Brooklyn Baby

The recipient of this quilt is getting a baby brother!  I simply cannot wait to meet him!!

So this quilt shall be called Brooklyn Baby (since they've recently moved from NYC). 

Orange binding and the 2D Zoo I'm in so love with as backing.

Aunt Sara and Uncle D love you already!  We can't wait to meet you in September!

p.s. I've been informed that the quilt has already been hijacked by big brother, Charlie, upon which to host stuffed animal tea parties.  This makes me immensely happy.

Max's Blankie

I've got one more baby blanket ready to go for my friend's baby, Max!

If Max is anything like his parents, he will go bananas for the orangeness of this blanket... I just know he will.  I love this 2-D zoo print, and have for a while.  I'm so glad I have an excuse to finally use it!

And my new favorite binding is the faux bois, any color will do.

The other babies are enjoying their quilts, and  I hope Max will too!

Muchos Pluses Completo

I've almost finished the top of my Plus (pronounced "ploos") Quilt . :)  And I loove it!  I still need to add borders, which means a potentially dangerous trip to Peapod.

Warning: blurry photo... but you get the idea. 

D said, "I hate to say it, but they're not symmetrical..." Oh, silly D... I think he was kind of kidding, maybe.

The sashing phase of this quilt was tedious, but not too miserable.  I finished it in an evening.  My favorite parts are the couple pieces of off-white linen I sneaked into the sashing.   See that little middle square?   Cute-a!

One day, I will show you the completed, non-blurry version of this quilt.  I hope that day is soon.  I may opt to professionally quilt this sucker.  I'm just not in the mood.

Accidental Gee's Bend-ish Quilt

Many moons ago, I started this quilt.  The intention was to make a queen-sized quilt.  But then I got bored and put it away (surprise!).  I picked it up again in efforts to minimize unfinished business before moving, and here's what happened!  I just love it!

 

I loved how I didn't use any rulers, or rules for that matter, and the lines are a bit squiggly.  I just snipped, stitched, and assembled.  Now it's a fun and easy crib-sized quilt.  I felt like such an original...

...But then I noticed this - sitting right above me on my inspiration board is the very inspiration (albeit subliminal)!

How funny is that?  I swear, I didn't even realize it was there!  Somewhere in the depths of my mind, I must have channeled the Gee's Bend quilters. Wait, what am I saying?? I can't believe I even dared to compare myself to them, because the women of Gee's Bend are waaaaaay more amazing than I'll ever be - true, hard core quilters - using what was available (jeans, mattress ticking, floursacks, old clothing) instead of us modern quilters who take perfectly good pieces of fabric and cut them up only to reassemble them!  So silly, we are....if you really think about it.  I suppose we quilt for art rather than necessity nowadays, but still...

This quilt still needs the perfect backing.  Ideas??  Maybe I'll wait until I have the right recipient in mind.  Can someone please make a baby? JK

Also, I Want to Make This...

...in fact, I will probably try to replicate this room in the new house. D doesn't know this yet. 

D, I'm going to replicate this room in our new house.

Ok, now he knows.

It's good to have an inspiration though, right?  Then you're not blindly hoping things go together.  This way, you already know! However, the room in mind was newly painted a very nice (different) color, so I'll work with what we've got.  

 

 

{image from House Beautiful)

But isn't this quilt great?!  I am in love!

I can probably figure out this quilt pattern, but if someone already has a pattern for this, I would love it!   Anyone interested in a quilt-along? 

Shirt Refashioning

I wish I had taken before photos of these, but I am hasty and I get too excited.  I've discovered knit ribbing!  I'm not very good at using it yet, but I decided to sacrifice a few shirts to practice with.  Please do not scrutinize, they are very un-Virgo with lots of flaws. Whatever - I'm learning.

This used to be a turtleneck.  I liked the stripiness of it, but couldn't justify wearing it when the weather was nice (which is has NOT been in like 2 years - boo, San Francisco!).  But anyway, here's how I refashioned it:

This was a rather boring, ill-fitting shirt I got at the GAP for like $5. I had to take in the sides because it was frumpy (schlumpadinka, as we say 'round these parts), but that was a long time ago.  Anyhow, still not loving it, I added this yellow ribbing.  Mucho mejor. The yellow is a bit too lemony for my taste, but really, you can't please me - if it's not too boring it's too exciting.  Though I am pleased with this shirt now and maybe now I'll wear it to places other than the gym.

