Recent Projects

It seems I only find the time to post about once a month! Hopefully I can find the time to post more often...but something always seems to take priority.

I have been working on a few small projects here and there.  Nothing huge or even very time consuming...I have found that sometimes I enjoy the small projects most.  I also got two new bag patterns, and hope to be making a couple of new bags here in the near future.  I will keep you posted...but for now, here are some fun and simple projects that you can do too!

I love to make nursing covers.  They are SUPER simple and a lot of fun to put together.  I especially love picking out the fabric...that is my favorite part.  I found this tutorial on one of my favorite sites- Prudent Baby.  They have ideas for so many wonderful things, I could brouse their site for days.  You can check them out and find the tutorial HERE.

This one I kind of made up on my own- but they are really easy.  Numbered Bean Bags.  I made these for my nephew who recently turned one.  I bought three different colors of felt from JoAnns, the kind on the bolt.  Cut out numbers and made beanbags (using rice instead of beans, it's more affordable).  I had fun with this...and will probably make a set for my little guy as well.

Lastly, can you guess from the picture what my next project was??

 

If you guessed the tie, then you are correct!  I had bought this pattern a while back and recently found the time to try it out!  I was really happy with the results and can't wait to make more.  The pattern I used was from Little Londyn: Little Guy Ties  I purchased my pattern from a local quilt shoppe - but you can purchase them online as well.  The pattern includes 5 different ties- even one for daddy as well!  I will definitely be making my boys matching ties...won't that be fun! 

What projects have you been working on?!

Until next time (hopefully it won't be another month)!  Happy sewing.  

Do I Win an Award??

An award for neglecting my blog, that is?  I think if there were such an award, I would be in the running!!  Please forgive me!  The holidays were a crazy/exciting time for our little family.  Many of you who know me personally know that my husband, A-train, is currently serving in Afghanistan.  We were so lucky to have him home on leave over Christmas...and obviously, that took priority. 

My sewing projects have been a LITTLE slow as of late...but I have been working on some things-as well as other crafts and knick knacks.  Speaking of knick knacks, I actually hate knick knacks.  When I think of knick knacks I picture something like this.....

Forgive me if you are a fan, but I am not.  So we will just say I have been working on some random CRAFTS, and leave it at that. 

Here are some recent projects that are noteworthy. I have posted some of these on my FAMILY blog, so forgive me if this is a repeat for you.  Hopefully you don't mind hearing about it twice.

This Christmas I decided to spend a little more time and creativity on Christmas gifts.  I should have taken more pictures but alas, I failed.  Here are some that I did get though.

For my Mother and Father in-law I (along with the help of my very talented mother) made a quilt.  My first official quilt.  I will say that I did do all of the sewing, and was very pleased with the finished product.  I am not sure if I will tackle another quilt of this caliber anytime soon...but I hope to be making a tied gigham quilt in the near future.  Maybe I have caught the bug?  Not sure, but we will see I guess.   This picture was taken before the actual quilting and binding were put on...but you get the idea. 

The name of the quilt is Log Cabin Hidden Stars and you can find it in THIS quilting book. The fabric I used was Moda-Charisma  I am not sure if Moda still makes this fabric, but I know they make one very similar called Botique. 

For my partents gift I also enlisted some help...this time from my sister-in-law Larissa.  She had made one of these for her parents and I wanted to copy her...but I am a horrible artist!  So she drew it up, scanned it and emailed it to me.  All I had to do was have staples blow it up and trace it on watercolor paper.  It was a sinch...the hard part was the painting.  I don't claim to be a painter, but I had fun with this, and am happy with how it turned out. 

It's a family tree, and my parent's loved it.

If you are interested in making one for yourself, but don't have the drawing talents?  Let me know and I can put you in touch with Larissa.  She is super, and very talented as well.

Next was my baby boys first birthday.  I wan'ted to make him something fun...but practical.  So I decided to make him these...plush magnetic alphabet letters.  I love them...but there were parts that were a little difficlut to do.  For example...letter with a cut out A B D O P Q etc. were especially difficult.  The instructions stated to cut out the center and then stitch around it to make the edges complete...even with a zipper foot this was hard...because of the magnet that was already sewn in.  I ended up using Liquid Stictch on letters with a cutout.  It's not perfect...but it served it purpose. 

If you are interested in making some for your little ones you can find the instructions at Chez Beeper Bebe I love her stuff.  A couple of changes or suggestions of my own.

1) She used cotton fabric and I used flannel.

2) The letters on her template were a little small, so I created some larger ones of my own.  Same idea.

3) Like I mentioned before, for letters with a cut out I would suggest either making your letters larger, using a smaller magnet OR using the Liquid Stitch like I did.  This might make it easer to sew around the cut out.

Lastly, a couple of weekends ago I went to a little 'Crafting Class' put on by my sister-in-law Megan (yes, I have very creative family members).  Anyway...she taught us how to etch glass.  We had such a fun time and I love my YOU ARE SPECIAL plate.  I think it will be perfect for those special occasions and birthdays.

She has so many wonderful ideas on her website...check her out HERE.

Well friends.  That's my update for now.  Later this week I will post a blog of links to my favorite things.  So stay tuned!!