Flower Pots

Over a year ago, I took a few applique classes at Cloth and Bobbin. The class was based on Kim McLean's Flower Pots quilt, and I was inspired by the pattern to use tons of Kaffe Fassett fabrics. The quilt is huge, and before I got started I could barely hand-sew so I had no illusions of finishing this quickly...

My first block didn't take too long - I was on the road a lot, which meant tons of time for stitching. Plus, it was a new project, so that always is inspiring...

but the second took well over a year. To be fair, between the boy and work life is pretty busy. But a few weeks ago I decided it was time to pick this one up again. And thus i finished block #2.

Now onto Block #3... pattern is traced, freezer paper shapes are cut... and starting to stitch...


I'm going to be cross posting on Glorious Applique, where a lot of folks are sharing their journeys with Kim McLean's applique patterns. Check it out - there is some BEAUTIFUL work there that inspires me to keep going.

So its been a while...

I've been known to go a while between posts. A couple of months isn't the rarest thing. But almost two years is quite a hiatus. Lets face it - being a working mommy hardly leaves me time to do the dishes. But there has been some crafting to be had over the past few years, so it makes sense to share what I've been doing...

A few updates...

• I've determined that spinning is just not for me. So I'm going to sell my spinning wheel. Interested? Leave me a comment and I'll email you with details.
• Applique turns out to be a good craft for the intrepid traveler. Portable, limited chance of confiscation (although I've lost a few pairs of embroidery scissors).
• Haven't been so into knitting lately, although that may change shortly (see below).
  
• Oh, and we're having another baby in January! So if life seems busy now its only going to get crazier.
  

So welcome (back) to my blog! I can't imagine it'll take almost two years for me to post again...

100th Post

Ari was in need of hats, so I made him this cool Vintage Racing Helmet from one of the Sublime books.
It looks pretty awesome on him!
It is knit using Filatura di Crosa Zara in Navy and Ivory, and matching booties are underway!

A Trip Around the World

A year ago this week, I was leaving on a trip around the world to Germany, The Netherlands and China. When I came home, we found out I was pregnant. So it seems fitting that right before Ari was born, I finished a Trip Around the World quilt.
I'm still working on piecing the back of the quilt using the scraps from the quilt-top. Think we'll be sending this out for quilting and then it'll be off to our goddaughter Lucy!

Letters

Every nursery needs the baby's name on the wall. My theory is that it helps them learn to spell their name, and it definitely reminds people whose room it is (like we'd forget?).

These letters were easy to make. I used kraft letters, paper & stickers from Paper Source and used methyl-cellulose to adhere the paper to the letters. I applied some sewing techniques ensure the letters were covered cleanly. First, I traced the letters on the paper and cut an additional 1/4" around. Then, clipped in the corners to make sure the edges would fold nicely. Then, I wrapped the sides in 1" wide paper and randomly stuck stickers all around. They look great on his green wall and go so well with his bedding.

Ari Milo

It turns out that being a new mom means that you don't have a lot of time to blog. Here is my latest project

Ari Milo Lewis was born on August 13th, weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz. He is the light of our lives!

patience is a virtue

The thing about false alarms when you're getting ready to have a baby is that once you have one, you're ready for the real thing. At least, I am. On Thursday night we went to the hospital for what seemed like it could be the real deal. If I had listened a bit more to Christina, our fantastic Doula, perhaps I would have stayed home, which is were we returned by 12:30am. The good news is that we now know how to find Labor & Delivery at Lankenau after hours, and learned first hand that the nurses are great (and got to see some super cute newborns while walking the halls of the antepartum area), and we have time to finish our redo of the living room.
So now it is a waiting game - any day now, or in three weeks. In the mean time, Scott is busy finishing up the paint job downstairs, which looks fantastic (thank you Beth!), and I'm trying to make some curtains for his office and our guest room. The first set for the office is done and up in his workspace. Scott describes the fabric as 70s French Haute Couture Home Dec. The second and third sets require a bit of finesse in terms of lining up patterns, and are thus still in progress. One thing that I'm sure I'll finish is the quit top of the Trip Around The World quilt - only 3 more strips to sew together! Unless, of course, the baby decides this afternoon is a good time to come into the world...

Ready?

Less than one month until my due date, and people keep asking me "are you ready?" This is often followed or preceded by "are you sure its a full month until your due date?" or a sympathetic "this heat must be really uncomfortable." (By the way, the answer to both of these questions is yes).
Asking if you're ready to have a baby is a pretty loaded question - is this a reference to the material sense of having all the baby "stuff", am I packed for the hospital, are we mentally prepared to be parents, do I have a birth plan, did we pick a pediatrician, do we have names picked out, is everything at work wrapped up and under control or any of the other numerous items that one can do to be "ready". While most of the aforementioned is done, it was only a few days ago that I realized that mentally, I'm ready to have the baby. Not that the Bean should come out undercooked by a month, but if the baby came today, I'd be confident in my ability to be a good mother. Of course, I was pretty confident about this when we decided we were ready to give this try, but nine months of pregnancy can lead to second guessing, and a bit of trepidation when things move from theoretical to impending...
I know what kind of parent I want to be and while I don't know all the ins and outs of what "to do", its seems pretty clear that either I'll figure it out, or ask friends and family. Of course, there is still some anxiety about all the newness, and being responsible for the well being of another human (none of which my husband seems to have) but I'm ready for the little one to be on the outside.

Diaper Bag

With my new found following patterns confidence, I embarked on a new project over the fourth of July weekend, which I actually finished by Sunday evening. Behold the Nappy Bag:


and the accompanying changing pad and case!


The project wasn't difficult as much as it was labor intensive. The bag is fully lined with cotton duck canvas, and is fully lined, with pockets that are fully lined, with additional pockets layered in there, and there is even a little exterior cell phone pocket detail (which was hard to photography - probably should have asked a professional like my husband for help!). So I probably spent an hour and half cutting everything out. And then there were a lot of steps. But it came together great. I'm planning to use it as one of my two bags to bring to the hospital for baby delivery...
Don't you love the fabric? Scott thought it looked like "a grandma's couch on acid, in a good way".
My knitting has been really neglected lately. Maybe I can just finish the striped blanket that has been in progress for a while and sew the seams on the Baby Surprise Sweater. Its not that much work, but the fabric has been drawing me in....
Now I'm off to another quilt class, this one for the Trip Around the World quilt. No. More. New. Projects. really...