monkey beans

Just a peek

2012-02-09T21:50:00.000-08:00

So you don't think I've dropped completely off the planet, I'm here with a little peek of a pattern I'm testing for Sonja. Super cute and lots of fun!

Can't wait to show you more once the quilting is done and the pattern is available!

I have another quilt in the works, complete with a bunch of 3 and 4 year old helpers! Now doesn't THAT sound interesting!

And there's another sock project started, so the crafting is going on full force over here!

Have you seen the amazing information and inspiration over here and here? It makes me want to start hand piecing!

I may need an intervention

2012-02-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

Having a little bit of an affair with yarn these days. It's so lovely to have a small-ish, portable project to work on while waiting for kids or hanging out with Gary at the end of the day. This is the latest - a cabled cowl.

It has been immensely satisfying to work on and I am so in love with this yarn - Madeline Tosh Jade. Just the right amount of yellow undertones and the green is such a gorgeous shade. If I could afford to make a whole sweater out of this, I would. But I'm so happy to have the cowl - not complaining one bit!

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to spending the day at my *gasp* sewing machine tomorrow for the Portland Modern Quilt Guild all day sew. I'm working on some more paper piecing and patchwork, which I will be happy to share. I promise that I haven't abandoned my fabric!

I've also been doing a small amount of teaching/sharing with a friend who has never made a quilt before. It's been a very interesting experience and once I get my thoughts about it all sorted out, I'd love to share more about it here.

Go do something creative! It will make you happy!

Knit Night

2012-01-27T08:23:00.001-08:00

Last night I got together with a small group to do a little knitting. It's always fun to craft with friends and share tips and stories while working on projects. I mostly worked on a pair of socks for my husband. One sock is done and the other one will probably get finished up today or tomorrow.

I also managed to cast on for my next effort: a cabled cowl. All yarn is Madeline Tosh and I just have to say that the sock yarn is really lovely to work with - not at all scratchy for 100% wool. I love it.

Do I dare admit that I'm starting to create a yarn stash?

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging...

2012-01-24T06:42:00.001-08:00

...or not so regular in my case....

..... to bring you EXCITING news! Owen lost his very first tooth!

Of course, then he LOST it. As in, on the playground at school.

Oh well, he doesn't seem too concerned about it. We wrote a note to the Tooth Fairy:

Dear Tooth Fairy,

I lost a tooth. And then I losed it at school. Please bring me something anyway even though you won't see my tooth in the pouch.

Owen

And he included a lovely crayon drawing of his tooth.

And we finally got to use his Tooth Fairy Pillow! Tutorial here.

Swoon

2012-01-19T15:37:00.001-08:00

Yep. I was bit by the Swoon bug.

I even joined the Swoon-along over on flickr.

But then I had doubts.

I couldn't decide on a color palette or fabrics.

I couldn't decide where this quilt was going to live.

And mostly, I wasn't sure where I was going to find the time to make a gazillion half-square triangles and flying geese.

I was on the verge of giving up when I realized - hey, I can make just one block! The blocks are enormous (24.5" square) and one will make a lovely wall hanging.

Whew! It was so liberating to let myself off the hook for the whole quilt. And I really enjoyed making this one block using some of my very favorite fabrics. You see that sewing machine in the center block? Love it!

And I love this lady peeking out in her coral dress - so fashionable!

So glad I listened to my gut and went with one block instead of a whole quilt. Someday, I'll probably tackle the larger project but for now, this is perfect. I'm going to look for other ways to simplify and/or minimize larger projects that keep getting put on the back burner.

Luggage

2012-01-16T11:27:00.000-08:00

I can't explain what exactly possesses people (like me, and maybe you) to think, "Yeah, I'm gonna sew up my very own luggage!" Because when you tackle the Weekender, that's what you're doing. Don't fool yourself by thinking you're going to be making a "bag." This is hardcore.

And totally doable, I might add. Yes, you'll cuss. And you'll likely break a sweat when sewing all the layers together. But you can do it.

I made a few little changes, like adding top stitching where the bottom panel meets the side pockets (above).

I was very skeptical about how the pattern has you install the zipper, but I followed the directions and I love the result.

All-in-all, a very satisfying project. It helps if you have a friend making one too, so that you can work on them together.

Here are some suggestions and/or changes that I made as I went along:

*I used fusible hem tape to make my piping (no line of stitches to worry about hiding when sewing everything together later.

*Added piping to the end pockets.

*When you're done sewing the piping on the large pockets (and end pockets, if you add it there), gently pull a little bit of the cording out and trim it. That way you can eliminate the bulk of the cording in your seams, which will make a HUGE difference in how difficult it is when sewing through all those layers.

*I added a D-ring attached with nylon webbing into the bottom of each end pocket. I will be making a shoulder strap that can attach there if I want to use it, but the hardware stays hidden in the pockets when I don't need it.

*Make sure you have more than one heavy duty needle. I'm surprised that I didn't break any during the assembly and would hate to have to stop midway because I didn't have an extra needle handy.

*I used a two-way zipper - it has a zipper pull at each end so that the bag can open from either side.

*Speaking of zippers - the directions have you pin the zipper in place in such a way that the pins are under your fabric when stitching the zipper in place. I went slowly but was very nervous about having the pins where I couldn't see them. If I make this bag again I'll use some Wonder Tape to hold the zipper in place while stitching.

*I'm adding four large metal purse/bag feet to the bottom to help cut down on wear-and-tear.

That's about it! Now I need to take a trip somewhere so I can use it.

Details:

Pattern - Amy Butler's Weekender

Fabrics - viewmasters are Ruby Star Rising by Melody Miller, gray dot is a canvas from Hometown by Sweetwater, piping is a pink twill

Best Mail Day Ever

2012-01-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

So SO happy to open my mailbox today and find a package from Ayumi's etsy shop. I ordered these because I have been coveting them for so long. They are even more beautiful in person.

I'm super excited to add these to some projects I have swirling around in my brain. If you covet these the way I did, be sure to grab some from her shop before they're all gone!

Bear with me

2012-01-10T06:32:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get back into the swing of regular blogging but it's been challenging!

These two keep me all kinds of busy, but at least we've been doing some creative activities like paint your own pottery!

B chose a unicorn and O chose a dragon. They've been fired and now happily reside in their rooms amongst all their other treasures.

I've also had another opportunity to help out at B's preschool. Remember these bouncy toys? Hippity hops? Pretty fun when you're four.

And just to prove that I haven't been totally lazy on the crafting front - I made a sock!

And it went so well I went ahead and made another one!

There are loads of mistakes and I experimented some with tension to see what worked well but I'm a little impressed with myself. I had never used double pointed needles before and socks always seemed sort of impossible. But I am here to tell you that you CAN do it!

And last but not least.... I was thrilled to find a copy of Suzuko Koseki's latest book at a local bookstore. It's a feast for the eyes and you will surely see some projects inspired by her lovely creations as things settle down a bit and I can spend more time in my sewing space.

I hope you're having a wonderful start to 2012! What are you working on?

Life

2012-01-06T11:05:00.000-08:00

Well, as this new year starts off in earnest, life has made its presence known and thrown a wrench into all my well-laid plans. Funny how that works, isn't it?

So....we have been occupied with family issues and changes including my mother-in-law fracturing her femur (ouch!), needing surgery, and now moving to a rehab facility before she can go home. She's doing pretty well, which is great news. But all of the activity surrounding this event has left me at home most evenings caring for my wee ones while my husband cares for his mom and checks in on his dad. Not much time for craftiness at the moment.

However, I thought I'd share this.

The kids each have their own little art/craft table in our family room. We give them access to paper and crayons at all times (after a thorough explanation and tested reinforcement of the rule that all marking devices are for use at the tables only).

Because they are getting older and more independent, I recently made them each a small craft box with glue, pom poms, markers, glitter glue, googly eyes, etc. That way they can have a little more creative freedom without me needing to be the keeper of the craft supplies.

Well, to show you a perfect representation of my two children and their very different personalities, I give you Owen's first creation - a bumblebee.

He made a plan, was very thoughtful and deliberate in his choices, and executed his plan with precision.

Bailey created this.

She emptied two tubes of glitter glue and used every googly eye and pom pom in her box. I think it's hilarious! She seems to think everything should be approached with a use it or lose it attitude.

I think I have a lot to learn from both of my budding crafters. Think things out, have a plan, but be open to impulses that grab you along the way. And don't be afraid to use your supplies (ie - precious fabric).

Have a great day!

Out with the old

2011-12-31T10:17:00.000-08:00

In with the new! Goodbye 2011 and hello 2012.

To ring in the new year, I managed to finish my Honey Cowl and I love it!

Already have a million and two ideas swirling around for projects in the coming year. And I promise they include more sewing, patchwork, and paper-piecing. Lately it's been really lovely to relax with a crochet or knitting project. I especially appreciate the portability - not as easy when you need cutting mat, rotary cutter, fabric, and sewing machine!

Thank you for coming here and sharing this space. I never imagined when I started this blog that it would result in so many wonderful new friendships. I appreciate that you take the time to stop by here and read about my creative pursuits as well as ramblings about my little family.

Wishing you a wonderful end to 2011 and a joyous beginning to 2012!

Off the hook

2011-12-28T13:11:00.001-08:00

And onto the needles!

After making three crochet blankets to give for Christmas, I was feeling the need to indulge myself. And because I am easily influenced by my friends, I followed Jen's lead and decided to tackle the Honey Cowl pattern. The yarn is by Madelinetosh in mineral, from local yarn store Happy Knits, and it is sublime to work with!

And this is how I plan to ring in the new year... slowing down, knitting quietly, being here. Now. Everything else will come crowding in soon enough. For now, I just want to be.

Comfort and Joy

2011-12-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

We have been in full tilt holiday mode for awhile here. Though I must admit that there are a lot of things that didn't get done this year, I have also given myself permission to be okay with that. Rather than go crazy trying to make everything/cook everything/see everything, we've made/cooked/done what we can and tried to leave plenty of down time in our schedule so that neither we nor the kids get so stressed out and cranky that the celebration becomes a chore.

So far, it's been working like a charm!

I made homemade gingerbread playdough for the kids and some friends.

(FYI - we use these clear plastic desk blotters on our dining table for clay and/or messy crafts. They cover a pretty big area, can be moved with items on them to dry or be completed later, and are easy to wipe clean. These ones were about 5 bucks at IKEA.)

We've attended both kids' school Christmas parties. Here, Bailey is managing to both eat a peppermint cookie and flip everyone off at the same time. Charming.

Owen's class made and decorated little graham cracker houses. He came home with his belly full of all his "extra" candies, shirt covered in frosting, and a huge smile on his face.

And even though I haven't baked a single cookie, I did manage to make two batches of my baked caramel corn. This is one batch cooling in our kitchen because the first batch had already been given away.

It's a really good thing I only make this once a year because I have no self-control around it and will munch on it until I feel sick.

So, as the year draws to a close, I will be staying close to home and the ones I love. I hope that wherever you are and whatever you celebrate, you are able to surround yourself with love and joy and peace!

Blinded by the Pink

2011-12-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

Just finished up another blanket. This one is for my daughter. She picked out the yarn herself and though you can't tell from the photos, it is sparkley. Yes. A bright PINK sparkley blanket. Seriously - I thought I might get blinded by the sheer girliness of it all.

