WIP February 3, 2016

I keep working away a little bit here and there on projects.  I had to make a pair of pants for my oldest daughter and used the scraps to make a pair for my youngest daughter.

(She is trying them on to measure the elastic.  She thought I put the pockets too high, but I took a picture to show her I didn't)

I have also been working on the quilting on the dolphin quilt.

This is what happens when I try to mark the quilt for quilting.

I eventually get it marked though.

Here is what the quilt is looking like with the next row of quilting.

I decided to do pebbling around the Dolphins.  It does take a looong time and a lot of thread.  Then when I was almost done with the 4th dolphin I ran out of light blue thread, which I was using for the bobbin thread and the pebbling, so I had to go to the store to get more thread before I could do anymore work, which took me a couple of days.

Then I started the triangles, more swirls.

Back of the quilt with the pebbling and swirls.

Now onto the waves!  I have been playing around with how to fill up all that navy blue 

Stack 'n whack layout

I finally carved out some time to figure the layout of my stack 'n whack quilt.

Then because this is complicated to put together I had to label EVERYTHING.

This is what it looks like once I have picked up the blocks that are already sewn.

It took me longer than I had hoped.  I was making Lego time more difficult and my baby had to stay in her crib until I had everything cleaned up.

Crocheted Hat

When I started this blog I only sewed, but  I have been learning to crochet some the last few months.  

I made a hat like this for me but it is green.  Sadly I left it at someone's house and haven't gotten it back.

I made this one for my eldest daughter ( who does not crochet ).  My middle daughter is an avid crocheter and has made like 20 of these hats.

My daughter had a bun in her hair and didn't want to model the hat so I am.

Almost ready for layout!!

I have 6 more of the octagon blocks I need to add triangles to the corners to make them squares and then I will be ready to decide layout!  

I also have to decide what secondary stack n whack block to put with the main one.

While I was getting excited about layout my little one got up from her nap and then I had " helpers".

WIP 22 Jan 2016

I have been working on sewing up the blocks for the stack n whack.  I am really close to being able to work on layout.  My oldest daughter loves doing layout so I will work with her on it.

I also started quilting on the dolphin quilt.  I am really happy about how it is progressing.

Stack n whack - all cut out!

I have everything all cut out for the top of my stack n whack!  Yay, piecing time.  I will put in a good audiobook and thoroughly enjoy my piecing.

Yesterday I was doodling quilting designs for the dolphin quilt so I think I might pull that out also and set it up on one of my machines.

WIP 14 Jan 2016

So I have a few projects in the works.  I have been working on another wuilt for my bedroom.  It is going to be a throw size or lap size.  I just thought my curtain fabric would be perfect for a stack n whack.  I making this quilt:

I had originally planned on the dark grey being purple and the light gray being green.  After sewing a number of blocks together I think I will switch it.

I think the green works better against the stack n whack blocks than the purple.

The other project I have been working all fall and now winter is a new Christmas tree skirt.

I finally have the top all pieced:

I also got the back all pieced.  I was able to just use fabrics left over from other projects.

When I pieced it I wasn't thinking and had to unpick three panels so the gold ones are across from each other.

I also pieced the batting.  So I am al ready to pin baste.  Just waiting for a good time to take up a major part of the family room floor.

I also have this panel pin basted and have actually started the quilting on it, but haven't worked on it in about a month.  Maybe someday.

  I also have a dolphin quilt all pin basted waiting to be quilted.

Never fear I always have projects to work on.

Zippered Bib

We have had this bib forever, like 9-10 years old.

I like how this bib snaps up to make a pocket to catch food buuuuut Carma yanks it off her neck because the snaps come apart easily.  So I decided to make a bib with a zipper!  No ripping that off!

I got this laminated cotton from a cute little store called Harmony in my town.

My model is asleep right now.  I put the laminated cotton on both sides to make it stronger, plus you need it double sided where the pocket folds up.

* edit she woke up and tried it on!  Too bad she is a little sick and doesn't really want to eat 

Pillow Covers

I have had these pillows in my front room for 4.5 years with large pillow cases wrapped over and tucked around them.

I made new pillow covers for Christmas, so I decided I needed to make legitimate pillow covers for these two pillows.

I also decided I had too many pillows.  I made these 4 purple pillows in 2008.  http://emilywsews.blogspot.com/2008/09/pillows-and-pillow-covers.html?m=1

But they are like 13" pillows.  I have decided I like 17" pillows.  Anyway it was feeling like too many pillows for my front room 7 total.

