car cozy

As you might know, I have a grandson.  As you might not know, this grandson LOVES anything with wheels:  cars, trucks, trailers, trains, motorcycles, wheelbarrows (ok, maybe not that one).  But cars are his #1 go-to toy and have been, I'm sure, for as long as he can remember!   So when I saw the pattern for a car carrier in the Winter 2012 Simple Quilts & Sewing magazine, I knew who needed it.

Last night during quilting class, I discovered some fabrics that inspired me to get sewing.  They are from a Riley Blake line named Boy Crazy.  The fabrics are so cute that I bought some others from the line to make a special pillowcase for Grandma's house (pics to come).
I stitched up the car project in no time this morning and will whip up the pillowcase this afternoon.  Gotta love the easy ones!

The only changes I made to the pattern were to add rick rack to the pocket dividers and to top stitch the yellow road lines.  Oh yes, I didn't use black flannel for the road as the pattern suggested.  I thought it would collect far too much fuzz and crumbs from the floor.
(I just noticed the whisker thread at the bottom that needs snipping! oopsie)

I bought the tractor and jeep from Target, and the green/silver car we had leftover from my boys.  I do wish the tractor had a trailer, but Evan is quite skilled at taping and I'm sure will finagle a way to have it "haul" something.

See what I mean??

The cozy folds in half and rolls up quite nicely, even with the bulky cars inside. After I took this photo, I angled the ribbon ends and applied Dritz Fray Check - a sewing staple!  

Happy vroom-vrooming to Grandma's little darling!

jelly & jam quilt

Sadly, my employer is not well.  I will be working Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to help out in the shop while she recovers.  Because I'm leaving Thursday to spend a few days in Sacramento, I decided I needed to get my latest quilt posted before my next quilts are back from the quilter (pressure!)

This one is for my niece Ana who is currently away at college in Rexburg, Idaho.
A long way from home.
In a wasteland.
In need of comfort!

I think you'd agree that because quilts are a labor of love, they are a perfect way to let people know that you care about them.  And I do love the practicality of them, too.

I'll never forget one day seeing a pick-up truck loaded with furniture with a beautiful vintage quilt being used to wrap one of the items in the bed.  That, my friends, is taking practicality a little too far.  How I wished I would have motioned for the drivers to pull over and had offered them money for it.  I would have taken the dear home and appreciated it like it had probably never been appreciated before.
I reasoned that the people probably would have thought I was a psycho, so I let them travel on.
But I still think about "what if"and dream that someone rescued the gem from her abusive owners.  Where's QPS (Quilt Protective Services) when you need it!

The main fabrics I used came from a fabric roll I had in my stash - Fandango by Kate Spain.  The quilt pattern is a Fig Tree & Co. named Jelly and Jam and made from one jelly roll, sashing fabric, and border fabric.

The backing is a soft homespun.  Perfect cuddling fabric!  I was happy to find it in pink.

As it is 2:40am and I have a b-u-s-y week ahead working and trip preparation (don't forget to sprinkle in bills, laundry, upcoming Father's Day, LIFE), I'd better run for my pillow now!

I can explain....

*cricket chirp*
repeat
repeat

I know what you're thinking.....
Is anyone out there????

I promise that I have some really good excuses as to why I haven't been around this past month.
Let's begin...

We drove 1600 miles round trip and attended my daugher's college graduation in Logan, Utah (yay, Nat!) and helped her pack up and move out of Cache Valley FOREVER, and....
I frolicked for 10 glorious days with my darling eldest daughter and her 2 year old son (aka, Grandma's Boy) while they were here visiting and....
I prepared and delivered a presentation to DUP (Daughers of the Utah Pioneers), and....
I added a day of work each week to my fun little quilt shop job, and....
I drove over 1,000 miles to and from Sacramento to visit my dear mother, and....
We enjoyed a calorie laden Memorial Day BBQ with friends... and
I attended my son's seminary graduation last night (I just randomly threw that one in).

Just so you don't doubt me, I'm going to give you some proof  ...

My girls on the Quad at Utah State University.

Graduation dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  Nat rode the "celebration saddle" while we all sang to her.  Perfect for the Equine Science graduate!

No trip to Utah is complete without feasting at Chuck-A-Rama.

Our day at Disneyland was SO STINKIN' HOT!  Evan's face says it all.

Jealous? You can't help it!

We stayed three glorious nights here at the Wyndam Resort (thanks MOM!)

A completion of four long years of EARLY morning religion classes. My son is second from the left.

People.
I missed three weeks of quilting class.  Ultimate proof that I was busy!!!

But today was the day that I dusted off my abandoned sewing machine and reacquainted myself with a needle and thread.

