Teddy and doll carrier - Katie's handmade birthday

Katie turned two last month and an adoring set of older siblings meant she was a very lucky girl.  All the children wanted to make her something and their gifts are so lovely I thought I'd share them.

This wee teddy carrier was Islay's idea and she chose the fabric too - I did most of the sewing but Islay was very involved in a supervisory kind of way...............repeatedly asking when I would be able to make it and hovering over my shoulder and breathing in my ear while I was making it!

Katie isn't too keen on carrying her baby in it but she does love to carry Ele around.  It is especially useful when arranging fabric scraps.....two free hands and Ele is still close by.  That, in Katie's book, is a very good thing.

Details:
Pattern - bear carrier from 'Oliver and S - Little Things to Sew' by Liesl Gibson
Fabric - Yay Day (Birch Forest and Wings of Love) and Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in Black from The Village Haberdashery
Buttons - vintage buttons
Comments - a straightforward pattern, straps are really long on a shorty like Katie but do leave lots of growing room, it is adjustable so will fit a small toy like Ele or a much larger teddy or doll, I love the fabric.....a lot

Free As A Bird Quilt

My, or rather Katie's, Free As A Bird Quilt features Maze and Vale handprinted fabrics.  I started collecting them a couple of years ago - just 2 or 3 fat quarters, a couple of sample packs and a couple of miss-print packs too, bought here and there as a treat.

I didn't have any very definite plans when I bought the fabric, I just knew I loved it and that I'd love to have some.  I think, also, that since Leslie's was one of the first blogs I ever read that  liked the idea of supporting, in a very small way, her handprinting adventures - not that success was in doubt as she is very talented.

Some time last autumn a quilt idea slowly grew on me - after one of my 'pull them out and gaze at the lovely fabric' sessions.  Once the idea settled, probably during the night, I quickly got to work selecting the right co-ordinating fabrics.  A mix of soft pinks and greys, the odd hint of green and a wee pop of red too.  

The design is a disappearing nine patch (in this case 5" squares made into nine-patch blocks - and then quartered and put back together) and I had some careful planning to work out a square size which would minimise wastage of my Maze and Vale and one or two of the other fabrics as I had very little of some of them.  

I was unsure about backing until I spotted the Kokka Swallows flannel from Raystitch.  I guess you'll know by now how much I love flannel and mixing fabric textures and weights (maybe one of the reasons I love my Maze and Vale selection so much since there's cotton, cotton:linen mix and linen in there) - and it seemed perfect for the quilt, especially once I realised it was just the right width so I could make full use of the selvedge to selvedge pattern.

The binding is a mix of the reds used in the quilt and I played safe with the quilting and stuck with my usual not-quite-straight-lines across the width.  

It finished at about 100 by 120 cm (40 by 47 inches) - which seems perfect for Katie, especially since she'll move up into a big girl bed, and out of her cot, some time in the next year or so.........but I'm not prepared to think much about that big girl step just yet.

Once I'd though of the name 'Free As A Bird' it really seemed perfect, I think it suits the quilt and it suits Katie (along with her Sunshine quilt, too, of course) - she's a very happy and independent wee girl.

The other children aren't completely neglected and do have their own made-by-me quilts and blankets but they were made several years ago when I was very much less skilled.  I think that I'll make them each a proper big quilt once they are around High School age (which means Finn needs one soon as he'll be at High School next year, and 11 at the end of this month - I have my eye on this design but will need to consult him and then, if he likes the idea, involve him in fabric choices - which could be interesting given his level of colour-blindness!).

The Stitch Gathering preparations - patchwork bibs

I have been busy preparing some samples for the Patchwork Bib class I'm teaching at The Stitch Gathering.  The first bib has a cute wee patchwork strip across the middle and the second, as well as a patchwork strip, has some applique and embroidery.........I'll be teaching how to make the first one and the second shows just a couple of examples of how easy they are to personalise.

I had a 'meeting' with Jo a few weeks ago (well, lunch with a bit of work chat in among the general blether!) and Jo very kindly gave me the fabric I have used for these bibs - so if you're taking the Patchwork Bib class, and can't decide what fabric to bring, you can make yours just like mine by visiting Jo's shop!

:: the linen is a beautiful linen/cotton mix - Essex Linen in Natural and is lovely to work with, Jo has several linens which you can find here
:: the printed fabrics are all Nested Owls prints from the ADORNit range (this link will take you to Jo's ADORNit collection) - these fabrics are classic Jo - she loves owls!
:: the back of the bib is flannel (soft and absorbent so perfect for bibs), Jo has some flannels here (I also like to use this flannel)

I know that Jo is close to getting out class information to all The Stitch Gathering attendees which is very exciting news.  One of Jo's brainwaves is fabric tickets - perfect.  Take a look at them here and read about how they will be turned into a charity quilt here.  I really love this idea but, so far, haven't had any flashes of inspiration to suggest how I should personalise mine.

I'm really looking forward to The Stitch Gathering - it is set to be a great day.  And my class is in the morning so by lunchtime I can relax and really enjoy the fun!  What about you, do you take this sort of thing in your stride or would you, like me, get a little nervous before-hand?