And this old thing, well, I still wear it to work even though I had to cut the sleeves off (put a hole in it trying to pull up the sleeves).  It worked as a 3/4 length sleeve shirt, but since it was pretty much garbage anyhow, I experimented with some colored cuffs.  I think I just added a couple months to the life of this shirt.  Nevermind that the cuffs are about 1/2" difference in length (awesome me!).  And yes, I wear garbage to work.

And this, folks, is what I do with a surprise day off.

Look Familiar?

I have a pretty fabulous group of girlfriends.  Three of them decided to simultaneously get pregnant with boys.  Ok, maybe it was a coincidence, but they all had healthy, beautiful boys within the last 2 weeks!  Nothing like the birth of a baby to motivate you into finishing a gift for them!

Here's Baby Celio's quilt:

We didn't know the sex, so I tried to make something gender-neutral.  And luckily, the quilt matches his room perfectly! 

 

I used green faux bois for the binding and I love it!

He is such a beautiful, perfect, sweet little baby and he smells delicious! I can't wait to babysit!

Matchy Matchy

My sister, Monica,  is a little obsessed loves the Amy Butler Barcelona skirt.  I have made her several and she wears them all the time.  And they look totally great on her too!

She's stopped waiting for birthdays or Christmas to receive them as gifts, and now just supplies me with fabric any ol' time of year :) I'm cool with that! I had a little left over to make a Lazy Days skirt for Maile.

Monica kindly snapped this photo with her fancier-than-mine camera.  Would you look at that photo styling?  She's hired!

Kate, I'm pumping out skirts for you!

Miss Maile is Four!

My littlest niece, Maile, is getting so big!  She turned 4 today!  I can't even believe it.  She's having a rainbow party this weekend, so I had to make sure she was ready for the party in rainbow-wear.

 

I found this very appropriate rainbow fabric at Birch Fabrics, which is dangerously conveniently located on my way to San Luis Obispo.  

Kate is having her Summer Skirt Challenge, so this was perfect timing!  I used the Lazy Days skirt pattern, per the usual.  It's tried and true and fast as ever. 

I hope she loves it!  Happy Birthday, Miss Maile!  We love you!

Bikey Blankey

My good friend just had her first baby boy! His name is Freeman - isn't that such a great name??

Daddy is a big cyclist, so I simply had to include bicycles in the quilt!  I love how it turned out.  Sweet, simple, and wrinkly.  Nicey bicycles! 

I hope there will be many snuggles, cuddles, tummy-, nap-, and play-time, drool, and forts made with this blankie.  Welcome, Freeman!  I can't wait to meet you!

Turning 6!

My favorite (and only, but nevermind) nephew in the whole wide world is turning six! That requires, like, 2 hands to indicate your age! So old - I can't even believe it!

Look at this guy! Could you just eat him up?

He is kind and smart and funny and will do just about anything for Legos.... and he pretends to love me in order to play Angry Birds on my iPhone. He's just his own little self and I just think he's the greatest!

I bought this book for him when he was just a little baby. I'm so excited to finally give it to him! It will teach him all the really important "boy" things like how to tie knots, identify insects, make paper airplanes, and play chess. (Yay! for rad photos...ugh)


And bless his little heart, almost every time I see him, he's wearing his birthday shirts. So, of course I made him another!


And don't tell, but I used one of D's old flannel shirts he had in the Goodwill pile. I just thought it was so manly & perfect! Don't worry, you will see more projects made with this fabric...I'm thinkin' manly patchwork baby quilt?

Happy Birthday, Makaio!!

Peep Yourself Some Pips

One of my besties, Kate, is giving away some cutie-patootie fabric that you probably should have. Hurry though, you only have one day left to enter the giveaway!!

Need some inspiration? She's got that covered.



And while you're at it, you should probably also peruse her bitchin' new blog, PeepThread. Not only is this girl talented, she's fun as hell and super smart - one clever grashopper. See why she's one of my besties??

All photos by Kate

Mini-Spree

I have been fairly disciplined about refraining from unnecessary fabric purchases lately, but I had a little weak moment the other day on Pink Chalk Fabrics. I do have a project in mind, so it's totally justified :)

I love.

Easter Un-Candy

Who says an Easter basket has to be filled with candy? Growing up, my favorite non-candy treats OUR Easter Bunny put in our baskets was Aveda Shampure. Such a luxury back then! I think I once found an artichoke in my Easter basket, which I also thought was the greatest.

[Ok, but Cadbury Mini-Eggs and peanut M&Ms are also compulsory...]

