the quilt!

Finally! It's finally sewn together! I decided I will just add a yellow border to make it a bit longer & wider, then it is off to the long arm quilter to get stippled, and then I will finish this sucker. Yes, I will.

Things I have learned making my first "real" quilt:

1. pins are my friends

2. straight lines are important (and hard to attain)

3. done is better than perfect

Seriously this took a really long time even though it shouldn't have. I got bored with the pieces, then I had to square them all up because I am a sucky straight-line-sewer. Squaring up was super annoying, so I averaged one square/week for a while there. Poor Oliver was probably wondering if he would ever get a big boy blanket for his bed. At the end I decided to just go for it and get it over with. It can suck, I told myself, it's my first quilt. Oliver won't care. And you know what? It actually doesn't suck. It looks okay. I still plan on embroidering on a couple of the turquoise squares (a few with pictures and one with something like "Otto's Quilt 2010. Love, Mama" and of course need to add the yellow border, which I am getting to TONIGHT so that I don't procrastinate even longer. I also bought this a-dor-a-ble multi-colored dot fabric to use as the binding after I get it quilted. The backing is a red sheet I bought at IKEA.

I love the circles inside the squares, but I didn't have enough to make it a real twin-sized quilt, so that is why I added the turquoise squares. Each square is 6.5". I like how the solid colored squares give it a random feel. Makes me happy. :)

needle + thread

There is nothing better than a homemade gift--as long as it fits the style of the person to whom you are gifting.

Our new neighbors are expecting their second child any day now. They are having a boy and already have a 2 year old girl, so I thought it would be a good excuse for some boyish onesies. I embroidered these with Sublime Stitching transfers. Cute? Yes!

I also thought I would show off a couple more of my "professional" pieces I have knit. These were for another awesome photographer friend I have. Check her out at www.oneswiftclick.com. Jessica's amazing!

Baby cocoons:

Baby hats:

fresh knits

I keep forgetting to snap pictures of my finished projects before I give them away. Luckily, one of the people I am giving stuff to is a photographer. I have made her a few items now and have a few more in the works for her to use as photo props. 

I am not really much of a crocheter, but I did manage this baby beanie with a flower. Lovely photography, too! Check her out at www.alisonleaphotography.com. I will post more photos of my knit items as she gets subjects to photograph in them.

My friend Casey has a new baby girl and I needed a newborn head to size these baby headbands I have started knitting. Here's the one baby Madeline is sporting for me. 

I made up the pattern and have so far made it in three sizes: 0-12 months, 2-4 years, and 6+. They are quick and satisfying little projects.

I went to North Carolina to visit a friend this past weekend and while there I made myself a new nursing cover. No picture of the finished project yet, but this is the material I used. I got it for a steal--four dollars for almost two yards! (Ignore the gray at the bottom there. Guess I was faster than my internet today.)

I also just went to IKEA and got a red twin sheet ($4.50) to use as the backing on Oliver's quilt. Hopefully I will be done with that thing soon.

star spangled

One thing I have noticed is that boys have an over abundance of red, white, and blue clothes. Girls, on the other hand...well, let's just say my girl has absolutely nothing even remotely patriotic in her enormous wardrobe. 

Today we went to a 4th of July parade and I felt the need to dress my kids in the traditional colors, but I had to get creative with hers. It is not perfect. It was sewn at 10:30 last night (why must I get these crafty urges so late at night!?). It worked and she even got some compliments from strangers--score!

Materials: plain white tank top, three largish patriotic scraps from the boy's quilt, and some red ribbon.

Finished product: