Hard To Make

Some things are just hard to make. But maybe it's harder to let things with sentimental value pass through your life, and then be gone. So yesterday, as I was going through Nash's clothes, I set some things aside to someday make a quilt. I do this every time I go through my kids things. We have gotten so many wonderful gifts and have spent so much ourselves on these clothes. And we have pictures and memories and attachments. So instead of putting them aside, I got out my rotary cutter and ruler and board and closed my eyes and took a deep breath and made the first cut.

To put this into perspective, for the most part, a yard of nice quilting fabric can be had for around $10. I rarely pay more than that. Heavy-weight decorator fabric is around $20-40 per yard. The first shirt of Nash's I cut into was a Tea shirt that cost $35 and I got from it two 9x6 inch pieces of fabric. Ouch. Of course there are also onesies from Old Navy, with no less sentimental attachment because we have pictures of him in it, maybe a month old, on the changing table in his pack'n'play, looking up at the mobile with wonder in his eyes. There's a piece of a button-down shirt he calls his "work shirt, like Daddy's work shirt." The shirt he wore to his first birthday party, which I bought in St. Armands Circle in Florida, when Nash and I took a trip to visit a friend. His "big brother" t-shirt. Shirts that were presents from Grandparents. A white t that is SO dirty from his early eating adventures.


So one day and it's done. I made the seams out, just because I thought I'd like the way it looked, and I do. I backed it with t-shirts my Dad had given me to use for my projects. It is so soft and so filled with wonderful memories. My husband loves it too, he also remembers it all. The only question is, is this my quilt, or Nash's?

Wrapped Up

I've spent the last year envying women wrapped up in gorgeous quilts. Here, finally, I am wrapped in a quilt of my own creation.

A Wee Quilt

Cookie Monster's a got a special place in this house. He is Nash's baby. For whatever reason, when Nash saw new little baby Margot getting swaddled, Nash went straight to Cookie Monster. He's been swaddled, given pacifiers and taken on many a stroller ride by Nash. I'm not sure why it took me so long, but finally, finally, Cookie has his own blanket.


I couldn't be happier that Cookie Monster likes vintage-inspired fabric. I've been eyeing these fabrics for months and could resist no longer. They remind me of men's neck-ties, but they also remind me of a dress I would pay way too much for from Anthropologie.
Also, I'm proud to finally blog about using recycled fabric: t-shirts! I'm no pioneer, but have recently started using old t-shirts in my projects. I haven't gone as far as to shop for them (I've never been much of a thrift store shopper) but am so happy to have a small collection of my Dad's, my husband's and my own to use. They are so soft and wonderful and so many get thrown away. Why?? So I'm happy to find uses for wonderful cotton, do some recycling, add a personal touch to my projects. I think it makes it that much more special that the backing on Cookie's blanket comes from a t-shirt once worn by Nash and Margot's Grandpa. I think Cookie likes how soft it is too.

What I've been up to

Nap times have gotten shorter in the past few weeks, so I'm just not getting as much time to play as I was. Booo. But here's a zig zag quilt I started based on Anna Maria Horner's design but with Amy Butler fabric. I love the blue and orangey-pink. And the Missoni-esque design.

I also made this super cute peachy pinnie. I am kind of obsessed with rick-rack. It's going on everything. As you can see on the rest of my wall of unfinished business.
And here's a little house project Ray and I put together. Fleur de lis makes me happy. But it's probably time to cool it! I love my house, but it's not old and I love the character of old houses. This makes me love our house a little more.

Dollhouses, totes and fuzzy wuzzies

I think this wraps up the blogging on dollhouses. It's about time I finish them, and I have enough to last us a lifetime. I tried a few different things here. I like the idea of using one fabric on the outside, with the nice bright red inside, like a little present when you open it up. There isn't anything to show the scale of it, but the purple dollhouse is about 3 times the size of any of the others. It's the mack-daddy dollhouse. Enough about dollhouses, they've had their 5 minutes of fame in my book :)




Here's an art blanket I started awhile back and took out again recently to look at. I didn't use a walking foot while sewing it, so it got a little bunchy. But I love the idea of free-handing a quilt. I'd like to go back and add more detail... maybe a zipper. I am getting ready to add a border. Will share the progress, if it ever happens. By the way, this quilt depicts the iconic Louis Vuitton Speedy bag.



Here are the little guys who keep me company while I sew. Hi Blue Doggies!! Hi Blue Hippo!!! See you soon!

All my friends are pregnant

I'm only lying a little bit. Most of my friends are pregnant. Which I love! Babies babies babies means sewing sewing sewing. My very favorite things to make are things for little ones. And I think it's so much fun to get new things for a new baby, even if it's not your first baby and you really have everything you need. So I've decided I need to stockpile, and made a trip out last night to the quilting store and the fabric store for, um, a few, ahem, new things.


I really do better with the creativity and putting things together when I don't have to run out and find what I think I want. Yay for a new supply!

I finished up a little quilt I have been thinking about for awhile. It's very simple and Springy. I think I'm about to get into linen. It's so simple and beautiful. I like things to either be starched and perfect, or purposefully wrinkled. This is backed with a tan linen and lightly quilted with yarn pulled through and knotted.



Made another quick blanky with sleeping owls at night and a blue sky on the other side.



Then with the little bit of fabric I had left over from that I made a sweet little burp cloth. This is something that's really easy to do and looks much nice than the cheapy Carter's ones! I made a few others too, while I was at it.




And that's about it for the last few days. I have some other dollhouses and pinnies I'll post ASAP.