Not A Clown Car

Sooooo stinkin' glad to not be pregnant anymore.  Sure, babies inside don't poop, cry or eat, but he was beating the crap outta my insides.  This summer I made all the things for this little guy's nursery and it turned out amazing, I must say.  Take a look.

 1.  We painted the walls from a horrific pink to a light blue with a sweet gray accent wall.

 2.  Made a quilt.  I love how the pinwheel blocks turned out.  I used Jay Bird Quilts Unwind.  I used my new Sewing Computer to quilt it with my new walking foot.  I must say that the Bernina walking foot is amazing.  Almost as amazing and life-altering as their invisible zipper foot.  Almost.

3.  Made a crib bumper with the remaining blocks.

4.  I made a swaddle with leftover fabric.  So cute.  It also seemed so small when I was making it.  He fits in it perfectly!  You forget how small babies are.  Even big babies.

5.  And, to top it off, my bike canvas.  I am super proud of this.  I took the michael miller bicycle fabric and made a stencil, scanned it, and used my silhouette to cut out 15 stencils out of freezer paper.  I attached it to the canvas then painted around the stencils.  Then I chose a few bikes to paint green or gray.  I am pretty pumped about the final result!

6.  Oh yeah, and the thing I made that took 9 months.

All My Love

Here is another printable I made today.  So, I am 36 weeks pregnant and my baby is enormous.  So much so that I will most likely be induced in the next week or so (please, please, please).  That being said, I feel like doing exactly nothing.  Well, I feel like sitting on my butt, hence I am at my computer playing on CS4 all day while my kids play with their new kitchen and vacuum.  

Anyhow, I made this for my bedroom.  When Brian was on his mission, I was going through my Led Zeppelin phase (has it really ever ended???) and signed all my letters "all my love" then my name.  In fact, I have this very phrase inscribed in Brian's wedding ring-that he does not wear. i made this in honor of our 10th wedding anniversary which has come and gone back in June.
 I am loving the eye chart art going on out there in blogland.  LOVING it.  So I made some.  If you would like your own copy of it, leave me a comment with your email address and I will most definitely send it to you.  I can also change colors for you to accommodate your decor.  I mean, it is that awesome.  Humility is something I am working on.

for all yuz quilters out there

I have been thinking about making this for a long time.  You know, all those bumper stickers that have a reference to a hobby that you have to have a knowledge of to actually "get"?  For example, knitters have one that says "I do it in public".  Excellent, but I'm not part of that club.  This is ours.  Quilters.  Our exclusive club.  Again, this one is going up in my work room.  I am obsessing over houndstooth right now.  I dream in houndstooth.  No lie.  It is an 8x10 and if you would like a copy of it, gimme your email and it's yours.  I wish I were smart enough to make a download for yuz, but I am not smart enough.  Peace.

LIke My Ol' Grandma Used to Say

I remember being really young and really bored.  I told my grandma such and her response??  "Only boring people are bored."  That really pissed me off cuz I thought she was saying I was boring.  Over the years, every time I hear someone say they are bored I reply that only boring people are bored.  Hence, I made this beauty to hang up in my work room and for my sister to hang in her office. 

Plans!

We will be having a Baby Wayne, as opposed to a baby Doris coming October.  Finding out the sex of a child is AWESOME, especially when it comes to making a list of all the cute things I am going to make him and how I am gonna decorate his room.  First thing I did?  Ordered the cutest fabric EVER!  Check it.   Except that I am going to use some green and I did not get the polka dots.  Polka dots are pretty feminine so I am going to find some more masculine patterns to go with it.  But the bikes?  YES.  I really wanted to find some cute robots and things, but I just loved this Michael Miller fabric.  The quilt I am going to make is this one from JayBird quilts.  It is called Unwind, which I bought months ago.  I thought it would be cute for any Doris or Styles!  Since I don't know where I will be bringing the little darling home to, that is as far as I have gotten.  I am considering making him a blessing outfit, but I also kind of want him to wear the outfit Rad and Roo have worn. I don't know.  I will figure it out when I get settled in AZ!  Happy Sewing!

Knit Wit.

I finally delved into the world of jersey knit fabric.  My new Bernina sewing computer came complete with an overlock stitch, as opposed to my old machine that was certainly NOT a sewing computer or buying a serger (which is not totally out of the question).  So...I went for it!  I have made the boys sweatshirts so I am not a total rookie sewing with knit.  I am clearly not PRO either.  That being the case, I made a maternity dress that I found on this pretty awesome blog.  I had to take it in a TON (not b/c I am skinny...that is not what I am saying.  I am most definitely NOT skinny right now.  Heck, I had two reese's pb easter eggs today).  I love the fabric!  The color is fab, for sure!  Okay, here you go!

