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....

Mesmerize

OMG, this is mesmerizing.
Sketchbook, February 2013 from Seb Lester on Vimeo.

Austin Quilt Con

This past weekend I went to the Modern Quilt Convention in Austin. I had been looking forward to it for a year now as many of the bloggers I follow had mentioned it on their blog.
The Quilt Haus in New Braunfels also was there so I just had to go.

I took a bajillion pictures of some of the quilts I really liked so here's a bunch.

I'm a Parks and Rec fan so the Ron Swanson quilt caught my eye

Anyone who has ever tried to quilt has said this word, a lot. It made me smile.

This one had the most intricate quilting.

Close up of the quilting

Love this

This was the best in show for quilting, I really like how they
turned the double wedding ring quilt on it's head

My gorgeous sister and my darling daughter.

So cool

I really liked all that I saw, and I got two free charm packs from a Andover, a fabric vendor.

I LOVE THE PEARL BRACELETS

In other news I took a long arm quilting class from the Quilt Haus a week and a half ago. I get to use the machine on my own to practice this next wednesday. I'll try to get more practice time on Project Linus Quilts before I finally try to quilt the Big Brother Quilt. 

By the way, project linus quilts is a great organization that pairs critically ill children with hand made quilts that they get to use and keep while in the hospital. Judy at the quilt house told us to practice on donated project linus quilts first, since they always need those quilted and it's good practice, and it goes to a needy child. She also said that they get a bunch of quilt tops, but mostly need donations of batting since they rarely get that donated. I'll plan to donate batting when I do the project linus quilt. Anyway, just a note.

I'll let you know how it goes....

Ruth

embroidery

Lately I haven't had a lot of time for projects, mine or others, I've been working on being a Mom to a lovely 2 month old daughter and a 3 year old son, as well as being a hopefully adequate Wife.
But in-between all that, I finished an embroidery for my niece, who will be born in about a month or so.

It's an E, for Evelyn.