Quilting Along..

Last night, I couldn't sleep for the baby wanting to be awake. I let him be and went to the sewing area. I'd started this road quilt awhile ago, but wasn't pleased with the backing. TJ's favorite colors are red and yellow, and I couldn't find anything with a simple (preferably map-ish) print and had settled on buying plain red. You know how that is.. Well, it sat and waited. Each time I went to put it together I set it back down. Last night, I came across a piece of yellow that was just wide enough, but not quite long enough. And, I had the red barn fabric right there, too! Perfect! They're both mottled (not too plain, not too fancy), and the quilted road looks pretty cool - he's going to love it.

Earlier, I'd set the girls to sewing. They're making 9 Patch blocks. MissA's has a clothes theme, MissB's has a food theme. MissA has the three rows of three blocks sewn and ready to sew together. MissB has one last square to sew into a row and then to sew the rows together. I was amazed at her perseverance! She usually does starts things like this and asks me to finish after the first seam. And look at those cute stitches:

Fabric Barn

I saw this adorable tutorial from UK Lass in US on WhipUp and wanted to give it a go. I had a big brown button from an old sweater MissB had once and now I'm thinking the red ones should be a similar size. Will have to double check the button box for ones that I can cover in fabric, else I'll just run off and get 4 buttons.

rrrrROAR

A friend's son had his birthday party today. We hadn't a gift for him yet yesterday and I woke up with the idea for a toy. I quickly got ready and drew it out, measured the edges that would need to meet and within a couple/few hours had the pattern together. In the afternoon was the Ladies' Tea at church and I thought to ask her if he was still young enough to enjoy stuffed animals -realizing, of course, that my own son may still enjoy them, but that doesn't mean that someone else's child would so much. She said he liked them sometimes, so I scrapped the idea of making this his gift (after all, who wants to open a present and feel let down), and sent Ben and TJ off to the toy store for something he's usually enjoy.

While they were out, I cut out the toy and last night I sewed it. Ben stuffed it while I was getting young master A to bed (which means that it's not firmly stuffed, let alone overstuffed like I usually do) and we went to bed. Tonight, after she kissed me goodnight, MissC saw the toy sitting there and wanted it. So, Ben handed it off to me to finish the handsewing (closing the feet and adding eyes) and put her to bed.



I can't find my felt, though, so the eyes will wait. The teeth and claws are baby rickrack sewn into the seams. Ben really likes that it can stand on its own.

Anti-Crafty? Bah.

I'm a little short of outfits right now. The whole "clothes that fit" thing generally does not apply for several months after having a baby. Saturday (is that today) is the Ladies' Spring Tea at church, so I thought I'd make a springish skirt and just wear a simple top with it. The girls and I had picked out a yummy purple fabric recently (fabric traditions states the label, I don't remember if it was JoAnn's or Hancock..). I googled (free skirt pattern) and like a couple (note the MissA skirt thing I was working at earlier this week), and came up with Anticraft's Petticoat as my favorite thus far. Takes lots of fabric. Lots. *Lots* 3+ yards just for my size. But I like the layout, does save on seams. And, working bottom up makes the gathering less tedious - each layer is smaller. All I have left is the waistband/elastic.

Next I want to crochet the chainsaw.