a quilt-a-long

I joined my first quilt along!!
The hexagon quilt-a-long is being hosted by the very talented and inspiring jaybird quilts....I just knew that I had to have one of these quilts to call my own, once I saw joan's (it literally made my jaw drop). 

It only took me about two minutes to decide on using Joel Dewberry's fabric line: modern meadow. Instead of cutting into the pieces from this line that I already have stashed, I decided to order a jelly roll (my first one of those too). 

I received the jelly roll at the end of last week and this morning I got to work. It didn't take long for me to pair, sew and press the strips together...but have yet to be sure the convenience of having purchased the fabric this way was worth it. 

Most of the two inch strips were cut very crooked and a few even had little divots cut into the corners where the fabric was folded. I am not sure how much of this will affect the outcome of my hexagons, but it makes me really nervous since the points really do need to match up in this particular design. 

Now I'm just waiting for the super cool 60 degree triangle ruler that I ordered to arrive and I will be ready for the next step!!

small distractions

Do you ever get distracted from the task on hand? For some reason, I am having a hard time staying on task this week. I don't know if it's because my AMH quilt isn't living up to my expectations, or if it's because my daughter has been really needy this week.....all I know is that I keep finding myself doing everything except what I should be doing. The only good thing about getting distracted is the small items that come from it. 

First up is a mini dresden plate (ok, I admit it...I am a little dresden addicted) on yet another doll quilt.

Originally this was supposed to be a thank you gift, but my sweet baby girl found it and claimed it as her own (to solidify this claim of property, she spilled juice all over it..therefore forcing me to wash it and coaxing me into letting her keep it). So I will have to make another.

Next: An owl pillow for my Izzy's reading chair. 

I made this pillow in a desperate attempt to prevent myself from buying the owl pillow at Pottery Barn Kids....but it didn't quite do the job. I just don't love/like it. Izzy seems to like it (which is the only reason it hasn't been tossed into the donation pile) but I am just not convinced.

Lastly: these adorable little baskets for Izzy's stray crayons and little misc. toys. 

 

I liked the first one so much that I had to make a second one! I used this tutorial over at Pink Penguin to make these little baskets and really enjoyed the process. Outside of giving me a great reason to use some of my Kokka ballerina fabrics, these baskets also gave me an excuse to cut into my Kona Essex cotton/linen blend. Which is slowly becoming my new favorite, staple, must have in stock, fabric. I currently own it in two colors: natural and putty (which is what i used) but have some more selections on the way from Sew Mama Sew. I am totally planning on making myself some of these baskets, only super sized...but won't even allow myself to get started on them until my quilt top is finished!!

not your normal cup of starbucks

I'm not sure about you, but I seem to have an abundance of pins (straight and safety). I never really know where or how to keep them but I do know that I need ALL of them (when basting or binding, I use a massive amount of pins). But what does one do with all those pins??

Today was the day for me to figure it out (plus it totally diverted my attention from my little folks quilt which is not coming along as nicely as I hoped).

 Now a little known fact about me....i L-O-V-E starbucks, one could say that I am darn right addicted (the worst part is that I don't even drink coffee.....it's the chai that has me hooked)!! Well, I figured if it can keep me happy in the mornings....it could keep my pins happy all day long! So I went to starbucks...picked out a cute little mug...and got sewing. 

FYI sewing the round wasn't as hard as i thought it would be.

I adore everything about my new pin mug!! All of the safety pins live on the bottom and my straight pins live on top....nice, cute and condensed. 

I even went as far as filling the pincushion with crushed walnut shells to keep my straight pins nice and sharp. I will also be honest enough to tell you that a good portion of crushed shells now live inside my vacuum cleaner. Note to self: buy a funnel.

Although, I may buy a back up mug...because I am also really clumsy and that mug is porcelain. 

I just got finished taking apart my first little folks quilt and am getting ready for round two....hopefully I will like it the second time around!!

my girl

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend!!

Our holiday was full of deviled eggs, chocolate eggs, plastic eggs and ham.

The time I set aside for working on my quilt was quickly diverted to my girl! Now, I have to tell you that she takes her sewing very seriously.....

and stays very focused on her task.

(Don't worry, the needle has been removed to keep those little fingers safe!)

Last week Joan (wishes true and kind) had shared the idea with me of putting up a design wall for Isabella. All I can say is...thank you, thank you, thank you Joan. I initially liked the idea because of the cuteness factor, but as soon as it was up I loved the idea because of how much Izzy enjoyed her new found creative outlet.

She took to it immediately and surprised me with how long she was fully content designing.

(try not to gasp too hard over the fact that she has some of my little folks scraps, she was very gentle with them)

She spent her morning choosing fabric, pressing fabric, and putting it on her design wall...all with such intense purpose and determination. I loved every second of it!!

I made her fabric holder this weekend using the kidlet pattern (by JC handmade found here). I altered it in size then added straps to hang off the back of her chair, it works perfectly.

I couldn't resist making a second one for her coloring books....and to be honest, I think there will be a kidlet hanging from every door knob in my house by the end of the week! It is the perfect size and remedy for those miscellaneous things that really have no home.

fabric love

Do you have fabric that you love so much that your almost scared to cut into it? Afraid that you won't have the ability to create something worthy of it's beauty? Petrified that you won't love it once it's cut up and sewn together? That said fabric for me is this pile of Little Folks by

Anna Maria Horner.

I'm not even sure what makes me love it so, the soft silkiness of the fabric, the gorgeous colors, or the fact that something about it reminds me of being a young girl...when my life was full of pigtails and pretty dresses.

My stash is finally large enough (and contains all of my favorites) for me to make something. I have even gone as far as sketching some of my ideas out, which I never do. I am nervous but feeling a tad bit determined. So I will keep my fingers crossed and hold my breath while I cut and pray that whatever comes of it will be something that I love as much as I do the fabric! Wish me luck!!