Wrap It Up in 2012!

This is me asking you to cut me some slack...kay????

I dreamed up this great idea, but unfortunately it didn't hit mybrain until late in February. So...I'm getting a bit of a late start.

Anyway...introducing Wrap It Up in 2012!


My grand plan is try to put the finishing touches on some projects that are lingering in the stash and have been all but forgotten.



It all started when, one evening, I went looking for something to embroider. Did I have a project in mind? Nope! Did I need an embroidery project? Nope! Did I have a plan for what I might do with said embroidery project? Nope! All I had was a desire to do some hand-stitching.

As I began the process of pulling out supplies, I just happened to glance down and see this quilt top lying there...completely neglected. As it had been for months.

It wasn't embroidery, but it was hand-stitching. And I could use my giant quilting hoop, so it would feel like embroidery. And I do have a lovely collection of variegated perle cottons that would be sure to have some complimentary colors. And it would be nice to actually finish something for once.

So...I bundled it up, dug through my stuff to find the thimble (I'm picky about my thimbles and only use the leather coin kind that cost a fortune...it was imperative that I find it because I didn't want to have to pay for another), and scampered to the playroom closet to collect the quilting hoop.

A few hours later, I was happily ensconced in my hand-quilting when the idea of Wrap It Up in 2012 came to me. Why not try to finish up one project every month? It was already late February...and I did pick a MONSTER of a project to begin with, but it was doable. Right????

Ok, so I'm not 100% convinced that I will actually be able to tackle 12 projects this year, but I figure if I don't decided to hand-quilt every one of them then I might stand a chance....maybe!

So, keep your eyes peeled and you might just spot 12 completed projects this year, all pulled from my stash of WIPs. And you might also catch sight of a little Bee who isn't always the most helpful, but is most definitely always cute:)

And PS - this quilt originated from a charm pack that I won in a giveaway (Central Park by Kate Spain) and had no intended recipient, so it's listed in the shop if you're interested.

A Very Special O-ccasion!

Once upon a time there was a very special little girl. And she loved to attend special "vacations." It only took about 300 attempts to teach her that they were special, "o-ccasions." And one day she will eventually leave out the exaggerated pause between the syllables when discussing these unique events. That will be a sad day for her Mommy!


This very special little girl had a fascination with all things girlie. Twirly dresses and ballerinas included. So, she was blessed with the opportunity to see the Nutcracker for the very first time...from the FRONT ROW!

And such a special "o-ccasion," called for a very special frock, indeed.


Red and white damask with touches of black corduroy. A fluffy black tulle tutu for volume and a party dress pattern. All the tiny details coming together for maximum twirlability and a very happy child.

Let's just say...She loved her dress. She loved the ballet. And we have watched many Sugar Plum Fairy performances since our very special o-ccasion. One holiday memory that we will never forget!

What holiday memories are you making this year?

A Head Start:)

I'm notorious for waiting until the last minute to make holiday outfits and gifts. Remember the fish outfit I whipped up for Bee the night before her birthday??? Crazy, I know!

Well, thanks to Becky over at Owly Baby, I'm getting a head start on Christmas!


Becky asked for volunteers to test a couple of her new patterns, and I jumped on board in a hurry! The City Jumper pattern is super cute and it was a great excuse to get started on holiday dresses for the girls. I'm not sure when it will be available to the public, but I'll try to keep you posted so you can snap it up:)

For my version, I started with a black and white palette. The little punch of red piping adds just the right amount of flare without the dress screaming CHRISTMAS! That way, hopefully, we will get a bit more wear out of it. I just can't stand to make (or buy) dresses that we wear one time!



With the piping, and the pockets, and the adorable red zipper on the back (that I, of course, forgot to take a pic of...) it is just the sweetest little dress. Don't you think Bee will be the cutest little bit around?

