The Good, the Bad, and the Messy

My blog is in danger of becoming a quilting blog. I have to stop - or at least slow down. Anyhow, I thought I'd write about some of the disappointing things that have happened to me this week - and then about the great things to balance it out. Disappointing things: 1. I saw that CrazyMomQuilts is not going to do her blog anymore. It made me want to cry, "Come back Crazy Mom! Don't leave us! Maybe you could just cut back to monthly posts - we'll give you your space, just don't go!" 2. I thought this one only happened in bad sit-coms. One of the kids threw a piece of bright red fabric into a load of whites. Now I have pink sheets, socks and underwear. Really? Did that really just happen to me? 3. I ordered a disappointing dish at my favorite restaurant, when I could have ordered something that I LOVE. Then I topped that off with a stupid movie. 4. Even with two alarms set, I didn't wake up before 9am once this week. I feel like a total loser. Well, it's starting to feel like Festivus (see Seinfeld for explanation), so here are the awesome things I enjoyed: 1. Two dates with my husband - all time record since we've had children. 2. I made it in to get my hair cut. Minor miracle. 3. Cozette has learned to play peek-a-boo, and is hiding under her crib with her brother for entertainment. So cute and grown-up. 4. I cleaned my room...not so clean that it would appear clean to the untrained eye, but everyone who lives here is amazed. Yes, a room that has been vacuumed and then littered with fresh quilt scraps is clean. 5. Someone linked to me as one of their favorite blogs! I'm touched. I hope your week leaned heavily toward the good.

Becky's Quilt

I have been eyeing charm packs (You know, those little bundles of 5" squares, just begging to be sewn together?) for some time now. Well, I finally eyed one a little too closely, broke the paper wrapper holding it together, and felt obligated to buy it....oops.


Then I decided I didn't like it after all. ...but maybe with a little something modern thrown in...some Amy Butler...Sandi Henderson...Paula Prass....oh, and now it's cute again.



By the time I finished this quilt, I loved it - and was decorating my house around it.


Not good, since I had to mail it and it's matching pillow off to my sister for her birthday. ...and now that she's got it, I can blog about it. :)

You're Such a Pill-ow!

I had a few squares left over from a project and felt they needed to be put to good use, so I made my first quilty pillow. I wasn't super-happy with it when I finished it. It's grown on me, however, and now I'm ready to make about a billion of them.

I put the front together just like a normal quilt, but, instead of binding it, I just serged around the edges to hold things together.


The back went together just like a zippered pouch.


I considered an invisible zipper at the bottom seam, but thought this pink zipper would look nice exposed. Hmmm. Still not sure about that.


I think I started liking it once I set it on a chair. That's where things ought to look the best - in their proper places.

4-Alarm Cuteness!

Check out the cutey I got at Goodwill! I figured I could return it if it didn't work. Well, mechanically speaking, it works. The hands are just a tad bit loose, so the time isn't exactly accurate.


I don't even care. Honestly, the alarm clocks I prefer are the ones that don't wake me up in the morning.

Doin' Our Thang

Cozy and I doing our sewing thing.


BooBoo capturing it on film.


I think my walls want a new color.

More Doll Quilts

I finally finished doll quilts for Annika and Sofi. This is why I typically begin Christmas presents in July. (And I have serious plans for that this year! Sofia and I have already begun our Christmas 2010 plotting.)

Annika's quilt is totally and completely copied off of the one Christy made when she was over. It was adorable. I had to have it.


My kids are not very easily impressed. Annika felt that the pillowcase was too long...and Sofi's quilt was bigger. I agree, but 8-year-olds aren't supposed to notice. Thanks, my ungrateful little darlings.


Sofi, on the other hand, was thrilled that Annika liked her quilt better. She liked hers better too (smugly, I might add). I wasn't crazy about it. I did the flowers Sofi requested, but wish I had quilted it more.


Also, I thought the bias tape method might look cuter with a straight stitch instead of the zig-zag. I was wrong. Laziness doesn't pay.



The upside: at least it's a doll-sized regret and not a queen-sized mistake, AND baby tiger doesn't care.

The nice thing about making Pajamas every year is that you don't actually have to buy patterns every year. I love it when they're sized 7-14! Heck - this year I didn't even have to buy fabric. (Yes, there was THAT much flannel left over from last year Joann's trip! Good thing we missed it this year, right Sarah?)

I was happy to get out old reliable again - McCall's #5744 - the easiest, cutest girl pjs ever. ...and I made it even easier by whimping out and doing nightgowns (no regrets there!)


Bias tape is a many-splendored thing.

Tony almost got me in some pretty big trouble. I finished Anthony's pjs and asked him to hold them up to see if they were the right length.

Enter Dad....
Tony: Are those the pants you made Anthony from a girl pattern?
Me: (eyes widening in shock) N-n-no. ...as if!



Thank goodness Tony already has a reputation as a teaser, so Anthony didn't even consider taking him seriously. McCall's #5744. Size 14.