This one is mostly a straight granny stitch - just like a granny square only worked in rows instead of a square. That way you can make a rectangular blanket. The white border (also sparkley!) is a simple double crochet. And the edging is a scallop? shell? design. You can see that I'm really knowledgeable about crochet, huh?

This worked up really quickly, all things considered, which is good since my son has already chosen yarn for HIS blanket. Since they picked out the yarn and have watched me making them, the kids obviously know about these blankets. But I'm still waiting to actually give them until Christmas. It was important to me to let them see the amount of time and work that are put into creating homemade gifts.

Of course, Bailey had to "try it out" before I put it away. I think she approves!

Happy Crafting!

Language

2011-12-06T23:10:00.000-08:00

Parts of this post may offend. I do not mean for them to offend, but there you have it. Maybe it will help to know that I started my career in theater as a stagehand and carpenter before moving on to stage management. When working backstage or in a scene shop, I was often the only woman and I picked up some rather unladylike habits. Cussing like a sailor would be one of them.

I worked very hard on this quilt block.

Lots of teeny tiny piecing.

Completely and totally imperfect because I have never tried making these types of paper pieced letters before. They were HARD!

This picture isn't all that great but I wanted to share how all those seams need to play together on the back of the block.

This is for Chawne's "Give a F*ck" communal quilt project. You can read more about it on her awesome blog. Be careful - you will get sucked into her amazing crafting.

It turned out vaguely patriotic with all that red, white,and blue. Perhaps I've been watching a bit too much of the current debate cycle. Or maybe I was thinking about the economy. Or about the whole Occupy movement. Or about how we don't adequately fund our schools. Who knows? I like it. Like I said, it's not perfect, but neither am I. So we made a good pair.

Until I mailed it out and had to say goodbye.

Now I'm glad to have these pictures to share because I'm afraid the block has gone missing in the mail. It's been a week and has not yet been received. I'm prepared for the worst.

And I guess I need to make another block.

Fuck.

***UPDATE*** I am so so so happy to report that the block arrived safe and sound at its destination! Whew!

Whew!

2011-12-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

We had a great weekend for the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis! Owen performed handsomely in his duties as Junior Grand Marshal!

The day started at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland. The courtyard was beautifully decorated with these huge lighted snowflakes and there are tons of people in costumes and ugly holiday sweaters (for the ugly sweater contest, of course).

We were introduced and went up onstage and Owen spoke into the big microphone to say, "Thank you for helping to stomp out arthritis." Adorable.

But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Because the weather can be a bit, shall we say, unpredictable this time of year (i.e. two years ago we missed most of the event because of an ice storm that had us stranded until our driveway thawed), we decided to get a hotel room closer to downtown for the night before the run. Once the hotel found out that Owen was the Junior Grand Marshal, they went all Spirit of Christmas on us and upgraded our room, had a welcome sign for Owen in the lobby, gave him some awesome toys (Spiderman! dinosaurs!), and had the most insane chocolate cake waiting for us in the room.

We were stunned! There were even a few people at the hotel who were participating in the run.

So... Once we got to the run, Owen's team was honored to be the top fundraising team for 2011! Thank you so much to everyone who helped by making a donation to Owen or his team. We were astonished to raise over $6,000 for the Arthritis Foundation!

We all ran the 1k kids fun run, which just confirmed for me how woefully out of shape I am. After that, Owen got to blow the air horn to start the 5k runners. And he even got to give the medals to the top men and women finishers.

Even Santa couldn't miss the festivities so the kids got to get their picture taken with the big guy - though Bailey was infinitely more interested in the big basket of candy canes. I think she ended up with about 7 of them.

And this was what things looked like for the ride home. A thoroughly satisfying adventure.

Blankie

2011-11-28T06:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I made a blanket.

It's my very first one (so be kind).

But it's definitely not my last. I found the whole process thoroughly enjoyable!

I didn't use a pattern - it's just one big huge granny square bordered by some double crochet and a little scalloped edge.

And it's another Christmas gift. So I've completed two gifts and it's not even December yet! That has got to be a first for me.

I love how smooshy and cozy it is. Of course, the kids each want their own blankets now.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this picture of Bailey. Yes, she has been sleeping with her pumpkin from the pumpkin patch (usually it's tucked in under the covers with her) and yes, she's kind of flipping the bird. Precious.

Have a good one!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

Wishing a very Happy Thanksgiving to all the stateside folks. Well, really everyone. We can all take a moment for gratitude!

One thing we are incredibly grateful for is the amazing support shown to this little fella.

Cute shirt, huh? Sent to us from Lolly Polly Kids to celebrate Owen and his stint as Grand Marshal for the Jingle Bell Run/Walk.

We are deep into Thanksgiving preparations at our house. Pumpkin roasting for the homemade pumpkin pies, turkey defrosting, stuffing being all mixed up with onions, herbs, and celery. Good times. Our house is the gathering place for this holiday and it's great to stay home and fill the house with the delicious smells of the day.

In addition to being grateful for our family, friends, health, and home, I am so thankful that you all stop by to spend a little time in this space.

Let the celebration begin!

Fractal quilt

2011-11-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, so my husband and I were chilling out one evening after the kids were in bed. Time alone? No kids around? What's a couple to do?

Yeah, so we were watching a NOVA special on PBS about fractal geometry. No, seriously. We're weird like that.

Gary is kind of a math and science geek. Degrees in math, chemistry, the whole nine yards. Me? I took as little math as possible in school and although I got good at it, I used my proficiency to avoid math at the college level. You needed to get 60 points on one of the placement exams to pass out of taking any required math courses at my university, so I used every brain cell I had to score 61 points. But I digress....

So we're sitting there watching all these images of fractals and I'm thinking, "These would make totally cool quilts!" But I don't say anything out loud because I'm sure that my math geek husband will roll his eyes at me.

Then you know what he says to me? "Hey, these kind of look like quilts."

"Oh my god! YES! YES THEY DO! WANT ME TO MAKE YOU ONE!!!!"

And there we were: the math geek and the quilt geek. A marriage made in heaven.

But out of all that came this:

For those of you who don't know what a fractal is (and I sure didn't until I watched the NOVA special), it's a geometric shape that can be split into smaller parts, and each of those parts is a reduced size copy of the whole.

Here's an example of a square within a square fractal that was the inspiration for this quilt:

You start out with one square-in-square (SIS), which is in turn made up of smaller SIS. Then those smaller SIS are made up of even smaller SIS. I had to stop there because I thought I might go insane piecing it any smaller. Now though, I kinda wish I had done it. Oh well....

Anyway, Gary picked out the colors and I got busy cutting and sewing. This was actually a pretty easy quilt to put together because I was able to chain piece everything.

Deciding how to quilt it took me awhile. I knew I wanted straight line quilting along the outside borders but I wasn't sure about what to do over the actual fractal image. I found a great fractal pattern but knew that it would be impossible for me to try to duplicate in on the quilt top. Finally, I settled on this simple diagonal line version. I like that it doesn't overwhelm the fractal design.

And the straight lines in the center of the quilt? Yeah, total PITA at the start because you have to turn the quilt so much, but it does look pretty cool now that it's done.

And the back:

Had to add that one orange square in there to complement the orange binding. I really like how the back turned out and I think the quilt will look fine however it lands on the sofa.

Here's a detail of the corners where the straight lines all intersect. It's one of my favorite parts about this quilt.

It's now washed and crinkled up and ready to be given to Gary for Christmas. YES! I finished a Christmas gift before Thanksgiving. High five!

On your mark....

2011-11-18T06:59:00.000-08:00

Get set....

GO!!!

What could be better on a crisp Fall day?

Almost done binding the latest quilt. Can't wait to show you!

Weekend sewing

2011-11-14T09:32:00.000-08:00

A little peek at how I spent part of my weekend.

I cannot WAIT to show this quilt once it's completed! It's a Christmas present for my hubby, the math and science geek.

A little snippet of the back.

And lots and LOTS of straight line quilting. I figure I'll need a couple more hours to finish the quilting and do the machine portion of attaching the binding.

And then I'll be able to focus on a couple of other things.

Sometimes, when I get in the groove on a project it's very hard for my brain to let it go. I obsess and obsess until I can finally get it done. Then it's like my brain breathes a big sigh of relief and makes room for other thoughts. Anyone else like that?

Boxed corners

2011-11-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

I was playing around the other day with a new-to-me way of doing boxed corners. Want to see?

I made this little fabric basket inspired by Ayumi's wonderful tutorial over at Pink Penguin.

Usually, boxed corners are made by pinching the sides and bottom together to form a corner and then stitching and trimming the resulting triangle so that the box or bag has a flat bottom and can stand on it's own.

Instead of using that method, which is worked from the wrong side of the box or bag, I boxed the corners on the outside.

Folding the corners up in this way makes for an interesting detail on the outside of the basket. I stitched the corners to the sides and then hid the stitches under a small button.

So, if you're looking for a new or different way to finish the bottoms of your fabric boxes or bags, give this method a try!

Jammies!

2011-11-09T07:57:00.000-08:00

Slowly getting back to some sort of normal around here. With a kindergartner and a preschooler in the mix, I figure sniffles and colds are going to be a part of daily life more often than not.

To ease out of my non-crafting state, I finished up these cold weather pj pants for the kids.

Owen picked out all of his fabrics. Spiderman, Lightning McQueen, and Mater. No real surprises there.

Bailey got the cute girly flannel that was on sale over the summer. Yes, that's a lot of pj pants but I did add a cuff to three of them so they should last through next winter as well. I hope.

I have a feeling this is the last time I'll be able to get away with making jammie pants for them using only one yard of fabric.

More sewing planned for later this week. And crochet. Did I mention I'm making a blanket? Yep. I'm crocheting a blanket.

Asleep at the wheel

2011-11-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

Not really, but I am a bit under the weather. Must have picked up a little bug or something. That and my sewing machine is in the shop getting a little look-over for a weird squeak and strange tension thingy. I'm real technical. Can you tell?

Meanwhile, I took the risk of waking Miss Bailey to get this picture.

She takes her princesses very seriously. Apparently they all needed to be just so as she tucked them in to bed. Can't imagine where she gets that from (cough).

Enjoy the extra hour this weekend! I'll be back soon with some more crafty goodness.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:01:00.000-07:00

My three favorite goofballs and I wish you a very Happy Halloween!

I made Bailey's costume. Her request: to be an orange princess. I think I got that one covered. In her big shimmery pouf of a dress, complete with sparkling tiara, she is one happy camper.

Owen had the skeleton shirt already and then we found the gloves in a $1 bin at the craft store. After purchasing some black sweatpants, I decided to make a stencil of the leg bones and just use some acrylic craft paint I already had to complete his costume. He LOVES it!

We've already been trick-or-treating at Daddy's office (an annual tradition) and are looking forward to heading out tonight for a little while. They've already collected their body weight in sugar so I know we're in for a crash later tonight and probably tomorrow, too. Thank goodness it's only once a year!

Gratitude

2011-10-28T18:20:00.001-07:00

I am in constant amazement. Really.

Every. Single. Day.