Please excuse my filthy house.  I have boxes stacked to my head, as we move to AZ soon.  I HAD to finish the hem of this dress before we leave.  I was going c.r.a.z.y. just thinking about it.  Anyhow, I debuted it at church today and I love how it turned out!  I am not entirely sure I will be sewing a lot with jersey knits but I do like a few things about it.  Namely:  1.  It is very forgiving, both in wear and sewing!  2.  No ragged or frayed edges.  
I finished another dress yesterday too and I will post that next week.  No more sewing till we get settled in in AZ!  By then I will know if we are having a baby Doris or a baby Wayne!  I will be able to put my new sewing computer to good use making things for the new little nugget!  Peace.

Wow.

It's been a long stinkin' time since I have posted anything that I have made on my blog.  It is certainly not cuz I haven't been working on anything!  I have made a TON of things!  Want a list?  Okay!
1.  Maternity dress
2.  Maternity skirt
3. two maternity shirts
4.  three pairs of baby booties
5.  high waisted skirt
6.  Knit maternity skirt
And that brings me to number 7, which is a card table playhouse!  I got the pattern from pink chalk fabrics.  It turned out so cute!  It was especially perfect for us because this spring has been full of nothing but snow, rain and cold weather, so we have been playing our butts off in the playhouse!  Here is the final product!

When I got the pattern in the mail, I thought I would put it away until after we move and get settled in Arizona.  Unfortunately, Konrad found the pattern and harassed me until I broke down and said I would make it.  It was a rather long and arduous project.  You not only have to cut the fabric, but also the adhesive.  THEN, you have to iron it on THEN appliquéd all the pieces.  Not all that fun.  The final product is great, but I have never been so sick of a project as I neared the end of it!  In fact, I broke down and bought some fabric paint and painted leaves and all the lettering on the house instead of then being appliquéd.  The boys love it and that is all that matters to me!  My favorite part is the mailbox, complete with mail that I made them!

The Big Game

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have disappeared off the planet.  I realize the Big Game was more than a month ago.  Anyhow, I made all three boyz and a college of Brian's Packer's ties for the Big Day.  Now, in here in WI, the Packers is kind of like a religion.  They are zealots here.  Everybody wears green and yellow not just on game day.  Go Pack Go! is a phrase I hear (annoyingly) daily.  My neighbor was freaking out when the Packers got in to the Super Bowl.  FREAKING OUT.  Me?  I really could not care less.  I don't get the whole sports team craziness thing.  I have hobbies and I like things, but I really don't get how people care so much.  College teams, pro teams, I DON'T GET IT!  I also really don't care. At all.  In fact, I think it is hysterical how some people get really pissed when their team loses.  Brian and I especially like to egg people on and talk crap about "their team", whatever team that is, whatever sport it is they play.  We will root for the opposing team just cuz.  Again, neither of us care, AT ALL.  But we enjoy getting people who DO CARE to get all fired up.  It is surprisingly easy to do.  Especially family members.  And my Dad.


Because ties are easy to make and I happened to be the first one at JoAnn when the Packer's fabric rolled off the truck, I made some ties for the big day.


SIDENOTE:  It was reported the Friday before the Super Bowl that not only were churches cancelling their afternoon services, they were also expecting record numbers to go to their morning services for parishioners to pray for their team to win.  WHA???


So, tongue-in-cheek,  my boys wore Packers ties on Super Bowl Sunday. Roo Roo was sick so he didn't wear his.  Rad was the only one I could get to pose for me.


Why do I love pissing people off so much?

Catching Up

Well, we are expecting our third little yahoo here come October, so I have been really sick.  In fact, I have kind of disappeared off the face of the planet.  I don't plan on making my return any time soon, but I am hoping the sick will be gone in about three weeks.  One can hope, right?


That being said, I have been busy sewing.  Not as much as usual but I have been working on a few things.  There was a two week period that I did not get my sewing machine out once, which is crazy for me.  I usually have it out once a day.  Here is my latest afternoon project.  It is a pillow for my bed, as an accessory to my hexagon quilt that I finished in November.  

The pillow I made is the one on the right.  I got the other one at Target, as did everybody else on the planet.  Here is a close up of my beauty.  

