Quilt for My Newest Niece

My brother and his wife had their second child last month, a daughter named Mabel Molly. They announced the news and I got busy picking out a quilt pattern and fabric. (I'm not local so it's not like I could run to their house to meet her. So, in my excitement, I sew!)

I had seen this pattern years ago and loved it, but back then it looked a little intimidating, to be honest. But when I came across it this time I thought it was perfect! And it was actually very similar to another process of piecing I had done, so it wasn't that hard. It was quite a process, with a lot of steps and a lot of seams. So, after working on it every spare moment for a month, I'm very happy to say, it's finished! 

And here it is:

If you've been to my house, you can tell I love teal. And I loved finding a peach/light pink and teal floral fabric as my starter. It's very bright, feminine and pretty. I'm not sure if this quilt pattern has a technical name, but I think of bows when I look at it ... or hourglasses. I'd call it my pretty bow quilt!

It's 40" x 45" and made of 90 squares! I haven't made a quilt with so many squares in a while. The last two I made had much larger squares so it wasn't nearly as many to work with. It took some perseverance to keep going this time!

The back is a peach swirl fabric. I used it on the front as well.

All folded and ready to be mailed. I never thought I would sew with white fabric. It scared me. And I'm sure it scares a new mom too, but the crisp look has grown on me and become one of my favorites. 

Congratulations to my brother and his wife! Mabel Molly, I'm looking forward to meeting you! 

My brother and his wife had their second child last month, a daughter named Mabel Molly. They announced the news and I got busy picking out a quilt pattern and fabric. (I'm not local so it's not like I could run to their house to meet her. So, in my excitement, I sew!)

I had seen this pattern years ago and loved it, but back then it looked a little intimidating, to be honest. But when I came across it this time I thought it was perfect! And it was actually very similar to another process of piecing I had done, so it wasn't that hard. It was quite a process, with a lot of steps and a lot of seams. So, after working on it every spare moment for a month, I'm very happy to say, it's finished! 

And here it is:

If you've been to my house, you can tell I love teal. And I loved finding a peach/light pink and teal floral fabric as my starter. It's very bright, feminine and pretty. I'm not sure if this quilt pattern has a technical name, but I think of bows when I look at it ... or hourglasses. I'd call it my pretty bow quilt!

It's 40" x 45" and made of 90 squares! I haven't made a quilt with so many squares in a while. The last two I made had much larger squares so it wasn't nearly as many to work with. It took some perseverance to keep going this time!

The back is a peach swirl fabric. I used it on the front as well.

All folded and ready to be mailed. I never thought I would sew with white fabric. It scared me. And I'm sure it scares a new mom too, but the crisp look has grown on me and become one of my favorites. 

Congratulations to my brother and his wife! Mabel Molly, I'm looking forward to meeting you! 

A Quilt for my Niece

My sister Molly had her fourth child in mid November. Which means I got to make another quilt this winter. I had so much fun making the one last December for my nephew I decided to use the same pattern and make a similar one for sweet Johanna Monet. 

With all the Covid-19 restrictions, I'd only been to the craft store once this year. So it felt a little surreal and somewhat indulgent to walk into Jo-Ann Fabrics right before the holidays. And yes, I used the opportunity to stock up on a few holiday projects as well. But this is about the quilt!

I had originally intended to go with a red color scheme, but couldn't find exactly what I envisioned. Then my eyes landed on this floral/butterfly blue fabric and I fell in love with it. It took some hunting for coordinating fabrics and patterns but I did it! So, here it is:

I couldn't find anything orange that I loved at the store, but I knew I had two orange fabrics from previous projects. This orange square with the circles is from a quilt made over seven years ago. Glad I had a stash -- and even more glad to get to use it!

With our slower than normal life style these days, this quilt came together very quickly. It still took me several days, but with Chris's help with the boys, it wasn't hard to find the time. I really enjoyed making this one and am very pleased with how it turned out. Hopefully Johanna will have it for years to come!