Here's one of the current reasons:

A dry field trip to the farm and pumpkin patch with Miss B's preschool class. Good times! Huge difference from last year (when we did NOT wear our boots) and the fields were nothing but a big ole mud slick.

Another reason I'm feeling the love:

I recently grabbed up some sweet fabric from Ashley's destash and asked about any FMF scrap packs she might have. I'm trying to put together a small and simple quilt using some of the coveted fabric as a fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation. She was so gracious and kind and she sent me these gorgeous pieces. I never cease to be amazed at the kindness within the sewing/quilting/crafting community.

And the crazy amazing cherry on top of everything?

I am now the grateful and awestruck owner of this amazing book.

After posting about my search for Patchwork Patterns 318, I was sent a few leads on getting a copy. None of them panned out. The book was either already sold or waaaaay out of my price range. I kept looking but must admit that my search became somewhat half-hearted.

About two months later, I got an email from Stephanie, who read my blog post and was about to list her copy on etsy. I was headed out to Camp JAM and asked if she could wait to list it until I got back from camp because if I could afford, I would take it!

Well, imagine my surprise when I returned from camp to find an email from Stephanie, telling me about her grandmother's lifelong love of sewing and how she'd had to stop when her arthritis became too painful. Stephanie wanted to give me this book. And I promptly burst into tears.

I mean, really? We hear all the time from so many places what a messed up world we live in. I'm telling you - this world is great! People are amazing! There is goodness all around.

So I sit here. Filled with gratitude for family and friends and strangers who have become special people in my life. Life is wonder-full.

And yes, I know I used the word "amazing" a lot in this post. What can I say? It is what it is.

A Snow Globe is Born

2011-10-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

Thanks goodness for the PMQG all day sew this past weekend. I actually completed a quilt top and worked on my latest paper pieced block. A snow globe for Melinda!

Melinda is one of my new friends over in the Cocorico bee on flickr. Her theme was "Vintage Christmas". I remember collecting snow globes as a child. I just loved shaking them up and watching the sparkley snow fall down over the scene!

This block was lots of fun to work on, though in the interest of full disclosure I have to admit to spending a bit of quality time with my seam ripper. There are a couple of places that I wish I had done a little differently but overall, I think it turned out okay.

Here's a picture with a ruler in it to give you an idea of the scale. Tiny! Curved piecing still makes me very nervous, so I made the snow globe and will applique that onto the background fabric.

And that quilt top I finished? Hopefully, I can get that basted and quilted up in the next week or so. It all depends on the kids and schedules and life.

Speaking of which.... this past weekend the whole family went to the Jingle Bell Run/Walk kick-off party and it was a blast. We got to speak about our family's experience with Owen and his juvenile arthritis. And Owen even got up in front of about 350 people and told a joke. I'm so proud of him! If you'd like to help him reach his goal, just follow the link on the top right of the blog.

Cocorico ~ Krista's Block

2011-10-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

November is Krista's month over in the Cocorico paper piecing bee on flickr. She chose "Hit the Slopes" as her theme because her whole family enjoys winter sports and skiing. One of her inspiration photos was a ski boot, so I tried to tackle that.

I really enjoyed designing this block and figuring out how to get that typical ski boot look with the leg portion leaning forward. I'm a little worried that the fabric choices have made the boot a little busier than I would have preferred, but Krista likes it and that's what's most important!

If you are interested in trying paper piecing or want a cute winter pattern to sew up, check out Kerry's very first PDF pattern for sale! Kerry's work is impeccable and I just know that the same amount of thought and care that she puts into her sewing has been put into this pattern. I just purchased mine and can't wait to stitch a few up. And she promises more patterns to come.

Looking forward to beginning a new quilt this weekend at our guild's all day sew. What are you working on?

Guild Love

2011-10-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

The Portland Modern Quilt Guild and the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild are doing a little swap!

Recently, the uber-talented Susan Beal visited KCMQG to do a presentation on modern log cabins. The notion of a swap was brought up and next thing we all knew - the two guilds each had stacks of cards with people's names/blogs/flickr names - all the proper tools for stalking a secret partner to make them a potholder!

I can't tell you who I made this little potholder for because my partner hasn't received it yet. But I hope she likes it! It was really fun to use the "Kansas Girl" flour sack fabric as the center of this log cabin block.

I decided to go with curved corners and bias binding for a couple of reasons. One, I really like the look. And two, I wanted more practice using bias binding since I usually finish my quilts with the binding cut on the straight grain.

I really like this print that I used on the back. For some reason, I've been really drawn to reproduction fabrics lately. They seem so fun and lively and the colors are great. The hanging loop is some printed ribbon I had on hand.

The quilting on potholders almost always seems really poofy to me. I think it's the fact that I use two layers of warm and natural plus a layer of insulbrite. There's nothing worse than a cute potholder that burns your hands.

Can't wait til this little gift lands with it's recipient. And thanks KCMQG for swapping with us!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging...

2011-10-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

That's my awesome superhero all decked out for last year's Jingle Bell Run. And this year? He's an honoree! That means our family will provide a "face" for juvenile arthritis and help to promote the event as well as the mission of the Arthritis Foundation.

Odds are someone you know has arthritis. Despite popular misconception, arthritis can affect anybody. 300,000 children in the US have doctor diagnosed arthritis, and 3 out of every 5 people with arthritis are under the age of 65.

Researchers in the field don't talk about "if" they will find a cure; they talk about "when". By raising money, we hope to make a difference and bring us all closer to a cure.

That's why we have organized a team, Owen's Superheroes, to participate in and raise money for the Jingle Bell Run/Walk. Our goal is to raise $3,000 for arthritis research.

I'm asking for your help.

There's a link to Owen's donation page over at the top right of the blog sidebar. PLEASE feel free to repost or link to this post on your own blog so that we can all be superheroes for Owen. Tweet about it or mention it on your facebook page. Even if you can't donate, spreading the word raises awareness.

Thank you so much for taking the time to consider supporting this cause that is so important to our family! Now back to our regularly scheduled crafting.....

Halloween Snack Mats!

2011-10-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

Unable to attend Sewing Summit last weekend, I consoled myself by making some Halloween snack mats and placemats.

Here are the six snack mats.

These were super fun to make and I absolutely LOVE the Cosmo Cricket Halloween fabric (purchased at the Fabric Depot outdoor sale for you locals).

And can I just say that I am officially hooked on straight line quilting. The texture is so great and it's a perfect no-brainer for small projects like this when I can just zone out at the machine.

These are destined for my two kids and four of their bestest friends to celebrate the holiday season.

Once I get the binding done on the placemats, I'll show them to you. Have you started any fall crafting?

Angel swap revealed

2011-10-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

Remember way back when ... I was an angel in the Spicing Up the Kitchen Swap over on flickr.

Well, my partner received her package so I can finally reveal the full contents!

I made a table runner, hotpad, and potholder.

I was able to use one of my favorite Suzuko Koseki prints and the wonderful seed catalog print from Annie's Farm Stand by Lakehouse.

The potholder was really fun to quilt with all those diagonals making little diamonds.

And the hotpad was made of tiny patchwork of some beloved scraps. I've really enjoyed making hotpads like this to use on our dining table. I make them a bit larger than a potholder and don't include a hanging loop so it lies perfectly flat on the table.

So, some simple and fun projects. I'm happy to say that my partner likes them!

There are a lot more projects in the to-do pile but I'm lacking the time to tackle them at the moment. Hopefully, an upcoming all-day sew with the Portland Modern Quilt Guild will give me the chance to get a few things completed.

FOUR!

2011-10-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

We've been a little preoccupied with turning four.

It's kind of awesome, as you can see.

Happiest Birthday Miss B.

Stylish sandwiches

2011-10-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

In an effort to be a little more green when it comes to lunches I've been making some stylin' sandwich wraps!

They have the kid seal of approval (especially since I let them choose some of their own exterior fabrics) and the mom seal of approval because they can be machine washed and dried.

And they're cute. Always a plus for me.

Some of them have little twill pull tabs at the opening flap but they weren't really necessary so I didn't put them on all of them.

The lining is nylon (no vinyl!). And I love that the whole thing can open up flat to make a nice little placemat/eating area.

People have been asking so I thought I'd let you know that these are available in the shop!

Fall bag

2011-09-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I whipped up the 241 Tote from Noodlehead.

I used some of my prized Echino and paired it with duck cloth solids. The strap is made from a long strip of the Echino and backed with the burgundy duck cloth.

I really like this bag! The pattern is clear and straightforward though I would definitely recommend reading it all the way through before starting. Anna offers some alternate ways of assembly that I think make a lot of sense and would be my preferred way to put the bag together. Also, um, read the directions about the seam allowance. I would have saved myself a LOT of frustration if I had realized the seam allowance was 3/8" and not the 5/8" I thought I read at first. Oh well, it just gives me a chance to make another one, right?

This one may or may not end up in the shop. I haven't quite decided and still need to finish hand stitching the lining closed.

New dress!

2011-09-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Miss B has a new dress!

Okay....three new dresses.

I just can't help myself. The pattern (Ofelia - Patterns by Figgy's) is wonderful. Simple and easy to follow instructions make for a quick and rewarding project.

Seriously people - it takes one yard of fabric and one hour of your time. How can you possibly go wrong?

Bailey picked out this fabric - bright and lots of orange so no surprises there. She loves it. I love it. I especially love that she can get herself dressed without any help (thanks to the elastic neckline and no buttons or zips).

One little note: go by the measurements not necessarily the sizes (as you should on ALL clothing patterns). Bailey is not quite four but this was made using a combo of the size 5 (width) and 6 (length) pattern lines. These are the pattern sizes that correspond to her measurements and the dress fits perfectly.

And yes, she's freakishly tall for her age.

Problem solved

2011-09-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I am nothing if not crafty and I love finding solutions to the strange little problems that creep into everyday life.

Case in point:

Both kids have become enamored of these "lap boards" - basically dry-erase boards for them to practice their writing. The problem is that they needed a way to erase but didn't want to keep track of a little cloth or anything like that.

So I grabbed a scrap of fabric (about 3 inches square), a cotton ball, and a rubber band.

Wrapped the cotton ball in the fabric scrap.

Fit the cotton ball/fabric thingy around the end of the pen cap.

And secured with a rubber band.

Voila! A dry-erase marker with an ERASER!

So far, so good. Though I have to admit that when I made one for Owen I decided to make things a little more rugged by replacing the rubber band with duct tape. Both versions are working like a charm!

Denial

2011-09-20T17:57:00.001-07:00

I refuse to believe that summer is ending. So even though we had a gray and rainy weekend, I got busy making a deep dish peach pie.

The weather has been steadily improving since then.

You're welcome.

Swap Angel

2011-09-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

I just sent off my very first angel package for a swap! It hasn't arrived yet at it's destination so I'll just post this little peek.

Swaps can be fun or horrible or anywhere in between. They can also be a little bit tricky because you are relying on people's honesty and integrity to follow through with their commitment. We all know that life has a way of being unpredictable and deadlines can be missed. As long as everyone communicates well, things usually work out just fine.

But every once in a while, someone is a flake and doesn't send anything out to their partner. That's when whoever is organizing the swap asks for "angels." An angel is someone who sends out a swap package without getting anything in return. I've never needed an angel in any of the swaps I've done and this was the first time I've ever been asked to be an angel for someone else.

