It's National Sewing Month!

This apron was one of the last projects I worked on before I put my sewing machine away for the summer. My sewing room doubles as our guest room, and that guest room has been very busy with both Rodrigo and Michael coming and going all summer. But now Michael has gone back to China, and Rodrigo's days of school in Sacramento have lessened; he's only here 8 to 10 days a month now. Could it be time to take back the sewing room???

The pattern for the apron is from The Apron Book, by EllynAnne Geisel and is called the Basic Waist Apron. I dipped into my stash of cat fabrics and cut and stitched this up in an afternoon.

Detail of the ruffled pocket and hem:

It was a really fun project. I had hinted at this project in this blog awhile back, but couldn't say what it was, or post photos, because it was to be a gift, and my recipient hadn't received it yet.

Recently my son sent me this photo of his bride, Dianna, wearing her birthday gift:

How cute does that look!!?? I was happy she liked it and is putting it to good use (in the very limited spare time that she manages to carve out of her nursing school schedule). She's making chocolate chip cookies (my fave!) and, whoohoooo! She sent some with Rodrigo the next time he came up. I hid them in the freezer and took them out one or two at a time to eat secretly. I didn't want to share, ha ha ha ha!

Here's my current sewing project - a California King-size quilt. The top is all sewn together now, but I still need to add the borders:

At the moment it's all packed away, but it just may be time to get that baby OUT!

Yeah, I know, there's ALWAYS a cat sitting on my in-progress quilts!

I'm happy about that.

Are you sewing this month? What are you making???

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

It's that half-chinese kid! Michael is on his way here. We'll pick him up around 1:30 p.m. today at SFO. Whooohoooo!

The last couple weeks have been VERY busy with:

hiking
quilting
birthdaying
bbqing
partying
strawberry-picking
and lots more ings.

Hope to post more often in June!

It's a Girl!

Or will be. My niece, Amber Wirth, is due to have a baby girl next month. Amber will receive this baby quilt next week:


I'm pretty sure she'll like it.

To everyone who tried to guess who the mom-to-be was . . . you didn't try very hard!!!

Party-poopers!

Guess Who's Having a Baby Girl!

I'm geared up to make yet another baby girl ragged quilt. These are the flannel fabrics I'll be using; aren't the ladybugs and butterflies soooo sweet? And the purple gingham, well, what can I say, any gingham is adorable for babies. I'll be spending a lovely afternoon sewing this up.

Can you guess who, in my family, is having a baby girl???

Lotsa Finished Projects!

I've had a very productive few days! I put a self-imposed limit on my internet time and made great progress on my list of UFO's (UnFinished Objects). Here are the things I've completed:

A small cross-stitch piece of a hummingbird and flowers. I put it in its frame for this photo, but it's not "properly" framed quite yet. I need to stretch it on the backing so that the faint crease down the middle is gone. Still, it's SO close to being finished that I'm counting it!

This is a coffee cup cozy, for use with those cardboard cups you get from Starbuck's and other coffee houses. This was only an hour-long project, including cutting out the fabric and hand-sewing the button on. I followed Erin's tutorial as posted on her blog, House on Hill Road, and which you can find here. I made this as a gift for my friend, Chris, in Napa.

(By the way, I photographed my coffee cup cozy in the macro photo studio that Mike and I built using a 12x12x12 cardboard box, some tissue paper, and a sheet of posterboard. Want to make one of your own? Check out this tutorial at Strobist!)

Next, I finally finished my Bargello quilt!!! This pattern is from the book, "No-Sweat Flannel Quilts," by Beth Garretson and is called "A Bit of Bargello."

I am especially happy about getting this done because I actually put together the quilt top 2 or maybe even 3 years ago, got it machine-quilted by Paula Gallagher of Quilt-in-Time in Benicia (as far as I know she doesn't have a website or I would list it), and then, for various reasons the quilt got put away and just remained stored in a closet, nearly forgotten.

