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Instant Gratification

I was needing a little something something to put in a package last night so I made this little flower pincushion out of wool felt. I think it turned out cute (not this cute!) but it was fun to make something out of my felt that didn’t take so damn long! And a neat way to use some of my vintage buttons. I think I’ll make up some more to go in my vintage clothing swap packages.

Oh, and in Valentine news.. I’m so bummed. I totally missed these cute Jennifer Murphy cards. Guess I need to get on her mailing list. Did anyone get them? Want to be my valentine?

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patchwork book

Here’s my new favorite book – patchwork and purses! Another excellent Japanese craft book to play with. The instructions on this one seem very complicated. Or very simple depending on how you look at it. They basically (I think) say, sew quilt, make bag. Got it! Many thanks to sweet Valentina for offering pick me up something from Kinokuniya (Japanese bookstore in NY). Poor girl didn’t know what she was getting herself into!

I want to make almost every single thing in this book. Here are a few of my favorites…

and it even includes helpful lifestyle tips like how apples should be eaten with spoons!

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Oscar’s Racetrack Quilt

race track

Started last Spring, this quilt is coming in just under the one year mark. I saw the pattern in a quilting book, Encyclopedia of Classic Quilt Patterns by Patricia Wilens, that I got when I was pregnant with Oscar. It is the drunken path pattern (if memory serves) and they arranged the path to be one long roadway. I thought that’d be so neat for Oscar to drive his cars on. The fabrics I used are from thrifted kids clothes, feedsack bits off ebay and 30s reproduction fabrics. It’s been pieced together, basted to batting and sitting on the back of my sewing table chair since last April. After spending the last week finishing up the stipple quilting, I cut 2″ binding from some Marimekko fabric (that same I used for my Tsunami quilt square) in anticipation for learning binding Saturday at quilting class. I bought the Clover binding tool they recommended and it worked like a dream! I’ll write more about the last class and binding in a future post, but this morning Oscar and I are off to something called “Monday Madness”. Wish me luck!

race track quilt

race track quilt

Here it is after a trip through the washer and dryer (not sure if that’s a no no). It got all excellent and crinkly. I’m so pleased!

road quilt

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Thank you Melissa!

Oh, the maillady has been so good to me the past two days. I have lots to show and tell. Tonight here are some goodies from Melissa in upstate New York. She found an awesome crafty thrift shop and picked me up the cutest bundles of fabric all wrapped up in yarn bows. I love them all! They’ll be so great for Spring projects and for upcoming baby quilts I have on deck.

Thank you Melissa 🙂

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a wee bear

I used the wee pattern to make a stuffed version of the cute bear at I Love Egg. He’s all fleecy and soft and has plenty of lentils in his bottom so he wobbles but does not fall down. He’s on his way to Amy, whose son Jack is being a very good baby and gaining lots of weight so he can come home soon. Hugs and kisses to good baby Jack!

In other news, it has been the dark ages around here with our whole computers-being-online deal falling apart. Hugs and kisses to husband Tim who spent the better part of 6 hours working on it last night. You’re brilliant!

And in real news, baby bloggers are everywhere! An excellent article at babyzone about Suburban Bliss and a few others who I have to check out now. And another article in the NYTimes includes a photo of Leta, for the 3 people left who haven’t seen her, and discusses the "dark underbelly of parenthood". And most exciting.. Trixie was on tv last night! They were on an MSNBC show called Countdown. It was a great spot but far too short. I think a superstar like Trixie is better suited for a celebrity Oprah episode. She should talk to her agent.

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Fembot

Here’s another felt robot. I made her pink because girls like robots too. For you robot nerds, I made her in the style of the Gang of 5. Hey, that is a really great site for robot-making inspiration. The second robot I tried to make looked sort of like this. It doesn’t really stand. But I guess I should go ahead and finish it up.  Ooh! I like this guy. I think I’ll make my next one like that!

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6 x 6


Here’s my square for the Tsunami Quilt project. The yellow rose is from some feedsack fabric and the background is some Marimekko fabric I’ve been saving. I so struggled with this project. I really wanted to do something more elaborate and, I don’t know, symbolic, evocative, meaningful? But I’m crap at embellishment. So here it is. Bright and simple. At least this way the Marimekko isn’t all mucked up with my poor embroidery/embellishment skills!