It was really fun to put this little package together! I made a table runner, a hot pad, and a potholder since this was a "Spicing Up the Kitchen" swap. I hope they are well-received.

Do you participate in swaps? Have you ever needed or been an angel?

Tutorial: Bento Lunch Bag

2011-09-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the interest in a tutorial! Here's how I made the bento lunch bags.

First, gather your materials. I used a home dec weight material for the exterior and a quilting weight cotton for the interior. For the drawstring cover I used linen.

From your exterior fabric cut two panels 12" x 13"

from your interior fabric cut two panels 12" x 13"

From your drawstring cover fabric cut two panels 6.5" x 13" (or one panel 6.5" x 25")

From fusible fleece cut two panels 11" x 12"

1" cotton webbing - 24"

Other supplies:

one cord lock

one yard of cording

thread

iron

sewing machine

Note: all seams are 1/2" unless otherwise noted.

If you've never used a cord lock before, they look like this:

Cut a 2.5" square from the bottom corners of your exterior, interior, and fusible fleece panels. This will make it easier to do your boxed corners later.

Fuse the fleece to the exterior fabric, centering the fleece like this:

Sew the side seams and bottom seam.

Then box the corners by bringing the bottom seam up to meet the side seam. Stitch across the edge. Repeat for other side.

You should end up with something like this:

Press seams open. Turn exterior right side out, gently poking the corners out using the pointy device of your choice. I use an old knitting needle.

Repeat for interior, but keep interior wrong side out. Now you should have this:

Set the interior and exterior aside.

Take your drawstring cover panels and sew along the short side. Of course, this is when I realized that this could be done with one piece measuring 6.5" x 25" so feel free to do that if you prefer. (Note: To prevent fraying, serge or zig zag along the short sides and top edge.)

Press center seam open.

Fold top edge down 1/2" and press well.

Fold cover panel in half, right sides together. Stitch along seam, stopping just below the folded down top edge.

When you're done, the edge should look like this:

Open the top edge and fold in one corner to the pressed line like this:

Then fold back down along the pressed edge like this:

Pin in place and repeat on other side.

Stitch around the top, creating a casing for your drawstring. Press side seam open.

Next, cut your cotton webbing into two 12" lengths.

Find the top center of your exterior. Place handles 1-1/4" to each side of the center and pin in place. Be careful to not twist your handle.

Repeat for other side.

Place the interior inside the exterior of your bag (wrong sides together) and pin in place (matching side seams).

Then take your drawstring cover and place it outside the exterior and handles (right sides together) and pin in place.

Sew around the top of the bag securing the lining, exterior, handles, and cover.

Tuck the cover inside the bag and neatly press the top edge.

Topstitch around the top edge of the bag, about 1/4" from the edge. The place a second line of topstitching about 1/2" in from the first. This will give your bag a nice finished look.

If you look in the bag, you'll also see that the second line of topstitching will conceal the raw edges inside your lunch bag!

Thread your cording through the casing and secure in the cord lock to finish your bag. (If you need detailed instructions about how to do this, check out my reversible drawstring bag tutorial.)

And there you have it! A fantastic new lunch bag!

If you have any questions, just ask. And if you make one, I'd love to know about it.

Happy Crafting!

Gratifying

2011-09-09T15:20:00.001-07:00

Recently, I had the unique opportunity to do some sewing for a friend. Well, actually, my friend's daughter. Okay, her daughter's dog.

See, my friend's daughter has juvenile diabetes. A few weeks ago they were given an amazing and life-saving miracle of a dog. He is a service dog who has been trained to identify high and low blood sugar levels and alert the person to either take their insulin or eat some food.

Their dog, along with two others in the program, needed their "official" working vests. And I was the lucky one who got to make them!

The dogs are trained through an amazing group called Dogs Assisting Diabetics. It's absolutely amazing what these animals can do.

It was truly an honor to sew up these little vests and I wish the dogs and their owners all the best!

First day of school!

2011-09-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce that there is a kindergartener in the family!

I did not cry. I'm not one of those mommy's who is lamenting sending my children to school. In fact, I'm eagerly awaiting next week when the preschooler will be heading off as well.

I LOVE my kids. And I feel amazingly grateful every day to be able to stay home with them. It's not a choice that is right or even possible for everyone. But I feel truly fortunate to have had this incredible amount of time with my kids. And now I feel grateful to be able to send them to school where they will make friends and continue to learn and be inspired. Another step on the journey!

Of course, I won't lie, getting a little bit of non-kid time is also greatly anticipated.

In preparation for school there was a little sewing going on here.

First was a little pencil case - adorned with robots.

The other side:

And a couple of lunch bags.

I didn't follow a pattern for these bags - kind of a combo of other projects I've made and a healthy dose of winging it.They are bento style lunch bags with drawstring covers, which are great if the bag gets knocked or tipped over. Stuff doesn't go flying out.

I'm pretty happy with how they turned out and so are the kids. Any interest in a quick tutorial?

Last blast of summer

2011-09-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

When most people think of Oregon they think rain. And we do get more than our fair share of the wet stuff along with gray days. But what it gives us is a lush green landscape - another thing people often comment on when they visit our little corner of the world.

What many people don't realize is that Eastern Oregon is quite different. On the other side of the Cascades lies an amazingly beautiful high desert. We took the kids there for the first time as a final trip of the summer.

Here we are at the Painted Hills. You can see that the sky looks a bit hazy due to the dozen or so wildfires that had sprung up from lightening strikes in the surrounding areas.

We met this little critter as we were hiking along one of the trails at the Painted Hills.

The landscape is pretty spectacular with all the different colors, each made from various mineral deposits and revealed by erosion over millions of years.

One of our favorite stops along the way was a museum which is part of the John Day

Fossil Beds. Park Ranger Molly talked with us about how they use fossils to discover

what the area was like in the Age of Mammals. Mostly the kids just thought the skulls

and teeth were cool.

As this little one heads off to kindergarten and his sister to preschool, this was a great vacation for capturing the last fleeting days of summer.

And just to prove that I'm still crafting, I have some back-to-school sewing to show you next time!

Girly alert

2011-08-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

Can I just say how much I LOVE that Bailey is completely into dresses right now? She's always been a bit of a tomboy, rough and tumble kind of gal, which suits me just fine. Now she's rockin' that same spirit but in cute dresses!

Awhile back I purchased Carefree Clothes for Girls by Junko Okawa because the style is just so simple and lovely. I have the English translation of the Japanese book and so far it seems pretty straightforward and easy to understand. I've made two dresses based on patterns in the book (though I always seem to make changes and put my own spin on things as I go along).

This is the first:

A sweet little sundress with a light green cotton shirting and some awesome Happy Mochi Yum Yum. The pattern calls for the skirt to be gathered but I decided to put in two pleats on the front of the skirt and one larger pleat in the back.

The other dress is made from a striped jersey knit with a lining of very thin poly/cotton fabric ($2.50 a yard, thank you Fabric depot outdoor sale). We'll see how this one does after a few washes since the lining is left with a raw edge. The neck and arm openings were supposed to be finished with bias binding but I was loving the look of the serged edges so left them like that instead.

There were no complaints and Bailey even said this dress felt as comfy as jammies. Good news since I have fabric for at least two more of these!

Love my girly girl!

A bee block for Annabel

2011-08-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

For her month's theme in Cocorico, Annabel wanted blocks made with an orchard theme. After thinking about the theme for awhile and coming up with a couple of different possibilities, I settled on making a bee.

I love bees. I also have an allergic reaction to their sting so I have to be careful! But I really think they're amazing - their highly organized social structure and their efficiency at caring for their hive, working together, and making delicious honey. Of course, they also play a very important part in the life of an orchard because they pollinate the tree blossoms to help make yummy fruit for us to enjoy.

My inspiration illustration is above right. From that picture I made a larger more simplified drawing of the bee on graph paper. Once I worked on the drawing for awhile,I realized a few things:

If I tried to paper piece the legs I would probably go insane.

I needed to slightly shorten the body of the bee so it would look less like a wasp.

This was going to be hard.

Thanks to a PMQG all day sew, I had a lot of uninterrupted time to work on this block and this is what I have so far! Instead of piecing in the legs I'll be thread sketching them with black thread. And I'll embroider the antennae on as well. I'm completely nervous that I'll screw this part up and ruin the work I've already done!

This is just a more detailed look at the bee. There are a few "oops" moments but overall I'm really happy with how this block turned out. I'm especially fond of the beehive print on the bee's body!

Annabel wants to make placemats with her blocks, so I hope no one minds eating their meal with a giant insect on their mat!

Camp JAM

2011-08-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

We're back from our adventures at Camp JAM! This is the Arthritis Foundation's yearly camp for kids with juvenile arthritis and their families. And it was a blast!

Owen is doing really well and we are able to manage his arthritis with minimal medication. For that we are extremely grateful. We met many families dealing with challenges far beyond what we face and my heart goes out to them.

This year the theme was western so we quickly dubbed it Cowboy Camp. Now that he's five, Owen is developing a greater understanding of his disease - what it means and how it makes him different. But for the most part, he's just a happy five year old boy who happens to have a serious crush on the bouncy house.

We tried some new things at camp this year including fishing in the trout pond. They're nice enough to clean the fish and bag them up for campers to freeze and then take home.

Both Owen and Bailey loved wearing their cowboy/cowgirl outfits. One night after campfire, they wanted to put on a little show so we let them play around on the stage for awhile. They didn't seem to mind that the microphone wasn't on and the audience consisted only of mommy and daddy. They are such goofballs!

Camp JAM (Juvenile Arthritis Matters) is a wonderful program and we feel so fortunate to get to be a part of it. Over 46 million people have arthritis and 300,000 of them are children. There is no cure. We remain hopeful that Owen will continue to do well and that research will someday find a way to eliminate this painful disease.

Lunch

2011-08-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

These were too fun to not share!

Picked up these great little sandwich shape cutters the other day and they are a huge hit.

The selection included dinosaurs and hearts, so we were set. We have used large cookie cutters in the past to cut our lunch sandwiches into cute shapes but there was always quite a bit of waste. These cutters, since they're made for sandwiches, are able to neatly eliminate the crusts without wasting too much of the actual bread and filling.

Here's the heart one in action.

This bread is the larger, more rectangular bread (we call it grown-up bread in our house) so you can see that there is a little more waste than you would get with a regular more square loaf. We've tried the cutters with pb&j as well as ham, turkey, and cheese - all with great results.

Lunch is served!

These are also fun for morning toast and hot sandwiches like grilled cheese. Best of all, the kids love them and clean their plates!

Getting ready for school

2011-08-12T07:08:00.000-07:00

Got some snack and sandwich bags made the other day, in preparation for the upcoming school year. I can't believe our summer break is coming to an end!

For construction, I use this awesome (and funny) tutorial. I cut the snack bags at 6.5" x 13" and the sandwich bags at 7.5" x 15". In the past I've made them from a single layer of cotton fabric, a double layer of cotton fabric (one for the outer bag and one for the lining), with and without velcro closures. This time I made them without velcro and the lining is nylon.