Now to decide on a pattern for Belle...anyone else looking for a dress pattern reviewer in the next couple of weeks??? Apparently, I need a little push:)

Style Stitches - March

First, let me defend myself...these were almost finished on time! Just a few days late, I promise. They just didn't make it to the blog sooner because of all the other seasonal projects that I've been completing. PROMISE! So...a while back I told you that I was too nervous to tackle my third sewing goal for 2011. But not that I've partially conquered it, I think I can finally share. Sewing Goal #3: CLOSURES! I've been sewing for too many years to be nervous in the face of zippers and buttonholes. And to be completely honest, it's not the closures themselves that scare me...it's more the mechanics of the sewing machine. Something about needing special equipment just really turns me off. This goal is actually the entire reason I joined in the Style Stitches challenge. I needed something to force me to figure it all out. And I can honestly say...I have a new obsession! I am completely in love with colorful zippers. I've started collecting them on every trip to the fabric store. It's getting a little out of control. I've made a collection of these bags for myself and various people...and I'm having so much fun! And nary a white or black zipper in the bunch! For my first set, I actually just picked out the zipper color I wanted for my own bags. Then I came home and pulled fabric from my stash to go with the zippers...totally backwards, I know, but lots of fun that way. I finally settled on this bizarre palette of hot pink, chartreuse, and dove gray. It may be my new signature palette...I am THAT in love with it:)

So...now on to button holes!

Olivia

Olivia is a smart, sassy, and serious little bundle of knowledge. She can educate you on the classification of butterflies, enlighten you on the subject of color coordination, and broaden your understanding of the physics of a cartwheel. But, she won't hesitate to point out your misconceptions, so you had better be on your toes:)

Olivia can most often be found with her nose in a book, but she also spends considerable amounts of time studying the world around her. She carries a field journal with her on all of her adventures to keep a record of her discoveries.

I'm sure those of you who know me and my children personally, can probably see little bits of all of us in the characters I create...bet'cha can't guess who inspired this one:)

Happy Easter!

One of my favorite hymns from my childhood begins with, "Up from the grave he arose..." I love Easter because it is a time of such renewal, and spring in NC is an amazing thing to witness. It is a glorious day here to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior.

And regardless of your spiritual leanings, I hope that you are enjoying this fine spring day.

We've had a visit from the big bunny, visited family, and hunted more eggs. Sadly, we missed church due to a couple of unseasonable colds and some nasty little coughs:(

But, we still looked springingly cute in our new dresses:)

And just in case you're wondering...

Belle's dress was made with this tutorial from Freshly Picked. I added an underskirt, a sash, and some pretty little pleats just for fun. I also cut a slit in the back and added a button closure...the size of the heads on my little angels would amaze you! This is the first time I've used this pattern and I am in love! Assuming you leave out all the little extras that make it Easter-special, I think this would come together in less than an hour. And the inside is fully finished with no raw edges, zigzag stitches, or serged seams. It is a very professional-looking finished product and so sweet on.

Bee's outfit made use of the Sweet Pocket Pinafore pattern by Heidi and Finn. I followed the pattern directions to a tee, except that I added ric rac around all the edges. Once again, the pattern, as it is written, comes together very quickly and results in a very professional-looking finished product. Adding the ric rac makes the process a little more tedious, but it was just too cute to pass up. The bloomers are made with the Scientific Seamstress Easy Fit Pants pattern. I made a pair at shorts length, then stitched in a piece of elastic about 3/4" from the hemline on each leg. I've definitely gotten my $9.95 out of this pattern. It comes together with only two pieces and six seams and fits a WIDE range of sizes. It's also available for teens and adults and I'm seriously considering grabbing that one too. I know I've used the kids version at least 15 times already and my kids won't outgrow it for many years:)

One note about Bee's pinafore...that's a size 2T on my very tiny 19 month old. I think the pattern runs pretty short over the tummy, so I would recommend that if you want to be able to wear it with just bloomers that you make a size larger than you normally would.