When I took it out recently to finish it, I had to search all over for the fabric strips I was sure I had cut to make the binding. Two days later I finally found the strips at the bottom of a container of scraps. I stitched them together, then onto the quilt, and then did the hand-stitching while watching a movie. DONE!

By the way, for the BEST instructions EVER on how to bind a quilt, check out this tutorial at the Gratz Industries blog. Easy to follow, gorgeous results!

My bargello quilt is lap size and now I really regret not making it at least a twin-size. Bargello strip piecing goes really fast and looks great. Plus I just LOVE the colors. And look how cute it is on my white iron daybed!

Not to mention how pretty it looks next to the eyelet bedskirt on that same bed. ARGH, should have made it twin-size, and should have made two of them! I'll know better next time.

I spent much of today in the sewing room again, with Scout as company, as usual. She loves the sewing maching, she loves fabric, and she loves the warm ironing board. Now if I could just teach her to thread a needle!

My project today was this purse, the pattern is called "La Borsetta" by Meredith Burns. I bought the pattern and fabric at the Patchwork Cat quilt shop in Benicia. Sadly, the Cat is no more, as it's owner, Bonnie, closed it a couple of months ago. I still miss it! She had The Best fabric, and a lot that were cat-related, of course.

So the first photo shows the purse when it is laying down flat. This photo shows how it expands and can sit up by itself. It turned out really cute, I think. There are pockets on both the front and back, a ribbon and button closure, and two shoulder straps. Don't you love the cats 'n coffee themed fabric?

It's fully lined inside with another, coordinating fabric, and is a perfect size for an on-the-go knitting project, or just as a fun weekend bag. I do believe I'll be using it when I go off to Pacific Grove for a scrapbookers getaway this weekend, dahhh-ling!

Finished Ragged Quilt - Baby Girl

Love the way it turned out. Pinks and purples; one of my fave combos for baby girl quilts. This one will have to be named Kalleigh's Quilt, since it's for my niece's baby girl, Kalleigh. Here's the back:
Aren't stripes fun? These quilts are so much fun to make and, as I mentioned yesterday, FAST. You can easily whip one up for a baby shower even if you have just a couple of days notice (well, ok, unless you have to mail it). This one's actually way late; Kalleigh was born several months ago, but in my defense she was 6 or so weeks early and then I had the Christmas rush of projects for my digital scrapbooking business to handle, so the quilt-making got put off. However, I think baby Kalleigh will still enjoy it!

Just for fun, and so you can see how a variety of fabrics create different looks, here are a couple other ragged quilts I have made in the past:
Ryan's Quilt; his nursery is all decorated in safari theme so monkeys, giraffes, elephants and lions were the order of the day. The back, if I remember right, was done in the animal print.

Leah's Quilt. Another sweet baby girl; I thought she should have stars, moons, clouds, and pink gingham to encourage peaceful naps. I used the pink gingham for the back because I have a huge attachment to gingham, of any color.

One last baby quilt made in the past 2 years is Blake's Quilt:As far as I can tell, this is the only photo I have of it! Taken at Seana's baby shower, just after she opened it. It's not a flannel ragged quilt, like the others, but an actual pieced quilt with cotton fabrics, using a very easy pattern, an 8-patch block (and I can't even remember what it's called), combined with large squares, then I added borders and tied it with embroidery floss.

Are you a quilter? I'd love to see your quilts, send me a link or photo!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

A lovely cold and foggy day here in Benicia . . . perfect for staying indoors with a fire in the fireplace, a good book (I'm currently reading "The Brass Verdict," by Michael Connelly), lounging on the couch wrapped in a blankie and with a cat or two on my lap. Bliss!
However, I'll be spending today working on my queue of unfinished projects. I started to make a written list of them all (knitted baby sweater, crocheted afghan, raggedy baby quilt, cross-stitch project-Sunbonnet Sue, cross-stitch project-hummingbird, sewing project-apron, sewing project-advent calendar, sewing project-twin size quilt...) and then I started to feel panicky that there were so many, so I stopped. It's pretty clear I don't need to buy materials for another project for at least 2 years!