I was a little worried about slipperiness when sewing with the nylon but it was no big deal. I'm hoping that making this change to the lining will help keep more moisture in things like bread, which could sometimes start to get a little bit dry. I love that they can still be tossed into the washing machine and the nylon should help keep the food fresher longer.

After giving these a test drive this afternoon, I'm very pleased with the results and will definitely be making more. Next on the agenda - making lunch bags for the kids!

How about you - have you started on any back-to-school projects?

Crafting for others

2011-08-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

The quilting/sewing/crafting community is among the most generous I have ever encountered. It's more than just sharing advice and encouragement. It's more than the wealth of information available via free patterns and tutorials. It's more than the time and effort spent making swap items and sending extra goodies to your partner.

Susan Beal is a local crafter/mama/activist powerhouse! I feel so fortunate to have met and worked with her via the Portland Modern Quilt Guild. Susan and her friend Daniela have created Quilts for Quake Survivors in an effort to help the people of Japan so devastated by the earthquakes and tsunami.

I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to finish two quilts that are destined for QFQS! Many people have gathered and donated fabric and time to piece quilt tops. When Susan came to our last guild meeting looking for volunteers to make these quilt tops into finished quilts, I was more than happy to help.

It seems such a small thing in the face of so much tragedy but I hope that this will help in some way. And it all started because a compassionate crafter wanted to do something to help. Susan is a total rock star!

On a completely different note, I was able to sew up some floor pillow covers for Bailey's preschool! It was a pretty fun project and it gave me the chance to tackle piping as a pillow edging. Tricky stuff that piping! The corners took some real effort but I think they turned out okay.

Isn't that fabric cute? It's from Joann's, called mod floral or something like that. The colors will be great in the newly spiffed up preschool space!

Terrariums!

2011-08-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

We got our craft on the other day by making some terrariums!

Bailey looks a bit skeptical of the whole thing, but it does involve dirt so she's willing to try.

Owen thought pouring the gravel into the big jars was pretty cool but also kind of loud.

Bailey was happy about the dirt. She loooooves dirt.

I didn't get any pictures of the actual planting because by then I was in the thick of things and pretty dirty myself. But you can see how proud they are of their final creations. Owen decorated his terrarium with dinosaurs.

And Bailey put a butterfly and ladybug in hers.

The terrariums are now in their rooms and they drive the cat crazy. It's kind of awesome.

Memories

2011-08-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

I know I've been doing a lot of "family" vs. "crafty" posts but what can I say? It's summer!

My husband and I recently celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary. Our wedding was relatively small with about 50 guests and we did pretty much everything ourselves. The ceremony was held at my church and the reception was at our house. We kept things very simple.

For our honeymoon we spent a week traveling around Oregon, spending time along the coast, Crater Lake, and the Columbia Gorge. It was a wonderful trip that we both often remember as our best ever.

Each year since, we've taken a trip to the coast for our anniversary and this year was no exception. The trip is quite different with a 3-year old and 5-year old sharing the car ride, meals, and hotel room! But we love it and the kids have a blast.

Along with all of the memories of our honeymoon and life BC (before children), we enjoy making new memories with our young family. This year we tackled the sand dunes at Cape Kiwanda.

It. Was. Awesome!

I'm not sure how we ALL made it to the top, but we did. There were loads of kids but not many as little as ours - I was a proud mama!

We had a lovely trip, ate some great seafood, got really sunburned, and generally had a fantastic time.

And yes, there will be more crafting. Promise!

Summertime fun

2011-07-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

We had a fun family outing to our local amusement park. Here in the Pacific Northwest we have learned to seize those summer days when they happen!

Waiting patiently for their balloon creations (Spiderman and a flower, in case you're curious).

Owen's favorite FAVORITE ride is the leap frogger thing. Not that you could tell by the expression on his face.

Bailey had a minor freak-out because of the crowds and the noise but she was happy as a clam on the little cars.

I have my own issues with the airplane ride that includes these guns mounted on the planes. Seriously, it looks like all these parents have sent their kids to sniper camp. But it's hard not to laugh when Owen goes all army-man-super-hero-protector-of-the-universe.

Happy summer!

Sweet Harmony

2011-07-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

I did it! I finally completed the Sweet Harmony Handbag from Amy Butler. Intimidated is the best word to describe how I felt about taking on this project. Let's face it, I had heard from more than one person that Amy Butler patterns are complex and sometimes difficult. But now that it's done, I'm so glad I forged ahead and tackled this pattern!

In keeping with the Amy Butler theme, I thought it appropriate to use some of her fabric. I chose Wallflower in cherry and Full Moon Polka Dots, also in cherry. The piping is kona cotton in coral. The pattern doesn't call for using two different prints like this on the main bag and exterior pockets but I really wanted to combine these two fabrics and I'm very pleased with the result.

Here's a peek at the inside. The lining is a kona cotton in cream? ivory? Honestly, I don't remember! There are two interior pocket variations so I did one of each. In the photo above you can see the two open pockets and in the photo below you can see the zippered pocket.

You can also see the two magnetic snaps as well as the small cell phone pocket in the exterior pocket at the lower right of the photo above. This purse is nice and roomy without being a big slouchy bag, which I like. It's a bit more tailored than what I usually make or carry, but I like to change things up a bit every now and then. Plus, who doesn't love a good red bag?!

I'm not going to lie - this took me quite awhile to make. Part of that had to do with making a brand-new-to-me pattern. I know I was being very methodical and thorough because I was nervous about making mistakes. And by doing the exterior in two different fabrics, I had to be sure I adjusted my cutting to accommodate that change. That said, the most time-consuming part was definitely the cutting and preparation of the fabric (trimming and applying interfacing and fleece). Once all that prep work was done the actual assembly wasn't hard and didn't take long at all. Oh, except for adding the zipper pocket. For some reason my brain just seized up and I couldn't figure out the instructions. Until, of course, I did and then felt like a dork for not understanding them sooner.

So there you have it. I'll probably busy myself with a few simpler projects now and enjoy my new handbag!

Knitting bag

2011-07-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the fun opportunity to test a pattern for Christina over at The Sometimes Crafter. And in a weird stroke of luck, I was looking for a pattern to make one of my friends a tote for her knitting projects. How awesome that the pattern test was for a knitting bag!

The pattern is straightforward and easy to follow and I love all the little pockets for knitting needles, patterns/books, and the little zipper pocket for small scissors and stitch markers. It's really exactly what I was looking for!

The pattern calls for pockets on only one side of the bag but I went ahead and put them on both sides because really, can you have too many pockets on a project bag?

The lining is the same as the print used on the various pockets. The main fabric is a cotton/linen blend.

I enjoyed this pattern and I learned a few new things like how to do that inset zipper pocket, how to make a bag with a bottom piece (instead of boxed corners), and how to make those folded over handles. Fun!

If you're looking for a great knitting/project bag, head on over to The Sometimes Crafter and grab the pattern. Since I'm giving this one away I know I'll be making another one for myself. And while you're there check out the super cute log cabin needle book and the ukelele mini quilt!

Little Wallets

2011-07-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

I picked up one of Valori Wells' sweet little sewing cards the other day and I could not be more in love. The pattern is for the Little Wallet and it comes on folded cardstock about the size of a greeting card. A full size pattern and all instructions are included. Genius!

The pattern is really simple and I love the result. These three little wallets were whipped up in record time. I think the only modification I made was to use a pearl snap instead of sewing in a regular snap.

I had a lot of fun with the inside pockets, making each one from a different fabric. I'll probably make more to give as gifts, especially since they're the perfect size to hold a gift card.

Today I'm going to start tackling a much larger and more complicated project. I'll keep you posted!

Obsessed

2011-07-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

Obsessions are healthy, right? Because I am officially crazy head-over-heels for paper piecing.

This block was made for the first month of the cocorico bee over on flickr. Lauree chose "Kitchen Couture" as her theme. After thinking about things for awhile I finally decided to pay homage to my stovetop espresso maker and a sweet little vintage yellow sugar bowl that I have.

This was an insane amount of fun to figure out! Must have drawn it up half a dozen times before settling on something I thought might work. There is probably a better way to piece it all together but for now I'm just going to enjoy the fact that it looks like I was hoping it would! The entire block measures about 12" x 10".

Here's a detail of the little sugar bowl. At first it was just going to be a plain bowl with lid but once I realized that I had the word "sugar" on some fabric I had to add it in there.

And here's a detail of the espresso maker. The little valve on the bottom half is a small black button, which I'll send separately so that Lauree can add it when she's ready. No one wants a pesky button getting in the way when it's time to quilt!

I promise I will write about other things besides paper piecing, but please bear with me and my newest obsession!

Babies

2011-07-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Specifically - girl babies.

A friend of mine is expecting her third child in a few months. It will be her first girl!

A little sewing was in order!

I made a good size baby blanket with a lovely Tanya Whelan rose print and backed with minky - yum! This was the first time I made bias binding for a large-ish prject. Most of the time I just cut my binding straight. But I really wanted to make the corners of this little blanket to be curved so the binding had to be on the bias. I'm very happy with how it turned out.

The minky was a little bit slippery to work with but I just basted the heck out of it and all was fine.

I also made a little tag lovey with a pretty flannel print and a scrap of the super soft minky. The tags are made from grosgrain ribbon, rick rac and twill tape.

Yay for girl babies!

Mmmmm....pie

2011-07-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

I love me some good pie. So I thought I'd share a little bit of how I made my very first pecan pie the other day.

I usually roll out pie crust on parchment paper (you'll see why). Before I get rolling though, I trace my pie plate onto the bottom side of the parchment. Then I draw another line about an inch and a half out from the first one. Flip it over and you'll still be able to see the circles when you roll out the pie crust and know that you've made it large enough for you pie plate.

Once you're ready to transfer the crust to the pie plate you can just pick up the parchment paper and flip the crust into the plate! This is awesome because whenever I try to roll the crust onto the rolling pin to transfer it, I always ALWAYS screw it up. Carefully peel off the parchment and ease the crust into the edges of the pie plate.

This recipe calls for the crust to be partially baked before adding the filling. I line the crust with foil and then use dried beans as pie weights.

Adding the cooked filling to a warm partially baked crust means that the pie cooks up nicely and the crust doesn't get soggy.

Yum.

I may or may not have had pie for breakfast. I'll never tell.

Paper Piecing is a Puzzle

2011-07-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

As you already know, I am a huuuuuge fan of the mad piecing skills of the ladies over in the Ringo Pie group on flickr. I stalk the group and am completely amazed at everything they do.

Recently, I was invited to participate in cocorico, another paper piecing bee and I am both excited and nervous!

You see, while I am a huge fan of this type of patchwork, I haven't really done any of it myself. The only paper piecing I've done is the circle of geese block and it was really hard to wrap my brain around the whole concept.

But I accepted the invitation because I am so completely inspired by the other members and don't want to miss this chance to learn more and push myself to develop this skill.

July and August are practice months so I decided to jump right in and draft my very first piecing pattern all by myself - a dragonfly!

Let me tell you, when I finished this block I felt like a total rock star! Something really clicked while working on the pattern and sewing it up wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. There are some little oops places but nothing too bad for a first try. The hardest part for me was definitely figuring out the pattern. I think looking at it and figuring out the puzzle of how to piece it really helped my brain understand this technique in a new way.

