Panel Rag Quilt

The very first quilt I ever made was a rag quilt. I cut many pieces of fabric into squares, did the same with quilting batting, made little batting sandwiches with fabric on either side and sewed each square together with the seams exposed. I was so excited about it during the snipping phase (snipping slits into the exposed seams), and while it washed and then oh so dissapointed once it finished and I realized that the instructions I had been following had you cut the batting the same size as the fabric pieces... this meant that the finished product had bits of batting sticking out between all the ruffly goodness of the different fabric squares.

I do still love rag quilts though, they just seem so worn and comfy. When I saw the idea of making the quilt in strips instead of squares I was sold. Reading over the instructions I found here I was in complete awe, using flannel instead of quilting batting? Brilliant! I whipped this sucker up in about 2 days. I really think you could do it in a night if you had the time to dedicate to it. It's super simple and lovely and warm.

You can find tutorials all over the internet for quilts like this so I didn't do one up, but this one is a good one.

Eli's Quilt

It finally happened.
I finished Eli's superhero quilt.


The boys will be moving into bunk beds at some point over the next few weeks, so nothing like having a deadline to motivate me to sew that dreaded binding on!
When I started the quilt I had troubles deciding which patterns to go with, Thomas the Train, Superheros, squares, triangles, big shapes, little shapes. I decided to stick with superheros, like Zac's, so it may grow with him a little longer then Thomas might have. That said, I had Thomas fabric so I did the backing with that fabric so he could have a little bit of both. I opted to do large, squares for the pattern, because I was being lazy and it seemed like less work!

I'm really pleased with how it turned out, it's warm and cozy and boyish, everything I hoped it would be, and I know he will love it.

I had hoped to save the quilts for the new house but since our move has been put on hold for a bit I'm going to gift these with their bunk beds. I'm hoping it will make the transition to sharing a room (and move to a big boy bed for Eli) a little more exciting... fingers crossed at least! 

I can't wait to give it to him!

Friendship Quilt

Way back (I'm assuming it's still way back and lost its popularity, at least) women used to get together and make what were called "friendship quilts" for a new mother to be or a bride to be. Each lady would be responsible for one square and they would sign/embroider their name into their block as a way of showing the mother/bride to be their support and how loved she was.

I love the idea of giving quilts as a symbol of our support and love for people. I can't think of anything cozier then cuddling up in a quilt knowing that someone made it while thinking of you specifically.

I've said before that my mister's job will cause us to move a lot during his career and while this can be super fun and exciting it can also be incredibly hard and lonely. A close friend of mine recently made a move and I wanted her to know that I am always thinking of her. I made her my version of a friendship quilt to snuggle up with whenever she felt lonely or just needed a hug that I wasn't there to give.
I didn't embroider my name on a square (or each square for that matter) but I decided to stick with pieced together squares for the pattern.

I backed it with a flannel and tossed some small tassels in every other square.
I actually love this quilt and was super pleased with how it turned out!

Here We Go Again

Last week I stated working on Eli's superhero quilt for his new big boy bed (in our new house). 

I have to say I was mighty impressed with myself and how quickly I sewed it together. 

Alas, I am at the dreaded binding now...

I'm hoping to have it finished tonight, running through the binding before I talk myself into taking a few weeks break from it. 

As I am a self taught sewer, crafter, knitter, crocheter and quilter I thought I'd share some of the videos I've relied on pretty heavily to try and teach myself how to do the binding on quilts. 

This video shows how I attach the binding and do my corners and this video taught me how to attach the ends together.

Hopefully I'll have a happy update for you next week with more pictures of the "finished product"!

Pink Quilt

I finished my pink quilt and I couldn't be happier. 

Well I could I suppose, but I've decided when it comes to quilting I need to give up any form of perfectionism I hold on to as I am completely incapable of making a "perfect" quilt.

I've decided that will be my signature charm though, imperfection.

Realistically I think quilting could teach me a thing or two about life and learning to let go of my perfectionist nature. Think of all the things I could do, the stress that wouldn't exist and the fun I could have if I didn't once think about doing/performing it perfectly.

Ah quilting, teaching me so many life lessons!

*the pattern for this quilt can be found in Amy Butler's Book Little Stitches for Little Ones* 

I doubled the batting as I plan on using this as a play blanket on hardwood floors after my little Miss arrives.

Single Crochet Blanket

I have decided that I love crochet.

That said, we do not have an easy relationship. We have more of a love hate thing going on. I love it, it hates me.

I have been told over and over and over that crochet is super simple and if I could knit then crochet would be easy peasy.

This, my friends, is a bold faced lie.

Crochet is not easy. In fact I get more tangled up in yarn crocheting then a cat ever could.

I was just about to give up, accept that crochet had defeated me, when I stumbled across this tutorial for an easy baby afghan that is made up completely of single crochets. 

I bought the hook (the size of the hook alone made the project worth it to me, I am so happy to have an S hook in my collection! It's freaky big.) and the yarn and forced myself to sit and try.

It was a rough start and I had to pull out and restart the blanket 3 or 4 times, but once I hit my stride it was magic!

I am so happy with the results and would recommend this tutorial to anyone as a beginner project. Even if you know what you're doing, the blanket it turns out is so sweet and cozy!!

 Now to tackle the infamous granny square!

Superhero Quilt

It seems like forever ago that I finished Zac's superhero quilt and I just realized that I never shared any photos!

Shame on me, I know!

soooo.... dum da da duuum!!

here is the finished quilt!

I alternated solid print squares with a striped square (3 rectangles sewn together) and then went around the whole thing with a 3 inch (or so) border.

I'm not usually the sentimental type but I was pretty stoked to repurpose the blue border fabric from some bumper pads I made him for his crib as a baby.

I'm actually so super excited with the finished product and I know Zac will love it.

I am hanging onto it and will pull it out as a special surprise once we're in the new house; something special and exciting for his new room.