My sister Molly had her fourth child in mid November. Which means I got to make another quilt this winter. I had so much fun making the one last December for my nephew I decided to use the same pattern and make a similar one for sweet Johanna Monet. 

With all the Covid-19 restrictions, I'd only been to the craft store once this year. So it felt a little surreal and somewhat indulgent to walk into Jo-Ann Fabrics right before the holidays. And yes, I used the opportunity to stock up on a few holiday projects as well. But this is about the quilt!

I had originally intended to go with a red color scheme, but couldn't find exactly what I envisioned. Then my eyes landed on this floral/butterfly blue fabric and I fell in love with it. It took some hunting for coordinating fabrics and patterns but I did it! So, here it is:

I couldn't find anything orange that I loved at the store, but I knew I had two orange fabrics from previous projects. This orange square with the circles is from a quilt made over seven years ago. Glad I had a stash -- and even more glad to get to use it!

With our slower than normal life style these days, this quilt came together very quickly. It still took me several days, but with Chris's help with the boys, it wasn't hard to find the time. I really enjoyed making this one and am very pleased with how it turned out. Hopefully Johanna will have it for years to come!

A Quilt for my Nephew

My youngest sister, Elizabeth had her second baby on December 1; and even though they announced that they were expecting a baby boy, I neglected to start my quilt project until the week before Thanksgiving. It came together quickly (and by that I mean my husband managed the boys and the house for a few weekends in a row!) and I was able to ship it to them by the time he was 7 weeks old. I would have shipped it earlier, but his older sister Adley's birthday is at the end of the month and I wanted to ship her gift with it... AND they were moving and I didn't want it to get lost in the shuffle. So, now that they are in their new house and Adley turns 4 in a few days it is ready to send! Well, okay, I shipped it a few days ago and they have it now... which means I can show you!

The quilt I made for Adley was based on a woodland theme and I used a deer patterned fabric because her dad is a hunter. I had intended to use some similar fabrics for her new baby brother, Grayson. Shopping online was really overwhelming and I just couldn't narrow down the color scheme I wanted to use. So I headed to JoAnn Fabrics, which just reopened and is a beautiful store just south of San Francisco. After going up and down the aisles I came up with the perfect mix. At least I hoped it was perfect when I paid for it. It's always hard to tell what it will turn out like when you are holding 10 pounds of fabric bolts. 

Sorry for the fuzzy pic -- my son took it for me.

 Orange and navy blue are actually one of my favorite color combinations -- ever since I dressed William in a plaid orange and navy dress shirt with orange pants when he was 11 months old! I had intended to sew him a quilt with this color combo years ago but haven't gotten around to it. Maybe when he leaves for college!  Anyway, when I saw the navy and orange together I couldn't let it go. And then I found the leaf pattern which included gray and yellow and it grew from there.

This pattern is called Blooming Fields by Dana Willard; it was a free pattern found online.  It's 42" x 50" which seemed bigger than most of my previous quilts; that was fine until it was time to quilt it on my regular sewing machine. I managed it just fine but there were a few frustrating moments. I also purchased batting that was too thin, so I doubled it up to make it thicker/softer. I've never done that before and technically don't know if it's allowed... will have to see how it holds up. I liked the thickness much better. 

I hope the colors suit this new little guy and his new room. Grayson Ryan, I look forward to watching you grow -- even if it's from a distance. We love you so much!

My youngest sister, Elizabeth had her second baby on December 1; and even though they announced that they were expecting a baby boy, I neglected to start my quilt project until the week before Thanksgiving. It came together quickly (and by that I mean my husband managed the boys and the house for a few weekends in a row!) and I was able to ship it to them by the time he was 7 weeks old. I would have shipped it earlier, but his older sister Adley's birthday is at the end of the month and I wanted to ship her gift with it... AND they were moving and I didn't want it to get lost in the shuffle. So, now that they are in their new house and Adley turns 4 in a few days it is ready to send! Well, okay, I shipped it a few days ago and they have it now... which means I can show you!

