Mama's Getting Crafty!

A baby quilt and a birthday gift

2011-05-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

Talk about a slump...

2010-05-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

Ok OK I know I mentioned I was in a slump in my last post...

I think I was avoiding my crafting because I was unhappy with the space designated to it, which was out in the hot lonely garage... I got so much more done when I was in the far side of the living room in the last house, but this house just doesn't accommodate that...

So, over the last few months I have been taking over Joey's room as my own... So far I like it as it is inside the house, but we shall see how much I get done.

Another reason I haven't done much crafting lately is because my biggest project right now is ME! I have put myself higher on the priority list and have been getting healthier.

On that note I am in charge of designing and creating the artwork for the summer challenge at the Curves I am working for. This is the centerpiece...

This is Curvy Cathy. And yes, I know she is naked. stay tuned for more...

Hopefully this is the jumpstart I needed to get crafty again!

New projects

2010-02-15T13:59:00.000-08:00

I have been in a crafting slump lately, lacking the required motivation to start my next quilt, even though I have the fabric and pattern all ready to go...

I didn't want to start a new embroidery, so what to do?

Luckily, Alicia Paulson posted pictures of her newest creation, and set my fingers twitching.

I know Camas is going to laugh because she tried to show me this years ago and I totally brushed her off with disinterest...

Here they are... my first few granny squares.

I also picked up a cute idea for upcoming birthdays...

I made two little girl tutus with flower sprinkled around the hem.

And I made a Mama sized one for this girl's mama to dance around with her!

I foresee many happy girlie hours from this set-up... *sigh* sometimes I wish I had a little girl...

Holy Cats!

2010-01-31T20:20:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it has been more than 2 months since I have finished anything worth posting about!!!

Actually, I can believe it... it is harder to get out into my sewing space since it is in the garage...

I did finish this quilt this week and bring it in to my Curves... I donated it to the bi-annual auction they hold...

Here's a picture with out the model...

My own thundering herd

2009-11-29T12:07:00.000-08:00

With Christmas swiftly approaching I once again chose to be the "Crazy Aunt that gives homemade gifts"... Most of the recipients (or their parents) are savvy enough to recognize a cute trendy gift when they see it the others will just have to be happy that each one has their initial on it.

I chose this cute elephant for all the cousins. Lucky for me they are all still little enough to like stuffies. This is a Wee Wonderfuls pattern. I added the tassels and the monogram to the blankets, though.
This little guy is a one off... after him, I used flannel for the rest, but wanted to try and use this fabric. He is so cute I might just make another one for me...
I just noticed his ears are upside down... funny how you don't see things like that when you are working on them!

Here are boys' elephants. Of course I made one for my boys as well...

Here are the girls' elephants.

Now this one is different and special. Mostly because I wanted to do a heavily embroidered one with less finger trapping places for the youngest recipient...

I am happy with how cute these are and am very pleased that the major chunk of my Christmas presents are finished and ready to be shipped! And I am even happier that this was almost completely a stash project... I had to by yarn for the tails and stuffing, but that is all! Yea!

Two more quilts

2009-11-26T00:29:00.000-08:00

I finally found a
use for extra binding... trim a matching pillowcase!

This quilt was my first commissioned piece. I really like it, I hope the intended recipient does, too!

This quilt was being snuggled before I even finished the binding...

She must have known it was for the wall...

Quilts away!

2009-08-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

Baby E has gotten her quilts and her Mommy just loves them! Which is good because I love them both dearly( and daddy too!)

You can see the embroidery and quilting of this one in earlier posts but here is the label I made using PolkaDotBunny's embroidery design.

I also made this Peter Rabbit quilt for her. I have been saving this fabric for a while to make a quilt for this baby!

The little carrots and radishes make me smile.

I even thought far enough ahead to buy the matching flannel for the backing.
I happened to have enough of that floral binding left over from when I was binding tea towels, and it was jut complementary enough to be cute.

All folded up and ready to be shipped.

There is only one more baby due in the near future and his quilt is done already... I will post it later...
now I have to finish my commissioned quilt and will start planning Christmas presents...

conquering the WISP's

2009-08-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

Hello all!
This last week I have slowly been conquering my pile of wisps (works in slow progress) that are taking over my desk and staring at me...

This project I started last December and it is going to be put back on the shelf for a while! I hate how it looks and am not sure what I want to do with it... right now it puts the crappy in scrappy...