First, I finished the last of my broken dishes blocks.  These were made from a 10" stacker of Riley Blake's Seaside fabric.  I had cut each square into four 5" blocks and then using this method, made half-square triangles.  I had then sewed four HST's of the same fabric into one broken dishes block. After all 100 small blocks were made, I then combined four random blocks together to make 25 large blocks.

And here I've stopped. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing next (any suggestions??).
This dilema is a hazard of starting a project without a clear sense of direction.
For now, the blocks simply exist to make me happy.

ON to my next accomplishment:
These three quilts are donation quilts for Project Linus that someone had dropped off at the shop where I work.  They were unbound, so I volunteered to finish them up.  It's funny how I had just been thinking that I would like to do something service oriented using my quilting know-how when these magically appeared. No coincidence here, I think.

As you can see, I used a couple of baskets in my "photography" (term used loosely!).  That is so when my husband looks at the stacks of baskets I have stored in the garage and asks, "Do you really ever use these?" I can answer, "Oh, yes I do!"

pillow cheer

A little something to brighten the day for my dear stepdad who is convalescing....

I know it's not much; but hopefully these pillowcases, in a simple way, will let him know that I'm thinking of him.



Tutorial from the blog Notes from the Patch linked here...

just stitchin'

Here's what my sewing machine and I have been up to lately.
I do have other sewing projects to start (a robe for my daughter and pillowcases for my stepdad), so I'm going to hold off taking these latest quilts to the quilter until the other items are finished.  It's a self-imposed reward system that I have!

This quilt is going to be for my grandson, Evan.  He has an adorable nautical themed bedroom and the colors of these fabrics will perfectly match what is already in his room.  The pattern is from the Fons & Porter magazine Easy Quilts and is called Square Knots.

This  next quilt top is one that came from scrapping another quilt that I had started. I had only gotten as far as the 16 patches when I realized I was not going to be happy with it.  I cut the blocks on the diagonal and set them with a neutral background to make gigantic pinwheels.
No regrets.

I'm off to Utah this week to attend my daughter Natalie's college graduation.  Then my daughter and grandson are coming to visit for ten days.  LOTS of fun in my future!!!

let's repeat that!

Because they're just so much fun to make....

.... today I made another coupon wallet.

This one was made with some leftover 14 inch long strips from an Amy Butler fabric roll. I sewed two precut 2.5" wide strips and trimmed each down to 1.25".  Then I sewed another strip and cut it down to 1.25, adding more strips and trimming until I had eight strips sewn.  Then I cut down the entire rectangle to 8.5"x12".

Now wouldn't you make one if you had an extra button lying around???

P.S. Original post with tutorial link and more info here.

it's about time!

Months ago, my eldest daughter asked if I'd make her a coupon wallet.
"Sure," I replied.

And then I didn't make it.
She never again mentioned it, but I knew that she knew that I owed her.

So finally ... FINALLY... I got to the business of sewing one.  And it whipped up in a jiffy.  And I have no idea why I procrastinated so long!

The tutorial is found at Art Gallery Fabrics and is by Fat Quarter Gang.  They call their pattern Fabric Envelopes.

I didn't much care for their squared-off front flap (plus I worried it wouldn't stay closed), so I made mine with a curve and a notch to accomodate a button closure (that way the button wouldn't be low on the front).

For placement with the loop, just measure it a little below the center of the button.  Do you see how I double stitched the elastic cord at the flap edge?  That will hopefully keep it from coming loose.

I used heavy thread when stitching the sides, and my bobbin didn't like it so well.  But because it's the back, I'm not going to worry about it.

Much better than the plastic ziplock bag her mother uses, no?
A quick project if you need a gift in a jiffy (I'd certainly like one!).

Time to get to saving :)

the little bag

Today during lunchtime, I stitched up a little something for myself.

I found the tutorial at Pink Penguin, and it's called Reversible Patchwork Bag.

Fortunately, I had a leftover finished block from a quilt that I had made as well as some 2.5" squares - just what the pattern called for.  A pinch of this, and a scrap of that and voila!

It's only 8 inches square and so stinkin' cute.

I love a project that is spontaneous and speedy.
What a fun Make it Monday ... and probably Tuesday, too!

p.s.  I'm thinking it will be a nice hiding place for my mommy chocolates .... you know what I'm talking about!

little house, big smile

While we were growing up, my only sister loved the pioneer stories from Little House on the Prairie.
She read the books.
She watched the TV show.
She rode horses.

I didn't get it.

I was the mall shopping, wardrobe building, perfume loving, INDOOR sister.

When it came time to make my sister a quilt (because every sister needs one!), I decided to shelf my lack of connection to this era and make one in her favored Laura Ingalls style.

And now that it's finished ... true confessions ... I'd kind of like one myself.

This quilt makes me think of homemade apple pie, chickens in the yard, and stories by firelight.
All good things.

Maybe those pioneers had more to love about them than I gave credit for.
Thanks, sis.