One down - one more to go

This is the first of two commissioned quilts. I've never sold a quilt before so this was particularly exciting.  Excuse the picture quality it rained for a week and every time I was home before or after work the lighting conditions stunk.  The background is that I love making quilts.  Not any old quilt.  I like making quilts with meaning. Ones that honor people, reflect the recipient perfectly pretty much anything that invokes happy memories, nostalgic moments or just makes you feel special every time you look at it. This is why, despite the beauty, I haven't jumped on the modern quilting bandwagon. I can't bring myself to make a quilt for the sake of it.  I need to construct a story and go from there.

After explaining this to my friend and real estate agent, Rachel, she asked me to make a quilt for a friend who was expecting a baby and had lost both her Mom and Dad.  I asked her to explain the girls parents and try her best to get some fabric that belonged to her parents. She contacted the girls Aunts who had a 30 year old polyester mustard napkin and yellow-ish placemat.  After peppering her with questions and finding enough fabric to complement the donated items I decided on neutral colors with cotton shirting material since the napkins were provided by her Mom's side I figured the girls Dad could be represented as well in a traditionally masculine associated dress shirt fabric. Rachel and her friend shared a really special moment once she gave her the quilt and with any luck her bouncing beautiful baby will enjoy the quilt for years to come.  

I really enjoyed this process. If you or someone you know needs a quilt for a sweet little baby I can turn it around within days. Just let me know.

Introducing Miss B and October Blogging

I'm a day late in my commitment to blog everyday in October but I blogged on the 30th so I think I'm safe.  From here on it'll be a post a day.  Why would I want to do this?  I'm glad you asked.  I BOUGHT A NEW (to me) SEWING MACHINE from the workroom.  It's a Bernina 230 - Patchwork Edition.  Forever more known as Miss B.  I'll take a proper in action picture when the light is better tomorrow but until then.  Here is her sister.

I'm back with some news...

Sorry for being away for so long - 15 weeks and 1 day to be exact. Where have I been? Growing a baby. We're pregnant! Pregnant with blessed baby number one. Our Doctor gave us the green light to share the news on Friday. To celebrate I treated myself to gorgeous wool at my local shop to make this beautiful blanket. I made the hat for a friends baby last year but haven't been able to justify such a pricey wool purchase until now. Stay tuned for many more updates as my energy comes back and I get my new sewing machine next week.





Photo courtesy of http://www.knithappens.com/content/view/13/1/.

NKOTB APPLIQUE

My bestfriend since elementary school visited us with her husband and one of her daughters. We found out New Kids on the Block were in town that week and thought it was meant to be. Needless to say we went, had a blast and giggled our heads off. On a serious note we did feel silly walking down the street in our NKOTB t-shirt. I put a sweater on and Tricia followed shortly after.


I appliquéd the letters on the t-shirts and learned a VERY important lesson - if you are stitching something that will stretch attach every single inch of fabric along the outside and start stitching about an 1/8th of an inch from the outside. When you put letters across your ample bosomed chest missed spots are BLATANTLY obvious.

This little one of Tricia's did not make the trip but Mike and I spent sometime at the beach with her. Just look at that little face.

What a fun weekend.

Mike's Aunt and Uncle gave us free reign of their cottage as a wedding present. The cottage was so cozy and fun. It was even more fun that our friends Andy and Krista, who got married within weeks of us, shared the weekend with us.

Some notable highlights were -

the food:



my hubsters mad steak making skills:




the humming bird outside the kitchen window and lastly,


the view:

Katie is Getting Married

One of my favorite friends is getting married this weekend and she's asked me to stand for her. She stood in our wedding last year and I hope, hope, hope I'm half as helpful as she was for me.

I've been working away on a summery dress and finally finished it tonight. I'll post the dress later once I've had a chance to hem it.

This is an apron I made for Kate's bridal shower. She complains about not being a good cook so I hope this will bring her some confidence. The pattern came from Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing book.

Blissed out...

I'm having one of those days or even weeks where life seems to be wrapped up in a big blissful ball of excitement and anticipation. I'd apologize for not blogging but I haven't heard any complaints.

My bestfriend since elementary finally came to visit with her lovely little daughter and husband. I spent the entire week seeing the world through a six year olds eyes and stomach. When you hang out with six year olds who are on vacation that entails icecream every single day or just randomly twirling an umbrella for at least an hour at a time.

Just before Tricia, Mark and Ella arrived I made another friend, Jen, a bag for her birthday. Originally I thought she would use it sparingly as a dressy gym bag alternative when she didn't want to lug her cute sporty one around. Oh boy was I wrong - in a very pleasant way. Every time I see her she's wearing it as her regular everyday purse. I'm the type of person who saves things when they are special. Not Jen - no, no, no. She uses the things she loves again and again and then when they start to fade or rip she takes the time or money to fix it and then keeps on reaping mounds of pleasure from it. What a nice way to live your life, eh? If someone asked me what Jen's metaphor for life is it would be - enjoy what you have to the fullest then do something about it when it starts to fade, rip or start to stink. How lucky am I to have a friend who lives her life like this?

This is the bag I made her using fabric she fell in love with and bought four years ago at an outdoor fabric sale. She was going to donate to charity when I asked her for it. Because she's using it so often I'm going to add a pocket and liner for her. Stay tuned for the update.