This quilt top I started last year as well, but the pattern was written poorly and when it came time for final assembly the blocks didn't fit together, so I put it away in frustration.
I got it out this last week ironed and re-measured everything and cut some of the blocks down to fit and the top is now done and ready for quilting! Hooray!

I used this opportunity to try to match the pattern of the border with mitered corners. I like how they turned out quite a bit.

I also made two more pairs of nine patch squares for the one a day quilt along...

I also made this 9 patch from some left over hst from another quilt...

I used about half of the completed squares to make a baby quilt for my cousin's new baby girl.

I have had this cute flannel for a while. I picked it up off of the clearance table before we moved...
I also found that really cute stripe fabric that I think will be binding the next few baby quilts...

I used the leftover binding to finish off this project that I started a couple months ago...
I saw a organizer like this in a Magellan's catalog and knew I could make one my self...
here it is completely open showing the outside...

Here is the inside... you can tell from the crooked pockets that I didn't really have a pattern that I was working from. I was just winging it, and I didn't really even bother to pin it...
There are 4 rows of 7 pockets each one is approximately 4 1/2" x 3".

To close it up you fold the two sides to the center and then feed the ribbons through the buttonhole in the center there.

Then fold it shut like a book and tie the ribbons...

This works really well for me... I dose out my daily medications and vitamins into little plastic bags that I got from the package store in the mall and have almost a whole month ready to go...
I keep this on the top shelf in the kitchen (right above the coffee mugs) so I see it and remember to take my vitamins everyday while keeping everything safely out of reach of the boys.

I also have pictures of some other quilts that are on their way to their owner, so I won't post those pictures until next week...

more blocks...

2009-07-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

Here are blocks 14-17 for the QAL.

I am also to this point on all the baskets for my commissioned quilt. Tomorrow I will add the bottoms and then I can start embellishing the baskets that will be in the center...

This pink is the secondary color for the baskets... the majority of them are plum colored.

Keeping myself busy...

2009-07-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

I have been chugging away at the block a day quilt along.
I have been making twins of each pair all with white alternating blocks...

Here are pairs 6-9.

And 10-13. That's 26 total blocks...

I am not making one block a day as you can guess. but am definitely averaging it!

I also finished Baby E's quilt and am washing it now... I am waiting on the delivery of my printable fabric so I can make the label...

A better shot to see the quilting...
Please don't laugh at my uneven and wobbly stitches... this is my first handquilting project...

Quilts and crafts

2009-07-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

I have joined up on a quilt along since I have nothing else to do around here...
This one is sponsored by Crazy Mom Quilts and is the One-A-Day quilt along. The goal is to make one nine patch a day for 70 days. I got a head start this weekend and picked out the majority of my green stash and the white on white prints.

I am actually making "twins" of each set so that I can set this qult without any sashing.

I made an art smock for Jimmy for when he goes to school.

and it's reversible.

I made a tablecloth as a present that is yet to be mailed. All the chicks are dancing differently.

One more top almost finished

2009-07-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

I had originally purchased this pattern to be Joey's bed quilt, but now have second thoughts about it. I have added a black and rainbow batik border to try to tone down the pink, but it still is a fairly girl looking quilt and Daddy is grumbling about it being on his boys' bed...
So it may end up being a present for someone who needs a rainbow! You never know...

Pajama day rocks!

2009-06-16T13:20:00.001-07:00

We had a massive size change over here at chez crafty and Jimmy came up on the short side for pajama pants. I let him dig through my fabric and made him a few new pairs.

He loves to wear his pajamas all day!

He now has quite the variety to choose from.

This was a great stash buster! I forgot I had this lizard fabric...

2009-06-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the embroidery on the whole cloth quilt for Camas's baybee!
I think after all this embroidery in a row, I might not need a thimble to quilt it, the callus on my finger is getting so thick!
Now I just have to settle on a quilting pattern. I have been staring at it too long close up, so this is currently hanging on the wall until I get ready to mark the quilting. probably later this weekend...

You can click on the picture for a closer look.

I also got two wall hangings back from my long arm quilter. I finished binding this one today. Tomorrow I can put the label up and hang it on my poor empty wall!
This is from Mount Redoubt Designs. With my own modifications of course...

I am looking forward to getting the rest of my quilts back from quilting, and have to decide which color of my two color wall hanging to bind it with... decisions, decisions!

A gift for Baby K

2009-05-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

There is a bun in one of my favorite ovens and it will be done in three more months...
Time to get stitching!

This whole cloth quilt is using the patterns from this book.
I'm almost half way done with it...
I still haven't decided if I will have time to try to quilt it or if I should tie it...