It was actually pretty easy to make.  I got the greatest ruler in the world.  You can find it here.  It is the greatest little hexagon ruler.  It uses jelly roll's.  No paper piecing, no sewing in thirds.  AMAZING.


I guess I have been on a pillow kick cuz I made some pillows for my couch as well.  I bought Anna Maria Horner's book Handmade Beginnings .  It is a great book!  I have already made the booties, the Mariposa maternity dress and these pillows!  I am not sure if we will be keeping this couch when we move but I will work the pillows in somehow.  Note to self:  read the directions for seam allowances.  ALWAYS.

I will have a few more things to post later.  Like I said, I made myself a maternity dress but I am not quite done altering it.  It is difficult to make maternity things and guess what your measurements will be when you are huge.  I am not huge...yet.  

My New Baby

My 30920 Singer Sewing Machine that I got for my 18th birthday has left this world.  I would like to say a few words in remembrance, if you will.

I would like to apologize for using you to sew miles of canvas.  I think that was the beginning of the problem that lead to your ultimate demise.  I will say, however, that the canvas projects (Christmas of 2008) turned out excellent.

Thank you for sew many years of love.  You helped me make many a masterpiece- as defined by yours truly.  I think my greatest masterpiece thus far was Hexy McQueen.

Thank you for my introduction to sewing.  I will always remember you!  I will never forget that you were a slant footed Singer and your final screech that made me put you to your final rest.  We have spent many hours together and, although you really did suck, I love you!

That being said, meet my newest darling, my Bernina 380 sewing computer! I am spoiled.  Brian let me get the BIG BOY, as he called HER.   Now that I think of it, I don't really miss my singer that much.  Why would I?

Can you say dual spool and bobbin winder, 87 specialty stitches, automatic buttonhole, 4 alphabets, automatic needle threader (which you have to be a registered rocket surgeon-you're welcome- to figure out...or search YOUTUBE for instructions), and that does not even begin to describe the beauty of my little darling.

Too many words, must go sew.  Later.

Baby Shower Get Up

I threw a baby shower for my friend, Kayla.  She is having a baby girl in a month or so.  I love the table!  It turned out so stinkin' cute!  I wish I would have gotten close ups of some of the things. I made cake plates with bunting around the bottom and the cutest baby shoes filled with candy.  I must say, my Silhouette is the ballz.  I am still getting the hang of it, but I am getting it little by little.  And the bunting on the window turned out so sweet!  I still don't know how we fit 20 people into my dinky living room, but we did!  The apple pie was TO DIE FOR!

I also made the sweetest baby booties for the baby girl.  I forgot to post pix so I will post them at a later time.

mad men.

I made this dress this weekend.  I used New Look pattern 6869.  I have been watching Mad Men (a little Jon Hamm, anyone, anyone) and was inspired to make this dress.  I cut it out on Thursday sewed most of it together on Friday and finished on Saturday during nap time.  loving how it turned out.
the fabric is just a $4.00/yd cotton twill that i found at Hancock's.  I was gonna go with a wool/cotton mix but figured that i could go back and make this dress again with the expensive crap.  
I, as always, learned a few thingies.
1.  Line the bodice with a light material.  seriously.  I lined it with the same fabric I used on the rest and it made for a very, very VERY thick collar.
2.  Follow the directions.
3.  Read the directions.
4.  Invisible zipper foot.  Holy crap, the greatest invention ever.  EVER!  I did not even know this thing existed till yesterday.  Life changing.  It only cost $2.40 at Joann.  
5.  Put in my first vent.
6.  I need a dress form.
7.  UNDERSTITCHING.  
8.  I am pretty sure that the directions were translated from Mandarin Chinese.   
9.  Dang, my calves look good in this dress:)
10.  Zippers- I kill 'em.


My confidence in dress making is definitely getting better.  I am a pro at darts (16 for this dress) and sleeves.  I ended up putting in four sleeves (two for each copy- the outside that you see and the lined bodice).  I am pretty pro at collars, but my confidence is not quite there, you know?

It's My Birthday Too, Yah!

Instead of singing the generic and boring birthday song, we sing The Beatles version of the Birthday song, complete with dancing and booty shakin'.  Rad's Bday is Jan. 3 and mine is the 8th so we get to do it twice in one week! 

