Quilt along update

If you haven't noticed on my side bar on the right...I am a little excited about this quilt along project. It has already been a lot of fun. So the day I decided to join in on the fun, I went to my stash and found these two fabrics sitting right next to each other. They just screamed, "Make us into a quilt." Okay, I know fabric doesn't really talk, so don't add too much craziness to what you already think of me. I am not sure it will be enough so I will have to search some more to supplement. My fabric went into the wash that night so it would be ready the next day.

For Christmas last year I was given a new rotary cutter by my dear hubby. I told him at the time that I would have to make a quilt. So now 7 months later I pull it out of the packaging and cut my fabric into strips.

I really couldn't wait to do just one block a day like the quilt along. I sewed three strips and ended up with 8 finished blocks the second day.

The second day was so much fun that the third day was spent sewing more strips and cutting them up to make blocks, for a grand total of 36 finished blocks on day four. I think I am having too much fun!

Girly jammies, continued.

In making these jammies for Tee, I chose to use Simplicity's pattern number 4767. I was really pleased with how it turned out. I made a few alterations to make it very simple that ANYONE could make these. The first is that I used the short sleeves and used the hem as a casing for the elastic, instead of hemming and creating another casing. I left off the ruffle at the bottom. One thing to note is that you might want to go a size or two too big due to the chest fitting pretty snug. Not tight but snug enough that it is hard to get in and out of.

Give them a try. They are easy and Tee loves them!

Wedding Fun

This last weekend my sister-in-law was married and the creative side to me said, "What better excuse to make a new dress for Tee (my 6 year old daughter)?" Well the dress evolved from just a dress to matching ties for her brothers (they can't clash with the wedding party - didn't you know?) and a new skirt for me. At the last minute I decided to add my husband in the mix. If everyone matches he should too, right? Well, he got left out because I was 6 inches short on fabric. Can you get more handsome boys? I think I was blessed. I was really impressed with these two guys. They have only worn clip on ties before so I was kind of worried that maybe they would throw one of their fits over this new tie. Well they didn't and they looked so handsome. They even thought they were pretty cool.

Somehow in my mix of pictures I didn't get a very good one of Tee's dress. So here is the best one I have and soon will get others that show better detail. Tee went to the fabric store with me and picked out a pattern, showed me all the alterations she wanted on it (yes, is it sad that a 6 year old knows what alterations can be done on a pattern to make it what she wants) and picked out her fabric. The only thing different from what she wanted is that she asked for it to be floor length. I made the executive decision not to due to that fact that the wedding was in Las Vegas in the middle of July. If you don't quite know what I mean, we will just say that the weather was up in the 115 range.

Tee's dress turned out beautifully. She chose elbow length sleeves with a flounce on the hem. I added silver beads to the princess lines, waistline, and sleeve. She chose my favorite type of satin to work with. It also has a netted slip underneath to help it "poof." What little girl doesn't like her dress to "poof?"

I was also able to alter the flower girl dresses to help them show a little more color. That was pretty fun too.

Before...

...And after. With these dresses the lining was the right green and the overlay didn't let enough of it show so I cut off the hem of the overlay and pulled up the hem at the hip to allow for more color to show. These two little girls were very cute walking down the aisle.

Girly Jammies

My sewing machine has recently been beckoning to me, so my computer has waited - ever so patiently for pictures of me newest creations.

On the top of my list of favorite things to make is dresses for 18" dolls such as the American Girl doll. Tee has a knock off doll and I love to sew for it. Silly I know. So when Tee gets something new, alot of times so does her doll. It makes it more fun! On our recent trip to visit family Tee and one of her cousins had so much fun together playing, dressing alike and all the fun things little girls love. So her mom and I made matching jammies for the girlys. It just so happened that we had enough left over for their dolls too.

Way too much fun, if you ask me!

Quilt Along

I have been inspire and am ready to start my next quilt. I am ready and it won't take so long this time. I have joined a blog quilt-a-long at crazymomquilts.blogspot.com and I am really excited! If you are up to it join us! I'll keep you posted on the progress.

9 Year Old Quilt...Finally Finished

I am SO thrilled to announce that my quilt is FINALLY finished. So this quilt has been in the making now for 9 years. Yes that is a long time, and I have made many things since the start. Lets just say...I am not a very good finisher. I love to start things but am not so good on the finishing part...unless there is a deadline. I do deadlines very well. Usually the night before, but deadlines are good. So when my mother-in-law took the kids for a week to let me rest from being sick for a week prior, I used my time wisely and finished several things that have been waiting for my attention. My quilt being one of them. After much waiting, may I present....

And best of all, it was finished just in time for the Fourth of July.

So how could a quilt take 9 years to complete? Well that is a very good question, indeed. It all started when a good friend of mine and I went to the fabric store. Yes it has been one of my favorite places for a very long time. We came across this very fun fabric that had 2000 written all over it. Perfect we thought, we are graduates of the year 2000. What a perfect graduation quilt. Well, hers was finished within a few months, and mine sat in a box. I moved away and started college with the intentions of working on my quilt (the first large one I have made). And it still sat in a box.

Then I got married and had a baby girl. My quilt was put off once again. The perfect opportunity presented itself three years after the purchase of my fabric, when we spent several weeks in California. When we packed to go I brought along my sewing machine (did you really think I wouldn't?) and three or four projects, my quilt included. My husband was working and I had my baby, now almost a year old, and my few projects that I had brought along. With no other obligations, I set up at the kitchen table and finished all my projects except my quilt. With nothing else to do I went to my grandmother-in-law (she is a quilter) and said, "Where do I start?" And thus my quilt had begun. I enjoyed it so much that I finished the top in three days or so. Thank goodness I had a good baby. She played and played. We left California and my quilt sat in a box.

Five long years later, after another child, a move, a third child, and four more moves, my quilt made it out of the box and onto some quilting frames. A dear friend spent several hours with me tying it and it was almost done, but not quite. It sat around for another several months awaiting the final binding step. Why it took so long? I don't know. I am not a very busy person. : )

So when grandma took the kids and the Fourth of July was upon us, my quilt once again made an appearance, and this time it is finished! I have been so excited about it. It is 90 degrees outside and I am still huddled under my quilt. I think I am ready for the next one...but this time it won't take so long. What good is it sitting in a box?

The kids are away and Mom has played...

My "to sew" list is shrinking...I may need a new project. It has been so fun to have a couple days to rest, relax and sew! That is pretty much all I have done for two days now. But don't forget the naps. The things I have made while the kids have been gone are going to have to wait a few days, due to lack of models. Funny how when I have the chance to sew it is always for the kids. Hardly ever for me, although I have a fabric for a new skirt just waiting to be created.

The other day I caught a sale at JoAnne's that I just couldn't pass up. All their clearance was an extra 50% off. So the boys got new Jammies and a matching pillow case. All for a dollar a yard. Call me crazy (okay I know lots already do) but that is a good deal! And they each got to pick out what they wanted. Too much fun!

Tarryn pick some out too but has chosen to make her pillowcase herself. It is a very slow process but she is doing great. Who knew a 6 year old could sew? Her jammies are waiting till she gets her pillowcase done.
Pillow cases are very fun, in my opinion. You can do whatever you want and to see how happy my kiddos can get over their pillow is even more fun. They are very easy if you want an easy project.

At our ward party last week the activities committee asked me to make a family flag to represent us. Of couse, as usual, I waited to the last minute to finish it up and have decided that a few modifications are going to happen, but overall I am pleased with it.

Stay tuned...when my models return...girly jammies with matching doll jammies, 9 year quilt project...FINALLY finished! and a cute, cute girly dress!