I took 3 of the purple pillows apart for supplies for the the two new purple pillows and made one new 17" pillow, so now there are 4 17" pillows and one purple 13" pillow left.

I used duvet covers to make my curtains and I had pillowcases I never used, so I cut those up for the appliquéd trees.

Here are my finished pillow covers.

Football Outfit

I stopped at the fabric store the other day to look for some backing fabric for a quilt that I am making.  Zephyr wasn't too happy.  In his words, "I don't want to go to that stupid fabric store!".  Once we got in he had a good time.  At the top of the remants bin was 5/8 of a yard of football fleece.  He said he really wanted it.  I realized it was probably enough to make him a sweatshirts, so I said okay.  So we spent $1.22 on this fabric.  I didn't get anything.

Anyway today we are watching the Ravens play the Conference Championship with Grandpa and Great-Grandpa so I thought it would be a great day to sew up this football outfit.  It was the perfect amount of fabric for the sweatshirt.  There were only two scraps of any worth, so I cut out a soft football that is better for playing in the house, and he has been playing catch with Grandpa all morning.

The pants are made out of sweatshirt fabric that I took from my mom's attic, so a very cheap new outfit.

Zephyr in his new sweatshirt and pants (holding the football)

a close-up of the football

Bird Pillows

I took the pillows on my futon, took them apart, used the cording, and the stuffing to make these new pillows to go with my decorating scheme in the family room.  I also made the pillows a little smaller, and I like the size better and they are a little fuller being smaller.

I am excited for my birthday because I "think" my mom is getting me a new black futon cover which will go with the curtains and pillows.  I am VERY excited!

I put the zipper in the seam between the two sides and the cording.  The first pillow I had no problem, the second one I put the zipper in then completely took it out and did it again.  I don't know if I did it the best way, but oh well it is done!

I have also been working on a quilt for the family room, and I am soooo EXCITED about it.  Actually I am making 2 quilts!  But I have only done serious work on the one.  I am going to pin base very soon!

Before and After picture of the pillows.  You can see the size difference.

Both pillows finished

The zipper in the seam

The blocks in progress for the 2nd (smaller) quilt

The finished quilt top of the 1st (larger) quilt

A close up of the quilt top

Pajama Pants

I LOVE wearing pajamas, and I used to get new pajamas for Christmas every year, but the last time I got pajamas for Christmas was 9 years ago.  Well in 9 years I have really worn out the pants (I wear the pants for more part of the year than the long sleeved flannel shirts).  I was getting kind of sparse for pajamas.

Well when I was at my mom's house in her attic we found more of one of the fabrics she used for pajamas for me like 12 years ago.  So I took it home and sewed up these pants.  I still have the shirt, but the pants I had thown away because they had just fallen apart from being worn so much.  So even though the shirt is a lot more faded, I am sure the pants will catch up.

Also when I finished cutting up the pants, there were some scraps, so i took care of them immediately.  I cut up a burp cloth and a baby bib, and some squares for quilt box.  I love taking care of everything!

My pajama pants (the shirt is from I think 12 or 13 years ago?)

Zephyr's New Sunday Outfit

Zephyr at church moved up from Nursery (for 18 months to 3 years olds) to Primary (3-12 year olds) on the first sunday of January.  I might have stayed up until 1am, finishing the pants and bowtie, and still had the vest to make in the morning!  The vest ended up a little large, I just made up my own pattern.  It would probably fit a little better in a year, and I made the pants a tad short.  Oh well, right?  He looked adorable going to church.

Zephyr in his new suit (that is a snowflake tattoo on his cheek)

Zephyr with his new church bag that Autumn sewed him for Christmas

I made this bowtie from a necktie.  I really LOVE it!

Zephyr's Christmas Prsents

He has been wanting his doll to have a matching blanket with him.  He got the the quilt pictured below for his birthday, and I made those curtains in the spring of 2012.  I also made the sheets and the pillowcase for his birthday in April.  Anyway I thought his doll didn't need just a matching blanket but a whole matching bed.

Zephyr's baby also got a slew of matching doll clothes to go with all those clothes I made for him in the fall.

The curtains in Zephyr's room (I used duvet covers from Ikea)

Zephyr's blanket (from birthday 2012)

close-up of the quilting

matching sheets and pillowcase

Baby bed

doll pillow and pillowcase

new doll clothes (2 unfinished outfits)

his doll wearing his BYU outfit