Catching Up

Well, the sinus crud is still here...but much better. I'm trying to catch up on some stitching and other things. I have a new set of monogram designs for you...almost ready. Here is a sneak peek...and I'll post more when the first one is stitched up...half way there.   

  The design is traced on my linen, and I'm about half done with stitching the A portion. Sorry for the dark bottom on the above photo...but I just can't get a decent photo with this Ipad4 phone! I want one of those Canon Rebel cameras...but, they are so expensive! I've saving my pennies!  

  Yesterday, Aidan and I also made more paper ballerinas and hung a little mobile from the ceiling in the sewing room...  

  ...for Brady to enjoy!  

Cabochons Completed

Last night I finished off the week's worth of cabochons. These turned out to be good little projects for when the baby is sleeping...which are many short naps. Got to run and get these into the mail. Hope you are all having a great weekend! Want to see another cute photo? 

Can you tell that I'm a proud Auntie!  

Early Mornings...Early Evenings...but Sooooooooo worth it!!

My days have started very early these past two weeks (0500 hrs (that's 5:00 a.m.)) as my great-nephew's dad (my nephew) has to be at work at six in the morning...and I need to be awake before trying to pick up a baby...and THAT takes me about 30 minutes as least. The waking up part...not the picking up part! Ha! (Unless I'm trying to get up from the floor...that does take a little longer...but not thirty minutes. At least, not YET! Hugs!) Dad picks up this bundle of sweetness by 1500 hrs (that's 3:00 p.m.)...and then I get to blogging, stitching, eating, and whatever else needs to be done before an early bedtime. So, my "style" is being cramped by my new duties...but, really, is there anything sweeter than a precious little bundle?! I'm so enjoying myself and am blessed to be able to help out. Isn't he just precious! If you come over, I'll let you hug him all for yourself! Then, I'll put you to work helping me to catch up on the Un-Finished Objects that are piling up around the house! Hugs!

What a Busy Weekend...You too?

 

  This was a good week at my house...Aidan had a nice visit. I looked forward to a quiet Saturday where I could get a lot done...but, the rest of the family had other ideas. We had a family yard sale on Saturday...and it was just hot and muggy outside too! By late that afternoon, I was drained and not in the mood for much of anything that required me lifting my arms!! Ha! Heat and I do not get along well. So, that day...nothing much got accomplished. Today, I finished up a flannel blanket for Brady. It's a simply little coverlet...no batting.  The front is pieced flannel blocks (leftover flannels from other projects) and the back is a solid piece of striped blue flannel.  

I just needed something that would be cool...not like a heavy quilt or fleece. The purchased flannel baby blankets are just too small to carry him down to Mother's house in...his feet keep coming out the bottom.

Free Monogram Design - E for Ellie

Ellie's monogram bib is finished.

The pattern for the bib is really simple...an extra large bowl...and a cup will make the circles. You can then elongate the circle if you desire. Or just use a rectangle shape with curved corners...and the coffee mug. Large children than newborn-3months?...use a bowl instead of the cup. Viola...you have a pattern! Do you have an "E" in your family...if so...here is the embroidery chart for you. 

 It does not have to go on a bib of course...try it on a tote-bag, or book cover, or countless things! 

Ellie's initial was stitched in shadow embroidery, as were the tiny leaves. The large leaves were done in feather-stitch, the flowers in back-stitch, and the vine in stem stitch. All of the embroidery work for this was stitched two strand Silk Mori embroidery floss from Krenik because a friend kindly gifted me some...too expensive for me to purchase on my own. It is glorious to stitch with, but I'm saving it for small projects since I have just a wee bit to work with. It would be bad to start a project and run out...there is no where around here to get more...and ordering online and waiting would be pure torture!I highly recommend the thread however...if you have not tried it...and get the chance, do it! And if you have some and don't like it...mail it off to me...I'd gladly use it! Hugs!I have not forgotten about the "generic" bib design I promised...and am stitching on it...so hope to have that for you tomorrow!

 The next project is a bib for Baby Elizabeth Jane...who is due in the next few weeks to arrive! This is the outline of the embroidery and bib shape traced on to linen. But, before I get started on this project...let me show you a couple of photos from yesterday's Baby Shower for "Ellie".The mom-to-be (again) is my niece, Shannon. My youngest sister Jan arranged the shower for her yesterday, including some games (they are not in the photos). The funniest game was a race...between two teams. Here they are, my grand-daughter Aidan and my younger sister Anna racing against my niece Melissa (Shannon's sister) and Jean (Shannon's MIL). 

