Plus Quilt

Several years ago, while working at an amazing place, I bought a ton of this American Jane Recess fabric by Sandy Klop. I always meant to make a quilt with it. I made some other stuff, Jessica made quite a few things, yet it wasn't until this year that I finally decided to treat myself to the quilt I wanted. 

Almost six years it took me, I may be a bit slow....

I'm kinda glad I waited though because if I'd have made it back then, it wouldn't be this quilt. 

I love this quilt.

I used only one of each pattern/color for the pluses. The background is blue dot stripe. No pattern, just cutting up 4.5 inch squares and seeing what happened. Pieced and quilted with Aurifil thread. 

I backed the whole thing in Maggie's dress navy. 

It lives on my couch for now and it makes me happy every time I look at it. It made me even happier to come home one day to it being used as a fort by two sweet babes. 

Because that's what it's all about.

Quilt Collaberation

So, started a quilt for my guest room. As I was making the top, Jess started making a baby sized quilt with my extra, just because. Mostly because, this rail fence style quilt had been calling to her.

I think it's out of her system now.... ha ha.

I love it but I already have a big quilt in these fabrics that, no, is not yet finished.

The fabrics are mostly Michael Miller with  touches of Denyse Schmit, Riley Blake and Kaufman Kona.

I got distracted from finishing my big quilt, by making the quilt back for this one. Well, I got distracted by that and a few hundred other things. Simple straight line quilting finished it up.

It's always fun to work with Jessica. I am thankful for her energy Every. Single. Day.

We are putting this one up in our shop, hoping someone else will love it too.

Jess is not the only fantastic helper around my house.
P.S. Apologies for the blurry photos. I think I need a new lens. Or new eyes. Or both.

Shirts For the Boy

I love, love, love dress shirts on men, even/or especially on little guys. I purchased an extra large dress shirt while back in Germany because the fabric was a yummy Italian cotton. I thought I'd re-purpose it for myself but when Jess asked me to make Micah a shirt I knew that this was a better option. I used the Sketchbook Shirt pattern by Oliver & S again. It goes together so simply. Even though I like to use a real stand up collar on bigger shirts, this one is easy to make in a short time, and really, spending a lot of time making small clothes that will usually be outgrown before they are worn out is kind of silly. Now, ask me how long it took me to finish these...... no don't, because I don't want to tell.

Meet Mac, my size 2 kids mannequin that I got for $25.00 at a very cute shop that went out of business. I was very sad to see the shop close but since I didn't know it was happening, I was very glad that I went in time to rescue him. Don't make fun of him please, if I ever decide to dress him as a girl.

Oh how I love stripes.

I got very tired of trying to remember what sizes I've made for Micah and on these shirts with a yoke facing the solution was simple. Pooh to my machine for messing up the number 8.

I also had some gingham that I'd been gifted ( I cannot remember who gave it to me! It had been used for table clothes?) anyway, as some of you have already seen, it was put to good use for Micah's first birthday.

 It's so fun to see this little guy running around in things I've made!

A Bunch of Bags

This was a fun special order. 

A friend wanted 9 bags for her daughters and grand daughters. 

The only thing she asked for was a variety.

 Getting to choose the fabrics was fun but I'm still wondering if I made the right choices.....

Silly me I took these pictures before I put the crystals on the zippers. I love sparkly things. You'll have to take my word for it, they were cuter than they look here.

Sketchbook Shorts

Busy much? Yeah, me too. I made these a couple of weeks ago.....  Actually Jess did most of the sewing. 

 This is such a cute pattern, thank you Oliver + S. I used Kona cotton in stone (clay? whatever) and some of Amy Schimler's fun fabric for the waistband and pocket linings. 

 Jess did a really good job sewing and learning more about clothing construction. 

I apparently need to go back to cutting out stuff 101......  I thought I used the same peices I traced for the last pair I made, which fit the Little Mister perfectly. 

I didn't. 

They are too small. 

I think I have just enough for another pair.