The quilt I made for Adley was based on a woodland theme and I used a deer patterned fabric because her dad is a hunter. I had intended to use some similar fabrics for her new baby brother, Grayson. Shopping online was really overwhelming and I just couldn't narrow down the color scheme I wanted to use. So I headed to JoAnn Fabrics, which just reopened and is a beautiful store just south of San Francisco. After going up and down the aisles I came up with the perfect mix. At least I hoped it was perfect when I paid for it. It's always hard to tell what it will turn out like when you are holding 10 pounds of fabric bolts. 

Sorry for the fuzzy pic -- my son took it for me.

 Orange and navy blue are actually one of my favorite color combinations -- ever since I dressed William in a plaid orange and navy dress shirt with orange pants when he was 11 months old! I had intended to sew him a quilt with this color combo years ago but haven't gotten around to it. Maybe when he leaves for college!  Anyway, when I saw the navy and orange together I couldn't let it go. And then I found the leaf pattern which included gray and yellow and it grew from there.

This pattern is called Blooming Fields by Dana Willard; it was a free pattern found online.  It's 42" x 50" which seemed bigger than most of my previous quilts; that was fine until it was time to quilt it on my regular sewing machine. I managed it just fine but there were a few frustrating moments. I also purchased batting that was too thin, so I doubled it up to make it thicker/softer. I've never done that before and technically don't know if it's allowed... will have to see how it holds up. I liked the thickness much better. 

I hope the colors suit this new little guy and his new room. Grayson Ryan, I look forward to watching you grow -- even if it's from a distance. We love you so much!

Baby Hagen's Quilt

My brother John and his wife Ellen had their first child on December 30. They had a baby girl named Otilia Rose and from the photos I've gotten to see she is adorable and very closely resembles her mother (who is also adorable and lovely).

The gender was a surprise so when I started planning for the quilt I went with grey and teal thinking it would work for either a boy or a girl. I had just finished cutting the pieces to begin sewing before our trip to Texas for Christmas and was still there when Otilia made her early entrance. I was a little concerned that it would look too boy-ish for this sweet girl (who was already being wrapped in floral and pink) but I continued on anyway.

But when I finished the grey/white herringbone pattern with a strip of teal I felt more confident that it was meant for her. The finished size was 43" x 43" -- I had to measure it because it felt like it was the biggest quilt I had ever made but it wasn't . . . it was just 3 inches shy.

I have actually made the herringbone pattern before -- for my nephew Alexander. I did it navy and white that time. I'm hoping the grey and white is still contrasted enough for her baby eyes!

On the back, I did a darker teal circle fabric with a strip of solid colors. I had just enough left over fabric from my previous quilt to make that work (because my backing fabric was too short!!)

Oh sweet Otilia, I can't wait to meet you.

My brother John and his wife Ellen had their first child on December 30. They had a baby girl named Otilia Rose and from the photos I've gotten to see she is adorable and very closely resembles her mother (who is also adorable and lovely).

The gender was a surprise so when I started planning for the quilt I went with grey and teal thinking it would work for either a boy or a girl. I had just finished cutting the pieces to begin sewing before our trip to Texas for Christmas and was still there when Otilia made her early entrance. I was a little concerned that it would look too boy-ish for this sweet girl (who was already being wrapped in floral and pink) but I continued on anyway.

But when I finished the grey/white herringbone pattern with a strip of teal I felt more confident that it was meant for her. The finished size was 43" x 43" -- I had to measure it because it felt like it was the biggest quilt I had ever made but it wasn't . . . it was just 3 inches shy.

I have actually made the herringbone pattern before -- for my nephew Alexander. I did it navy and white that time. I'm hoping the grey and white is still contrasted enough for her baby eyes!

On the back, I did a darker teal circle fabric with a strip of solid colors. I had just enough left over fabric from my previous quilt to make that work (because my backing fabric was too short!!)

Oh sweet Otilia, I can't wait to meet you.

A Quilt for My Nephew

My sister Molly gave birth to Donovan Quade in June 2018 and my intentions for the past six months have been to gift him a baby quilt like I did for his brother and sister. He has had to wait the longest for his gift but I did get it done in time for Christmas! Hopefully he has at least another month of tummy time to enjoy it on the floor.

