A Quartet of Quilts

Enter project #2. Four quilts (maybe 6 if I'm incredibly insane).  This year I decided to be really ambitious with my family Christmas gifts. I blame it entirely on this lady.

She makes so many really beautiful quilts that really have a modern feel and she has at least two patterns that seem fairly simple to accomplish. Squares. I can do squares. 

So I had a goal not to spend over $50 for each quilt and thanks to a 30% off sale at Joann's Fabric + a bonus 20% off coupon I was able to get ALL the fabric & batting I needed and was able to stay VERY close to my $50 cut off. So excited. 

Behold my lovely stacks of beautiful fabric...all washed and neatly folded: 

I know, only 3 piles of fabric, wouldn't that be a triplet? Not in this case...stack #3 will yield two quilts. 

So, you plan to make your son a fall wardrobe AND make four quilts within the next 3 months? Yes, yes I do. Okay, lady, it's your call. 

Quilt #1 - Purple & Green for my cousin: 

Let the piecing begin. 

Ian's Fall Wardrobe for 2011 Begins

I was inspired by this lady to sew my son a fall wardrobe. I figured if she could sew up two wardrobes with 6 kids that she home schools, I should certainly be able to crank out one.  I bought all the patterns & fabric months ago on the condition that I couldn't buy him any store bought clothes in the fall.
See....

Well the weather around here has certainly changed from the 90s everyday down to the livable 70s so I'd better get cracking.
I really love love love to start new projects. Look at all that fabric lined up. I'm crazy. The planning and cutting out is a lot of fun for me.
So I decided to start out with pants (AJ Bottoms pattern from the nice lady mentioned above) since they go together really quickly and I only have to cut out 3 pieces..two legs & a waistband...easy peasy. Made slightly challenging by a cat (ahem, please move Emme) who likes to try and chew on the rotary cutter while I'm trying to cut the fabric.

Luckily I prevailed and got 6 whole pairs all cut out. Score!

I got one whole pair sewed up and thought, hmmm, they look a little long. Now I didn't bother checking dimensions on the pattern. I didn't take into consideration that my little 18 month old son is a pretty small little guy. He's only in the 10th percentile for height & weight and he still wears 12 month size clothes and occasionally some 9 month items. I just thought he's 18 months, I'll do the 18 month pattern.

A little comparison below...the khakis are a pair of pants that fit him well right now (size 12 months) and the black are the lovely new pair I sewed that are just a bit too big. Like 4 inches too long and saggy diaper looking too big. Blast!

I am thankful that I didn't sew up all 6 pairs before trying them on him. I'm glad I can sometimes curb my overzealousness.  Back to the drawing board....or tracing out pattern board. 

Baby Snuggle Wrap

 I think this may be a first for me. Completing a gift TWO days before I need to either mail it or wrap it. 

This snuggle wrap was pretty quick to put together which is why I really love sewing baby and kid clothes. Something I've only started recently. A wonderful lady at the Sewing Mama's forum set me up with this adorable free pattern. 

I got the puppy dog print at Hobby Lobby and used knit cotton interlock for the inside to make it all snuggly for the little one. Added a cute little handmade tag to the back that I purchased here.

Nothing much done

Alas the last couple of weeks haven't given me much time to do anything crafty or cleany/straightening uppy....as evidenced below:

Obviously I've got lots more organizing to do in the craft room in order to get the sewing side up & running but I've also got a present to make for a friend who is expecting her first little boy (after 3 girls) in October. ACK! That's next month!

I found this REALLY adorable puppy dog fabric at Hobby Lobby and plan on making a swaddler.

Her baby shower is next Wednesday so I'd better get cracking.