Baby Things

 With my granddaughter arriving at the end of this month,

I have been busy making her little baby things.

Making things for littles is so much fun...

(and goes so quickly!)  :)

This little sweater pattern in called Newborn Vertebrae.

It's knit without a front for skin to skin contact

Also, if the baby spits up, one doesn't have to change the sweater.

It was strange to knit at first,

without a front, but went quickly. 

These are quilt as you go bibs.

I bought the set on sale somewhere and had fun making these, too.

I need to add the fasteners and these will be finished!

I found the softest terrycloth for these baby wraps

on-line at Nature's Fabrics.

(This is the bamboo double terrycloth.)  

 

These wraps went together quickly and will be so cozy soft

for the baby. I'm tempted to order more of this terry cloth

to make some robes! 

The shipping was super fast and they sent me samples

of other fabrics they sell.

 

I have three nieces who are also expecting,

so I will be busy making these little things for a while!

And, of course, baby quilts will be made for each little one.

 

Happy Creating! 

 

Baubles

 This fall I have gone in a direction that is so not me

and I am having so much fun with it.

I'm usually a pretty precise, organized quilter

who uses bright and fun fabrics, for the most part.

 

This fall I've been playing with ribbons and other trims, sequins, beads, 

yarns, and silk fabrics and have done a lot of hand work.

Now I have a pile of Baubles and I love them!

 

 

I found an online course taught by Isobel Moore

and started collecting things to make these fun little ornaments.  

The ribbons and trims are stitched down,

then some fun machine stitching happens,

and then the hand work is done, sewing on

beads and sequins.

 

 

Isobel teaches how to make fun trim to use for hanging the baubles.

 

These are my favorites!

Icy blues and silvers with a little white thrown in for contrast.

 

I've made three sets and have one more set to embellish and finish.

These have kept my hands busy and really pushed my creative juices

in a different direction. 

 

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday today.

 

Happy Creating!

Stocking for Baby Girl

 With a new family member arriving at the end of the year,

I had to be prepared in case she arrives before Christmas.

That meant a Bucilla stocking needed to be made for her!

 

My daughter chose the kit and as of last night,

it's finished!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Bucilla kit is called

"Santa's Workshop".

It took a while to make because of all of the

little parts and pieces on it,

but I love the finish.

 

 

Once again, the detail in these kits

is amazing.  Just follow the directions

and you won't go wrong.

This bear is just too cute!

  

All of the little pieces across the top would make really cute ornaments.

It's fun how they are all hanging there as Santa finishes them.  :)

I always make a quilted stocking so 

the stocking can be stuffed to the gills

with little trinkets and treats.

Once the quilted stocking is made,

I stitch the felt stocking to the front of this

and have a very sturdy stocking.

 

 

For this stocking I used the same fabric on the inside

as I used on the outside.

This stocking will be given to my daughter for her home.

Next I will make a stocking for Baby Girl for my home.

I have a stocking for all of us at my house, too.

This way I can make more stockings and if they are here

for Christmas, they don't have to bring their stockings with them.

(They live across the country from us.)

Finding treasures for the stockings is what I love doing most.

I'd rather do that then purchase gifts.

 

Happy Quilting!

 

Ellie for Baby Girl

 My first grandchild will arrive at the end of the year

or into 2021 and she's a girl!

My daughter requested that I make an "Ellie" quilt

for Baby Girl's own quilt.

I made a quilt for the nursery, but she wanted one for

Baby Girl to have as her own.

Twist my arm!

I had made Ellie once before for a grand niece

and enjoyed the process.  I did learn some things

and made this one differently.

Shopping was necessary to get the color fabrics my

daughter requested.

Then the fun began.

Meet Ellie!

I did not use any fusible on Ellie,

but cut each piece from freezer paper and

machine appliqued them in place.

It was fun picking the fabrics for Ellie

and deciding what piece would be used where.

I hadn't planned on making the border like this,

but did not like the fabric I had for it.

This idea came to me and I love it!

Each section is quilted differently

and Ellie has a gray meander all over her.

 

 

 

 The backing fabric is Kaffe's Wisteria

(I think!).

 

 

While I was quilting the border areas,

I decided to quilt little messages into the quilt.

They are hardly noticeable,

but I know they are there

and are part of the whispered prayers said while

the quilting was being done.

 

 

 

JOY

BLESS

LOVE

All that is needed is the label,

which will be made after Baby Girl's arrival.