Both outfits, are made with fabrics from the Flower Sugar line by Lecien. I don't normally splurge on imported fabric, but for this occasion I just couldn't resist.

So, Happy Easter and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Spring Pinwheels - Completed

Spring Pinwheels is finally complete! And Belle is loving it:) All her babies now have a genuine quilt under which to snuggle. Thanks again to Chrissy and Linda at Sew Lux for hosting this quilt along!

A Vintage??? Modern Bunny

After all the hullabaloo surrounding the Growing Your Baby feature, I thought it was high time to start making some things for and WITH my kiddos. Belle wanted a bunny oh-so-very-badly, so we pulled out the Modern Bunny pattern at naptime one day and got started. Of course, I let Belle pick out the fabric...and wouldn't you know, she picked a vintage pillowcase and a reproduction print. This one's a quirky one, that's for sure:) So we made a vintage modern bunny!

So, Flowery has taken up residence at the head of Belle's bed, along with the matryoshka we made a while back and the knit doll I gave to her when she was born (no - I didn't knit it!). This kiddo has never carried a particular doll or stuffed animal around with her, so being given a place in the bed is the highest honor.

Now to plan a bunny for Bee...hopefully in time for Easter!

Show It Off - Quilt Pattern

This quilt is all about showing off! Whether you choose to show off a hand-stitched design or a large print on a beautiful fabric, you'll have this whipped up in a jiffy! The pattern below is really just intended to give quilters the dimensions of my pieces, so they can replicate if they so choose. But, I added more detail so those of you with sewing experience could play along. If you're a total quilt newbie and would like to see a Quilting 101 series, just leave a comment and let me know. I have one in the works, but it keeps getting pushed to the back burner. Having someone hold me accountable, might actually make it happen:) You'll need: 4 center pieces 8.5" square (something you want to show off) 4 coordinating fabrics perle cotton thread if you choose to do hand-quilting crib-size batting (or a 32" square of batting if you're like me and buy big batting and cut it up) 1.5 yards backing and binding fabric Note: All pieces are cut using a rotary cutter and square ruler. All pieces are joined by placing right sides together and sewing using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

1. From each coordinating fabric: Cut 2 rectangles measuring 3.5"x8.5" and 2 rectangles measuring 3.5"x14.5". [And you experienced quilters can probably stop reading right here and run off to find something to show off:)]

2. Lay-out: Decide which coordinating fabric will accompany each center piece. Then decide on the block placement for the finished quilt.

3. Assemble Block: Attach the two smaller rectangles (coordinating fabric) to each side of the first center square. Press seams toward outside. Then attach longer rectangles to top and bottom of center panel. Press seams to outside. Repeat for next 3 blocks.

4. Assemble quilt top: Sew top pair of blocks together. Then sew bottom pair of blocks together. Press seams in opposite directions (ie. top seam to right and bottom seam to left) as this will make matching seams easier. Sew top row to bottom row matching the center seams. Press seam toward bottom of quilt.

5. Create Sandwich: Place quilt top on batting. Trim batting to approximately 2 inches wider than top on all 4 sides. Place top and batting on backing fabric. Trim backing to approximately 2 inches wider than batting on all 4 sides. Extra around edges allows for any slipping during quilting process and will be trimmed later. Baste well using your preferred method (pins, basting spray, etc.).

6. If machine quilting - Stitch 1/4" on each side of center square outline and 1/4" on either side of seams between 4 large blocks.

7. If hand-quilting - select perle cotton thread to complement block. I prefer to use variegated, but that's just my personal choice. Hand-stitch, keeping stitches as even as possible, 1/4" inside and outside center square. To stitch around the outside edge of each large block, you will need to stitch 1/4" from the 2 inside seams and 3/4" from the outside raw edges. This will accomodate your binding in the next step.

8. Prepare binding - Cut three 3 inch strips of backing fabric for binding. Sew short ends together to form one LONG, SKINNY piece of fabric. Fold strip in half lengthwise and press well.

