Not only have I been behind in my blogging, but I haven't blogged about any of my sewing, quilting or knitting projects yet this year, and the year is just about half over already!! So I decided to share some of the projects I've been working on and have finished.
I've made more than a dozen of this tote (using
Bunny Hill's Jelly Bags Pattern) for friends, as well as my daughter and daughter-in-law.
Each one was made with different Batik or cotton fabrics. I love coordinating the fabrics and finding just the right order in which to sew them together, so that each bag is unique. Everyone who has received one has loved theirs too!!
I made this Red and Light Blue Nine Patch baby quilt for one of my daughter's closest friends. She picked the colors, but I picked the fabrics and the pattern. I used soft, red minkie for the back for this special little girl! I finished it just before little Eliza turned "1."
I didn't want to weigh down this baby quilt so I just stitched in the ditch around the squares.
I then finished Brody's Hawaiian Quilt, the piecing and machine quilting, a week before his first birthday! I had the top done for months, but since I knew he wasn't going to be using or needing it, (I made it large enough to fit on a twin bunk bed), I waited to finish it!
I learned a lesson too! If soft minkie is used for the backing, as for this quilt, it's better to do large stippling or straight stitching through the blocks. It's pretty hard to do "curly q's" or "loops" on a domestic sewing machine. My "curly q's" came out pretty tiny!!
Last year I started knitting again, after more than a twenty year hiatus. Now I'm knitting most nights while watching TV. I can also knit while we are on the road in our RV.
I've knit many toddler beanies, for our grandkids, as well as friends' kids, including this one for our grandson Micah. I made this one in SD Padres' colors!!
This is a "Thank You" quilt for my new BFF and hubby for their wonderful hospitality!! The pattern is called "Gadabout Quilt" from Eleanor Burns' book ,
Still Stripping After 25 Years. This quilt was really fun to make and I love how the pattern shows in these fabrics. I quilted it by stitching in the ditch and using a laurel border stencil for the large border.
Thanks again Donna and Rod!!
I made matching Hawaiian shirts for Brody and Micah for their 1st birthdays. I haven't seen them wear them yet. I'll add a picture of them when they do!
I knit this dress for Gigi. I had the worst pattern instructions to follow, so once I basically rewrote the pattern, and started over several times. I actually had it almost complete twice and I reknit the ruffle on the bottom 4X before I finally got the look I wanted. She and I love the lacy ruffle on the bottom!!
Lastly, and certainly not least,
here's our newest granddaughter, Hallee Hope, 2 days old, modeling the new Baby Car Seat cover I made for her!! She looks so tiny in that big seat (she was just under 6 lbs), but she'll grow into it with time!!
Each one was made with different Batik or cotton fabrics. I love coordinating the fabrics and finding just the right order in which to sew them together, so that each bag is unique. Everyone who has received one has loved theirs too!!
I didn't want to weigh down this baby quilt so I just stitched in the ditch around the squares.
I learned a lesson too! If soft minkie is used for the backing, as for this quilt, it's better to do large stippling or straight stitching through the blocks. It's pretty hard to do "curly q's" or "loops" on a domestic sewing machine. My "curly q's" came out pretty tiny!!
I've knit many toddler beanies, for our grandkids, as well as friends' kids, including this one for our grandson Micah. I made this one in SD Padres' colors!!
This is a "Thank You" quilt for my new BFF and hubby for their wonderful hospitality!! The pattern is called "Gadabout Quilt" from Eleanor Burns' book , Still Stripping After 25 Years. This quilt was really fun to make and I love how the pattern shows in these fabrics. I quilted it by stitching in the ditch and using a laurel border stencil for the large border.
I made matching Hawaiian shirts for Brody and Micah for their 1st birthdays. I haven't seen them wear them yet. I'll add a picture of them when they do!
I knit this dress for Gigi. I had the worst pattern instructions to follow, so once I basically rewrote the pattern, and started over several times. I actually had it almost complete twice and I reknit the ruffle on the bottom 4X before I finally got the look I wanted. She and I love the lacy ruffle on the bottom!!
here's our newest granddaughter, Hallee Hope, 2 days old, modeling the new Baby Car Seat cover I made for her!! She looks so tiny in that big seat (she was just under 6 lbs), but she'll grow into it with time!!
One Dozen Pillowcases donated to the Con Kerr Cancer Pillowcase Project.
A summer blanket/quilt--lightweight, pieced top, flannel back and no batting for a new baby girl born to one of my husband's firefighters and his wife.
A machine Appliqued Pillow, for a very good friend, made from a McKenna Ryan pattern.
A vinyl covered fabric bib (an Amy Butler Fabric) for my granddaughter, Gigi
and one for a quilt for a woman I work with at the quilt shop. 
During March I have been knitting a cardigan sweater for Gigi-I have all the pieces done (2 fronts, back and sleeves); now I just have to sew them all together.
2. I hope to finish this quilt, Twisted Star, by Sue Bouchard, a Quilt in a Day pattern, which I started last year (mine is in red, white and blue patriotic fabrics:
3. A table runner or two, including his one by McKenna Ryan
I may end up doing more if I am really productive at my next Brown Bag Quilt Retreat which is this coming weekend (April 9th-11th) !! YEAH FOR QUILT RETREATS!
So before Christmas I made over a dozen of these 100% cotton cloths for gifts,
although it's kind of hard to tell since she isn't smiling here-it's really hard to get a pic of her smiling these days! She doesn't seem to want her picture taken anymore.
(Sorry-the colors are off in this pic; from l to r: variegated pinks,
Now I am making another scarf. This one is being made for Craft Hope's Foster Care Teens Project (http://crafthope.com/2010/01/project-6-orphan-foundation/ )--which is partnered with Orphan Foundation of America’s Red Scarf Project (launched in 2005 to send red scarves to warm the hearts (and necks) of college bound youth).
Besides knitting, I finally finished sewing the valances for my family room--years overdue! Just need to hang them. I've also been working on the Hawaiian Toddler Quilt I'm making for Gigi's toddler bed at our house. I'm almost done--the body of the quilt is quilted, I just need to quilt the outer border, add a label, and hand sew the binding.