 

This will be wrapped and ready for delivery!

 

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday. 

 

Happy Quilting!

Finished Baubles

 If you are hearing crickets from my blog,

it's not because I'm not busy working on things in my

Hidey Hole.

It's because what I'm working on can't be shown yet.

A baby quilt for my granddaughter is in production

and I don't want my daughter to see it yet.

(She reads my blog!)

What I can show you are some finished baubles.

Last week I showed the pieces I had made

from which to cut the baubles.

I also had some baubles that I had embellished.

Now I have completed baubles!

 

These are so much fun to make and are quite addicting!

The online class I am taking, taught by Isobel Moore, shows us how to sew the fronts

and backs together while adding beads.

She also teaches us a fun way to make the braids for the hangers

that is very unique and makes beautiful ribbon braids.

The more embellishments,

the better.  :)

I love the purple with the orange and pink.

(There are some stray threads that need to be cut!)

 

Using different ribbons and trims

adds so much to these fun ornaments.

I'm really getting to use a lot of the stitches

on my sewing machine, too.

The next set is ready for embellishing.

I LOVE this combination of silks,

trims and ribbons.

These are some of the fun stitches on my sewing machine.

Silver metalic rick rack... can't go wrong with that!

I love this mesh ribbon I found, too.

Let the fun continue!

Happy Quilting!

Baubles

 Things have not been the same in my Hidey Hole lately.

Instead of piles of fabrics being cut into various size pieces,

I have strips of ribbons, trims and a few fabrics

being sewn with sequins, beads and fun stitches.

I am making Baubles and they are addictive!

 

 

 

Strips of fabrics and trims are sewn to the background

and then embellished.

 

The back of the piece looks so cool after all of the

stitching is done!

Another colorway is sewn.

I even used some Kaffe in both of these!  :)

 

Shapes are cut and the embellishing continues

with beads and sequins.

Next is to stitch this to the backing and finish it.

 

 

These haven't had the beads and sequins added yet.

I am having so much fun making these!!

Hopefully soon I'll be back to quilting,

but I'm enjoying the diversion.

Happy Creating!

Birds on a Wire

 With so many babies being born in the next several months,

I've been on the lookout for baby quilts to make.

We have boys and girls coming in the extended family,

so I need quilts for both genders.

While on a quilt shop website,

I found this pattern and knew I had to order it!

This quilt is so not my style of quilting,

but I love it!

AND it was a blast to make.

The pattern is called

"Bird on a Wire"

by Barbara Persing.

 

I didn't want the quilt to be stiff with so many applique pieces,

so I pulled out my copy of 

"Crafted Applique" by Lara Bucella

that came out a number of years ago.

She  uses Modge Podge instead of an iron on adhesive

and it works well.

 

 

 

 

It was fun choosing the fabric for the birds

and putting them together.

I've had this bird fabric in my stash for a while.

It was found by a friend at a local thrift shop!

 

 

Organic straight line quilting was sewn across the quilt

and the blue binding was added.

This quilt will go into the pile of quilts

waiting for babies.

Happy Quilting!

Swirls of Color #2

 

I am hooked!

Making these Swirls of Color

really makes me smile.

There's no pattern and

it's best to not have a plan.

Just sew a strip,

pick the next one,

sew that one on,

pick the next one.

Do this until it's finished

and then embellish.

 

 

 

Swirls of Color #2

Made with papers, fabrics, sari silk remnants, yarns, trims, ribbons, threads, beads and sequins.

It will join Swirls of Color #1

I'll wait a bit to begin #3.

There will be a #3!

And then they will hang together somewhere in my home.

Happy Creating!

Fall Table Runners

 Last week, Sara, at My Sewing Room

posted a couple of 60 degree table runners she had made from

border fabric.  She has made a number of these

over the years and they all look so nice.

After reading this latest table runner post,

I pulled out some fall border fabric I had purchased last year

and decided I was going to make a 60 degree table runner myself. 

These table runners go together so quickly!

Out of 1 1/2 yards of fabric I was able to make

two long runners and two table toppers.

I bought this fabric at a quilt shop in upstate NY last summer

when I was there for quilt camp.

The colors and the fall design caught my eye.

These are the two table toppers.

I was able to cut the ends  so two pieces sewn together

made one wedge.

I had the backing and binding fabric in my stash

and love this side, too.

One is on my dining room table, ready for Thanksgiving.

Thanks for the inspiration, Sara!

Happy Quilting!