I wanted to attempt a triangle pattern that I had seen on Pintrest and finding the pattern wasn't hard -- it was picking out the colors. This did not need to be a gender neutral quilt so I felt a little more confident in choosing the bold blues and greens.

Triangles get a little tricky because they need to be a little more exact when it comes to piecing it together in order to see the point. Some look awesome and others, well -- lets just say the baby won't notice!

When I made his big brother's quilt I chose a brighter more fun backing fabric and I wanted to do the same for Donovan (who has the same nickname as my dad did when he was a kid -- Donnie!) When I saw this race car fabric when blue and green I just about fell over -- it was a perfect match. And I love the added orange too. I think it might keep him interested in his quilt when the toddler/preschool years come! I have a little experience when it comes to boys and cars . . . 

I tried a few new techniques when it came to the binding and although it took me a few tries to get it right, in the end it looked much better than my previous technique attempts. I enjoyed learning new things with this quilt. What were the techniques you ask? Well, I found one youtube video to show me how to do the mitered corners, connecting the binding once I made it all the way around and also how to properly hand stitch the back of the binding. It's never too late to improve!

I sure hope little Donnie loves his quilt but more importantly knows how much I love him. So far he seems to be a pretty chill baby who loves a good tickle and giggles often. Congratulations, Molly!

My sister Molly gave birth to Donovan Quade in June 2018 and my intentions for the past six months have been to gift him a baby quilt like I did for his brother and sister. He has had to wait the longest for his gift but I did get it done in time for Christmas! Hopefully he has at least another month of tummy time to enjoy it on the floor.

I wanted to attempt a triangle pattern that I had seen on Pintrest and finding the pattern wasn't hard -- it was picking out the colors. This did not need to be a gender neutral quilt so I felt a little more confident in choosing the bold blues and greens.

Triangles get a little tricky because they need to be a little more exact when it comes to piecing it together in order to see the point. Some look awesome and others, well -- lets just say the baby won't notice!

When I made his big brother's quilt I chose a brighter more fun backing fabric and I wanted to do the same for Donovan (who has the same nickname as my dad did when he was a kid -- Donnie!) When I saw this race car fabric when blue and green I just about fell over -- it was a perfect match. And I love the added orange too. I think it might keep him interested in his quilt when the toddler/preschool years come! I have a little experience when it comes to boys and cars . . . 

I tried a few new techniques when it came to the binding and although it took me a few tries to get it right, in the end it looked much better than my previous technique attempts. I enjoyed learning new things with this quilt. What were the techniques you ask? Well, I found one youtube video to show me how to do the mitered corners, connecting the binding once I made it all the way around and also how to properly hand stitch the back of the binding. It's never too late to improve!

I sure hope little Donnie loves his quilt but more importantly knows how much I love him. So far he seems to be a pretty chill baby who loves a good tickle and giggles often. Congratulations, Molly!

Quilts for Babes and Dolls

I was going through my sewing scraps and rather than toss them out wanted to find a good use for them. I knew my niece Adley loved her baby doll so I got busy and made her a doll blanket and pillow for Christmas. I used up every piece of left over fabric I had from when I made Adley's baby blanket. I wished I had a few more! But in the afternoon it took me to put it together I think it came out quite well.

I think the best part was that when she opened it, it was her daddy that noticed first that it matched the baby blanket I had made nearly three years ago! Precious! (It helps that it has deer on it!)

Like I said I used every scrap so the back and the pillow didn't exactly match as much I had hoped, but I think baby doll will be okay with that. I remember very fondly the doll blanket my great aunt made me and I hope this little girl might treasure this the same way. (No pressure!)

I was going through my sewing scraps and rather than toss them out wanted to find a good use for them. I knew my niece Adley loved her baby doll so I got busy and made her a doll blanket and pillow for Christmas. I used up every piece of left over fabric I had from when I made Adley's baby blanket. I wished I had a few more! But in the afternoon it took me to put it together I think it came out quite well.