I will need to go get some more batting because I'm a bit short for the quilt I'm working on right now, which has actually turned into two quilts since I had so much extra fabric. (I'll put the extra quilt away in my "Baby Hope Chest!") The fabrics I'm using are shown in the above photo. Aren't they sweet for a baby girl? I've made several of these ragged quilts and they sew up so quickly that you can easily make one in a day, including cutting out the squares. If you'd like to try one, the best set of instructions I've found so far are written by Gayla Carlson of Jubilee Homespun Fabrics. To go directly to the website page with the instructions, click here.

Just a Note: In her write-up Gayle mentions that you should use only homespun fabrics for ragged quilts, never the regular printed cotton. Good advice re the printed cotton; however, I've always used flannel (so far) for my ragged baby quilts, and they turn out very nice also.

So, back to the sewing machine - whoohoooo!

What are YOU doing today?? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Not Enough Time, Never Enough Time

My "happy" little bundle of quilting fabrics. The book contains the pattern I'll be following, called "A Piece of Summer."

This is what I want to work on this weekend.

But I have client layouts to finish up. And some things to do around the house and yard. And family to keep company with. And meals to cook. And books to read with a cat in my lap. And some sleeping (including napping). And I'm doing everything way more slowly than usual due to the current heat wave and no A/C in our little house.

Don't get me wrong. I love doing all the above. But it's still hard to be patient and let this quilt-to-be wait its turn. Honestly, I don't know HOW I ever squeezed in a full-time job!

What's awaiting your attention?

Inspiration in Benicia

Benicia, California. On Main Street, looking toward the Carquinez Strait. One of the views that explain why I love living here. I often say that I won't leave here unless it's in a pine box. Look at that delish Benicia breeze bending the palm fronds. That breeze allows many of us to live here without A/C in our homes, which works out great....except when there's a heat wave, like right now! At the moment I would adore A/C but, in a few days, when the weather cools, I will again enjoy being able to live closer to the seasons. And greener, 'cuz we can use less electricity.This photo looks out on the entrance to the Benicia Marina. We always include the marina on our walks or bike rides downtown. Mike loves boats and water, and I love water and seabirds, and we get treated to all three here. Many times we've watched boats coming in or out of this waterway. We brought the Mirage here, from her berth in Alameda, a couple of times. Now we no longer own her, and her new owners berth her in Richmond. It's weird, not owning a sailboat anymore, even for me. Mike is the one who has always been the avid sailor. But I miss her, too.Something else I love about my little town. The architecture of the old buildings. This one is on the corner of 1st and West J. I mean, you just don't see windows like this on anything being built today. If I could afford to, I'd have a little office in one of these old buildings, for my little digital scrapbooker-for-hire business. What a boost to creativity. My favorite quilt shop, the Patchwork Cat, is housed in one of the old industrial buildings near the docks. Old, scarred-up wooden floors, high ceilings with exposed pipes, windows overlooking the Carquinez Strait - what could be more inspiring?

What inspires you?

Baby Girl Quilt

As promised here are photos of the second ragged quilt. I loved working with the little girl colors, especially the pink gingham. I have a long-standing love for gingham for some weird reason! These quilts sew up so quickly, you can easily buy the fabric, cut out the squares, sew them together, clip the seams, and wash and dry it all in one day. Gives a great feeling of accomplishment!
I only hung the quilt on my clothesline to take a photo -- these "ragged" quilts have to be put in the dryer in order for the fabric to fray nicely.

This quilt will be sent off to Henderson, Nevada, to my niece Brittany. Her baby girl is due in early March. I can't wait to hear what she and Brandon name the baby, how much she weighs, who she looks like, and all that other fun stuff!

Scout has a Busy Day

Who could resist this face??? When we took Scout and her brother, Jack, to the vet last Monday we were told they were both overweight. We kinda thought so (we've been calling Jack the Beached Whale), but didn't realize just how much. Scout needs to lose 2 pounds! That's 1/7 of her body weight. Guess it's time I cut way back on her "candy!" But just look at her! That's how she manages to get so many treats from her mama!