For Rad's Bday I made him a Birthday hat.  It was super easy.  In fact, I used a cardboard Bday hat as a pattern to make this fabric hat.  I used my silhouette machine to make the appliquéd 3 on the hat and on his rosette pin.  I also made the pompom!  He wore his little Bday outfit all day and it was so stinking sweet.  I am gonna make him one every year until he tells me that he is too cool for it.  He was pretty pumped for the firetrucks, dump trucks, space ships, race cars and trains!

Hopefully soon I will have a Bday hat tutorial ready to go for all yuz!

Baby Shower Invite

I made this invitation for my friend's baby shower this weekend!   

I drew it then used Photoshop to enhance it.  I am loving drawing my own designs, scanning them in to CS4 and going to town.  So much stinking fun!  I also love the simplicity and joy of the bunting that is sooooo trendy these days.  I usually stay away from trends, but I couldn't help myself!  Stay tuned for the decorations and gift that I made Kayla!

Big Boss

I finished Big Boss in time for Christmas this year!  The best part was that my sister April hadn't a clue that she was getting it on THE BIG DAY.

The circles were a huge pain in the butt, but (ha!) I would probably do it again!  I got the pattern from Quilts 'n More Fall 2010.  I used my own colors but stole their pattern.  For the quilting I just did a simple stitch in the ditch (sitd) and then did some free motion circles in the white circles.  I am still a rookie at FM but it was fun nevertheless.  I am loving the pink binding!  And for added comfort I used flannel for the back.  It is super Awesome!

Looking Back at 2010

Last year, around this time I made a list of things I wanted to do, both personal and craft projects.  I have not looked at the list for a LONG time so I thought I would go through it and see how I did on my listicle.

1. Going to Beautify my life. If I had to sum up what I want to accomplish this year in one word, it would be Beautify. Please see numbers 2-10.

2. Finish hand stitching the binding on my quilt. Sidenote: I have approximately 25 more minutes to spend stitching till I am done. I am sure this will be checked off this list by sundown Saturday night.

3. Ruffle necklaces. CHECK!!! I will post pix later.

4. Wedding quilt. I am not gonna say who this is for, but it might be for a sister. That is getting married in May. Her name starts with a J.

5. Civil War quilt for Mom. She loves Americana, I have tons of Civil War fabric. Seems to be the logical thing to do. I did not finish this one, but I made her a sweet Tree of Life quilted wall-hanging.

6. April's quilt entitled "Lady Madonna" by Abby Lane Quilts. Pattern and fabric in hand. Time to follow. I did not finish this one but I did make her an even better quilt.  Please see Big Boss.

7. Camera straps using my FAIL quilt blocks. Unfortunately I have plenty of them. Hey, I am a beginner, albeit an ADVANCED beginner. I have two awesome people in mind who will be recieving these gems. ONe of said people lurks my blog all the time and also happens to live above me. The other one is related to me.

8. Scripture cases for neighbor and for sister. Perhaps one for myself.

9. Christmas scrapbook. Today I got all the pix edited and filed. Now I just have to print and glue.

10. Start quilt for 10th anniversary. I will need all the time I can get. I do have the fabric and a design in mind. I am going to do the friendship braid quilt with scattered various star blocks that I am learning to make in said ADVANCED beginner quilt class.

11. Write letters to all of the people in my life, past and present that I love. You know those people you meet that you just, you know, LOVE? Those special peep's you are certain you knew in another life? I also have a running list of those people. I really do love listicles. I also love adding "isticles" to anything with a "st". It just makes me laugh. I did not write letters.  I actually told two of those people on my list how much I love them!  I think that's even better than a letter!

12. Abby Lane purse. It is just awesome. AWESOME.  I totally failed at this one, though.  It's done but it needs some work.  Add to listicle for 2010.

13. Make a patchwork bag for Apypoo. This one'll be easy. Hopefully.  It was her Birthday purse!

14. Felty robot for Konrad. Again, fabric/pattern in hand. Now all I need is time and maybe two more hands. Nope.  Didn't have time!

15. Grow two, maybe three more hands. Still working on this one.  No, I don't mean baby hands either:)

16. Keep running. That's not really a goal. I PNWD this one.  I ran my butt of in 2010.  Literally.  I have no butt.

17. Make felty picnic set for kiddies. They will love it!  This one can be copied and pasted onto my 2011 list, especially cuz the kidz are getting a kitchen when we move into our house in AZ.  Yup.  It shall be done!

Let's not even mention all the really cool things that i did/made in 2010 that were not on my ORIGINAL LIST.  I can be spontaneous.  I am still trying to make a list for 2011 and I'm sure it will be most excellent!

Peace.