9. Attach Binding - Place binding raw edges together with quilt top and sew using 1/2" seam allowance and mitering corners. If you don't know how to miter the corners of quilt binding and want to see some pics, just leave a comment and I'll get a quick tutorial together for you:) Fold to back, press well and hand-stitch folded edge to back of quilt.

Questions? No? GREAT! Now go get busy:):):)

Easter Stitchings - Doll Quilt

I shared the sweet little spring stitchings that are the foundation of this quilt a little while ago. In all honesty, I embroidered the designs and then had no idea what I was going to do with them. Thankfully, Harriet caught my eye and I just knew she needed a new quilt.

I think she likes it:)

I trimmed the embroidered blocks to 8.5" and then added a simple border to each one. I really wanted the focus to remain on the stitchings and not the complementary fabrics and I think it worked out pretty well.

Then I started combining the blocks. I had originally planned to use all 6 stitched designs, but once I had these four together, it just felt complete, so I left the others for another project. And I really love this color combo...the pink and green on the other blocks somehow ruined the quirky palette.

The finished dimensions are perfect for Harriet or any of my other 19" dolls and bunnies. She likes to be swaddled up where it's warm and cozy:)

Once the top was finished, I just had to do some hand quilting with my DMC cotton perle! It is a great complement to the embroidered designs and really gives it a fun, vintage feel.

The quilt is already SOLD, but if you're interested in making one yourself, the embroidery patterns are available here. I'm so glad this little beauty found a home that will love her for many, many years!

Make Mine Modern Please!

So I think I've explained most of the buttons over there on the right...but I'm not sure that I told you about the Make Mine Modern swap that I was lucky enough to get into.

The rules of the swap are:
* Your partner is a secret. You know who you're making for, but you have no idea who is making for you.
* You spend hours, days, even weeks stalking your partner to find out what they love and what they need.
* You create 1 hand-made item for you partner.
* You send one item to decorate your partner's sewing space (makes me wish I had one!).
* You send 1.5 yards of fabric that your partner will love.
* You can include any extras that you wish.

This is a sneak peak of the main part of the package for my partner. I'm not going to tell you exactly what it is, but it makes use of my current obsession (DMC perle cotton) and has hours and hours of hand-stitching in it. Wondering about the fabric??? Kona solids from here. You can create your own Kona solids fat quarter bundles in various sizes...and they're really reasonably priced for Kona.

I'll share more of the goodies headed to partner in the next few weeks...I really hope she likes them!

Bottled Rainbows Block 1

Here's my first block for the Bottled Rainbows Ticker Tape Quilt Along!

I started with the mustard (which isn't really all that mustardy) because that seemed to be the color that I had the most of...odd since, I rarely use yellow.

I opted to use just a straight stitch around each scrap. I really like the raw edge look (and the fact that my machine is currently having a zigzag stitch malfunction had nothing to do with that decision what so ever!).

I also chose to not do a "quilt as you go" method. I've done that on several projects before and it does make everything go faster, but it just didn't feel right on this one. I think I will do some hand quilting with my new obsession, DMC perle! But, I haven't yet decided how I will do it...something to think about when I can't sleep:)

And I couldn't finish this post without a HUGE thank you to my friend, Courtney! She so generously supplemented my scrap stash for this quilt...and sent some super amazing fabrics in the package. Everything from Heather Ross to Anna Maria Horner. She's the BEST! The background scoop: Courtney and I met in college and are somewhat kindred spirits. We are both stay-at-home moms who love to run and sew. Hop over to Mon Petit Lyons and say hello to her! She has some really fantastic recipes, ideas and tutorials on her blog. And she has two boys to match my two girls, so she can share the other side of the parenting story:) Thanks, Courtney!

Bottled Rainbows Quilt Along

I've been prepping to start my Bottled Rainbows ticker tape quilt for the quilt along. If you haven't heard about it, click on the button to the right to find out more...there's still time to join in!

