kirstencan

Monkey Quilt

Whew, last weekend was busy!  Lots of driving for Coppelia rehearsals and performances.  But worth it - she had so much fun and did beautifully.

Also last week I finally finished a wall-hanging for monkey's room.  I've had the fabric (funky monkeys from Moda) for ever - and I even had most of the top pieced for a couple of years - years!  I am so lame.

 

I set my mind on finishing it and just made it work with what I had - which meant adding some red/white dots for the small border, and using that 'yearbook' fabric for the binding - which I wouldn't have used, probably, but it's what I had and it ended up working.

Monkey loves it - of course - and wanted to sleep with it - of course.

 

So after one night I hung it up - he does have lots of other 'blankies' after all - I think it's pretty bright and cheery and goes with his room rather well.

But mostly I'm just glad I finished something!

Vintage goodness baby quilt

This was the project I made last week at my mom's house - I brought over a stack of six inch squares and came home with this:

The top is made entirely from vintage sheets - they are oh-so soft.

I really like all the delicate florals, but I also think the dots (and the dotted hot pink binding liven it up quite a bit and make it more contemporary.

And then I made a little pillow to match.

With the baby girl's initial.

 

The quilt top is backed with two-layers of soft pink flannel. No batting.  I'm really happy with the weight.  It is perfect.  Soft and cuddly without being heavy or bulky.  A good weight for babies.  I made a quilt with no batting before, with just one layer of flannel, but I have to admit it's a bit thin.  I'll be using this method again.  I quilted "in the ditch" so you can see squares sewn on the back.

Hopefully the baby girl this was given to will cuddle with it for years to come.

Her mom liked it anyway!

And now to look for more sheets - because I want a version of this for me!

Ultra fast baby quilt

Wednesday I brought dinner to someone in our neighborhood who had just had a baby girl.  I really really wanted to bring something handmade as a gift (I knew this particular mom would appreciate that), but time and energy were extremely short on this particular day.

But anyway, I very quickly (and quite shoddily) made up a small baby quilt from vintage sheets. 

I really love how the prints coordinate.  In fact, had I spent a little more time on it, I would really love this little blanket.  Just two squares of the sheets, cotton batting in between, and dotted bias-tape to bind (not proper quilt binding technique).  I sewed threw the quilt a few times randomly to quilt it. 

I am a little embarrassed by this wonky blanket, but it is SO soft, and I think rather sweet - especially rolled up with a couple more surprises in it.

Happy weekend!  Are you making anything?  Me, I think I need to clean out my craft closet so I can get to more of my projects!

Quick, to the Craft Closet!

I've not been able to get much sewing done lately - just not in the right mood, I guess.  But it felt good making those baby shoes.  Quite good, actually.

Time to get sewing again.  I only have... what, 3 quilts in progress?

One evening last week two of the kids were at a neighbors, and one was hanging with Aaron downstairs.  I could sew!  Quick, to the Craft Closet!

I whipped out these two blocks for my wonky/scrappy log cabin quilt.  Because I usually make two at a time.

(I think that one on the left might be my fave block yet).

Check the kids.  Still good?  Cool. 
Two more blocks, then!

And after they went to bed I made two more - because I realized that I only needed two more!

 

Ahh, the feeling of accomplishment!

So now I need to get some chocolate brown Kona cotton to put them all together with - I may do a no-binding flip and topstitch technique on this one.  Because sometimes the thought of binding just kills any quilting desire I've got.

And just cause I want to anyway.

Christmas Quilt!

Woo hoo!  I finally finished the Christmas quilt that I pieced last year.  That is a good feeling.

I found the Santa fabric two years ago actually, at Joann's.  I love the storybook quality to it, and that it has some pink and aqua in it, as pink seems to be creeping into some of our Christmas decorations, and I just love aqua. I'd bought some of this fabric to make Monkey a Christmas pillowcase, and then went back for more (technically, I asked my mom to go get some more for me - she lives a lot closer to the fabric store! But I paid her back!). 

I made 8" blocks with the Santa fabric, alternating with 4-patch blocks made from my stash.  Some Christmas-y, some not so much.  I just made the whole thing up as I went along.  The quilting is very simple - straight lines through the 4-patches and outlining on the larger blocks.  The border is quilted like this one that I made for my brother's family.

Monkey snuck under the quilt while I was trying to get a decent photo of it (impossible).  They all love it.

For some reason, a quilt is an especially appropriate thing to make around Christmas, and I'm glad I made it while my kids are still little.  Or little enough. It's just a little lap quilt, but perfect for snuggling up to read Christmas stories or watch a Christmas movie together.

Another project checked off my list - and I'm thoroughly enjoying this one.

Sewing lately...

Cutting:  I quickly bought up some of Heather Ross' Mendocino line when it came out - but just started cutting it up.  Oh, it's pretty. 

Arranging and re-arranging.  Not easy to do with the ceiling fan on - but I hate turning it off.

Colored pencil bags were needed - one for each boy.  Trains for Thomas, robots for Monkey.  I've been waiting for the right kind of project for these fabrics!

And the latest four scrappy log cabin blocks:

They really look the same after a while - and yet they're all so different.  That makes... 12?  I think I need 6 more before I start putting them together. 

Have you been sewing lately?

More Blocks

I've made a few more scrappy blocks.
They're too fun to make.

I'm thinking that I'll either sew them together with no sashing, or a really wide brown sashing.  Here's a rough idea of it with the first eight blocks:

The brown would be a lot wider than that, but I'm liking the idea so far.
You can see all the blocks in more detail here.

I'm not just working on my scraps, though.  I finally pieced the top of a little quilt for someone (guess who? :) that I've had cut for months.

It feels good to get stuff done.

De-Scrapping

Last summer I was loving watching the scrappy log cabins come together - especially Kirsty's.  This summer I'm ready.  I have a ton of scraps.  A. Ton.  Ridiculous, really.  Time to use them up!  And as I love scrappy quilts and love log cabin blocks, this is the perfect way.

So far I've made 3 blocks - they go together so fast!  They are 8" squares.

This was the first one.  I like that it's a little wonky, but mostly square-ish.

With number two, I chose to not start with a square, so as to make it more wonky.  But I'm not liking it as well as I thought.  I might make one more similar to this so it won't be lonely, but that's it.

Number three. 

I was thinking it would be fun to have a little of the Amy Butler lotus in each of them, and a little of the blue Amy Butler that I have just a little of - but I think I won't have enough of that one.  Also I want at least one vintage piece in each block.  Other than that, I'm grabbing random scraps.

And loving it.   I love scrappy quilts.  I love how much there is to look at, and remembering what I've used each piece for.  Good stuff.

'Cause it's not like I have 3 quilts in progress (one for like 7 years! Doh!) and a few more waiting in piles or anything.  No sir. 

Given

For my SIL's Christmas gift, a little tote:

I love this vintage fabric - I've used it once before and one of these days I'll make a bag for myself out of it.  It's kind of thicker, ribbed, and yummy.

For my brother and his wife - scrappy quilted pillows.

You can't go wrong with the Japanese tree fabric, in my opinion.
I'm not as happy with the Matroshka one - the color combo + lame free motion quilting.  And the backs are not ideal, by any means.  But oh well.

At least some of my gifts were handmade, right? :)

Grandma's Pillow

A Christmas present I can show you - as I'm fairly sure Aaron's 96 year old grandmother doesn't read my blog.  :)

A quick quilted pillow cover - made from pieces found in my scrap box. 

You'll notice a scrap from my skirt - and most of the rest is from Kris and Jenn's quilt.

Very quick, but I like the results - hopefully she will as well.