Random Notions – Frustration

Just in case anyone is wondering where I am this time, the sewing/computer room is all torn up again, and I can’t get to anything!  I got another buffet table and I’m trying to figure out how to put the two together to give me a bigger working space, which is very much needed.   I wanted to get this all done while I had a week off from classes, but it didn’t happen. 

Brooklyn’s quilt is almost completely done – I was in the middle of tying it when I got the extra table – so hopefully in a day or so I will have it all finished.  Please keep checking back – I will have a giveaway announcement when I return! 

Random Notions – Brooklyn’s Hearts

I did not realize I had been gone for a week.  This past week I have been working on the baby quilt and dealing with Harry.  He really has embraced the terrible two’s.  He has been cranky from the minute he gets up in the morning, and with me being cranky, too, it makes for difficult days.  I finished up the last week of my first history class – only four more to go – and now I have a week of freedom from classes.  <yay!> 

I thought that since I have a week free from classes, today I would start trying to potty train Harry.  He was very enthusiastic and put on his big boy underwear right after he got up.  Layla was getting ready for school and for some reason, she took off her shoes to do something.  A minute later, I found Harry in the bathroom and he had peed, in his underwear- he was wearing Layla's shoes, and it ran into the shoes.  Layla was upset because she really wanted to wear those shoes, but I could not stop laughing.  In fact, I was laughing all day long whenever I thought about it!  Always nice to start your day off with a chuckle!  LOL

I really searched though the fabrics I had on hand til I found a combo I thought I would really like for the baby quilt-

Anyone that has sewn for some time will probably recognize the pansies – they were so popular when they came out.  I always wanted some of it, but I never got it until I went to Savers one day and found a huge piece – almost three yards – for only $1.99.  It was the right time to buy it!  I didn’t have very much of the other three, but I knew I could work something out.

I knew the theme was going to be hearts, so I made eight hearts to appliqué onto the quilt and the pillow-

Then I appliquéd them to eight squares of the yellow-

I had never used the chicken tracks (?) stitch before but I have seen others use it a lot.  Now I know why – I love it!  This will be my go-to appliqué stitch from now on!

Then I cut the pansies into the same size squares as the yellow and used the green for the sashing-

This was honestly almost all the green I had- I really had to do some math to figure out what size sashing I could put on.  At this point, I was really not too sure about it- I mean, are those pansies too much for a baby quilt?  I got my answer when I realized I didn’t have enough of the other three fabrics for the outside border-

EEEKK!  That is way TOO MANY PANSIES!  It was way too dark- I took them off!  But then, what was I going to do if I didn’t have enough of anything else to finish them?  I knew I could get more of the purple – it is a fairly recent design and I saw it at Joann’s not too long ago.  But I was afraid it was going to be too dark as well.  So I went to Hancock Fabrics and looked for the yellow – and they had something close enough for me- in fact, it is probably the same fabric-

Isn’t that so much better?  Bright and happy, just as a baby quilt should be, with just the right amount of pansies and sunshine!  The pillow cover I did just a bit different-

In this case, because the pillow is only 12” X 12” I had to put the pansies in the border or I wouldn’t have had many there.  I like the way it came out. 

Now, I just have to put it all together and tie it.  I do that part in kind of a cheat way- I sew the backing on, and then before I turn it, I lay it out on the batting and cut it to fit, then hand sew the batting to the seam allowance of the front and backing.  Then I turn it and tie it.  No binding, and super simple.  This is the fleece I got for the back –

I know, I know, it doesn’t match the front at all.  That was what I wanted – something different.  I really like it.  I will probably use white floss or yarn to tie it.  So tonight, after everyone has gone to bed, I am going to use the kitchen table to lay it out. 

After this is all finished up, I am going to make something a bit bigger than a baby quilt, it will be more of a lap quilt for Brooklyn’s older brother Nicco, who is seven.  I have a couple of things in mind for him.  The only boy quilt I made was for Harry before he was born, and it has Oakland Raiders material on it.  I think this will definitely be different.