 You can also see Tracy, my youngest brother's wife...whom lives next door in the photo.The teams were a pretend Mom and Baby...and the idea of the game is for the Mom to "diaper" the Baby. Each team was given a paper bag with secret contents and told that ALL of the contents had to be used. What was in the bag? ...well...one full roll of toilet tissue!

Anna and Aidan won...but only because Anna "stuffed" Aidan and the tissue into the bag so it would stay up...along with half of the TP roll ...unused...as Anna announced that Aidan was now a boy...and the TP Roll was her &*^%$ (I'm sure you can fill in this blank)! This was Aidan's first shower to attend...and she had a great time! We all enjoyed tons of food and Shannon got loads of baby clothes and needed items. And, everyone loved the little dresses and blankets that I've been working on these past couple of weeks...thankfully! Do you international ladies have Baby Showers in your country? Just wondering if they are as "crazy" as some of ones my family plans. We always have tons of food of course, and the new Mom gets tons of baby things as gifts, and we play GAMES. Some games are pencil/paper types...like taking the baby's proposed name and determining how many words can be made with the letters...that represent baby items. Or, perhaps a BABY CROSSWORD puzzle to complete within a given amount of time. Oh, I could give a long list of "pencil games". But, the real fun is the "race style" games.The last baby shower in the family was for my nephew and his wife...and I decided on the games.My teams of Mothers had to Feed the Baby...and were given a choice of two bags. One bag contained a jar of baby food...peas or prunes; the other bag contained a jar of applesauce. Each team was lucky...and chose the applesauce. They had to feed those "babies" the entire jar...with a baby spoon. Each team was given a bib (dish towel) to also go around the baby's neck. My sister Anna was one of the babies...and my sister Jan was her "Mom". Jan stuffed that spoon into Anna's mouth as fast as she could...and Anna promptly "spit up" into that bib! They were so funny...and this story probably tells MORE about how my family works and plays that you should know!! Ha! I'm working on a bib pattern with shadow applique embroidery motif, generic in style for ya'll, and will get that posted this week (hopefully)...as soon as I get it done in Illustrator.Hope all are having a glorious weekend!

Chiffon Baby Gown

Boy, what a week I have had...just since Friday! Painted with my niece/hubby for 3 days getting their basement sheet rock done. We still have the trim work, but that will wait a few days. She had to pick a wall color for the bathroom.There is a baby shower this Saturday, so Tracy (Dear SIL) and I decided to clean the house for her. We went over Monday (after all that painting) and did the kitchen, baths, bedrooms, living room...and were too tired to finish the floors. So, this morning we went back and scrubbed both bathroom floors (on my knees) the mopped, vacuumed the carpet and rugs, and steamed the hardwood living room and kitchen. I am so sore...I can hardly move!

 In the evening, I've been sewing on bullions for little roses. This little dress will be my Mother's gift to the niece...for her first little girl...go with her already three rough'n'tumble boys.

 The dress is a bishop style made of chiffon. It has French seams and lace trim adorned with bullion roses.Now, I'm working on a little slip to go under that. Wish you could see the dress for real..it is so feminine and looks like a cloud.

From Sweet to Super-Sweet

Continuing sewing the cutest (okay maybe not THE cutest..but still darn cute!) little baby clothes this week. I have the last dress constructed but am adding bullion roses to the lace. 

 When it's all done I'll post a pic of the outfit. Still need to stitch the under slip...which is cut out and on the table waiting patiently.But, before that...am helping my niece and her hubby to paint their newly finished basement. With 3 little boys, and now a new sister almost here...it was time to get this done. So, painter by day and seamstress by night! At least for about 3 more days...Right now...waiting for them to come and get their "helper" for another afternoon of painting fun!So, thought ya'll might like to see what an IMPACT simple little bullion rosebuds have on this lace trim.If you have not tried bullions...seriously, once you get the hang of them, they are so fast and easy. The trick? Find a needle that is long and lean...the eye should be the same width as the shaft. Straw needles and milliners needles are ideal. However, I work with perle cotton...and it's near impossible to find these needles in large enough sizes to get the perle cotton through the eye. So, I use doll needles and any needle (regardless of the name) that I find that fits the criteria of SAME SIZE SHAFT AS EYE. This type of needle glides through the "thread wraps" that you create during the stitch process...and don't get "caught" when the eye gets pulled through the wraps. So, my soapbox for today is...if you are having trouble doing bullion roses....It is NOT because they are hard...It is NOT because you are a doe-doe brain...It is because the needle you choose is the wrong one for the job. Try again! Seriously, they are easy...if they weren't...I would not be wasting my time by doing so many on this little dress. Really, I wouldn't!