I think the best part was that when she opened it, it was her daddy that noticed first that it matched the baby blanket I had made nearly three years ago! Precious! (It helps that it has deer on it!)

Like I said I used every scrap so the back and the pillow didn't exactly match as much I had hoped, but I think baby doll will be okay with that. I remember very fondly the doll blanket my great aunt made me and I hope this little girl might treasure this the same way. (No pressure!)

Stocking #4: Complete

Last month I finished a project that has been on my to-do list for over a year. I finished sewing Stephen's Christmas stocking! I remember when I was sewing William's (two years late) that I should just make a fourth one just in case. But I just didn't have the capacity for it at the time.

The only reason I got around to it when I did was because Stephen was on the cusp of dropping his morning nap and William was starting a summer school program so I had a few mornings of uninterrupted time. And I mean literally. Stephen hasn't taken a morning nap since I finished this project!

I had a few hiccups along the way - mostly with my iron meeting the wrong side of my fusible fleece. Both ended up being victims. I have a few seams that look bunchy and the cording along the cuff is not nearly as precise as I had hoped, but it will do just fine the way it is.

Merry Christmas a little early.  I can't wait to hang it up with the others!

Last month I finished a project that has been on my to-do list for over a year. I finished sewing Stephen's Christmas stocking! I remember when I was sewing William's (two years late) that I should just make a fourth one just in case. But I just didn't have the capacity for it at the time.

The only reason I got around to it when I did was because Stephen was on the cusp of dropping his morning nap and William was starting a summer school program so I had a few mornings of uninterrupted time. And I mean literally. Stephen hasn't taken a morning nap since I finished this project!

I had a few hiccups along the way - mostly with my iron meeting the wrong side of my fusible fleece. Both ended up being victims. I have a few seams that look bunchy and the cording along the cuff is not nearly as precise as I had hoped, but it will do just fine the way it is.

Merry Christmas a little early.  I can't wait to hang it up with the others!

A Onesie for a Wedding

Last month, my brother got married! I know, I need to post more about, please be patient! A few weeks before we flew out, I found myself looking at my tiny 2 month old asking "What does a newborn wear to a wedding? An outdoor, summer wedding?" I didn't want to spend a lot money on a suit that a) wouldn't really fit him and b) he would only wear for a few hours . . . so, what's a girl to do?

Well, thanks to Pintrest and my sleepless nights, I found a tutorial to embellish a plain white onesie with a vest and tie. Perfect! So, one weekend, I had Chris take the boys to the park and I got busy (instead of taking a nap...).

I drew out a pattern only to realize that I had one 6" square of navy blue fabric, so I tossed the pattern and cut the fabric in half, and then shaped it to the onesie. It didn't turn out anything like the tutorial I read, but it worked well enough. It was supposed to overlap in the middle and have buttons . . . oh, well.




The bow tie was easy enough so I decided to make two. One for the wedding and another just for fun. They are interchangeable with a snap!




Other than iron-transfers, this was my first time sewing something on a onsie. It was a lot tricker than I expected because I couldn't get the tiny onsie to lay flat under the needle.

I was at JCPenny and found a pair of matching shorts for just a few dollars and that completed his look! Of course, I didn't take a single photo of my son on the day of the wedding, so here's a picture my mom took of us together.




Isn't he handsome!?

Last month, my brother got married! I know, I need to post more about, please be patient! A few weeks before we flew out, I found myself looking at my tiny 2 month old asking "What does a newborn wear to a wedding? An outdoor, summer wedding?" I didn't want to spend a lot money on a suit that a) wouldn't really fit him and b) he would only wear for a few hours . . . so, what's a girl to do?

Well, thanks to Pintrest and my sleepless nights, I found a tutorial to embellish a plain white onesie with a vest and tie. Perfect! So, one weekend, I had Chris take the boys to the park and I got busy (instead of taking a nap...).

