happythings

Log cabin-ish scrap squares, rainbow set

 

I made more squares of the same style as the ones from Bea's big quilt - enough for a few more baby quilts. For this one I tried a rainbow set and I like it except the white line just "falls off the page." 

If you haven't done an easy, no fuss type log cabin block, Krommama posted this tutorial.  Her explanation and photos are good.  I don't do everything just the same way as her and you won't probably either and that is just perfect.  Anyway, this will get you started if you need help.

I tried a new-to-me wavy line quilting pattern, inspired by Pocket Farmer's newest quilt (which was in turn inspired by Caro's quilt which I somehow glossed over without noting that neat quilting.  I really pulled on the quilt more than I do with straight-line quilting so I was concerned it would be too loose/puckery and wouldn't lay flat in the end but it really turned out OK!  Yay.  And it certainly was easy.  You can't see the quilting very well in either of these photos but if you click onto the links above you can get a better idea of what I attempted.

And the back is cute and orange.  I originally got this fabric for another project from the nice ladies at Sew Mama Sew.  (It is the Katie Jump Rope line - and it's on sale right now!) On the computer it looked red red red and that, along with the coloway name "Geranium" had me expecting a totally different color than it is.  I have never seen an orange-red geranium.  Oh well - it was a treat to have some cute new fabric to bind and back this colorful quilt! 

Bunnies for babies

 

I made a cozy chenille/flannel blanket for some friends' new baby girl and had some extra fabric so decided to make a smaller blanket in the same style for a charity project.

 

I also made the new a baby a little onesie to match using the tried/true freezer paper stencil method.  It is cute but the subtle color difference has given me a photographic challenge and this is the best I can do. 

Another baby, another quilt

 

Another eye-spy quilt.  Same size and layout as this one, but a little more girly this time.  I think it took me longer to get it in the mail than to actually make it. 

Now, to get it quilted.

 

I made this quilt top for Bea out of every fabric that she likes.  She gets attached to fabrics that I sew with and makes sure I save a little piece "for her."  Well, I have, and this is what I decided to do with them.  I've been working on the scrap log cabin style blocks since last fall.

The quilt will generously cover a full size bed - here it is laid out on our king size bed for better viewing - the largest quilt I've made.  I've decided that it is beyond my capacity for quilting so, though it pains me to do so, I believe I will hire someone with a long-arm machine to quilt it.

I used a  free-form method of making log cabin blocks to make oversize blocks and then trimmed them down to size (9.5 inches).  You must all know how to do this, right?  It is so fun, calming, and addictive.

Old standbys

 

I have been on a quest to find archetypical recipes (or better yet, in-my-head recipes) for my favorite foods so I can feel free to ignore the all other options.

I am making the same no-pattern quilts over and over, the same winging-it skirts again and again, and the same gifts for each baby shower.

Is this a wise satisfacation with my life or a lack of energy to try new things? I can't decide.

I made matching chenille burps and bibs and potato soup this weekend.  No recipes.  No patterns.  Nothing new, but no regrets.

Small scale crafts

 

Just catching up the blog on some small scale crafts I've made this year.  Above, another of my favorite felt-backed hexagon coasters - this one for a long-distance friend who likes polka dots, florals, and red.  I made another of these in a more muted palette for my Mom for valentine's day but didn't take a picture.  I don't do much sewing by hand but for some reason these are very satisfying to me.

Also - a second stuffed wren by special request. 

A cool freezer-paper stencil t-shirt for Bea - she painted it.

 

And a little set of baby doll accessories for my niece's second birthday - some fabric wipes stuffed into an old travel wipes container, a couple of diapers for a very small bum, a "mattress" bed, pillow and blankie.  (I made her a crib/wall quilt and bunting before she was born with the same fabrics.)

 

David painted the spare bedroom light blue (I know it looks grayish green in this picture) for my valentine's present and I finally got around to hanging up some photos from a few of my favorite real-life and on-line photographers.  Since then, I haven't spent nearly enough time in front of those pictures and that sewing machine.  But that is another story.