McEgg Baby Quilt

When Mandy sent an email with the fabric she had chosen for little Salvador Dali, I remembered I had some scrap packs with it in them.  I just love the little blue and green animals and got inspired when I was looking through the scraps for them.  I used several other blue and green "boy" scraps that I found.  I think the sketched cars and truck are my favorite.  My boy like the dinosaurs and carried the fabric around.  A pair of dinosaur pants is now on my list of to dos!

The back is a dot striped sheet from Target.  It wasn't the plan, but it matches perfectly! I also used it for the sashing on the front. 

I didn't get a great picture, but I quilted it with swirly circles, I guess I'd call them.  I also outlined the squares.
I hope little Snoop Dogg McEgg loves it.  (No?  Speedy Gonzales?  My favorite, Sammy Davis?  What do you have?)

Embroidery 101 Finish...finally!

So I've been gone forever! I always hate it when bloggers disappear. I've been having some migraines that put me out of commission for a week or so. Then I started working on some baby gifts that I don't want to post until the mommies get them. I did finish this quilt weeks ago and have been waiting for the opportunity to take some good pictures of it. Apparently that is never going to happen, so these will have to do. I really like the finished product.

The front of the Embroidery 101 quilt. It makes me want to take a picnic.

The back. On of my favorite backs I've done. I had to creatively piece it because I was not going to buy any more fabric!

I think this little block is my favorite. I love the picnic basket.

I know that several of my loyal followers really liked this quilt as well, so I thought I'd mention that Clover and Violet are getting ready to start Quilt Along. Go check it out. I'm going to do it, I think. I'd love to actually know someone who's working on it in real life!

January Bee Creative Block

I finished my actual Bee Creative block. It's not as bold as the other one, but I think it goes with the other blocks that everyone is making a little better.

For February we're making red and white pin wheels. I'm still looking for one I love. Any suggestions?

Bee Creative

I joined my first bee! Our first block is a Union Jack. We were supposed to do it in whatever colors we wanted. It's a paper pieced block, which is super intimidating to me! I decided to practice with this block. I forgot a few times to add the outside seam allowance to the pieces, and I had to unpick about 8 seams, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I don't love these color choices, so I think I'm going to use something else for my real block!

WIP Wednesday 01/11/2012

My first WIP Wednesday of 2012! I'm going to start my list fresh.

My favorite ongoing project! These are 1 inch hexagons. I've actually made a couple more flowers since I took this. If you haven't tried hexis, they make a great TV watching/car riding project.

This is going to be a gift for someone who reads my blog, I think, so I'll just give you a little taste!

This is an I-spy quilt top. It's only partly finished. I'm going to finish it. Really, I am.

Some half square triangles that I started months ago for a quilt.

Christmas HST destined to be stockings.

Forrest friends string blocks. I have everything cut to make more of them, so hopefully soon these will become a baby quilt.

Embroidery 101 quilt. Basted and just waiting to be quilted.

Birdie Stitches quilt. Top done. Back almost done. Needs to be sandwiched, basted, and quilted.

I spent a couple of days since New Year's Day cleaning up my sewing space after the tornado of Christmas hit it! I had just been sticking stuff where it would fit or just piling it up. I put each of the WIPs in a ziplock bag with all the pieces that go with it. It's much easier to keep them straight. Plus when I want to work on one, I just grab the bag. The only WIP I didn't get a picture of is my Skill Builder Sampler, which I am terribly behind on. It's in the top clear box.  

Completed Projects: 0
Currently in Progress: 9

Be sure to check out what Lee is working on at Freshly Pieced!

12 Lofty Quilty Goals for 2012

1.  Participate in a bee.  I'm already signed up for one and am very excited about it!
2.  Post a tutorial.
3.  Make 12 gifts.
4.  Catch up and finish the Skill Builder Sampler
5.  Make a twin sized quilt for my little boy's big boy bed (which I imagine he will get this year!)
6.  Make a queen sized quilt for our bed.  I have everything to make a Swoon quilt for us.
7.  Make something special for my husband.  He complains that I make stuff for everyone else!
8.  Make a dress and actually wear it somewhere!
9.  Make a twister quilt.
10. Finish the Birdie Stitches and Embroidery 101 quilts.  Both just need quilted and bound.
11.  Complete 4 unfinished projects or give them to someone else to finish/repurpose.
12.  Make a t-shirt quilt (January's Second Saturday Sewing project!)

There are my goals for 2012.  Totally doable.  What are yours?

2011 in Review: Part 2~ Lofty Quilty Goals

Last year I set some quilting goals for myself.  For me it was a nice thing to check back on throughout the year and see if I was really doing what I wanted to be doing.  I wasn't sure if I was going to stay into the whole sewing thing, so I set pretty general goals.  I think I did pretty well.

