weight of the canvas.  It makes it feel more durable and not just like a pillow. If you look closely, I used gross grain ribbon, not nylon webbing on this one.  I am not totally sold on the ribbon.  It tends to slip a little.  It works, but when N was dependent on it to keep her upright, it would slowly slip out and she would be sideways.  If the ribbon was less silky it might work better.  

I have been selling the pattern on etsy.com and craftsy.com
Originally I was planning on just selling patterns in my Etsy shop, but as I was just setting up my shop, I started getting requests for custom made Baby Shoppers.  I was new to Etsy and didn't realize that many of the patrons don't sew. So now I sell both the pattern and ready made ones.

Before too much longer, I will no longer have a model.

As you can see from the above pictures, It also works well as a portable high chair.

The Search for THE Diaper Bag

Well, I have been looking for THE diaper bag for me the last few weeks.  I came up with some options that were well out of what I considered a realistic price.  So I went on the search for a pattern so I could make my own,  I found a pattern on etsy and will be altering the inner pockets to make it more functional as a diaper bag,

 Added a zipper pocket for my stuff

 Allyson "helping"out

All I need to do is find some cool buttons to attach to the base of the handles

Fun Baby Project

Recently I have become very excited about the new baby girl that will be arriving this winter. I have been thinking of all sorts of projects that I would like to undertake to get ready for her. Last weekend I made a blanket cover for her car seat. I didn't see the need of having one last time around, but found that putting a blanket over the car seat isn't practical when it is snowing or windy. I found a great tutorial on a fantastic blog that gave me the basics of what I needed to do. This is a great little project that takes only a few hours. The longest part is picking out the fabric and waiting for it to wash and dry.

I had looked at purchasing one on etsy.com , but I knew I could make one exactly to my liking and that would fit my car seat for much less $. It cost me less that $13 to make, since all the fabric I used was on sale.

We purchased a used dresser to go in the girls room this week. Hopefully I can get Kyle to strip off all 4 layers of paint off of it so I can repaint it. This will be the first piece of nursery furniture for the baby, so I have to try to figure out what colors I want to do in the room first. Since we are renting and the walls will be white, I have to paint it a color. I'm thinking a light yellow.

The next sewing project will be a crib skirt. I have used the underside of the crib as storage, and I would like to cover it up and make it look less cluttered. I'll let you know how that all goes. :)