Quilt in action!

Man, I love it when quilt recipients share a photo of a quilt I've made, in use. Particularly baby quilts, because OH THE CUTENESS!! You might remember this solids and polka dot quilt I made for the daughter of a coworker and friend. Mama sent me this photo last night of Gaby the wondergirl playing on it and it just made me smile. Check out this girl's HAIR!!!






Happy weekend everyone. rainy and wet here - hope you're sitting under sunnier climes!

- Donna

Sewing vacation

I took a day off yesterday with the express plans to SEW!!! Holly came over to join me and we both jumped a bit from project option to project option before settling down at our machines. I ended up finishing two baby bibs for a baby gift (pattern by jennifer casa). I'm a little bit in love with the grey green one but the pop of orange on the blue one makes me smile I'll be shipping these off across the country later this week and I hope the newest arrival likes them.

I also made a bracelet using jennifer's awesome tutorial for wristlet's and Holly and I have plans to making a dozen or so for the most recent Craft Hope call out. More to come on that one!

Anyone feel like joining Holly and I in some bracelet making?

- Donna

Jelly Roll Wonderland

My grandmother used to make the best Jelly Roll. Actually, come to think of it, she was the only person I've ever know to actually make Jelly Roll, but it was fantastic! Each time I hear the words, I am thrown right back to my childhood, sitting at her kitchen table savoring every last bite of my slice! I really wish I had her recipe so I could recreate that same pleasure for my daughter, but I doubt I'd be brave enough for the rolling part. I could see my cake cracking in more places than one!

This wonderland was my first ever fabric Jelly Roll purchase. I got it on sale when Fat Quarter World was closing out. It's just been sitting on top of my stash for the better part of a year, so I decided to sew it into a simple strip quilt before the fabrics and colors went completely out of style! It sure did make for a quick finish! Gotta love those pre-cuts!

As you can see, I straight line quilted about 1/4" on either side of each seam. I love the effect this gave the solid pink back. I also used two different shades of pink thread to give it a little more interest on the plain back.

This one is going to the next one of my (many!) pregnant friends who announces she's having a little girl.

~Sara

She Sells Seashells by the Seashore

Another baby quilt down. That brings the tally 2/6. Thankfully all of the moms-to-be are all due no earlier than the summer, so it gives me some time to work my way up to 6.
I have another strip quilt ready to put the binding on...once I make the binding, that is. Also, I did some cutting yesterday for what should be #4 of six, but it's a wonky star pattern and that may get set aside if I need some instant gratification and interrupt the program with another strip quilt or some patchwork. I do have a stash of charm packs on the ready for when the mood strikes!

So this is the quilt where the walking foot made it's maiden voyage. Love that thing! It took a bit to get used to (first strip or two) and before I knew it, I had the pedal to the metal and the thing was all quilted! I mixed in a little bit of loopdy loos on the solid strips to add a bit of interest. I was nervous to try the loops, but they were really fun! This could definitely be my quilting pattern of choice for an entire quilt.

Ashley also has the strip quilt bug. The Mendocino was purely coincidence as I was inspired to cut into my stash after doing a swap with Tong, but now that I see her version, I wish I would have added a few smaller strips of different colors in for some variety. I am happy with this little quilt, though. It was a quick finish and right now, that's what I need!

~Sara

Action Shot #2

Is there anything sweeter than a baby girl freshly home from the hospital in her brand new nursery?

I think not. I wish she wasn't 10 hours away so I could snuggle her.

Action shot #1 here. Also so very, very sweet!

~Sara

A lil' bib for my lil' one

I made a cute little bib yesterday using a tutorial I purchased ages ago from jcasahandmade. It was super easy and turned out really cute. I am embarassed to admit how much binding I had leftover from my recent quilt, so it's great to have a project to use it up on. I mismeasured hugely and have a pile of red fabric all cut into binding strips. What was I thinking?? Oh right, calculating the length required involved math.


I used several value village finds, one of which I'm sure you'll remember from my recent quilt. I think it'll keep showing up in things until it's gone!! The khaki fabric is a piece of the tab curtains from ikea that I recently unearthed in a basement clean up. Before I sewed, they would have been nothing more than cast off curtains, but as a sewist, these curtains are fabric gold.

- Donna