For 2011 I have a couple of quilts I want to try to make. First I'm going to try to do Birdie Stitches Block of the Month. I love to embroider and I like to quilt. Hopefully I'll end up with something I love. (I've finished all of the blocks and have them pieced together.  Just need to finish the border for the top and quilt!)

I also have all of the fabric to make The Orange Quilt. I have a bunch of orange and aqua Jay McCarroll fabric that I got on clearance at fabric.com. I love it and I think this would be a great quilt to use it! (Nothing on this.  I still have the fabric, but haven't cut into it!)

I would also like to make a zigzag quilt. Maybe a zigzag rainbow. (Done! I used the Punctuation charm pack below for this quilt.  I love it.)

I also have a Punctuation charm pack and Adoring Christmas one. I would like to make a gift quilt with the Christmas one and maybe a baby quilt with the other one. (See Above!  I didn't do anything with the Adoring Christmas.  I bought it on clearance and I don't love it, so I have a hard time wanting to use it.)

I have also gotten 30 30's reproduction fabrics. I'd like to make a 2 inch hexagon grandmother's garden with them. (Instead of a flower garden, I used these fabrics to make a plus quilt for my daughter.  We both love it.  It's my favorite project of 2011.)

I'm working on my list of goals for 2012.  I'm thinking 12 for '12. 

Handmade Holiday Winner!

Christy Ross! Winner! I'll send you a message!

2011 in Review: Part 1

2011 went so fast for me. I think there is something about babies that makes everything go in fast forward! My little man was still a baby at the beginning of 2011, but he's a little boy now! My sweet girl went from a little kindergartner to a big first grader with no teeth and quickly growing legs!
It was just after Christmas last year that I really got a sewing space set up, and it has made a huge difference! Even though I share it with the Wii and the DVDs and my husband's shoes, it's so nice to have a space for spreading out and making stuff. I finished 5 quilts in 2011.

I think my favorite was the zigzag. It was my first with a pattern that wasn't just squares. I also really still love the fabric. Daughter's plus quilt was a close second. It's by far the biggest quilt I've made...almost a double.

These are a few of the gifty type things I made in 2011. I think my favorite is the little princess dolls for my daughter. I made one to look like her, and she says it's her favorite. (I also made a set as a birthday gift and they were very well received.)

My 2011 bags. I gave 2 of these away for Giveaway Days and gave 2 as gifts. Daughter uses hers as her supply bag for Girl Scouts. My favorite is the Christmas tote. It was supposed to be a gift bag, but ended up being a great bag for carrying Christmas gifts, candy for the parade, and stocking stuffers!

My favorite sewing thing for 2011 has to be Second Saturday Sewing. When I first started it, I wasn't sure it would become anything. Maybe I was the only one who cared about making stuff. Turns out, it's a lot of fun. It's great to see 5-ish of my favorite people once a month. It's been awesome to see them grow in confidence and skill. I mean, my friend, Marie, hadn't ever really sewn and she finished a baby quilt for her first project! She made Christmas gifts and even got a new sewing machine for Christmas! I know it's a pain to drive to my house once a month, but thank you, ladies, for doing it!

I have lots of projects that I've worked on throughout the year that haven't been finished...yet. They'll be added to my WIP list for the new year. Come back tomorrow for my Quilty goals update. While you're here, why not tell me what your favorite finish was for 2011?

Handmade Holiday Challege Finishes!

Today is the wrap up for my Handmade Holiday Challenge. Thanks for checking on my progress and keeping me accountable for finishing my 5 gifts. I ended up with a car cozy for my son, some wooden princesses for my daughter, 3 rice bags for the fathers, and a baby quilt for my nephew. I also have 2 great bags that I haven't used yet. I'm leaning towards keeping the big one for my holiday tote. It will be great for holding all of our stocking stuffers from my mom's house. She keeps our stockings to reuse and we always have to figure out how to get the contents home!
I hope that you have also been inspired to make some handmade gifts. If you got your 5 made, leave me a comment. You will need to link to something showing your gifts...your blog, Flickr, Facebook. You also need to be a follower. I will randomly pick a winner on January 3rd for a $25 gift certificate to Connecting Threads. I can't wait to see what you have made!
I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas!

The stockings were hung...

My Sunday night project was these stockings for my sister. I used the tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sew. I have never made stockings before and I really like how they turned out. These are not my particular taste in Christmas colors, but they match my sister's decorations perfectly! I'm definitely not going to have time to get them made for Christmas this year, I think I'm going to make new ones for my little family. I have a Nutcracker embroidery pattern from Wild Olive that would make cute stockings for the kids.

The only project I have left before Christmas is a whole quilt to finish piecing and then quilt and then bind! I have given myself permission to not finish if I get too busy. Hopefully my next post will be a finish, though!