Cute baby animals and little crawling things play all over this quilt...

Mama's been painting

2009-04-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long since I posted here, but there has been much going on in the way of moving. I am just getting back into the crafting groove. The first thing to be done in out new house was to paint.
Jimmy asked for a jungle room and we picked out this mural from Elephants on the Wall.

This was great fun to do and I really enjoyed adding my own touches to it.

Jimmy says that the monkey dancing is the Mama, the hanging monkey is the Daddy, the swinging monkey is Jimmy and the climbing monkey is Joey...

So among other things (like a river, fancy nails and lips) the Mama and Daddy monkey have wedding rings on.

A look into this corner where there is a mini-mural, connected with a free handed bird of paradise in bloom and other plants along the bottom.

And off to this corner where I extended a branch around the corner to add some parrots at a later date. I also added a red ti plant and you can see where the river flows off into the distance...

Joey's murals were from Moppet Murals on esty. The train mural is just ast the pattern intended with the exception of a blue sky- I thought it was redundant on a blue wall...

Joey also has a city scene. This is the as far as the pattern goes. I am currently expanding it down the wall and have added a park and a hot air balloon. I will be adding in a bike trail and our family on bikes and a trio of wind generators in the background. I am still trying to cope in my little green heart that there are three exhaust billowing cars going down the road... maybe I should add little "H's" to them to show that they are hybrid or, even better, hydrogen powered and those billowing clouds are water vapor? We shall have to wait and see.

Remember you can click on any of the pictures to see more details. I highly suggest that you do!

Daddy's quilt

2009-01-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

For the longest time I was planning to make my sailor an ocean waves quilt, so he could sleep under the ocean waves while his boat was under the ocean's waves. This tickled me to no end, but then I thought a star quilt would be better. Sailors and the stars have been such good friends for so long and my sailor doesn't get to see the stars on the submarine, so a star quilt was the best way to send him some stars to bring him safely home from his voyages, even if only in his dreams.

This quilt is long and skinny so it would fit on his rack on the boat. The block is called the Wyoming Star, the quilt pattern is called Stars in the Valley and was in the latest "Quilt" magazine.

finishing up before I move...

2009-01-13T18:56:00.001-08:00

There has been a mad crafting spree around here. While the husband's away the quilter can play...
Really I am trying to get to all the things I had in the "Ideas and kits I have everything I need for" pile taken care of...

This top I actually bought online and I sent it with everything else to my favorite quilter.

I may have posted this one before, but is a throw quilt I made with a panel and other fabrics mostly from the clearance table...

This was a kit, but I added the border with the scraps and a fat quarter from my stash.

The pieced corners were fun! Two are like this..

The other two look like this.

Jimmy asked me with his big blue eyes if he could have a special quilt just for his own to cuddle in in front of the TV... I let him pick out the main fabric and I found a couple of complementary prints and found a pattern that he liked.

This pattern was for an odd shape so I squared the corners and added two borders. I also pieced a couple of the diamonds.

I added just one more kitty to the bottom corner...

I also have finished two wall hangings and another quilt for daddy to have on the submarine, I will have to post that later. I have another quilt kit, a baby quilt to embroider and also the first packet of Dear Jane blocks came the other day, so I have plenty to keep me busy for the next two weeks before the move!

My Christmas Quilt

2008-12-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

I have been calling this quilt the "Kiss Me Quilt" because of the mistletoe print. I still have to decide if I want to embroider "Kiss Me" on one of the squares or just call it done. I still can't believe all those little squares. They finish at 1"!

I used this decorator trim as the edge treatment instead of binding. Boy, it took a long time, but I think it was worth it.

I am excited to start my Baby Jane journey in January and have a few other projects to get finished before the move. I hope I have time to get them done! Wish me luck!

This turned out so cool I can't BEAR it!

2008-12-19T21:16:00.000-08:00

Tying up loose ends

2008-11-26T12:19:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!
I have a few projects finished in preparation on our move ( we still don't know exactly when or where yet... dontcha love the military!)

I picked up this table cloth for $2 and added a remnant of snowflake fabric as binding. I also used up a 1/2 spool of green variegated thread and several partially full bobbins of random colors.

I had fun using the different decorative stitches on my machine.

I also made another little portable pincushion to go with the cathedral window quilt I am working on.

I picked up some short little applique pins to make working with all the turned over sides easier on my hands.

I've made quite a bit of progress on this one lately. This is only about 1/4 of the row I have almost finished. It finishes about 80" long, I don't know how many of these rows I will make. We'll see!

