The Wonky Heart Quilt

I recently finished a baby quilt for my new niece Nora. I had found some large gingham check fabric at a Walmart that still sold fabric one day. I had thought I would make Lucy a dress in it but never got around to it. I decided to instead, do another quilt.

My attempt was to piece a large heart, and then long arm quilt it with a wandering heart pattern. It didn't quite work out as well as I wanted, I had to improvise a lot more than I was expecting, and the heart got mishapen and the edges never matched up.

There fore it became the "Wonky Heart".

Wonky Heart Quilt

Here's how I started.

Ugh, curves. Why did I cut them in curves!?

Re-working the set up

None of the slices matched up because C*RVES, are always a bad idea when you are pressed for time and sloppy. So to disguise the lack of matching (see left side) I reworked some slices to fit and then added sashing between all the slices.

The Greek Flag re-imagined by Strawberry Shortcake.

I then spray basted the layers together (huge sticky mess on my nasty vinyl floors) and rented some time on the Sweet 16 long arm quilter at The Quilt Haus in New Braunfels. I wasn't terribly satisfied with the final quilt top, but I had come up with a neat wandering heart stitch I wanted to try out. I'm in a heart phase I think.

I like the pattern!!!!!

Gee, I love large scale gingham.

Finished with my sweetheart trying it out.

 

 

My son using it as a cape

I even tried mitred corners on the binding, which went horribly awry.

Now, onto  finally quilting the big brother quilt which is way overdue. (I finished the quilt top in October of last year)

Until then....Ruth

Bow Bag

I had gotten a cute bag from Etsy a few years ago. (you can buy it here)

It was cute, but much too large for my needs. I had been thinking of making a purse with a bow for awhile and had collected a nice little cache of photos for inspiration.

 

So then I went ahead and did some sketches for my BOW BAG.

 Yes, they DO look quite sketchy. Because sketches are just that. Badly drawn ideas. Or at least mine are. If I wanted to do a nice technical drawing or illustration I would never had gotten around to making he actual bag.

I decided on a version of the one I checked off, and a version of the top right one. I changed fabrics, patterns and whether or not to add a bow at least twice.

But after what seemed like forever here's my finished purse. Due to my being a lazy bum, I didn't do a tutorial, or even take pictures for those of you who'd like to make your own. So sorry.

I have pockets on the outside and inside, because originally, the yellow polkadot was going to be just the lining on this fabric below. And the fabric of the bow.

But it just got too busy. So, I said, forget the chevrons, for now, and just use the polka dot. I'm glad that I did.

Now, onto the next project.

Ruth

And where's my Bezier Pen Tool!!!

http://youtu.be/Jexqp-MK0pI



That's all well and good, but WHERE IS MY BEZIER PEN TOOL!!!!

4 years old and the happiest place on Earth

For my son's 4th birthday we were thinking of taking him to "The Happiest Place on Earth." AKA, Disney World.

Since he has a tendency to get excited and run faster than me...I had the genius idea of making matching T-shirts in a loud color for all of us, so we can spot each other.

Here's my minimalist idea for what our Family T-shirts should look like.

I think it's cute.

I think it would be perfect.

Pearl Bracelet charm pack quilt

Hello,

I finished a small baby quilt for my neice Evelyn as a thank you for the adorable pictures her Father J.Bell took of my little one a month ago.

Here's the finished piece.

In progress

After quilting

I really like it. It finished only about 2"x3", which is perfect for a little carry along, play on the floor, love on little "wooby" quilt.

Ruth

J.Bell Photography session 3 month old

About a week before my daughter turned 4 months a very talented photographer did a session with her......J. Bell Newborn/family photographer extraordinaire.

He's a pretty neat dude it only took about an hour, maybe because she was happy, maybe because the juju all aligned. He's done family photo's of us before and well, lots more since he made the very smart choice of marrying my sister.

He didn't ask me to promote his business, but I felt like it because I really loved the pictures. It's an easy process, very little crying, and the babies behaved too.


Here's a few peeks at some great shots he did for us.

Gosh Darn, I sure do make some cute babies.

Well, I guess Sarge helped.

,Ruth

DIY maternity nursing shirt

I have been on the prowl for an easy shirt to wear for nursing. Most of them come with a higher price tag and if I'm going to be covered in spit up and milk stains, I just don't want to invest in something expensive. So I looked online for DIY nursing shirts and didn't come out with much that I liked. I mean, I don't plan on wearing them out much, but I have to look "decent" if I do go out in one. So I grabbed a 4 pack of XL men's Hane's T-shirts and started draping on my size 12 dressform. Unfortunately for me, I am no longer a size 12, I  am much larger due to my need to consume all the food I see, and having been pregnant about 4 months ago, it's just going to stay that way for.....hmn, eternity I guess.

I came up with a process to make a presentable t-shirt cheaply, that works as a nursing top.
You will need a t-shirt that's too big for you, a sewing maching (I used a serger) and scissors.

First start with your XL men's t-shirt. Or if you are a smaller person, a smaller shirt. But we will be taking in a bit so guesstimate. My measurements are:
Bust: 38"
Waist: 33"
Hips: 39"
When finished my shirt has a good 4" ease for comfort. I had made one tighter, but didn't like that you could see my doughboy tummy.

XL Men's T-shirt, nice and roomy

I measured 3" down from the armpit seam

Cut 3" down from armpit seam

Cut down center front

Fold over sides of cut center front and make a diagonal line

Cut along the diagonal line and make a V

Overlap the two center front corners

My overlap was 8", you can try on the shirt and find the most comfortable overlap for yourself

Pin your overlap

Baste or serve the overlap only

Keep the overlap pinned even after sewing-cut open the center back-straight down the middle

Take the bottom half of the shirt and cut a straight line

pin the top of the overlapped shirt, and the bottom

Serge a straight line attaching the two pieces

There will be extra fabric at the center back, you can cut it to match the center back top and then ease it to 0" for a A shape, or cut straight down for a fitted shape.

Serge or sew the center back seam. Before you sew, try it on and pin the fit you want then mark. This is what the back should look like.

This is the front of the shirt inside out, with my son, because he desperately wanted to be in the picture.

This is the finished shirt, I took in a bit more ease for the picture, I wear mine larger than shown. No need to hem the neckline, it's a jersey so it just rolls nicely, and no frays.

Pull one part to the side and easy nursing, just remember, this is a jersey fabric, it will stretch so the neckline will get looser each time you nurse until you wash it again. So if you want to reinforce it with an elastic that would help.

Hope this works for anyone wanting an easy and cheap solution for a nursing Tshirt.

I'm wearing the one I made in the photo's right now.

Salut....