There is still an amazing amount to learn but I'm excited to see how this bee develops over the next year.

Do you do paper piecing? Any tips or tricks?

Yee-haw!

2011-07-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our family will be heading to a very special camp this summer. Camp JAM (Juvenile Arthritis Matters) is for kids and teens with juvenile arthritis and their families. We've taken to referring to camp by its theme since Owen has only a vague understanding of his arthritis and everything that means for him. Last year was Pirate Camp.

This year it's Cowboy Camp!

And thanks to Grams, Owen will be sporting some fabulous cowboy apparel this year.

One of the things that makes Camp JAM so special is that the entire family is able to come. So while the kids are off being kids, parents can spend time meeting other families dealing with the same challenges.

Because the whole family is able to spend this special time together, Miss Bailey also has some new (PINK!) accessories to round out her cowgirl outfit.

No doubt you will be seeing more of these puppies in future posts. It's been a bit challenging to get the kids to wear any other shoes lately.

Random Stuff

2011-07-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely Independence Day here in our corner of the world. The weather was beautiful and the kids were totally into the holiday this year - as seen in Miss B's festive outfit.

A large part of our afternoon was spent launching a soda bottle rocket in the yard. Here's our little scientist getting everything set up.

Owen made this awesome contraption at a weird science party last spring. It has been a HUGE hit. A 2 liter soda bottle is outfitted with fins and a nose cone. The cap is replaced with a cork and one of those needle thingys used to inflate sports balls. You put a little bit of water into the bottle, jam in the cork,and then use a bike tire pump to inject air in through the needle. Aaaaaand BLASTOFF!

This was the first year we let the kids stay up for fireworks. Bailey was scared of all the noise but Owen was thrilled. He loved the sparklers, snakes, pop-its, and fountains.

And there has been some mild craftiness happening around here as well. I finished up my last block for Bee Vintage. It's been a lot of fun participating in my first online quilting bee. I'm sure I'll do more once summer is over and life gets back to a somewhat more predictable routine (with a lot less sunshine). Right now it's just so lovely to hang out with the kids and soak up the summertime.

I also made a block for the Tokyo Quilt Festival, which you can read more about here.

This block will be part of the Partnership Quilts made up of blocks from people all around the world! The quilts will then be donated to charity. This year's theme is squares and triangles. Don't look too closely because there are a lot of points that aren't so pointy and at least one corner that is all wackadoo. But I still like it and had fun playing with tiny half square triangles. The entire block measures 9" x 9" so each of those triangle blocks are just one inch square.

And apparently I was so excited about this block I took a picture before I even squared it up and trimmed the edges. Doh!

Summer

2011-07-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today I spent most of the day outside with the family. We recently had a house guest for a couple of weeks and this was our first weekend being just us again. The kiddos ran all over, got dirt and sand in some very unmentionable places, and are sporting rosy sun-kissed cheeks.

I, on the other hand, am sporting some sore thumbs and fingertips from shelling a bucketload of pecans. Actually, only half a bucketload. There are more to be shelled at some later date.

Seriously, these are some tough nuts to crack! I think I finally found a method that works for me but does involve the use of a hammer as well as a nutcracker. They were brought to us fresh from Oklahoma, where my sister-in-law gathered them to bring to us.

Some of these will be making their way into a pecan pie and the rest into homemade cinnamon buns. Yum!

Wishing everyone here in the States a safe and happy Independence Day!

Finished!

2011-07-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

Managed to get the Hope Valley hexagon project finished up a couple of days ago. The quilting went really quickly and binding it was a snap. It's been awhile since I've done something smaller like this.

The back is an older Amy Butler print (Martini in mustard) and I was pleased with how well it coordinates with the Hope Valley stripe.

Originally, I was planning to make a bag with the hexagon panel but I liked it all laid out so much that I changed my mind and made a table runner. After finishing it, though, I put it on top of a cabinet we have in our dining area and it's like it was MADE to go right there. I probably couldn't have made it fit so perfectly if I had tried. And let's face facts - it's much less likely to get all crusty with kid/food debris than if it was on the table.

This was a really fun project to work on while we had company and I couldn't really get to my machine. So much so that I want to find another hand sewing project for the rest of the summer! Any suggestions?

Making my mark

2011-06-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

It's always a bit of a dilemma. I love gadgets. Anything that might make things easier or more efficient or improve the quality of my craft is always intriguing. But I've also been a bit disappointed when whatever nifty tool I've picked up doesn't actually make things easier, more efficient, or improve the quality of my craft. Hmphf.

As a result, I find myself fairly skeptical. This especially holds true when it comes to marking my projects for quilting. I've used a variety of products with some success such as air or water soluble marking pens, tape, and chalk. These have all been acceptable in various applications and not so great in others.

One tool I really REALLY like though, is my hera marker.

The first time I saw one of these I was all, "Yeah, right. There is no way that will never work for marking a quilt top." Then I tried it and WOW. It's amazing.

I love that it doesn't make a permanent mark on the fabric and because of the pressure being made in the material it actually gives you some sense of the depth that the quilting will create.

So, if you've never tried a hera marker before, give it a go and see if it works as well for you!

Struggling

2011-06-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

As I sit here on this beautiful summer evening, kids running through the sprinkler after dinner and a happy lazy cat at my side, I cannot shake a bit of discontent that grabbed hold of me over the weekend.

The Sunday paper is usually chock full of advertisements, most of which I don't even really look at. However, Owen's new school requires a uniform so I have been glancing through the Sears ad because I know they carry the requisite pants and shirts. That's when I ran across this:

I had to take a closer look. Do you see that?

A king size quilt at an "everyday" price of less than twenty dollars. And the picture depicts these quilts:

I have been struggling with my own reaction to this advertisement for many reasons.

As someone who enjoys the creative outlet of sewing and quilting, it disturbs me to think that there are some (likely many) people who are being led to believe that a king size quilt costs only twenty bucks. For those of us who enjoy sewing and quilting (and cough fabric hoarding cough), we know that we would be hard pressed to purchase enough fabric for a king size quilt for that price, let alone the batting and thread. And perhaps most importantly: our time.

Granted, the quality of these quilts is probably not all that great. The material is likely not "quilt store quality" and the workmanship is surely not what I would expect from a handcrafted item. But for many people this will be their experience of a quilt.

On the one hand, it's great that so many people can afford to add a quilt to their lives. But it does make me wonder about the very real people who are manufacturing these quilts. If companies are able to sell the quilts for twenty dollars and they are still making a profit then what are the workers taking home?

Then there is the dilemma that many of us face, which is how do I value my own work? I know this is something that I struggle with. I have a teeny tiny etsy shop and I struggle with pricing every time I list something. I wonder if I am expected to compete with large stores carrying mass produced items. If I can go to ABC Store and get a little zippered makeup pouch for $4.99 (or less), how can I possibly expect to charge $15 for my handmade patchwork version? Is the average consumer going to understand the time involved? Or the fact that I used some prized rare Japanese fabrics? Will they notice the care that was taken or the attention to detail? I just don't know.

For me, this type of thinking tends to make me undervalue my work. I have a hard time asking a fair price for something because I get stuck between wanting to be fairly compensated for my time and talent and wanting to make sure I can actually sell whatever it is.

Ultimately, I think it comes down to educating both consumers and crafters. Not only do consumers need to understand what is really involved in creating a handmade item (from quality materials to the time and expertise involved in making the item) but artists and crafters also need to not sell themselves short. The work that we do is worthwhile. In a world that is overrun with stuff, a world that is constantly evolving into sameness (the same big box stores, the same chain restaurants, the same clothing chains, the same grocery stores), the ability to be truly unique is a dying art.

Handmade items are a reflection of the person who made them, not the factory that produced them. Practically speaking, how do we educate people about our art and craft? When millions of people see an ad for a twenty dollar king size quilt, how do they learn the value of a beautifully crafted handmade quilt if it costs hundreds? How do artists and crafters learn to value their work so that they no longer feel compelled to pay themselves little to nothing for their efforts?

These are the thoughts swirling around my head on this beautiful evening. What are your thoughts?

Summer Sewing

2011-06-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

If you remember, my sewing space is also our guest bedroom. My husband's sister is visiting us for a bit so I've finally devoted some time to hand sewing my Hope Valley hexies!

I especially enjoy having a project like this when the weather is good enough to be outside because that means I can work on it while the kids are running around the yard like the insane energy freaks that they really are.

Originally, I was planning on making a little drawstring pouch/bag/purse with these but I really like them all laid out flat so I may switch things up and make a table runner instead.

It's been a lot of fun watching all the little hexies play so nicely together. And stitching them up is going much faster than I thought it would.

And I'm such a dork that I even love the messy backs.

What are you sewing up this summer?

Solids challenge - received!

2011-06-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Remember awhile back when I posted about my first paper-pieced block? It went into the solids challenge swap at Portland Modern Quilt Guild and this is the pillow cover I got back!

Isn't it fantastic?! My friend, Petra got the block in the swap and made this gorgeous pillow cover. I can't believe I didn't take a picture of the back but it's Alexander Henry Heath in gray and some amazing gray and orange buttons.

And check out Petra's crazy awesome quilting:

I know I'm gushing but I just love it to bits and am so happy to have it on a chair in my sewing room so I can see it every day!

Summer toes

2011-06-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Don't know if summer will ever really arrive here in the Pacific Northwest but my toes are ready just in case! Behold the results of my first ever pedicure:

My feet feel all dressed up for sparkly fun. Now if the sun would just cooperate.

If you've never had a pedicure, I highly recommend one. And if you can go with some truly stellar friends, all the better!

Sewing with knits

2011-06-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

First off, let me just say that this is not a sponsored post or anything like that. I went out and purchased a pattern, sewed it up, and want to share my experience.

Okay, that said.... I LOVE THIS PATTERN! It's the Tee for Two from Patterns by Figgy's and it is awesome! Shelly Figueroa is the person behind this company and she's a fellow Portlander.

The Tee for Two pattern is perfect for a beginner sewist and ideal if you're nervous or intimidated about sewing with knits. It's perfect for boys or girls and comes in a wide range of sizes. Best of all - even though I do happen to have a serger, you can make the shirt or dress using your regular home sewing machine!

There are three sleeve options (long, short, and a fluttery cap sleeve) that can be used on either the shirt or dress and you can use all one fabric or mix it up.

This shirt was my very first attempt. I was using knit remnants that I've been saving and used the fluttery sleeve option because that's what worked. I LOVE the raw edge raglan look and since knits don't fray, there's no hemming of the sleeves or bottom of the shirt. Seriously, this pattern comes together so fast it's ridiculous!

And here's the dress version with long sleeves. Miss B picked out the print fabric one day and I had enough to make this dress as well as sleeves for another shirt. I think there's one more dress in the immediate future (and probably some shirts for Owen) and then I'll get back to working on other things.

So, if you're new to sewing with knits or nervous about trying it out, give this pattern a go!

Forty three

2011-06-15T10:03:00.000-07:00

Yup. I went and had a birthday yesterday.

So, this is me right now.

Feeling good. Generally happy. Grateful for friends and family. Ready to see what the next year of life will bring.

Spent a lovely quiet day with the family. And spent some quality time sewing up a few things that I'll show you soon!