Ahhhh, Saturday! Always lovely to wake up and know that I don't have to rush off anywhere; in fact, this day was totally unscripted. Michael is here, he arrived last evening on Amtrak, and we picked him up in Martinez. He's been sick and is still recuperating. His idea of the perfect visit was sleeping, reading, eating, drinking tea, watching movies, and putting together another jigsaw puzzle. So that's exactly what we did today. Here is he is, remote control in hand, wrapped in a blanket, and surfing the channels.
He also spent some time on-line, presumably chatting with friends (especially Salena) in China. For those who don't already know this, Michael lives in China at present, has been there for a year now, teaching English and the Louyang College of Technology (I think that's the proper name). He's due to return for the spring semester early next month. He came home just days before Christmas for an extended visit and ever since has been on a whirlwind tour of California visiting friends and family all over the state, plus a quick trip to Portland to see friends there.

Below, Scout monitors Michael's on-line activity!

Except for a quick trip to Wal-Mart for a new jigsaw puzzle and a few other things, we have stayed inside on this gray and overcast day. It gave me a chance to finish up the quilt I have been working on for my niece's baby, due in March. It took a little longer than I planned due to the very constant assistance from who else but Scout!
Turns out she's quite fascinated by my sewing machine, not to mention a huge fan of cuddling on flannel, so it was hard to keep her away. She kept inching closer and closer until I was afraid she'd put her nose right under the needle and get sewn to the quilt!
But I did manage to finish the quilt. I washed and dried it and here is the finished blanket. I think it turned out really cute!
And it was very fun, though tedious to clip all those seams so that they would fray during the washing/drying process. I'll definitely make another one of these for my other niece, Brittany, who is having a baby at about the same time as Heather. I'm thinking I'd better make one for Scout. I have some squares left from this one, perhaps I'll have some left over from the next one, and I'll sew them together and make Scout a quilt of her own.

She's gonna love it.

At the moment it's pouring outside; apparently the storm that was being predicted has arrived. No matter; tomorrow is another stay-at-home day. I'm planning to make cookies, something I haven't done in ages. I may have to fight Michael for the kitchen; he loves to bake cookies, too. I almost never bake unless we have company because otherwise I'm the only one here to eat what I make. Mike doesn't have much of a sweet tooth at all. Me, on the other hand.....well, that's another story!

Mystery Bird Identified!

My friend, Susan, who is a ninja net-surfer, has identified our mystery bird! It is a Townsend's Warbler and is commonly seen on the coasts of Oregon and California in winter. Here is a link to a better photo than mine of this beautiful bird. Isn't he a stunner? Thank you, Susan!

Well, it's another gray, rainy day here in northern California so I plan to stay inside as much as possible. I'm so lucky to be self-employed and able to work at home! The cats will do more of this:

Scout, sleeping on top of my sewing box.


And this:

Jack, having his bath on my sewing table. Wherever I am . . . that's where they want to be!

Warm Flannel for a Baby Quilt

My niece, Heather, is due to have her baby in March. Her baby shower is on the 9th so I've been busy working on a baby quilt for her. I found this adorable safari flannel fabric at the Patchwork Cat and also the stripes and green batik to go with it. Heather is using the safari theme and colors in her baby's nursery (they know it's a Boy) and so I think this quilt will fit right in.

This is the quilt in progress. I'm trying one of those "ragged" quilts where you clip the seams and then wash the quilt, letting the clipped seams fray. They are so cute when they are done! I can't wait to finish it and wash it. It works especially well with flannels and probaby chenille fabrics, too. As you can see it's a VERY simple pattern; just 9.5" squares so it's going together really quickly. And it's FUN!

Every time I get my sewing machine out I wonder why I don't do it more often....
That's Jack. He decided this folded up piece of warm & soft batting was the perfect place for a nap. Yep, he's really that color.