I drew out a pattern only to realize that I had one 6" square of navy blue fabric, so I tossed the pattern and cut the fabric in half, and then shaped it to the onesie. It didn't turn out anything like the tutorial I read, but it worked well enough. It was supposed to overlap in the middle and have buttons . . . oh, well.




The bow tie was easy enough so I decided to make two. One for the wedding and another just for fun. They are interchangeable with a snap!




Other than iron-transfers, this was my first time sewing something on a onsie. It was a lot tricker than I expected because I couldn't get the tiny onsie to lay flat under the needle.

I was at JCPenny and found a pair of matching shorts for just a few dollars and that completed his look! Of course, I didn't take a single photo of my son on the day of the wedding, so here's a picture my mom took of us together.




Isn't he handsome!?

I'm an Aunt Again! A Baby Quilt for my Niece

I've been behind my sewing machine every spare minute since Thanksgiving quilting for gifts for two new babies in the family. My sister, El was due just six weeks after Molly, but since she found out the gender of her baby and was getting an actual nursery ready, I started with hers. She had her baby girl just last week!

At the time I started the quilt, the potential nursery theme was coral and blue with woodland animals. It took me nearly six hours to pick out the fabric, and who knows how many hours to sew it, but I did it. And I love how it turned out.

The final size is 40" x 40." The binding fabric was some yellow floral piece I had left over from my very first quilt. It matches the main backing piece really well. I did the top stitching using my free-motion foot. I was out of practice so it took me a while to get used to doing that again. Of course there are a ton of things that I should have ripped and redone, but my machine was acting up a lot so I had to go with it.

I hope the colors match the nursery, which I haven't seen yet. I wanted it to be feminine, but not so much that dad would scoff at using it. I think the deer add a nice touch; I'll say it's in honor of the first deer he got this winter with his bow! And hopefully this baby girl gets some use out of it - whether it be a floor mat or a lap blanket . . . or a giant burp cloth!

Can't wait to meet you little Adley Rae!

I've been behind my sewing machine every spare minute since Thanksgiving quilting for gifts for two new babies in the family. My sister, El was due just six weeks after Molly, but since she found out the gender of her baby and was getting an actual nursery ready, I started with hers. She had her baby girl just last week!

At the time I started the quilt, the potential nursery theme was coral and blue with woodland animals. It took me nearly six hours to pick out the fabric, and who knows how many hours to sew it, but I did it. And I love how it turned out.

The final size is 40" x 40." The binding fabric was some yellow floral piece I had left over from my very first quilt. It matches the main backing piece really well. I did the top stitching using my free-motion foot. I was out of practice so it took me a while to get used to doing that again. Of course there are a ton of things that I should have ripped and redone, but my machine was acting up a lot so I had to go with it.

I hope the colors match the nursery, which I haven't seen yet. I wanted it to be feminine, but not so much that dad would scoff at using it. I think the deer add a nice touch; I'll say it's in honor of the first deer he got this winter with his bow! And hopefully this baby girl gets some use out of it - whether it be a floor mat or a lap blanket . . . or a giant burp cloth!

Can't wait to meet you little Adley Rae!

I'm an Aunt: Baby Quilt for Nephew

I'm an Aunt again!! My sister had her second child last month, a baby boy named Alexander. He arrived a little on the late side, but healthy and is known as the most calm baby in the world. My sister decided this time to keep the gender unknown until the birth which for this DIY quilter, meant I could either send a belated baby gift or make it a gender neutral color.

Well, my weekends got a little crazy and I ended up not being able to start it until nearly the due date anyway, so I opted to wait and find out if I had a nephew or a niece. I had my pattern picked out (I love Pinterest for this) and all I had left to do was make a stop at the fabric store. And because I knew what I was making ahead of time, the fabric shopping only took me 15 minutes. I know, because that's all the money I had for the parking meter!

Anyway, Alexander arrived and Christmas was only two weeks away. Needless to say, I didn't get it ready in time for that holiday, nor did I make it in time for his one month birthday. Sorry little guy. But, I did make it before he turned two months old and I love it.

