The old man is snoring

As in "It's raining, it's pouring...." Today is the first rainy day we've had in months. At school drop-off this morning, the sidewalks were filled with colorful umbrellas and stiff, new raincoats. Here at home, it's a nice day for a cozy nap.

Wristlet

I was able to spend some time in my sewing room yesterday with Oh, Fransson's pattern, "Wristlets Three Ways," and Anna Maria Horner's fabulous "Volumes" print from the Drawing Room collection. I'm so tickled with the result that I had wristlet dreams last night. I think an embroidered linen version is next.

Coloring Bags

I bought this pattern at a Quilters Unlimited show, and it has become one of my favorites. These bags, filled with crayons and a coloring book or two, make great gifts for artsy kids...not to mention a good portable activity for driving, eating out, and vacationing. And with the back-to-school sales happening this month, it's a perfect time to stock up on crayons for next to nothing. The crayon pockets hold 20.

For a 5-year-old dreamer of mermaids...


















For a 7-year-old ballerina...


















For a 5-year-old soccer star...


















And for a 9-year-old "tween," who's growing up fast but still loves to color...

Airstream

Our newly acquired travel trailer (an '86 Airstream) has been the object of our affection this summer. We've taken it to Bentonville and Lewisetta; and we're hoping to fit in Sherando Lake, Lake Anna, and the NC Outer Banks before the Fall weather arrives. It's stocked with quilts and afghans for chilly nights, and I'm telling you...it's the coziest feeling to be able to travel with our own little "house."

There's lots of Airstream love on the Internet.

My favorite article, which I return to over and over again, is Loobylu's "Vintage Holidaying."

Jessica at How About Orange designed some fabulous ribbon featuring Airstream trailers.

The Vintage Airstream site is loaded with photos and info.

And of course, Etsy and Cafe Press have all sorts of Airstream goodies. (I'm going back to Etsy in a minute to order the stamp!)

A Tutu for a Baby Girl

I made this for my niece, Madison (who is quickly becoming a big girl). It was fabulously easy to make...but I never got around to making more of them. I guess we need more baby girls around here!

A Robot and a Kitty

If you're a fan of sewing blogs, you'll know where these patterns came from. They were great fun to make...but not easy to part with!

Oilcloth Bookbag

Another project from the past...this was inspired by the charming oilcloth bookbags at Cath Kidston. My version cost less than $10 to make, and the oilcloth was surprisingly easy to work with.

Oldies

It's not that I'm being unproductive; it's just that I'm busy with top secret Christmas gifts. In lieu of zucchini bread photos, I thought I'd post a few older creations...things I made before I began this blog.

For starters, here's the pink flamingo wall-hanging I made for Elizabeth's birthday last year. Iron-on fusing and machine applique. Fun! I bought the pattern at AQ a couple of years ago.

Why I Love Summer

Raspberries picked along a mountain roadside this morning.














A pie to keep and one to give away.

Carrot Cake for Breakfast

Doesn't the cake stand look lovely on my Anna Banana table runner? Problem is, my laptop has been parked at the dining room table this week, and therefore so have I. And I swear the cake keeps talking to me. I'm listening, too...I've gained two pounds in two days.














The recipe is fabulous. Secret ingredient: olive oil.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Two problems with this skirt: (1) my daughter wore it only after significant pressure from me, and (2) I couldn't get a good photo during all the whining that went on. But I guess those issues have to do with this 5-year-old diva phase we're experiencing, rather than the skirt itself. It came together in one night, and the fabric line is cute as can be. The top row features duck faces, middle row is text ("Duck, duck, goose"), and the third is duck eggs. It's an Andover line, but it's no longer featured on their website. I bought it a few months ago at the Artful Quilter.


















Update: Kathleen at Grosgrain is giving away a fabulously sweet pinafore! Check it out at Roosters-N-Rickrack Pinafore GIVEAWAY!!!!

Banner

After 11 months of blogging I'm so pleased to have a custom banner, courtesy of Mike from Roxy Graphics. The image inside the main font is a Photoshop layer of my crumb blocks, and the buttery color of the subtitle bar makes me extra happy. Thank you, Mike. You're brilliant!

Granny Square

I can't take much credit for this, because the colors were preselected as part of a kit, but I'm posting it because it's the first full-size afghan I've ever made. And because I adore it.















Those colors! Next crochet project: another kit. I just can't pass these up. Lion Brand, you're awesome.

Heirloom

Imagine my surprise, delight, and honor when FedEx brought me a big box containing this!














It's the sewing basket that belonged to my friend Elizabeth's mother, Katie. She made clothes for her daughters when they were little, and she continued to sew, cross-stitch, and create as a grandmother. When Katie passed away last year, Eliz and her sisters gave me the sewing basket she had used all their lives.














The basket holds a smorgasbord of color, with vintage trims, pins, thread, embroidery floss, tools, and a needle booklet just like one my grandmother used to have. It's one of the most wonderful gifts I've ever received.

Embroidery

I went a little overboard placing orders for flour-sack towels after being inspired by Posie Gets Cozy's free patterns for "Pleasant Kitchen Dishtowels." Not only are Alicia's designs charming, but I love her idea of edging the towels with homemade binding. I ordered from Posh, Colonial Patterns, and Sublime Stitching, and I also picked up a batch of tan-colored organic cotton towels from Target. The towel from Sublime Stitching is by far the nicest and sturdiest, but the Target towels will work well for the state flowers pattern I have on my list. Virginia's flower, the dogwood, is white.

Apparently everyone I know will be receiving an embroidered towel for Christmas. Here's my first project, using Cat-A-Rama from Sublime Stitching.

Runner

Today I finished my Anna Banana table runner from Pink Chalk Studio's pattern. I adore this funky floral fabric, and it's all the sweeter having won it during a Free Fabric Friday at Sew, Mama, Sew!
















This was my first foray into free-motion quilting. I took the "easy" way out and went with a simple, wavy checkerboard pattern, but even so I ended up removing quite a few jagged lines of stitching. Mid-way through the project, a friend's visiting mother gave me a free-motion pep talk and a pair of garden gloves with little gripper dots all along the palms. Those, as well as a hint from Elizabeth at Oh, Fransson! to set the stitch length to zero, made a world of difference.

Grocery Bag for Mom

This fabric grocery bag is from the new Oh, Fransson! pattern. What an easy and gratifying project. I stuffed a pair of Crocs inside, and it's ready for Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all mothers!


















It folds up into a cute little portable size.

Funky Monkey

I bought this Alexander Henry fabric several years ago. I cut the pieces for a stack and whack quilt (still unassembled), then came across this little pattern and realized I had enough fabric to do both. This was my first attempt at hand applique with freezer paper--surprisingly fun! It's going to a baby shower tomorrow for a June baby boy.

Crumbs

A little of this (minus Miss Violet)...














And a little of that...














Makes some of these...














Blocks for a crumb quilt! I never would have believed that the scraps from my various projects (from 1930s reproduction fabrics to Amy Butler to bright batiks) would come together in such a pleasing fashion. These colorful crumb blocks are making me very happy! Here's a tutorial, and here's a gorgeous example.

Naughty Kitties

I made this oven mitt from the pattern in Denyse Schmidt Quilts. It features Michael Miller's "Bad Kitty."














As you can see from the scratched bench in the photo background, my kitties are similarly naughty. Here's one of the culprits, looking awfully pleased with herself.