I don't maintain much of a stash of solid fabrics (something I'd love to change in the near future), so I ordered a fat quarter set from Whipstitch just for this quilt. The set includes the 16 Kona shades recommended for this quilt....BEAUTIFUL!

So once it arrived, I started digging through my scraps. I laid each of the solids out on the table and starting pile my scraps where they matched. It was really a lot of fun playing with all those tiny pieces that I had been hanging on to for who knows how long.

I then dug into my regular fabric stash to suplement. I cut small scraps off of larger cuts and added them to the piles.

After pressing each scrap this was what I ended up with. Isn't it lovely???


Except that I have some MAJOR holes in my scrap stash:( So if you have scraps in any of the shades below that you are willing to share, PLEASE send them my way!!! PLEASE!!!! Scraps can be as small as 1"x2" or as large as about 5" square. Many, many thanks in advance!

plum
eggplant
indigo
ocean
cerise
raspberry
pumpkin
moss

Style Stitches Bag Challenge - February Fabrics

For the month of February we will be making the Reversible Everyday Shopper bag. This pattern looks MUCH easier than the last one, so if you haven't joined the challenge yet, February is the month to jump in:)

I'm not happy about my fabric selection, but it seems to be the best choice at the given moment. The pattern calls for home dec fabric, but I don't have any in my stash, and I am trying really hard to use up what I have before I buy more. So I raided the stash. I really wanted to use this great floral corduroy that I have, but unfortunately I just didn't have enough. So I kept digging...quite literally I'm afraid!

I finally settled on the Nicey Jane. It was one of the only fabric combinations I could come up with for which I actually had the necessary yardage. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE MY NICEY JANE! I just really wanted this bag to be a work horse, and this fabric just doesn't seem to fit the bill. But, I'm certain I will love the result...even if it does show dirt too easily to be my "Everyday Shopper."

Style Stitches Month 1 Fabrics

Did you notice the button on the right? The Style Stitches Bag Challenge? You really should play along. 17 bags in 12 months...sounds like fun, right? The best thing about this challenge is that each bag in the book gets progressively more difficult. So you begin with the super easy ones and learn a little bit more with each bag along the way. Even with all my years of sewing, I'm a total bag newbie, so I'm really excited about this challenge. There's even a Flickr group where you can talk with others who are participating in the challenge. I've already learned a few tricks about making sturdy bases for bags from one of the other Flickr group members.
In January we will be making the Cosmo Bag from Amy Butler's Style Stitches. It's ENORMOUS! I'm planning to use it for road trips. It seems the perfect size for my yarn, book, bottle of water, travel pillow, and sweater/sweatshirt (which is mandatory even in August if you travel with my husband). These are my fabric choices...

Flower Fields by Joel Dewberry will be the exterior. I wanted a dark color since this bag will spend most of its time on the floorboard of the car.

This coordinating fabric will make the handles.

And because I desperately want to be one of those people who can make seemingly unrelated fabrics look fabulous together...Spring Geometrics for the lining. Of course, I ordered all my fabric online, so when this last piece arrives it will probably look terrible with the other two in person...but for now, this is the plan:)

Are you joining in on the fun? I'd love to see what everyone else puts together! I'll be back with my finished bag before the end of the month...and if January 31 rolls around and you haven't seen it posted here...CALL ME ON IT! Keep me honest...please!

Return to My Roots

My life as a sewer/crafty person started with quilting. The first quilt I can remember making was peach and forest green (blech!) and true to the country decor of that decade (I'll let you do the math!). I don't know what happened to that quilt, but it started a life long obsession with "projects."

I once spent an entire summer (yes - summer...don't ask) quilting a massive navy blue and white quilt that the entire family, including the cat, still fights over.

But somehow, in recent years, I have strayed from my quilting roots. Clothes, toys, orders, and gifts have monopolized what little time I have. And I'm beginning to miss the joy of watching tiny scraps grow into beautiful patterns.