I used a pattern called Herringbone which is made of half squares or triangles. It's actually the same type of square that I used for his sister's quilt but set up a little differently. I choose a navy blue and off white fabric as that really caught my eye when I was looking at photos online. Its so sharp and great for contrast for those precious baby eyes.

Since the front was so "serious" and two-toned I decided to use a brighter fabric for the back. I saw the whale pattern and thought, "Well, William would love it, so I bet this little man will too!"

But as I do with most of my projects, I had to try something new too. I found this pattern online for the braided strip. It went pretty quickly and was just what I needed to add some length to the back fabric. I had the solid fabric on hand from a previous quilt . . . it sort of matched.

The finished quilt is 36" x 36" which is a little smaller than what I had hoped for, but worked best with the amount of fabric I had (no leftovers). Hopefully this growing boy will be able to use it for a little while at least.

Welcome to the world Alexander! I cannot wait to meet you.

I'm an Aunt again!! My sister had her second child last month, a baby boy named Alexander. He arrived a little on the late side, but healthy and is known as the most calm baby in the world. My sister decided this time to keep the gender unknown until the birth which for this DIY quilter, meant I could either send a belated baby gift or make it a gender neutral color.

Well, my weekends got a little crazy and I ended up not being able to start it until nearly the due date anyway, so I opted to wait and find out if I had a nephew or a niece. I had my pattern picked out (I love Pinterest for this) and all I had left to do was make a stop at the fabric store. And because I knew what I was making ahead of time, the fabric shopping only took me 15 minutes. I know, because that's all the money I had for the parking meter!

Anyway, Alexander arrived and Christmas was only two weeks away. Needless to say, I didn't get it ready in time for that holiday, nor did I make it in time for his one month birthday. Sorry little guy. But, I did make it before he turned two months old and I love it.

I used a pattern called Herringbone which is made of half squares or triangles. It's actually the same type of square that I used for his sister's quilt but set up a little differently. I choose a navy blue and off white fabric as that really caught my eye when I was looking at photos online. Its so sharp and great for contrast for those precious baby eyes.

Since the front was so "serious" and two-toned I decided to use a brighter fabric for the back. I saw the whale pattern and thought, "Well, William would love it, so I bet this little man will too!"

But as I do with most of my projects, I had to try something new too. I found this pattern online for the braided strip. It went pretty quickly and was just what I needed to add some length to the back fabric. I had the solid fabric on hand from a previous quilt . . . it sort of matched.

The finished quilt is 36" x 36" which is a little smaller than what I had hoped for, but worked best with the amount of fabric I had (no leftovers). Hopefully this growing boy will be able to use it for a little while at least.

Welcome to the world Alexander! I cannot wait to meet you.

Stocking #3: Complete

Two years ago, I started sewing William's stocking. Well, I mean I had cut out all of the fabric and had it ready to sew. . . but there it sat, unfinished until this past October. After his birthday party, I sat down and sewed it all together and hung it on the wall . . . just waiting for December to come.

 I wanted William's stocking to match ours, but not be identical. I was also keenly aware at how time consuming our design had been. So, I made a few adjustments using scraps I had left over from my tree skirt.

The strips are a bit wider and the cuff fabric less busy. Otherwise, it's pretty similar. I was so thrilled to finally be done with it and love how it looks in our hallway with the others. Now I just need to hunt down a "W" ornament to match!

Happy 3rd Christmas William!

Two years ago, I started sewing William's stocking. Well, I mean I had cut out all of the fabric and had it ready to sew. . . but there it sat, unfinished until this past October. After his birthday party, I sat down and sewed it all together and hung it on the wall . . . just waiting for December to come.

 I wanted William's stocking to match ours, but not be identical. I was also keenly aware at how time consuming our design had been. So, I made a few adjustments using scraps I had left over from my tree skirt.

The strips are a bit wider and the cuff fabric less busy. Otherwise, it's pretty similar. I was so thrilled to finally be done with it and love how it looks in our hallway with the others. Now I just need to hunt down a "W" ornament to match!

Happy 3rd Christmas William!

