I finished my little elephant

This was one very fun quilt to make.



Measures: 32" x 37"

Made from Jenn Ski's Aldo to Zippy, some Riley Blake Wheels, and Kona solids.

Requested by an online friend for her bestie's new little boy about to be born.

Process notes:

•  I was inspired by this quilt, but couldn't resist incorporating the solids too.
•  The inner border is 2 1/2" (unfinished)
•  The outer pieces were cut 5" x whatever I felt like

•  I made the little elephant by tracing the outline of the elephant on the panel that comes with this collection, and then transferring him to some kona coal, with ash for the ear.  I decided he needed the little pops of color behind him, because they were cute.  His tail was done with one of my fancy machine stitches I almost never get to use.

What I love about this quilt:

• Almost everything
• The fact that it took me one nap-time, one after bed, one early morning, and one "here sit next to me and play with my rulers while I sew on the binding" to complete
• The interplay of the solids with the prints
• The bright white, wonderfully crinkly centerpiece
• The cute little elephant (of course)
• The scrappy, solid binding 

What I don't love about this quilt:

• The fact that my zig-zag stitch doesn't hold down the appliqué as well as the blanket stitch (I was trying something new!), and I worry something will happen to it!
• The boring back (just a piece of kona slate)
• The fact that the bright white won't be a bright white for too long!  (Sorry Everett's mama -- I know white isn't practical for babies, but it looked so good!)

Steiger really doesn't want to let this quilt go... definitely time for Mommy to make him an I-spy quilt. :)

What do you all think?

Sewing for little boys

today.

For a baby boy almost born.





For one of Steiger's friends.



For the daddy of a little guy.



(These are blocks for a quilt for Errick -- Godspeed his healing!... See here if you want to help)

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I'm hoping I get in to this I-Spy swap, hosted by Stephanie, because Steiger has recently discovered how much he loves books, and he didn't want to put the little quilt top I was working on down.  He kept pointing to all the little drawings, and "telling me" what they were.  I literally had to chase him to get it back.

(There's a couple spots left in the swap if you want in too!) :)



We love our little boys around here.



Oh yes we do.



Even when they grab Mommy's underwear, put them on like a necklace, and insist on wandering around the house.  The hat is essential too of course.  And he's wearing shoes...you just can't seem them.



(though one does have to appreciate that at least he coordinated) ;)

make your own {chubby} stars: a tutorial

I love this block wherever I see it.

Here it is.  (in Material Obsession).

I have this book (it's a great book), but the directions call for bigger blocks.

For my Three by Six Sampler Mini Bee, I needed the blocks to finish at 12" (12.5" unfinished)

So I did some math... 

...and now I'm sharing it with you. :)

Can we really ever have enough {chubby} stars?

This block is awesome for showcasing focal prints, with the large uncut center.

If you do make it, please add it to my brand new, (and very empty), flickr group. :)

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For each 12 1/2" block, you need:

• 8 1/2" square -- center focal fabric
• Four 2 7/8" squares contrast -- star points
• Eight (scant) 2 1/4" squares contrast -- star points on framing pieces
• Eight 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles -- framing pieces (I used white)
• Four 2 1/2" squares -- cornerstones 
• Note: Were I to do these again, I would probably use 2 7/8" squares and convert them to HSTs (half-square triangles)

* All seam allowances are 1/4"

* Fabrics are right-sides together

* Press seams in between each step

Note: you need to do four on the bottom left corner of the framing piece, and four on the bottom right corner of the framing piece.


SEW from corner to corner of square.

Add corner stones to two of your framing strips.

Sew on remaining framing strips with corner stones, and voila!

Very cute.

Again, if you do make it, please add it to my brand new, (and very empty), flickr group!  And link me to your blog too!

Improv(e) your Butt!

I've been meaning to make a health related post lately, and Jacquie has again given me some motivation.

Go to her site to read about it, but I'm joining in.  :)



I've mentioned before that I was on a diet.  Trouble is, I took a vacation from it.  (shoot).

I have used this book in the past to lose weight, and it was time to get it out again. 

I'm on Day 3 of the skills (premise of the book is to use CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy, to train you how to diet); Day 3's task is to eat everything sitting down.  This is no small thing for me; I'm slightly rebelling against it actually... that and when do moms of almost 16 month olds ever sit down to eat?

Fortunately, Mrs. Judith Beck anticipates this rebellion with her "Do it anyway" skill.

Yes -- I don't feel like it, but I tell myself, "Do it anyway."

Here's hoping it works.

I'm taking a firm step out of denial (little S is almost 16 months old--at some point you just have to accept that the weight isn't just 'going away'), and being a part of Jacquie's team is going to help.
That and writing down all my points.  (I started counting as soon as we got home from vacation, and I'm almost back to where I started.)  I do not want to look like I'm carrying $2000 of $1 bills in an imaginary waist-belt anymore.

Oh, I'm already 3.5 miles in (I count 10 minutes on the elliptical as 1 mile, and then S and I walked to Grandma's house this morning).  Logging activity here.

In similar, yet totally different news -- my chubby star tutorial will be up tomorrow.

oh my {chubby} stars

*Tutorial for these blocks can be found here.

Last night I participated in the Friday Night Sew in.





I decided to finish my blocks for the Three by Six Sampler Mini Bee... it's one of my favorites. :)

The inspiration

(from Material Obsession)

The calculations

Here they are.

And an extra for me.

Tutorial here.

I'm sewing in!

:)

Now back to the machine (sorry for the lack of pics... more to come tomorrow!) :)

this is why I do Christmas in July

Last week, I had a completely gratuitous mommy post... this one is a completely gratuitous fabric post... with a Christmas-y twist (this will be my Christmas Bee fabric).


Just enjoy.







The glorious greens





The really pRetty reds





The wonderful whites







All in a circle









(Fabric collections represented are Michael Miller Christmas 2009 and 2010, Sheri Berry Christmas 2009 and 2010, Riley Blake's Colorful Christmas, Alexander Henry 2009 Christmas, Robert Kaufman Glitzmas and Sparkle All the Way, and Free Spirit's Hallmark Ornaments)


The only trouble is that I still can't exactly decide what to do with all these glorious fabrics yet. 


At present, I'm torn between:


- Dresdens...

 like these from Sherri

or these from Material Obsession

or these from this Barbara Bradenburg pattern

Or these Dresden like "Cartwheels" from Tula Pink

Or this "chubby star" 

(that's what I call it -- I don't know its real name)

Like in Material Obsession

And in Camille's Red Velvet pattern

Do y'all think these would look good together?  

They're both kind of "chubby" looking -- I am kind of thinking of making my theme "chubby and fussy and round."  (This could be a bit of my baby fever leaking out).

Anybody have pics of other quilt blocks/designs that make you think "chubby?"

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I also finished Natalia's present block for our "Putting the Bee in Christmas" group.





And here it is with the first star I did.





Natalia wanted to make a "sampler" quilt... she made one particular request (mine was "presents"), and one "whatever" request.  Her quilt is going to be so incredible!  Check out some of the other blocks she'll be getting from some ridiculously creative women that I wish I could meet in real life (meet me at market one day ladies???)


From Karrie





From Rene





From Kelly






From Cherie





From Amy





There are more on the group page... go see them... I can't wait to see how Natalia puts them all together...


(Though Steiger might not let me send all of the blocks...he liked this one...)





He likes all my Christmas fabric actually (either that or it angers him somehow... or he's just emulating Mommy...I really do think he likes it). ;)