Here is a finished but un-decorated present for Christmas.

There's a tablecloth, place mats, a table runner and napkins with rings.

I made or altered everything, down to the napkin rings.

I had fun with the napkin rings.

I also had fun with the macro setting on the camera while I had some beads out.

So Pretty!

Christmas Spoiler-palooza!

2008-11-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

I am getting too backlogged with pictures of Christmas gifts and other craftiness, so I decided to post them all with no description, so at least you won't know who the gifts are for...

Here goes!

Upping my average...

2008-10-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

The weather has driven us all inside and I have been very productive this week!

The blanket bee for Project Linus got it off to a good start when I stayed there for a few hours and cranked out 4 quilt tops.

I came home and pieced, tied and bound this baby blanket for one of Jeff's shipmates that night.

I brought a few kits home from the blanket bee and started assembling the next day.
Here is #1.

*meow- where's mine?*

Then I took a break and turned this

into this.

I had to hand sew the pages together into a book, so I went ahead and did some embroidery along the spine, too.

Here is Project Linus kit #2.

And the I made another baby quilt. I actually quilted this one, so it took longer.

All tied up and ready to go.

I remembered I had these tags and thought it would add a nice touch...

Back to the kits... There's #3...

And #4...

Man, 6 quilts and a book... I didn't realize myself that I was so productive... and yes mom, the dishes, laundry and picking up are all done, too.

Looking forward:
I have 1 more kit, this month's TIF challenge piece (which I already have an idea about), 4 Christmas gifts (one is mostly done) and then I'm getting back to my cathedral windows and chicken scratch! I miss my hand work!

September TIF and other craftiness

2008-09-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

I finished this month's Take It Further Challenge yesterday and am very happy with it.
The theme for the month was "Lists" and I don't remember what the color scheme was.

I have to admit that I am a listmaker deep down. They make me feel secure that I have a handle on things and allow me to reason through things and double (and triple) -check that I haven't missed anything.
I have lists for everything! Projects, packing, books to read, addresses, on and on and on.
The one list I use on a daily basis is the grocery list. I have fond memories of reading and puzzling over my mom's shorthand on her list when I was a child. It took me a little while to figure out t.p. and p-nut butr.
Things like this regularly appear on my list now, as well.

The first idea for this piece was going to be a CQ square centered around a grocery list with these fabrics in a rainbow arrangement on either side, but when I laid them out, I liked the color wheel appearance much better.
I chose a Days Of The Week image off of Needlecrafter's index and hand drew it onto the white part.

So here is the bag. I stitched the whole thing to a canvas tote and found some trim that resembled the embroidery I was planning on doing and saved myself several hours of work!

I enjoyed how nicely the points came together in the center. I had a button stranding by - just in case- but I ended up not needing it! The white tucked down much nicer than it looks here when it was all stitched down.

Here you can see the drawing of the girlie going to market and the trim I chose.

Then I started having fun with the color accent feature on my camera...
Reds and oranges..

Yellows.

Greens

Blues

Brownish-es...

Remember you can click on any of the pictures for a larger image!

In other craftiness...
I whipped out this baby quilt from this cheater panel and an applique. So cute and very soft, and on clearance at Jo-ann's. I went back and grabbed another one for the next baby that comes along because they werte so cute!

It wasn't quite girlie enough so I chose a very flowerey flannel for the back.

And I had to take pictures quickly before the squatter showed up.

I also made this purse for Dodo from the pattern in the most recent "Handmade" mag.
It is my first attempt at something like this, but then it turned out pretty well, IMHO!

I also made a mini-purse for Dodo Barbie. It was a lot harder to futz that lining int such a small purse... I don't think I will be doing that again in the near future...

That is all for now. I am making good progress on Keith's quilt and will be spending the day at a blanket bee for Project Linus...

Happy Stitching!

Quilts, interrupted

2008-09-22T16:38:00.001-07:00

The Mariner's Compass quilt is done and on our bed! Hooray!
I am finding that having a quilt on the bed is excellent motivation to make the bed every morning! I can't remember the last time I've been so willing to straighten up as soon as I get out of bed. I even make Jimmy's bed everyday as well, so I can look at his quilt also!

I finished cutting everything for Keith's quilt and have started assembly, but had to put it aside because a couple of baby quilts came up, as baby quilts tend to do...

I might have one or two other interruptions to my sewing.

I also picked up a "Handmade" magazine and it has gotten a fire lit under my butt to create a few new things... after the baby blankets, and the TIF project which still needs to be assembled!