Giveaway Day winner

#93 Heather won the giveaway.  Heather, I've already emailed you! 

Also, just another reminder to make sure you have your email listed in your blogger profile.  The first comment that Random.com picked was a no-reply blogger.  Too bad for her!

Handmade Holiday Challenge Week 5 & 6

Sorry I missed last week.  I switched my work schedule up a little and it threw me off!  I didn't anything finished last week, but I made some progress on the quilt I'm hoping to finish.  The big gift that I did finish was this:

Every year for the past several years, my friend Heather and I have made Christmas candy.  I give mine as my Christmas gift for the people in my office.  We made 4 kinds of fudge, white chocolate pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, and peanut butter balls and christmas shapes (this Reese's Trees).  I think it was our most productive year.  We still have candy at home and at the office. 

Now for my week 6 gift I made these super cute princesses from Lil Boo Blue.   

I had made a set for a birthday present, and Lily wanted some of her own.  She kept asking me about them.  The princess next to Cinderella is Princess Lily.  I don't feel like I have very much skill as far as painting is concerned, and I thought they were easy to make.  I have a box for them, but I think I may make her a small drawstring bag to keep them in. 

That's all 5 of my gifts!  I may have a number 6 for next week, but it's ok if I don't.  It's getting close to Christmas and I've busy enjoying my family!  If you haven't finished your 5, you still have a week to finish.  I'll make a post to link up to next Friday.  If you need a refreshed on the challenge, here's the original post!

Giveaway Day!

Sew, Mama, Sew! hosts Giveaway Day. It is one of the best days (now weeks) of the year. I love visiting all of the great blogs and seeing all of the great things other people make! Some of my favorite blogs have been found by clicking on the Giveaway day links. If you are visiting from clicking today, thanks for coming by. Let me tell you about myself. I'm a wife and a mom to a 6 year old daughter and 20 month old son. I work full time and sew in my free time. I quilt and sew and craft and embroider. I learned how to knit last year, but I haven't spent much time doing it. I originally started this blog to keep track of everything I've made. In blogging, I like to think that I've inspired my friends to start sewing too, and once a month, I've been hosting my friends for a sewing day. That inspired me to issue a Handmade Holiday Challenge. Be sure to check it out while you are here. Maybe you'll want to come back next week to win another prize!
Now for my Giveaway Day giveaway. This time I'm giving away a great lined drawstring bag.

I used Kona Plumberry and some Wonderland by Momo for the outside. The inside is Connecting Threads Butter. I love this Wonderland print because of the sewing things hidden in. The green irons are my favorite on this side and I love the scissors on the other side.

I used the great Lined Drawstring Tutorial from In Color Order. This is the second bag I've made with this tutorial and it's great.
To enter this giveaway, leave me a comment. I'd like to know what your favorite tutorial is lately. I learn so much from other bloggers and I'd like to know who you get inspired by. If you don't have any (ridiculous!), tell me what you are working on. For another entry, follow me and let me know you are a follower! I'll randomly pick a winner.  I hope you'll find something that interests you while you are here and that you'll come back! Now I'm off to click those giveaway links!!!

WIP Wednesday

I didn't get a lot of sewing done this week, but I did get our Christmas tree put up and was in a Christmas parade!  I've been super busy, even if it wasn't at the sewing machine!

I finally sat down to finish my neglected Birdie Stitches blocks.  Up until October, I had been faithfully finishing one each month.  I think because the end was in sight, I just waited to finish the last 3 all at once.  Hopefully this is going to become a Christmas gift for my husband's aunt.

December.  I love the little Santa bird.

October.  The spiders look very cute in person.

I couldn't find the print out of the November block last night, so I just did December instead.  November will get done during my TV time tonight. 

If you don't follow them, Sew Mama Sew is hosting Giveaway Day again.  It's one of my favorite blog holidays!  I've discovered the best blogs that way.  I'm not sure what I'm going to giveaway, but I'm definitely going to participate!  Even if you don't blog, you should definitely check out some of the great giveaways and visit some new blogs.  Check back on Monday to see what I decided to giveaway!



Handmade Holiday Challenge Week 4

Week 4 already!  I got this week's project finished on Sunday, so I've been waiting all week to post it!  I've posted about car cozies before, so this is nothing new.  I finally have one that's going to stay at home.  My little boy is 19 months old and he loves cars!  Couple that with a great sale on Matchbox and Hot Wheels and how could I not make one for him?!? 

Since he's still little, I thought a straight road and a gas station would be enough.  I used fabric paint for the numbers.  I like that it's feely, adding another element for distraction!  I didn't do a great job with centering the letters, so I added the dots to fill the space a little, and I really like them.  They offer something tangible to count to go along with the numbers. 