A Remake

A few years back while traveling in Italy I saw this dress in a window. It was cheap and I thought it was a perfect summer dress. 

I didn't try it on.

My bad, because it didn't work for me. Guess I was channeling my 20 something self.....

I showed it to Jessica and she loved it, which is funny because it is much more color than she ever wears at once. Some days I cause her to cringe with my colorful clothing. 

Poor baby.

Before the little guy came along she wore it a couple of times but after little guy, some changes needed to be made. It happens when you are blessed with children, things change. 

Before.

Sorry for the mediocre photos, I think we were supposed to be making dinner?? Poor guys.

After.

Mom friendly but gorgeous!

Even better than the original, don't you think?

Skirt Week!! Wrap Skirt Attempt 1

It seemed like a good time to do this since it's Skirt Week over at Crafterhours. Go on over to their Flickr pages, with five categories, there are already a bunch of lovely skirts in the pools that will inspire you to

  sew something. 

Last week or so (were does the time go?) Jess and I were talking about wrap skirts. It's kind of a love hate thing. The comfort factor isn't quite were I want it. The ties tend to shift. Sometimes they take a lot of fabric. I'd been contemplating it since then and Friday night around 7pm (cause that's the way I do things these days) I decided to experiment. 

I started with this much lovely jersey knit, 

 and a scant thirty one inches of yummy Art Gallery fabric. 

I ended up with this. 

I never felt like it was going to gape or fall off or strangle my waist. 

 I won't wear it with my shirt tucked in, this is just to show you how it looks at the top. 

You can also see I haven't managed to hem it yet. I am going to hem it (I am Jessica, promise.) I have decided to round off the angle at the bottom. 

This is how I wore it out on Saturday. Yes I did, un-hemmed and all. It was that comfortable. 

Should I try it again, work out the kinks and tell you how? 

Would you be interested?

This is just because he's so cute and I know that there are those of you who only come here for the chance of seeing this face.

Hand Towels

What have I been doing you ask? (Or maybe you didn't.... )

I've been busy with this and that. 

Messing around with some other stuff...

It's just that blogging about it has seemed a bit beyond my capabilities lately. 

Sorry.

 In an effort to kick-start myself back into gear, I am sharing a couple of hand towels I made from a 

Denyse Schmidt fabric (DS03pineywoods) that I stole from Jessica.

 I embellished them with mini pom-pom trim and rick-rack.

Shown hanging from my new hooks courtesy of the clearance bin at our local Anthro store. There were three,  none exactly the same color. I guess that's why no one wanted them?

 Made me happy.

Something For You!

Well, only if you want it.....

I am over due for a giveaway. I'm sorry for neglecting you. Especially since you have always been so encouraging and kind. Really kind. Like all of your encouragement for me and my Etsy endeavor. Did I tell you it all sold? So thank you for everything.

Way back when I started indulging in my love for hexagons and before I decided that I was going to make a quilt and make it a charm quilt to boot, I made a lot of them. The other day I decided to make a pillow. I liked it and thought maybe you would too. You won't be hurting my feelings if you don't, but if you would like a chance to have this lovely, just leave me a comment.

The insert is included because it's an odd size so I had to make one. Comment up until Monday midnight EST.  This is open to anyone, anywhere. Now I'm off to try and restock my Etsy shop.

A Quilt For My Grandson

I started this way back when I found out he was to be. Thank goodness I finished before he grew up.

 It's my version of an eye spy quilt. Hand quilted with size 5 pearl cotton.

 Simple quilting.

 Jess told me not to get all uptight about the quilting. It's wonkier in some places than in others. I tried. 

  There are fabrics in here from several lines, some of which were donated by Jennifer and Katelyn. Thanks you two. 

I was having so much fun making the blocks that I ended up with enough for a twin size quilt. Pay attention much? Do math much? Jess asked me to make it with blocks on the front and back. Double the fun..... 

The individual blue blocks on either side were a happy mistake.

                          

I've said it before, I'll say it a million times. I love this boy!