No Cash Wallet

Recently I made these "No-Cash Wallets" for my Mom and Gordon's Mom for Mother's Day. I got the pattern from Amy Karol's Bend The Rules Sewing book. I think they are pretty cute.
I even put snaps on them to keep them closed.
There are two pockets, so in one of them I put a clear picture holder and filled each with pictures of kids and grandkids. So they became more of a brag book. I hope they liked them as much as I liked making them.
Now, what's the next project??

DONE!!!

Yippee! I finally finished the quilt for Ian. I posted briefly about it before it was finished, but now it is done!! I used my Dad's plaid shirts to make the airplanes. Then a navy blue with white stars for the border and backing. There is also a light brown border as well. I found this pattern even before Ian was born, and kept saying if I had a boy I would use Dad's shirts and make it.
Then my good friend, Ann, used her quilting machine to do the quilting for me. We chose a pattern that looked to us like clouds. This photo doesn't even do it justice. But, she did a wonderful job, don't you agree?
Thanks Ann!!

I had made a small quilt out of Dad's shirts before for Charlotte and made the shirts into houses.It is cute! I think that she will treasure it. I also made four little pillows out of Dad's shirts too, just after he passed. One for Mom, one for Char, one for Sue, and one for me. Then the first thing I made was for Anthony, my nephew, who was just under one year old when he died. It was a quilt made only of Dad's shirts and a navy for the backing. It was the first tribute to my Dad. And I think helped me heal.

I wanted Ian to have a little piece of him too. Now he does!

Rocket Man!

I have been following a blog called Sew Mama Sew for some time now. They have so many great ideas and fun things to try. Over the past few weeks leading up to Christmas they had these Handmade for the Holidays features, where they would feature a variety of ideas that other readers of the blog had.
I used one idea to make these Christmas gifts. Rocket ships and little men to ride in them. I found this one on the Sew Mama Sew blog, which linked me here. The link gave me instructions and a pattern to follow.


I actually made three of these for three very special little boys, who are very near and dear to my heart for Christmas. I think they were a hit. Pretty easy and pretty cute, huh?

ps. This is my 50th post!!! Thanks for faithfully reading. :)

I can't stop!

I just can't stop playing with the fabrics and making these bags! So here's the latest In Town Bag from Amy Butler, with her Midwest Modern Fabrics, by little ol' me. Pretty, huh?

I made this for a special lady for Christmas. I think she will love it, don't you?

Now, what next?

Messy Eater? Little Drooler?

No problem! I found this pattern in the book Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. It is a simple bib pattern that I used to make bibs for one special baby I know, for Christmas. I used my new fabrics again from Heather Bailey and Amy Butler. Not typical baby fabrics. Which I love. Plus this was the first time I ever used a snap tool to put the finishing touches on.
These are "Chic Bibs". Don't you agree?I am very much a fan of handmade gifts. Always have been. Now I have a way to try some new things and give gifts truly from the heart.
Now if only I could start a business doing what I love?!?

Another Creation!

Ok, so now I'm addicted!! I can't stop making bags and other goodies that I hope to giveaway to friends and family at Christmas. This is a bag that I finished last weekend, but hadn't had a chance to take the photo.I used the Amy Butler In Town Bag pattern and two coordinating fabrics that I "won" on ebay, from Heather Bailey's Pop Garden fabric line. So pretty, wouldn't you agree?


It has two pockets inside, which actually were a little easier to make this time, than the last time I made a bag. Plus this bag is definitely smaller. A little more sophisticated, rather than real functional.

Then for the closure, I added a decorative button and some ribbon. It really is a fairly easy pattern to follow, if anyone out there is interested in giving it a try.

I really love how it came out. And I think I need to make more. I am having a blast with all this fabric and all these new patterns. Somebody Stop Me!

Look what I can do....

Well, I finally did it. Something different with my sewing machine. Something different than quilts and potholders. In a previous post I wrote about winning some new books and fabric on ebay. These are two fabrics I won and a pattern from Amy Butler's book Little Stitches for Little Ones.
The fabric is from Amy Butler's Belle line. So pretty...don't you agree?

I actually had this bag finished for alittle while, but I didn't want to post about it until I was able to give it to it's new owner.
I love these fabrics! It is the Everything Bag pattern by Amy Butler. I think I am becoming more and more of a fan of hers.
It was the first time, not only that I made something like this, but the first time I used interfacing, and made elastic pockets and dividers. It was fun for sure!
But even more fun to give away!

Another Chance to Win!!

Another way to win! I can't get enough of all the talented people out there. I have been following the Old Red Barn blog for awhile now, and this extremely talent person is giving away three quilts! I can't even imagine how great it would be to own one of these works of art. She is so talented!! Just look at these...
I can only hope to be as talented too one day. I'm working on it. :)

I win!!

