Stitched Christmas tree dishtowel
I don’t know about you, but I am a bit stressed today with the realization that Christmtas Eve is only a week away, and instead of my list growing smaller day by day, I keep adding to it!! Is this happening to anybody else? My kids are the real loosers in the whole deal, I set out to make all their gifts this year and for some reason I keep putting non-listy things ahead of my projects I have planned for them. This is one of those things. I made it for my secret sister in MOPS to give to her today, her last name is Haring, if that wasn’t clear. Hopefully this will be the last of my non-scheduled projects… at least until after christmas. I found the pattern last year over at ninimakes.
categories stitchy by hand | 4 comments so far!
EEEEEKK! My first truely-completed-quilted quilt!
Mr. A is now seven months, and it is difficult to ignore the irony that I finished his small roll-around-on-the-floor-and-spit-up-on-it quilt the exact day he pretty much started officially crawling… that is to say moving his feet AND hands. In my defense it has been 90% finished for MONTHS, it just needed the quilting and binding but my we little Brother machine decided that it was not capable of such fancy things! BUT the fantastic news is that I got a dream machine out of the deal, so lets just say this is one very expensive baby quilt!
I wanted it to be unmistakably boy, and when searching my stash this is what I came up with, along with the realization that I don’t have much that can be used for a boy! I have plenty of almost boy stuff, but designers throw in a small flourish, a token flower or something that just tips the scale, for me, even though they are “boy ” colors. The final measurements are 21.5” x 27.”
and the back…
Out of complete inexperience and probably a bit of ignorance I had the “brilliant” idea to embroider the back to coordinate with Mr. A’s announcements. This meant I really had no choice but to do some free motion quilting and figure out how to stipple, and you know what? I love how it turned out, I think I am going to try to do this again, and I highly recommend it!
categories quilts, stitchy by hand | 3 comments so far!
Problem Solved!
My chronic condition is slowly being treated one project at a time.
PROBLEM: How do I EFFICIENTLY carry little as possible with me on short outings while still meeting the basic needs of a messy one year old?
Obvious solution: Throw a few diapers and some wipes along with a snack in a bit of an over sized purse and woosh, I am out the door. Nope, here lies the problem for you childless people, or even you dads who have not had to face such an embarrassment as crunched & mangled diapers falling out of your purse a THE MOST inopportune times! Diapers don’t stay in their vacuumed packed state, they get mushed and mangled, quickly! Who wants crumpled diapers floating around freely in their purse or anywhere else for that matter?
REAL SOLUTION: A pouch to hold your most valuable of wipe holders and two or three diapers!
While searching high and low the closets solution I could find was Skip Hop’s Pronto, and even it, after I saw it in person was HUGE– for my needs at least, and heavy for an on-the-go quick solution. So here you have it, the result of a months worth of searching, plus I got to stitch a bit which I have been missing since I finishing this.
This super simple pouch is made from 100% linen, and the lining is a print from Free Spirit that Lori used on Ella’s quilt, we used on her window treatment, and these. It is coming out of my ears, and I cannot stand it any longer as a prominent fabric in my projects, so it has been demoted to lining fabric only, which I actually really like. PLUS I wasn’t really sure if this project was going to turn out since it was a bag with a flap that I had never done before. I always seem to get mixed up with all the right-sides, wrong-sides, and the turning, I was sure I was going to end up with something backwards. Must be beginners luck!
There is more, continue reading! »
categories all sewn up, stitchy by hand | 2 comments so far!
coming soon…
almost out of the funk…
yes, those are cut band-aids!
…wait until you see what I have planned for this guy!
categories in the works, stitchy by hand | no comments yet, be the first!
A bit more back project briefing
I made this hankershief for Mr. K this past Valentine’s Day after he not so subtly dropped hint after hint that he wanted something hand made by ME. This created quiet the inner conflict– what the heck do I know how to make for a man, besides a card??? I make lots of things, but turns out nothing is suited for a man! Prior to his prodding I had never taken much thought to this, and was perfectly content not ever thinking about it, but the the request was made. It would not have been wise to bow out of such a challenge, so here enters the timeless monogrammed hanky with a bit of a bright twist. It doesn’t need much explanation except that it was my first stand alone embroidery project, small I realize but oh so satisfying! I used a couple small sheets of Sulky’s tear away stabilizer to help with the puckering on the thin fabric and it worked like a charm. I am not so sure if a seasoned stitcher would need such a crutch, but for my lack of consistent tension it was appreciated.
… and then of course there is always the token card that Mr. K has come to expect.
The red and white polka dots (which I see they don’t have any more, but they were part of the luxe collection) and beautiful chocolate paper are from my beloved paper-source.
categories cards, gifts, stitchy by hand | no comments yet, be the first!