So #2 on that prominently displayed list of goals is, "Return to my roots." Get back on the quilting horse.

First project - A quilt for Belle's big bed.

I spent some time combing through Flickr for ideas and then called Belle over to help me pick the final design. I had 4 relatively simple examples to show her, and after scanning through them all once, I got ready to show her each one again so she could decide. Unfortunately, she caught sight of all the other favorites I had marked and fell in love with a huge, rainbow, string-pieced, diamond quilt and that was it. She had to have THAT one.

"Are you sure? Don't you love this one? Or this one?" NO! So, diamonds it is...I guess. I sketched out a color plan and figured up dimensions with the resulting number of blocks to be created...

48!

This may take all of 2011 to finish! But, she loves it...and I'm beginning to love it too. I decided to work in sets of 8 blocks at a time. Yesterday afternoon, I prepped the first 8 and began to sew, hoping to finish 1 or 2. I was so excited by the results of the first one, that I dropped pretty much everything else so that I could do the other 7. Thank goodness for Chinese take-out!

But with 40 still ahead of me and all the quilting to be done after that, it's going to be a long time in the making. I guess the longer it takes me to finish the quilt, the longer she has to sleep in her little girl bed...this quilt is looking better and better every minute:)

2011 Sewing Goals:

1. STOP HOARDING!

2. Return to my roots.

Last Chance and Another Teaser

It's your last chance to get in on my GIVEAWAY! Comments will close tomorrow (12/17) at NOON EST. You don't want to miss out, so scamper on down the page and be sure to leave a comment about your favorite winter crafting activities! I'll contact the winner by email sometime tomorrow afternoon.

In the last couple of weeks I've been churning out holiday orders like mad around here, and I'm almost there. Two tees, one hat, and one grocery bag are all that remain. And then I get to really start on all the gifts that I have planned. A little late...I'm fully aware. But, I have a rock solid plan to get it all completed:)

So here's the Handmade Holiday update...

You've seen the start of Belle's BIG gift (and there's still lots more to come on that one). So here's sneak peak at what Bee will be finding under the tree next Saturday. Any guesses on this one???

What might have ducks...


and dots...



flowers...

lattice...

and more dots...

and even some leaves???

I need to make a run to the fabric store before I can finish it, so I guess you will just have to wait and see:) But if you love those fabrics...most of them came from Melanie, so pay her a visit and get $5 shipping no matter how much you buy!

And seriously, don't forget the GIVEAWAY!

Handmade Holiday Update

Belle has put in a most unusual request for Christmas....



This is what I'm working with. A rainbow of lovely lusciousness!



Bee and I had a blast picking all these out while Belle was in school...can't wait to share more:)

Any guesses???

As close to Paris as I can get...

I'd love to see France one day, but in all honesty it's not really at the top of my list. Venice, Scotland, and Alaska all easily trump the Eiffel Tower. And with all the great places that are geographically a whole lot closer, this is probably as close as I will ever get to Paris.

A sweet little Parisian blouse.

I've been rereading this series at Oliver & S and tried to use their principles as inspiration for this top.

The fabrics are definitely understated and proud members of the supporting cast. I definitely mixed collections, the prints are tonal, and there are no juvenile prints to be found. And I think the back looks a bit sophisticated...maybe???

I'm not one to create skirts with hundreds of loud, bright, bold prints all mixed together. I don't often make use of juvenile prints...especially for Belle. And I hope that you see the child first in the clothes that I make. BUT, I can't say that I have mastered the minimalistic art of Oliver & S. This is definitely a new look for me!

But clearly, Belle wears it joyfully...and you definitely notice HER! How could you not? She's the loudest thing in a 10 mile radius:)

What do you all think??? Do you love the understated, un-juvenile fabric choices? Or should I go back to bright florals and more kid-friendly prints?