I Love Being An Aunt

as you know i have a couple little monsters in my life. my niece's. the oldest monster is turning 5 shortly and for Christmas she got an American Girl doll. so for her birthday i decided that her doll needed some new clothes. i checked out the prices of an 'official' American Girl doll outfits and passed out. once i recovered i remembered a pattern book i had bought a few years ago for doll clothes for 18" dolls.

of course me being me - i didn't follow the pattern directions and i did my own thing.

i used the pattern pieces as guides but used velcro instead of snaps for ease of use.

i lengthened this top instead of adding a ruffled bottom to it because i didn't feel like dealing with a ruffle.

the best part of making these clothes was that it used up scraps that i had.

scraps from quilts, pajama pants, bags or even ones given to me from other sewers.  they were fun to make and easy to sew up.  i don't have the name of the pattern book i used with me but i will update this post later with that information.

on another note - i know i haven't been posting much lately....  or at all.  however i have been busy.  i have moved my sewing space out of my house and into its new location.  that takes some time getting things set up how you want them.  whew.  glad that is over.  i have also been working on a few other projects that i will be sharing here soon.

happy sewing

My Favorite Quilt........

STACKS

my favorite quilt of all time.... since i have been making quilts.

i don't have a fancy smancy camera so i did the best that i could with what i got.  if you read my blog you know the story behind this quilt.  if not, check it out here.  its from a class i took from Tula Pink last year.

a few close up pics of my favorite parts of the quilt.  i love the squirrels.

the pinwheels intermixed with the other various sizes of fabrics makes this such a fun and happy quilt.

more squirrels.  i love fussy cutting fabric.

the back.  i found the fabric in a quilt shop not to far from me called Material Girls in their clearance section.  that is one of my things i do when i visit quilt shops.  i seek out their clearance section and see what they might have for possible backings.

Teresa from Quilting Is My Bliss quilted this quilt for me.  i met her at the Tula Pink class last year.  she did a honeycomb pattern all over the quilt and I LOVE IT!!!  the quilt was waiting on my door step one evening when i got home.  once i opened the box and saw Teresa's amazing quilting i was so happy.  like Christmas morning happy when i was 6.  

this quilt has so many happy memories for me.  i love the fabric.  it was a great trip to Walla Walla for me.  an amazing class where i met some really cool quilt people.  Teresa being one of them. 

i had the binding ready and waiting so it went on the quilt a few days later.

this quilt is headed for my bed.  i made 4 pillowcases to go with it and i just ordered a purple dust ruffle.  silly i know but I LOVE THIS QUILT.  once its all together on my bed i will share a few more pics.

Stacks - my favorite quilt of all time

it makes me so happy during a time when i really need it.  that also might have something to do with why I LOVE IT so much.  

my Grandmother passed away this past week.  she lived to be 92 and had a great life.  i have lost 3 people that i was very close to in the past 9 months. my Grandpa, my Dad and my Grandma.  i know we are never given more then we can handle but........  we could really use a break so if any of you are into sending good thoughts out to people we could really use some right now.

happy sewing

Quilt Camper's Projects

a few pics of some fellow quilt camper's projects

not the best pictures but........

at camp its all about the sewing and not so much about the pictures.

happy sewing

Quilt Camp Part 2

some more of my projects from quilt camp.

i had 3 Swoon blocks left to make.

it was a great feeling to get all of the blocks done.

and the quilt top finished.

an old WIP - drunkards path.

finished.

a quick layer cake quilt with bright fun colors.

i have to make some bags at camp.

a couple tote bags made from laminated fabric.

a new 6 pack bag pattern

made from the scraps of my Stacks quilt.

another fun laminated bag.  i think the pattern is Stand and Stow.

quilt camp was a much needed break from 'life'.  i have some more pictures of fellow quilter's projects that i will post soon.

happy sewing

Quilt Camp Part 1

i left for quilt camp last Wednesday morning at 5:55. early for some but not for me. i had already been to work and done a couple of things. i didn't want to come back to a big mess on my desk.  plus i was really ready to get away.  away from it all.  i love my family but i needed a break.  needed some me time with some great friends.  needed some laughter.

as i got closer to camp the weather changed from spring to winter.  i didn't mater much to me.  my plans were for the inside not the outside.

however, i got to use 4-wheel drive.

got to Palouse Divide Lodge at 7:15.  very thankful that Lane and Shirley are early morning people.  they were not at all surprised to see us that early.  we quickly got to work arranging the tables and measuring to make sure that each person had the same amount of space.  quilters can be funny about things like that.

here is the room all set up and filled up.  some of the gals in this group own a quilt store so they brought part of their store with them.  a real bonus at quilt camp.  our group was small to what we normally have.  we had 21 this time and usually we are somewhere in the low 30's.  having the extra space was nice and the noise level wasn't too bad.

my first project was to get the bindings done on the 3 quilts that i had gotten back from the quilter.

i machine bind my quilts.  i think its stronger and i don't have the hand strength to hand bind. 

this is my Bee Block quilt made with Make Life fabric from Sweatwater

second quilt to get bound.  a simple fat quarter pattern.

third and final quilt.  Nature's Solitude is the fabric.

someone at camp wanted to take this one but it made it home safely with me.

i am getting them washed and then i will share some more pictures of them.

its a great feeling to have them done.

up next were 4 pillow cases to go with my Tula Pink Stacks quilt that has been shipped off to the quilter.

i am loving purple........

i can hardly wait to get the quilt back and on my bed.

i then went to work on putting together my Bee Blocks.

i fussy cut the cornerstones.  i am really pleased with how it turned out.  not sure if i will keep this for myself or not.....

more quilt camp projects to come.

happy sewing