Random sewing

I made a few more baby things 'cause Maili wanted more burp cloths and more flannel blankets.

The zig zag flannel blanket is soooo soft. 

I added a couple of soother cords too for my little grandson. Those clips, known as suspender clips, were so hard to find. I finally got a package at Len's Mills. I used a little piece of thin elastic on the end to attach the soother. I had read that sometimes, ribbon has a tendency to fray over time and use. I just thought it made life easier to use a little bit of elastic.

Proof that what I make gets used. Other than his hat and sleeper, I made the rainbow blanket, the flannel blanket he's on, there is a burp cloth on the left and his soother strap is across his body.

Here's the little sweatshirt I made him too - still a tad too big.

Minis and More

Since the Schnibbles monthly parade of little quilts is no longer, there is now another blog quilt parade of the month called "Minis and More." I never took part in the Schnibbles because I didn't want to commit to making a little quilt each month. I didn't know what I'd do with all those little quilts. However, while blog surfing, I came across this pattern for Minis and More and since I have way too much fabric, I decided that I could use this for something.

 It will be a table topper for my coffee table. I love the colours. 

The Minis and More is hosted by Sherry from A Quilting Life and Michele of Island Life Quilts. Pop on over to find out more and also to see different versions of the same pattern the Summer Star Mini.

Announcement - Free course

Hi there. I don't know how many of you are interested in learning something new but I am. Last year I took Kathy Shaw's FREE Basic Crazy Quilt Course (the piece I created is on the right) and then earlier this year I took one of her intermediate courses - Intermediate Crazy Quilt Course (ICQC)101 Designing and Piecing Crazy Quilt Blocks. Now, Kathy is offering a course on silk ribbon embroidered flowers. There was a bit of silk ribbon work in the Basic course and I really, really liked it. This course being offered now expands on different flowers.

All of Kathy's courses are free but you have to start at the beginning and complete the Basic Crazy Quilt Course before you can continue on with her other courses. She is a wonderful, generous, giving teacher and has a lot of handouts. She even gives you gentle nudges to move on if she finds that you are stuck. The only thing required of you as a student is to make something (with your stash) and to supply your own tools and materials. She instructs and you do the work. Go HERE and check it out. Registration for this course closes soon. If you are at all interested in her Basic course, then follow her blog or drop her an email letting her know that you are interested and she will gladly let you know when the next one will begin.

A bit of sewing

I have been busy sewing for a couple of little girls.

Since I made Teemu one, I wanted to see if I could make the pattern just a bit bigger to fit his cousins who are now 8 months old.

Purple is a favourite colour. This is the free hoodie pattern and tutorial from Leafy Treetop's blog.

They worked out so well that I decided they needed pants too.

The pants were just a regular straight leg pants pattern that I added ribbing to. I used Simplicity 4434 because the pants were just two pieces instead of four so there are no side seams.

Now I'm going to be sewing some big people clothing. My daughter wants some summer shirts/blouses.
I'm linking up with The Needle and Thread Network.

Little quilts and family genes

This is just one of the quilts on the frame.

The other one is just boring straight line quilting but this one needed something extra in the border.

Stars.

The fastest quilt ever. I don't remember how long it took to piece but it wasn't a whole day and it only took two days to quilt (not full days.) My friend Marg said I could have quilted it by machine but I figure by the time I cut the batting and backing, pin baste or spray glue, and then quilt on the machine, I wasn't saving a whole lot of time. It was relatively quick to put on the frame and quilt in the ditch. I was going to quilt diagonal lines but this was quicker. I love its fresh look. It's also so much lighter with its polyester batting than if I used a flat batt.


On a more personal note:

These are little Teemu's aunts, uncles and mommy - my five babies. These photos were taken when they were all still in the hospital and are in no particular order.

This is little Teemu.

 So, who do you think he looks like? Number 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5?

 He sleeps so much that it's hard to see his little eyes. He is thriving though, and within the two weeks he has been here, he's almost gained a whole pound.

I love the pattern for this sweater and I love the yarn too. His hat yarn is the same yarn I used for my first grandson when I knit the same sweater and a matching hat (though a different pattern.)

I'm going to be busy sewing Teemu's little cousins some hoodies this weekend.
I hope you all have a safe and restful weekend.

Lindsay Creative Quilters quilt show - Part three

The show was really quite nice. Lots of quilts and plenty of vendors. I got my 40+ year old shears adjusted and sharpened by the scissor man. I had seen him at quilt shows and this time I remembered to bring my shears. I bought them a very long time ago and hadn't used them in years. Now that I am sewing things for little people I figured it was time to take the shears out and use them.

Now, the last of the photos. (please excuse the spacing because for some reason I cannot correct it.)

Another quilt in soft colours.

It's not the Winter Wonderland. This one is embroidered in grays and blacks.

I love old cars and trucks.

There's an awful lot of handwork in this quilt.

 Just in case any of you want to get the pattern.

This would make such a nice quilt for a young boy or a teenager.

OK, maybe even for your husband.

Scrap quilt but in a limited palette.

The two-tone background fabric sets off the hexagons nicely.

I hope the colour shows up on this. I really, really liked the background fabric. It's not white, gray or off white. It's tone on tone yellow. Surprisingly very nice indeed.

Simple and pretty.

Little paper dolls.

Remember dressing them? This one had 3-D elements.

Oh what fun.

A t-shirt quilt honouring Terry Fox.

I didn't think that taking a photo of the whole quilt would show up so I just took a close-up - hand quilted, of course.

A quilt that had candlewicking - something you don't see often.

I took a chance and hoped the photo showed the wonderful hand quilting.

A challenge.

The winner. This little bunny was made by my quilting buddy, Judy.

This challenge was judged by Mary Anne. She has photos of some of the other entries. I didn't photograph the others because the lighting wasn't that great but I did want a close-up of Judy's bunny.

For those of you who are crazy quilters. This was in the foyer as you entered.

And now, here's an unusual quilt.

A map of Canada - totally embroidered.

I loved it.

Click on the photos for a bigger picture.

I wonder how the maker made it.

I also wondered why it was made.

It's almost like a teaching quilt. I remember puzzles of Canada that we got as children from the parliament buildings that had keys about the industries in each province and territory.

Too bad no one knows who made this true piece of history.

I hope you enjoyed the show.