My super Super Tote

I love my new bag, my super Super Tote.  Probably even more than I love my Aeroplane Bag.  The combination of fabrics, style and size make this bag pretty near perfect for me at the moment*.  Apologies now if I sound smug - I'm feeling smug!

The pattern is Noodlehead's Super Tote.  The pattern has a lot of prep and loads of steps but everything is well laid out and straightforward.  It took me quite a while to put together, it wasn't a quick make for me, but the time and effort was well worthwhile.  

I think, with most projects, I usually have at least one or two points which I wish I'd done differently or a bit where I have made a wee error..........but, possibly for the first time, there really isn't anything I'm not happy with.  When I first spotted the pattern on Anna's Noodlehead blog I knew I really wanted to make it but also knew I couldn't unless I could do so without spending much money - but I was very conscious that it would be a shame to skimp and use fabrics I didn't love.

 

When I was digging around for fabrics to make my FQR Name Tag swap I remembered that a couple of the Flea Market Fancy prints I bought last year were in half yard cuts** - which would be just enough to work for the main part of the bag.  Yay!  The handles were eked out of leftovers from a quilt commission (linen from here).  I had just enough metro dots for the recessed zip.  But I did buy the Yarn Dyed Essex Linen in Black for the gussets - once I had looked out the other three fabrics I couldn't convince myself that anything else would work nearly so well (I found it here).

I'm a very happy Super Tote owner -  I hope your week has started as cheerfully!

 *I do admit to having quite a few bags but I do use them all.  I much prefer moving from one bag to the other for different trips and outings depending how much I have to carry, whether the car is involved, how many children, pushchair or not......a lot of variables and mostly they influence which bag suits best.  So, despite John's disbelief,  I don't think I have too many.....I won't say just enough either though (as there's always the chance I'll spot a new pattern that will fill a new niche!).
** I almost never buy fabric in more than a fat quarter cut so I was really chuffed to realise that I did have enough of a special fabric to make this tote.

This week

Fabric from Jo, Avery Homestore, to make bib samples for my Stitch Gathering class

Fabric for a custom quilt

Fabric to make a door hanger for my new nephew

Sari fabric - shhhhh don't tell the small people that I was standing on the dining table

This week is turning into another where I am longingly looking at beautiful piles of fabric that I'm not getting a chance to play with.  My lovely friend Arni has just given me some gorgeous sari fabric - from a recent trip she made to visit family in Calcutta   I have 5.5 metres but really no idea, so far, what to do with it.  All suggestions welcome!

At this time of year our Sundays are very full - we're in the middle of mini rugby tournament season - and the tournaments tend to go on for hours.  It was our home club tournament at the weekend, with both boys playing, Islay training and Katie all over the place!  John was on first aid duty all day and I was on tuck shop duty for some time too (note:: toddlers and low tables filled with home-baking don't mix too well).  Only another couple of weeks to go and then we have Sundays free until after the summer.  Phew.

The photos below remind me that it really is fun, and that the children love it.  Not the best shots unfortunately as I don't want to show any with clear photos of other people's children.

1, 2, 3, 4 At The Sea Shore - Number Beanbags

Do you remember a photo of gorgeous fabric and felt from The Village Haberdashery a few weeks back?  Annie sent it to lucky old me to play with and I turned it into a set of Number Beanbags.  Today there's a tutorial on Annie's blog, The Daily Stitch, so you can make some too.

Head on over and have a look, Annie's photos are wonderful.....I just wish she could photograph everything I make!  She also deserves huge congratulations as she has very recently had a beautiful baby boy.

All images from The Village Haberdashery

Last week

The last week has been so busy.  I guess I did lots but it didn't include much sewing.  Rather frustratingly  I have several piles of beautiful fabric hanging around my desk.  They keep catching my eye and taunting me.  I have managed a little rearranging  which is always better than nothing but not a lot else.

The piles are::
:: fabric to make a quilt for my cousin Nat
:: fabric and felt from The Village Haberdashery
:: stash fabrics and my little hoard of Maze and Vale hand printed fabric.  Destined to be another quilt for Katie
:: leftover fabrics from making a quilt for our sofa.  I'm planning to make little floor cushions like these (maybe they are pouffes rather than floor cushions but I'm never very convinced about using that word)
:: partly made bibs, always a pile of them on the go
:: chicopee corduroy for a skirt for me

I have also been planning and discussing a new quilt commission - I had an email recently from the lady who I made this quilt for (the pink and red quilt for Electra, right at the very bottom of a very very long blog post......I was very pregnant at the time!).  Her daughter is now moving up to a big girl bed and she'd like a quilt to fit it.  I am, of course, delighted to be working with her again.  I can't think of a bigger compliment than to be asked to make another quilt.

I'm hoping to accomplish a bit more sewing-wise this coming week.  I hope you have a little time for the activities you love too.  Not that I don't love looking after my family it is just that I love other things as well.

This week

This week::

:: piles (Beth would approve, I think) of lavender bags and bibs ready for Peter Potter Gallery

 :: cause and effect

 :: birthday party

 :: tiny t shirt for Katie (from this book)........spot the error?  I have sewn the back under the front instead of the opposite, didn't notice until I'd completely finished.  Oh well.

 :: knit fabric (from here) to make tops (this pattern) for the boys - they chose the fabric!

 Wishing you a lovely weekend.  Keep well.