I added a little loop to the gas pump to tuck the spout? into.  This turned out to be quite helpful for keeping it out of the way when I was sewing it!

Complete with a car that looks kinda like Grandma's.  I think he will love it!

Last year, I decided that I want to make something special for my kids each Christmas.  Last year I made them hooded towels which they still use.  I'm going to start on my daughter's gift this weekend, I hope.  She's 6, so it's a little harder to surprise her.  She's too curious!

How about you?  If you've kept up with me, you only have one more gift to make to be entered to with the $25 gift certificate from Connecting Threads! 



Counting till Christmas

This year we have decided to do a book advent "calendar." We have a regular one that is a little house, but it never seems that fun for everyone. I thought this year, we'd try books. Every night we get to unwrap one and read it. 24 different books in a row. No reading Elf on the Shelf 12 times in a row! I used some books we already had, bought a few new ones, and my sister actually found about half of them for $1 each at the flea market. I figure I can catch some on sale after Christmas to replace the ones we end up not loving or that we grow out of.
All 24 of the books are wrapped and read to be opened. (Do you have any idea how long it takes to wrap 24 little book? I bet my back can tell you after sitting on the floor doing it!) They are all in a basket, along with this Frosty that my little boy LOVES, waiting a spot under the Christmas tree.  Several of my Facebook friends wanted to see the finished list so here it is!

1. The Christmas Story - Jane Werner
2. Christmas in the Manger - Nola Buck
3. Bear Stays up-Karma Wilson
4. The Snowy Day - Ezra Jack Keats
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr. Suess
6. Clifford's Christmas - Norman Bridwell
7. The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas-Justine Korman
8. The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear-Stan & Jan Berenstain
9. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-Robert May
10. Christmas Trolls-Jan Brett
11. Santa's Favorite Story-Hisako Aoki
12. Olive, the Other Reindeer-J. Otto Seibold
13. The Nutcracker-Rita Balducci
14. The Christmas Story with Ruth Morehead's Holly Babes
15. Frosty the Snowman-Steve Nelson
16. Mouse's First Christmas-Lauren Thompson
17. Christmas Surprises-Lucinda McQueen
18. Little Porcupine's Christmas-Joseph Slate
19. Franlkin's Christmas Gift-Paulette Bourgeois
20. Arthur's Perfect Christmas-Marc Brown
21. Little Critter I Smell Christmas-Mercer Mayer
22. Country Angel Christmas-Tomie dePada
23. Biscuit's Christmas Ever-Alyssa Saton Cappercilli
24. The Night Before Christmas-Clement C. Moore

This is not the order we are reading them in, and it is not all of the Christmas books we have. I left out some that we like to read alot, like The Jolly Christmas Postman. I also left out several that only the baby would enjoy and some that were characters like Max and Ruby and the Care Bears. I think it would also be fun to just do 12 days. You need less books that way! Maybe start small and expand your collection after Christmas...or better yet, books for Christmas gifts! Let me know if you have a favorite that's missing from our family library!

WIP Wednesday 11/30/2011

I've had a very productive week. I have been trying to get a few finishes. I made this bag:

It's kind of a strange size, rather tall and skinny. I'm not sure what I'm going to use it for, but it came together quite easily. I used this tutorial for the instructions, but obviously not the size! I think I'm going to made some more, but follow this tutorial for the size too! The bag was really easy to make. It would be great for almost anything.

The other side of the bag. Again I used the Connecting Threads Christmas Cheer Charms. They are 5 inches square, so that give you an idea of how tall the bag is!

I think this is going to be the second baby quilt. I'm not sure how many string blocks I have enough fabric for, but it's a start. They are so fun to make.

This pile of little half square triangles is going to be a stocking when it grows up!

I also got my gift for the week finished, but you'll have to wait until Friday to see what it is!
Jump over to Freshly Pieced for some more project inspiration!

Handmade Holiday Challenge Week 3

Can you believe that Christmas in only a month way?!?  I can't.  Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, I'm starting to get in the Christmas spirit.  Once we get the Christmas tree up this weekend, I can't wait to see some wrapped gifts under it!  Starting with this baby quilt:

I love it!  It's about 48X60, which I think is a good baby size.  I like bigger blankets, especially for wiggly little boys like the one this quilt is for!

The back.  The green with the little animals all over is my favorite!  I wasn't sure how I was going to quilt it when I made the back or I would have lined it up better, but oh well.

I pebble quilted every other orange border.  I just straight lined around all of the blocks.  I really like the quilting.  I think pebbling more would have been too much (not to mention it would have taken 100 spools of thread!). 

So there it is, gift #3.  I'm entering it over at Celebrate Color too.  What did you make this week?  Remember, it's 5 handmade gifts to enter to win $25 from Connecting Threads!