New Perspective

2011-06-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling a little - okay a LOT - stuck lately. I had a burst of energy when working on the Spicing Up the Kitchen swap but then....um.....hmmmmm.

It's not that I don't have a million projects waiting to be started. It's not like I don't have an INSANE amount of fabric staring at me, taunting me, daring me to do something creative. And it's not like I don't find inspiration all around.

What I don't have is a lot of time. Two little ones need constant care and attention and, apparently, FOOD. My three year old is eating like a lumberjack these days so I'm sure she'll be outgrowing all her clothes and shooting up another inch or two any minute now.

And I don't want to sound all whiny and ungrateful - because I know that I am terribly fortunate to have my own creative space - but my sewing area was a total pigsty. Some people can be very creative amidst chaos. And while I don't mind a certain level of mess while I'm in throes of something, I don't work well when the chaos seems never-ending.

So... over the weekend my hubs took the kiddos for a hike in the woods and I got busy. The whole space was reorganized and spruced up. Furniture was moved. A lot of stuff was *gasp*folded and put away. A lot of stuff was set aside to donate. And yes, a lot of stuff found it's way into a huge garbage bag.

You can see that my sewing area shares a room with our guest bed.

The design wall.

Sewing machines.

And this is what kept the kids busy while I worked - my scraps and an empty design wall. They were so proud of themselves.

It feels fantastic!

It feels liberating!

It feels like I can get creative again. And that is exciting!

Goodies

2011-06-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

I've been busy making a few little goodies for my partner in the Spicing Up the Kitchen swap over on Flickr.

This is what that pile of stuff from last time has turned into.

There are a couple of linen kitchen towels and a little fabric basket from the tutorial over on Pink Penguin.

Both towels feature an applique from one of my favorite Kumiko Fujita fabrics. Sometimes I purchase a fabric like this because I just fall in love with it but then I struggle with how to use it. This seemed like a nice way to feature a couple of pieces.

The texty black bias tape was made from the new Lakehouse line Annie's Farm Stand. After receiving an order of it I was completely smitten and turned right around to order more.

The other towel has a patchwork border made up of some of my favorite kitchen/food/dots prints.

I have one more towel in the works but it's not quite finished yet. These were so much fun to make! I hope my secret partner enjoys using them as much as I enjoyed making them.

Swap Stuff

2011-06-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

After seeing all the cool stuff that came out of the first round, I decided to join the Spicing Up the Kitchen swap over on flickr. This is what I've gathered together so far.

We've all been assigned our secret partners and now is the time when we all try to figure out what that partner will like based on a questionnaire that was filled out when we all joined as well as a mosaic of favorite items that they've posted to the group.

I could go a couple of ways with the inspiration that my partner has provided but I hope she likes these goodies (linen, some favorite kitchen-y prints, a texty bias tape that I made the other day). But in all honesty, this is right up my own alley!

I'll give the ideas a few more days to roll around in my brain before I start stitching. Can't wait to show the finished project when it's all done!

Desperately Seeking...

2011-06-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

Patchwork Patterns 318 by Kumiko Fujita. ISBN: 4-579-11078-1

Out of print. Boo hoo.

If anyone has any leads on getting a copy of this book I would love you forever.

Seriously.

Teacher Gifts

2011-05-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was preschool graduation for Owen. It was adorable and all the kiddos were so cute.

We feel really lucky to be part of a cooperative preschool and over the past two years we've really gotten to know each of the kids and their families really well. And both Owen and Bailey ADORE Teacher Amy. Don't even get me started about how over the moon excited Bailey is to start preschool in the fall!

Owen wanted to do something special for Teacher Amy to say thanks for all the fun of the past two years so I made a little something.

A couple of potholders (in a little fabric basket with some herbs and spices from Penzy's).

These were fun to make and I love the color combinations.

This apple print is one of my favorites.

The colors are so bright and cheery.

And who doesn't love a polka dot binding?

I just have to say that being part of a cooperative preschool has been such a wonderful experience. The class size is small and parents have the privilege of regularly helping out in the classroom. Teacher Amy has reserves of patience that I can only dream about and she is genuinely devoted to the kiddos and her work. We feel so so lucky to be a part of our preschool family! And I'm thrilled we have another two years to look forward to with Miss Bailey!

Birthday Boy

2011-05-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

We all think that our kids are the best. And this morning, I got my proof.

You see, today is Owen's birthday. He's FIVE - a fact I can hardly believe!

This morning I went into his room to wake him up for preschool and I snuggled next to him and sang Happy Birthday. All warm and cozy from sleep, he rolled over and put his arms around me and said, "Mommy, today I'm celebrating you because it's the day you turned into a Mommy."

Seriously. He is the BEST!

I love my little fella and can't wait to see what surprises this year will bring.

Solids challenge

2011-05-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

Last month at Portland Modern Quilt Guild, we swapped quilt blocks made using all solid fabrics. This is the one I received from Anne.

I love the bold colors and the graphic quality of all the black outlines.

Our challenge was to make either a pillow cover or mini-quilt using only additional solid fabrics. After chatting with Anne, she seemed to have a preference for a mini-quilt.

Well, this block is lovely, but it is definitely a departure from my usual style so I really had to let this one simmer for awhile before I came up with anything I felt really worked with the original block. Most of my initial ideas were over-complicated and I'm glad I waited until I came up with something I really felt works with Anne's block.

I hope she likes it!

It seems so simple, but I like that it all really looks like one project and not like I forced my own particular style onto the block. The curved shape at the top was fun too and I will definitely experiment more with curved bindings.

I must say, after seeing the other blocks brought to the swap, I am constantly impressed by the variety that can be produced using only solids. In fact, I'm planning an entire quilt using just solids so that I can experiment more. Plus it gives me a great excuse to go all crazy in the kona section of my local fabric store!

BabyBot

2011-05-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

Finally finished Bailey's BabyBot!

There were definitely some issues with this little bot....

You can see that the body didn't end up exactly square and the legs/feet turned out larger then they were supposed to.

But I still think it's pretty cute! And tiny.

It's been a lot of fun to learn more about amigurumi, though I think it takes a bit more patience than I generally have!

For anyone else wanting to try this type of crochet project I would suggest picking up a good book or searching for beginner tutorials on the web. I would also recommend not worrying too much about size and making them a little larger at first (by using a larger size crochet hook). The smaller they are the more difficult they are to make. This one was made with a size C2 crochet hook and it was definitely a challenge!

Thankfully, my three year old doesn't care at all about perfection. She just wants a little bot to love, and I'm more than happy to oblige.

Mother's Day Gifts

2011-05-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

Made a couple of little fabric baskets to give my mom for Mother's Day.

She loves owls and once I saw these beautiful linen/cotton Japanese prints I knew I had to get them and make something for her.

These were made using the tutorial over on Pink Penguin. I love how they turned out and am especially glad that my mom loves them too!

Here's hoping all the wonderful mamas I know had a fantastic weekend with their families!

Introducing: BigBot

2011-05-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

Awhile back I purchased this book (image from Amazon.com).

After thumbing through and carefully inspecting each and every project, Owen asked for a BigBot.

Well, his birthday is coming up. And I want to encourage his love of all things crafty and handmade. So he'll be getting this:

The colors are different from the version in the book but I absolutely love this little bot! In the interest of truth, however, I must say that these small crochet projects take a long time to complete. Well, for me anyway.

It will all be worth it when he sees it for the first time!

Of course, now Bailey has put in her request for a BabyBot. I guess I better not put the yarn away just yet.

Vacation!

2011-05-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

The kiddos, Grams, and I all headed to the Oregon Coast for a few days to have some fun.

We visited the Hatfield Science Center, which was full of all kinds of amazing displays and this was pretty much my view for most of the afternoon:

There were some great touch pools so that the kiddos could check out the sea stars, anemone, and sea urchins up close.

Of course, the pool at the hotel was a big hit. I loved watching my little water babies waddle down the hallway with all their pool gear.

Of course, they had to see what they would look like as sea divers.

We found this great whale statue while waiting to get into the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

Bailey loved the windows in the floor of the big glass tunnels at the aquarium where she could see the sharks swimming right underneath us. I love that she was so entranced that she felt no self-consciousness about getting right down on the floor to check it all out.

And Owen loved being eye to eye with all of the fish and sharks. He really loved the sting rays, too.

And this is probably my favorite picture from the whole trip!

Or maybe this one. Jellyfish are so amazing!

If you make it to Newport, Oregon, I highly recommend both the Hatfield Science Center (free!) and the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Good times!

Done Deal

2011-05-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

This was pretty much my view for the past several evenings.

Let me just say that straight(ish) line quilting a bed size quilt on a home machine is not the easiest thing in the world to do.

I was sweating and using questionable language at certain points in the process. It was a workout!

And there are more puckers than I care to admit. But I will - to show you one of my favorite things about imperfect quilting.

And that thing is: there are an astonishing number of imperfections that wash out! By that I mean, many (if not most) of the mistakes/imperfections/screw-ups-that-I-don't-bother-to-remove all but disappear once the quilt has been washed and dried. There is nothing better than a new quilt fresh from the dryer in all it's crinkly goodness.

Here's one of the worst sections of puckers in my quilting before washing:

I mean, the fabric was so loose that I actually had to fold it over in spots. It's practically pleated! And of course it happened on a geometric print so it's totally obvious.

Note to self: be a little more generous with your basting spray and a lot more diligent about getting the creases out of the batting.

Here's the same section of the quilt after being washed and dried:

It's not like the puckers completely disappeared but they sure aren't as noticeable as they were before.

This was a very challenging project for me and I'm very happy with the results, even if every little thing isn't "perfect."

Bailey loves her "big girl" quilt. And yes, I know I'm insane for giving my 3 year old a quilt with so much white.

Here it is in all it's crinkly glory - good thing my hubs is so tall!

And this is by far my favorite quilt back that I've ever done. I may even like it more than the front.

And you want to know something?

There are quite a few puckers on the back as well!

My lesson learned is to not be overly critical of my sewing or quilting. I'm having fun and learning and creating. If I let myself get bogged down in seeking perfection it will make me too intimidated to try new things or ever get anything finished. For now, I'm thrilled to be getting projects DONE and into the hands of people who will love them.

And I can't wait to see what's next!

Bandwagon

2011-04-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, I jumped on the DS Quilts bandwagon. There has been a lot of internet buzz over the past couple of weeks regarding this new line of fabric that Denyse Schmidt designed for release through Joann's. I saw a few pictures and the fresh colors and vintage inspired designs really appealed to me. Once I saw the dots and tiles, I really couldn't help myself. But I think my favorite print is this floral on blue texture.

This is a little snappy key chain pocket for my partner in the Pretty Little Pouch swap. It actually fits inside the larger-but-still-small pouch I already made.

Love those dots.

The color palette of red, white and blue with a little sprinkling of yellow/gold seems perfect for summer! I have a few other projects to finish up first, but it will be fun to play some more with this fun fabric!

Pillow Finish

2011-04-25T10:41:00.001-07:00

I've been working on a bed quilt for Miss Bailey. After the blocks were pieced there were some scraps.

So I decided to make a pillow using a pattern in Modern Log Cabin Quilting. It was really easy and fun and I love how the top turned out.

I especially enjoyed stitching the "B" in the center block. Orange, of course. Her favorite color.

And now the pillow is all ready for her bed!

Now I just need to finish the quilting on the actual quilt!

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

From our family to yours... wishing you a joyous Easter!

Modern Log Cabin Quilting

2011-04-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

Fellow Portlander and PMQG member, Susan Beal has a new book out! It's truly lovely and I'm honored to have the opportunity to give you a peek into its pages.

As a self-taught quilter who is still learning (a LOT), I really appreciate Susan's very readable introduction to the history of the log cabin block along with its many variations. She not only highlights the different types of blocks but also the variety of layouts that can be done to achieve amazingly diverse patterns.

There are lots of wonderful projects in the book, each with beautiful photographs, clear instructions, and great ideas for personalizing each piece to reflect your own personality. I love how some of the projects (including the stunning quilt on the cover) challenge my idea of what a log cabin block could be. Here's another example of a bold modern look:

In addition to quilts, there are a number of smaller projects. The Color Story Pillow caught my eye and I was able to whip up the pillow top in record time using scraps from a quilt I'm making for my daughter.

I have plans to make this sweet little zip bag as well, using my prized Japanese prints.

And this bag is so fantastic - made using both the right and wrong side of a rich red corduroy to highlight the cross pattern.

Another thing that I really appreciate is Susan's encouragement to either follow the patterns as written or experiment with the different techniques to create versions that are truly your own. When I made the Color Story pillow top, I needed it to be larger than the pattern in the book and I was also limited by the scraps I had from the quilt top. But I love the way it turned out! You'll need to check back to see the completed pillow since I'm using the top as part of a demo later in the week!

You can check out more of Susan's crafty creations on her blog. And you can see more pictures of projects from the book in the flickr group for Modern Log Cabin Quilting.

If you're lucky enough to be in the Portland area this Thursday, Susan will be doing a presentation at the Portland Modern Quilt Guild meeting! More info over here.

Fun!

2011-04-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in the Pretty Little Pouch swap over on flickr and this is what my partner will be getting in the mail.

The pouch is small - only four inches across! Let me tell you, getting everything turned right side out was no easy task! But I do enjoy a challenge and I love making small projects. Plus, I got to use a bunch of my bright polka dots (which my partner really likes!). And those owls...

The back has more owls, including the largest one who seems a little stern. Maybe he's protecting the contents of the little bag? The inside is fully lined with a nice bright lime green cotton.

Check out all the fun bags being made by the group. I can't wait to see what my partner makes for me!

Another finish

2011-04-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

Here is my entry into Project Modern's second challenge: a monochromatic quilt.

Huge thanks to Jen Carlton Bailly for taking such awesome photos of the quilt!

This is a quilt I had been wanting to make for some time - an exploration of texture. The color palette is natural and there is a huge variety of fabrics that make up the quilt itself: 100% cotton, 100% linen, linen cotton blends, corduroy, flannel, kona crush, monks cloth, canvas, and dupioni silk.

Some blocks have an added textural element such as gathering, raw edges, pin tucks, or selvages incorporated into the piecing.

Quilting was done by hand using perle cotton in three different shades.

I'm thrilled with how this quilt turned out and I just wish you could all touch it and feel the variety of materials and textures for yourself!

It's been very exciting to see a few other quilts that PMQG members have made for this challenge, including Jill's - which WON!!! Thanks to the Modern Quilt Guild for sponsoring such a wonderful challenge!

Kids and Art

2011-04-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

Lately, the kiddos have been very heavily invested in their art easels.

Specifically, the dry erase boards.

I think this is a self-portrait, although Owen just calls it a "happy person."

Bailey shocked us all the other day when she drew a rainbow with the colors in the right order. Then she did it again and named them all: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Not quite sure where she picked up that little trick.

And this is Owen's version of a werewolf. He's been very interested in monsters lately and all the rules that apply to them. He can tell you all about how Dracula can turn into a bat and fly, or how he sleeps during the day and only comes out at night, or how Frankenstein gets energy from lightning, or how the werewolf only changes into a "bad guy" at midnight with a full moon.

So, if you have any monster questions, just ask.

Soon

2011-04-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

Very excited to show you what this stack of fabric turned into!

Very monochromatic, isn't it?

PNCA Quilt Show

2011-04-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

Portland Modern Quilt Guild's first quilt show opens this Thursday! And this charm quilt I made from our first guild charm swap is going to be on display.

We would love to see you at the the opening reception of the quilt show during First Thursday, April 7 from 5:30 -7:30 pm at Pacific Northwest College of Art, 1241 NW Johnson St. The show will be displayed in Gallery 214; join us for snacks, drinks (including beer and wine) and quilt viewing but don't worry the dress code is casual.

If you're in the neighborhood pop on by and say hello!

Castle Peeps Quilt

2011-04-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

Someone's checking out his new quilt!

I've been hanging on to my Castle Peeps fabric for awhile now. I only got fat quarter sets in the blue and green colorways because I knew I wanted to make a quilt for Owen and the red just didn't seem a good fit for him. I supplemented the Peeps with some Kona solids from my local quilt shop.

There are 660 squares that make up the twin size quilt top. Because I wanted a truly random placement I didn't do any strip piecing. That's a lot of squares to sew up! The quilting is a simple straight line on the diagonal. And even though it's hard to see in these pictures, I love the binding, which is a deep eggplant purple Kona. It matches some of the Peeps boots!

Here's the back, just some Moda yardage picked up cheap at the Fabric Depot outdoor sale last summer. If you look closely, you can see that the row of castles on the back looks upside down in this photo. That's so it can be turned down when the quilt is on the bed and be right side up, like you can see here.

And this is what makes it all worthwhile!

I Can Hardly Wait

2011-03-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

I am beyond excited to share this quilt finish with you! But you'll have to wait for it to come out of the dryer and for me to get some proper photos taken. Here's a peek:

Crazy Weekend

2011-03-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

We've spent the last several days at home with some kind of yucky flu-ish virus, complete with ear infections, which we still aren't entirely over yet. But I thought I'd share some images of our sugar-laden-cold-treats-that-make-a-sore-throat-feel-better weekend.

This was a total sympathy popsicle because Bailey is the only one of the four of us to be left unscathed by the sickness. But she had a pretty boring time of it so what the heck - have a blue raspberry popsicle.

And this is her "monster face" after some chocolate ice cream.

Owen can't keep a fierce monster face for too long. He cracks himself up!

And a couple of signs that things will surely be better soon. Looking forward to sharing a couple of recent quilty finishes!

Have a great Monday!

Happy Mail

2011-03-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

You know it's a good day when something like this shows up in your mailbox:

Kerry is a new blog friend and we've been chatting a bit back and forth. She has a wonderful blog full of inspiring and creative projects so be sure to check it out and say hi. A little while ago I posted a picture of some homemade cinnamon rolls and that prompted a little personal swap.

I sent some really strong cinnamon along with a potholder and some little fabric bits that I thought Kerry would like along with the recipe for the cinnamon rolls. And this is what she sent to me:

Am I lucky or what?! I should mention that there were also two fabulous chocolate bars that obviously didn't last long enough to make it into a photo and some tasty tea.

Really beautiful fabric - all new to me!

And here's the back of the potholder, complete with one of Kerry's handmade tags, which I adore.

And a better look at the front of the potholder. I have it hanging in my kitchen with strict instructions to my husband to not use it! I just want to enjoy looking at it!

Here's the potholder I sent:

And the back has a pocket for your hand:

Thanks for such a fun swap, Kerry!

A New Tutu

2011-03-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

I will apologize now for the quality of the photos in this post. It was crazy hard to get Miss B to keep from dancing around like a whirling dervish because she has a...

...BRAND NEW TUTU!!!

In that pic above she's clearly thinking, "Mama, you gave me a tutu but you won't let me dance in it? Why do I have to stand still when I want to be dancing?"

This is from the new Oliver + S book Little Things to Sew and it's AWESOME!

My kids want me to make pretty much everything in the book: mittens, a messenger bag, reversible bucket hat, you name it. If it's in the book, they want one. Great stuff for both boys and girls, though I did have to start with the tutu because I knew I could get it done FAST!

It's really constructed like a full wrap around apron so no elastic or any kind of funky waistband issues. Just tie it up in the back and she's good to go.

And go and go and go!

Have a great day!

A Birthday Purse

2011-03-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law had a birthday this past weekend. She didn't want anything, she never does. She's frugal and has quite a personal history, raised in Russia, living in Germany during WWII and even being imprisoned for part of that time before coming to America as a young woman. So, she didn't want anything.

But my husband noticed that her purse has seen better days. He bought it for her decades ago and the strap is now being held together with duct tape. He asked me if I would make her a new one.

And this is what we came up with:

I had an old Butterick pattern and Gary thought his mom would like this particular style. And the home dec weight fabric was his choice as well (and a shout out to Jill who gifted it to me awhile back - hey, there's still MORE!).

Here's the back.

I tell ya, this thing was not easy to put together. Especially since it was for a gift. I get hyper critical of my sewing when I know it's a gift. But all in all, I like how it turned out. It's fully lined and has two interior pockets and the whole thing is nice and sturdy because it's interfaced with fusible fleece.

Here are the exterior pockets under the flap. And I love the green zipper - it makes me smile.

Now maybe I'm ready to tackle my Amy Butler pattern and make a Sweet Harmony handbag. Maybe.

New Needlebooks

2011-03-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

I've made two more Hexagon Needlebooks using this sweet sewing and notions print. I love how these ones turned out!

One has this crazy cute safety pin print on the inside.

And the other has tiny red dress forms.

Both are listed in the shop!

Thanks for visiting!

It's the little things...

2011-03-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite saucepan:

Note the all metal handle, which makes it great if you want to also use it in the oven but also makes it hot whenever you use it on the stove.

This is the standard issue leather handle cover:

Poor, sad, plain little thing.

So I dressed up the handle with this little number:

A little bit of linen, some scraps, insulbrite, and binding are all my favorite pan needed!

Hmmmm....now what's for dinner?

Paper Piecing

2011-03-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

This is my first paper pieced block (other than a string quilt block made using a paper foundation).

Pattern here.

And very helpful tutorial here.

There are a few little "oops" but I'm still really happy with how it all turned out. I had a lot of trouble starting out because I just did not "get it." But boy, once I figured it out and everything clicked, it was amazing. And fun! It's really kind of magical to watch it all come together because it seems so unlike any other kind of sewing I've ever done. Using solids was very helpful because at least I didn't have to be worrying all the time about whether my fabric was facing the right way or not.

If you want to see some paper piecing at it's finest, cutest and most creative then head over to the Ringo Pie group on flickr and prepare to be amazed. I've been stalking the group and it's members because it's so incredible!

Oh! Before I forget, there's also this nifty little tool that was very helpful. The add-a-quarter ruler helps to trim your paper-pieced seam allowances to a perfect quarter inch and keeps everything nice and tidy on the back of the block.

This block was made with kona ash gray and charcoal, and three random oranges that you'll be seeing in another upcoming project.

New item and a sale!

2011-03-11T06:48:00.000-08:00

Just added this sweet FMF tote to the shop AND put the last three snack sacks on sale.

Check it out! And remember that 100% of the shop's proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation's Camp JAM. Thanks!