I recently joined ebay in hopes to see what was out there for fabrics and such, since many quilt shops here in CT don't carry the Amy Butler and Heather Bailey fabric that I am beginning to love. I am also looking for inspiration to hone my quilting and sewing skills. I love to do it, but feel like I want to expand what I can make and all that good stuff. There are so many talented people out there, and I want to be one of them. Plus giving away all my projects is something I love to do. I love when people I love get gifts that I have made. It warms my heart.
So, on ebay...I WON! I won two packages of fat quarters of Amy Butler's Midwest Modern and Heather Bailey's Pop Garden fabric. Which came in the mail a week or so ago! yea!
Plus two books...I had them on my Christmas list, but couldn't resist bidding on them now. One is Bend the Rules Sewing, by Amy Karol and the other is Little Stitches for Little Ones by Amy Butler. I can't wait to try out some patterns with my new fabric! ooo...imagine the possibilities. Now I need to find the time. And hopefully soon, I will have something new to post!

Pigtails and Snails

I found a blog called Pigtails and Snails, where the author is a quilter that I can only describe as WOW!
And well, I am shamelessly posting about a beautiful quilt that Elizabeth Cranmer is giving away. She is so talented, wouldn't you agree.
I added the link to the sidebar, if you want to check it out. I am going to try to win it. I can't believe she is giving it away!
I can only hope to do a giveaway like this one day. Although, I guess giving all my quilts and projects away up to this point, is kind of like the same thing. Check her out, she is quite talented!

For Luck!

I appliquéd this shamrock onto a quilt project that one of my best friend's sisters is making for her, because she and her husband wanted one.

The shamrock has been an Irish symbol for good luck forever.


The luck of the Irish, I am sending their way tonight.

Rath Dé ort!

Bail ó Dhia ort!

Sew, Stamp, Sew!

This weekend I did SO much with my sewing machine! I just love it. I have been trying to think of new fun things to do on it that would be fun quick projects. It was such fun.
First, I made some cards. As many of you know I love to stamp cards and such, but this weekend I decided to combine my two crafting loves. Stamping and sewing. I made these two cards. I'm happy with them. I think the next time I do it, they will be better, but I am happy with how they turned out. What do you think? This picture makes it tough to see, but the stroller and the balloons are fabric and the legs of the stroller and the strings of the balloon are stitched. It was pretty cool to do.

Then I made some headbands. There is a tutorial on the Old Red Barn Co. Blog. I followed it mostly to the tee, made two headbands that fit me, but were too big for Charlotte. So today I modified the pattern and made alittle bit smaller one and here's how it turned out. Pretty cute, if I do say so myself.
It was such a fun crafting weekend! Now back to the grind.

Check it out!

I finally figured out how to add the slideshow of all my quilts and things that I have quilted to this blog. I guess you could say it is my own way of showcasing some of my work. It's not much, and I know you can tell which were my very first quilts. Pretty much all of them I have given away except for my very first one, which is this green sampler one and my guestbook quilt from my wedding. I hope all of you that have them love them as much as I loved making them.
I need to make one for us. I do love it. It is just now with two small kids, finding the time is tough. As it is, right now, one is trying to crawl up onto my lap....

A new blog...

Based on my last post a good friend told me about Heather Bailey, who is another fabric designer. She also has some paper packs and embellishments! I fell in love with some of her fabrics and her overall creativity that she showcases on her blog. I had to add the link to my blog as well. Wow! There are some really talented people out there! Check her out if you have some time. I got lost in the blog....

Quilting!

I love quilting. These stockings are my favorite project that I have done to date. I have been quilting for ten years, and I still feel like I just can't get it perfect. I have been making quilts for friends and family and have yet to make one for myself. The closest is making some for my kids.
Here are just a few of the quilts that I have made so far..

This one was for my niece's big girl bed:
This one was the quest book at my wedding:
This one was for my Mom:
This one I made for my sister's ten year anniversary, and the blue was from my Maid of Honor dress:
This one was for a very special bride-to-be:

This one was for my little sister at her bridal shower:
This is one of my first quilts for my best friend's bridal shower:

I've also done some pot holders as gifts.





And I have made what I am calling memory quilts. I use clothing from loved ones and make them into memory quilts. My Dad passed away in 2000. I've made now two quilts and pillows from his famous plaid shirts. This is a mini quilt I made for my daughter out of those plaid shirts. And I am finishing a airplane quilt for my son, also out of the plaid shirts. Here's some samples of what it will be like:



There is a brown border and then a navy blue border with white stars in the navy. I am still trying to come up with a binding and backing fabric, so if there are any quilters out there that have a suggestion...please!!



I have been inspired by quilt blogs that I have found to show you all some of the work that I have done. And to expand to making some quilts with different fabrics than what I am used to. I LOVE the fabrics that I have found by Amy Butler and Joel Dewberry. They are not the typical quilting fabrics that I'm sure many of you are used to. I just need to find my inner creativity and pick a pattern or something to try with some of these fabrics.

I love quilting! It's a small thing that gives me strength. Quilting is creative, therapeutic, and a way for me to be me!