Anyhow... say you want to give an Easter gift to a little friend who doesn't eat much candy? How about these Springy reminiscent-of-Easter-eggs bean bags? Great for juggling (or pelting). Also, they can be heated for a few seconds in the microwave and serve a little hand-warmers! So cute & so easy!



I made these using 5x5 squares and filled them with flax seeds. I tried making them egg-shaped, but it didn't work so well. If you want to be really awesome, you could make 12 of them and present them in an egg carton.

I'm pleased as punch. I feel like juggling.

Also, I Made a Skirt

I made a skirt the other day. Just like this one and this one.

(bad lighting + iPhone photo = awesome)

I made it out of this fabric and it's the perfect cold-weather skirt (made just in time for Spring to arrive! Super.) The greatest part is that the fabric was heavy enough that I didn't have to line it. I completed it in about 2.5 hours. Yessss!

Stash-Busting Snack Bags

I've been home sick the past day and a half and one can only take so many 3-hour naps! I mustered some energy to go through my scraps and put together some reusable snack baggies.

While I prefer a more uniform process (hello, Virgo!), using scraps forced me to make them all different sizes. These range in size from 6.75x6.25 to 5x4.75. I have a whole stack of scraps lined up and destined to become snack baggies.

I must have gone through an orange phase, because I sure do have a lot of orange fabrics! I'll try to mix it up next go around.

p.s. Check out my friend's new blog: PeepThread ...she is so cool.

Tutorial: Reusable Snack Bags

You want some snack bags of your own? You can totally make them! Read all instructions before starting, and don't get too hung up on exact measurements/seam allowances. This is simple stuff - you'll do great!

Let's get started:

Start with a 6x12" rectangle of cotton fabric and a 6x12" rectangle of rip-stop nylon:


Cut a section of non-adhesive Velcro about 4 3/4" to 5" (I eyeballed this part):


Place your Velcro 1/2" from the top edge of the rip-stop nylon and center the Velcro to the middle of the fabric horizontally. Pin & sew in place around the edges of the Velcro:


Once your Velcro is sewn down, place the RIGHT SIDE of your cotton fabric to the VELCRO SIDE of your rip-stop fabric, pin, and sew only the top and bottom (short) edges using a 1/4" seam allowance:


Leaving your pieces RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, fold the pieces in half so that the Velcro pieces stick together and you have a cotton half and a rip-stop half. Sew along the long edges leaving a 3" opening on one side (rip-stop end) so you can flip your baggie right-side out:



Turn your baggie right-side out & sew up your opening. You can clip the corners on your cotton fabric before turning for sharper corners:


Flip the rip-stop portion towards the inside of your cotton fabric. It will look like this:


Press & top-stitch your baggie. I did 2 rows of top-stitching using my Velcro as a guide.


And voila! You have made yourself a washable, reusable snack baggie!


I made 2 sizes here - the smaller one is the 6x12" instructions provided here (final: 5 1/2 x 5 1/2"). The larger is sandwich-sized using 7x14" as your starting measurements (final: 6 1/2 x 6 1/2") . I used an actual sandwich bag for the measurements:


You can hand- or machine-wash your baggies. Use them for any of your dry and non-drippy snacks. They're not water-tight, but sliced apples will be fine. These are a great stash-buster too!

Happy sewing & planet-saving!

Reusable Snack Bags

I read this [kinda life-changing] article in Sunset magazine last month. And while I perceive myself as fairly environmentally conscientious, in comparison to this family, I could only aspire to move in that direction (rather than fully adopt such a lifestyle at this time).

I mostly just wanted you to read that article and see how awesomely they live. But it really got me thinking about hyper-packaging (and packaging at all). I knew there was a justification for all my mason jar hoarding!

Anyhow, this inspiration brings us to the crafty section of this post: the revisitation of the reusable snack bag. I did end up sending them to my friend and she & her family loved them! She even ordered more and in different sizes! So exciting.

These are the ones I made for her - the request was that the fabric be not too girly, so her husband could use them too (!)... this information made. my. day. I opted for the super-awesome Echino fabrics that I bought at Purl while I was in NYC:

(hipstamatic shot = color distortion, but in a hip kind of way)

And these are the ones I made for myself. Probably also a fabric that's too expensive and fancy to get food all over, but I saw it at Birch Fabrics and had to have it. Plus, they're washable.


One is sandwich-sized (7x7) and the other is snackier-sized (6x6). I can't even wait to use them!

And if you're good, I might even post a tutorial on how to make your own! (It's rocket science, I tell ya). So get your sewing machines out!