A Gift for My Niece

A few weeks before Christmas, my sister-in-law sent me an email asking if I would be up for sewing a pillow case for her daughter's Christmas present. I had sewn a few gifts for her older daughter years ago, so the request wasn't out of the ordinary. In fact, I love giving handmade gifts and was glad she let me know what Samantha needed!

After asking a few questions (size, color, theme?) I found out Samantha (4 years old and cuter than a button) loves Hello Kitty! 

Sewing a pillowcase should have been easy right? Fold the material right sides together and sew two sides and turn it right-side-out. Easy. Ten minutes, tops! WRONG. This pillowcase took me two entire weekends to sew. But check it out - it's so cute!

Now, let me explain my adventures of sewing a pillowcase: I didn't want to go to the fabric store the Friday after Thanksgiving, although I had the time to do it. Instead, I went on Saturday. I took William with me so Chris could write. JoAnn's was crazy. I waiting in line to get the fabric cut for 45 minutes. Then another 20 to checkout. Ugh. William did alright, but I could tell he wasn't loving it. I wasn't either, honestly, I was mad and frustrated with everyone there.

After the fabric was washed and ironed, I started cutting it. Well, I measured twice, just like I was told . . . but I cut the wrong end! So, the fabric was now way too small for a standard pillowcase. I blame this on my foggy-mom-brain and lack of sleep. 

So, I sent Amazing Husband back to the fabric store the following day to buy another yard. He ended up waiting almost as long as I did! He started inventing ways fabric stores could operate more efficiently and may start working on an app for that.

This time, I got it right. I added an accent of pink on the end along with blue piping to make it a little more exciting. That didn't take nearly as long as I had thought, although I did have to rip out a few sections and do them over again. 

So, what did I do with that first yard of fabric I royally screwed up? No, I didn't throw it away!

I made my niece a pillow and quilt for her doll! But that didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped either. In the end it looked adorable and just how I wanted, but it took me several hours to get it there. I am so out of practice!

Merry Christmas Samantha!

May you never doubt how loved you are!

A few weeks before Christmas, my sister-in-law sent me an email asking if I would be up for sewing a pillow case for her daughter's Christmas present. I had sewn a few gifts for her older daughter years ago, so the request wasn't out of the ordinary. In fact, I love giving handmade gifts and was glad she let me know what Samantha needed!

After asking a few questions (size, color, theme?) I found out Samantha (4 years old and cuter than a button) loves Hello Kitty! 

Sewing a pillowcase should have been easy right? Fold the material right sides together and sew two sides and turn it right-side-out. Easy. Ten minutes, tops! WRONG. This pillowcase took me two entire weekends to sew. But check it out - it's so cute!

Now, let me explain my adventures of sewing a pillowcase: I didn't want to go to the fabric store the Friday after Thanksgiving, although I had the time to do it. Instead, I went on Saturday. I took William with me so Chris could write. JoAnn's was crazy. I waiting in line to get the fabric cut for 45 minutes. Then another 20 to checkout. Ugh. William did alright, but I could tell he wasn't loving it. I wasn't either, honestly, I was mad and frustrated with everyone there.

After the fabric was washed and ironed, I started cutting it. Well, I measured twice, just like I was told . . . but I cut the wrong end! So, the fabric was now way too small for a standard pillowcase. I blame this on my foggy-mom-brain and lack of sleep. 

So, I sent Amazing Husband back to the fabric store the following day to buy another yard. He ended up waiting almost as long as I did! He started inventing ways fabric stores could operate more efficiently and may start working on an app for that.

This time, I got it right. I added an accent of pink on the end along with blue piping to make it a little more exciting. That didn't take nearly as long as I had thought, although I did have to rip out a few sections and do them over again. 

So, what did I do with that first yard of fabric I royally screwed up? No, I didn't throw it away!

I made my niece a pillow and quilt for her doll! But that didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped either. In the end it looked adorable and just how I wanted, but it took me several hours to get it there. I am so out of practice!

Merry Christmas Samantha!

May you never doubt how loved you are!