Rescued Green Sailor Dress

This dress is a rescue from my Goodwill pile. I made it a while back and was so displeased with the result that I put it in a black bag in the garage, never to be seen again. Or so I thought. A couple of days ago I pulled it out and took another look. I decide that maybe it wasn't THAT bad. So I switched out the wooden buttons for abalone ones and liked it a little better. The actual colors are richer than what came out in the photos (looks too grayish green). It is made from a 1960's vintage pattern.

Seamless Bolero

I loved knitting this easy one piece bolero by Debbie Bliss found in her book Simply Baby as well as free here. Knit with Cotton Ease yarn on size 7 and 8 needles. A little bulky, so if I make one again, I'll make a larger size for a bigger child to wear.

Diaper Burp Cloths

When you want to add a little handmade something with a baby gift, these simple burp cloths are the ticket. Fold in half short ways a pre-folded diaper and turn right side out (center the seam in the back). Applique little circles of fabric on the front using an iron on adhesive. Bind with pre-made bias tape, press and you're done!

Little Fabric Case

A quick little gift I made for a friend. The main "fabric" is from an IKEA placemat and adds a nice texture! The pattern is from the book"Pretty Little Purses & Pouches" .

Pot Holder Beginnings

I saw this delightful photograph in the current issue of Better Homes and Gardens and was inspired by the colors. On my list of things to do, I had written making pot holders for a couple of friends that I visit and teach each month. Voila! Before my eyes was a perfect color scheme!

So off I went to my local quilting store. But I must confess, I didn't have very high hopes of finding what I wanted. Their selection consists of more traditional calico fabric and I was wanting fresher colors for this project. But I was in luck! One green, one red, and one yellow fabric in the colors I wanted. These are the finished tops in a pattern called "Eccentric Stars".

And here is one more set of tops that I made in a much simpler pattern called "Twist". I wasn't careful and didn't coordinate the red and green squares to match each other on the separate pot holders. In this photo, one pot holder is quilted just inside the seam lines and one is not so that you can see the difference that simple outline quilting makes; but they are both quilted now.
Now to find a backing fabric....

Easy Baby Toy

From the book "Pretty Little Presents". I added some ribbon and zig-zagged across the ends of the petals to give it more dimension. The toy is made by sewing a casing at the squared end of the petals and joining them all with a piece of elastic. I chose the contrasting colors of red, white, and black so that the toy was appealing to a young baby.
PS: There are little bells inside the stuffing which makes for a muted jingle sound. Sweet.