Babies, babies, babies!

Both of my nieces are expecting. And, they are sisters...so that's even more fun! The eldest is having a girl...her first after two boys. And the youngest is having a boy...her first child. We have the first baby shower in two weeks...so this weekend, I've been busy! And, still loads to do...but here is the first little dress to get completed, with matching booties. 

 And a fleece blanket with lace trimmed in pink silk ribbon.No time to talk...have to get back at it.

Easy Baby Slippers

 Aren't these the cutest! They are also quick and easy...and the pattern is free at New Conceptions. Thanks to the ladies on my HGTV Message Board, Quilting and Needlework for posting a link for me to find! The pattern comes in sizes 0-3 months and 3-6 months...both in the same pdf file you can download. Here's how I made my little pair. First, I cut out the pattern pieces and glued them to cardboard (they last longer that way)...and I traced around them directly to the fabric. Then I stitched a wrap rose to the toe of each shoe.

Folded the heal piece over and stitched a seam about 1/2 inch from the folded edge to hold the elastic. Inserted the elastic and pinned.

Next, I stitched the edge of the elastic down and trimmed.

Then, I pinned one side of the heal to the outer toe piece.

And, pinned the other side too (hard to tell ...aren't you glad I showed you a photo of the first side pinned too!)

Pinned the inside toe piece on top...and now let's sew! BTW, I kept removing and re-inserting the pins as I added layers...so no sewing has been done yet. Here we go...sew straight across this pinned edge...about 1/4 inch from the edge.

Here's that seam sewn...and then the shoe turned so the entire top can be recognized.

Fold the shoe top and the sole in half lenghwise and mark the toe and heal centers with pins. Working on the underside of the shoe (see no flowers showing).

Match these pieces up at the pin marks...and pin all the way around.

Sew completely around...and then serge or zigzag the edges.Then trim the excess off...see my little pile of "stuff" that I cut off the shoe on the right?

Lastly, turn the shoes right side out...and you're done!

Raylan's Blankies...

Working on odds and ends today (trying not to think about cleaning house!)...so wanted to put together a few little blankets for Raylan. He is the newest addition to the family...arrived early...and weighs in at less than 3 lbs. These blankets are super fast since they are so small...lime green fleece (soft as a cloud) on one side and fun cotton plaids and frogs on the other. Each is only 18 inches square, and I rounded the corners...nothing "pokey" to bother his sensitive skin...

There is no time to think about sewing any clothes for him...as much as I'd like to. So, I ordered three gowns...and they came with adorable hats too. So small...amazing!

Now, Aidan and I are heading to the grocery store for "baby washing powder"...so I can get all of these in the laundry. My sister is heading up to the hospital again on Tuesday and these will go to Raylan then. I'm hoping to ride along too...if my life isn't "crazy" that day!

A little bit country and a little bit rock n' roll!

Remember that tune? Well, that's what I thought of as I took photos of my latest stitching. It's a real hodge-podge of things.

First off...the country segment!! A cross-stitch Christmas ornament of a snow lady. I received a kit from a dear friend, and decided to stitch it up as a hang tag to go on a Christmas package for a friend.

Now, for a little of the Rock 'n' Roll. First up is a new cabochon. I'm calling this one Crystal Blue Waters because of the aquablue seed beads and crystals around the ABstyle crystal cabochon. I like it, and it is about the size of a nickle...so good for lot's of things.

And, lastly...another R&R tune! I just recently signed up to participate in a crazy quilt round robin on the Crazy Quilters International Yahoo Group titled Basically Beaded. My block will be passed around to others in the same Round Robin team to stitch on. And, I'll get their blocks to work on as well. I decided to do a basic white/cream block as the base for all the beading...and let the beads be the "color". I stitched a portion of the block this morning (okay, spend most of the day on it)...and am just forcing myself to stop stitching so the other ladies can work on it too! I'm so excited about this Robin...it will be so much fun!
Here's the beginning of my block.

 There is a little bit of everything in my beading cabinet on this I think! Pearls, jewelry links, crystal butterflies, porcelain flowers, charms, rondelle spacers, seed beads, rocailles, montees', tons of Swarvoski crystals, and one of my Magic Mirror cabochons! It is opulent and I love it!

Free Baby Blanket Pattern

Here's a new shadow applique pattern for you. It is fast and easy! So, if you have new babies entering your life...consider making this scrappy little quilt.

The center design and four corners are shadow-work applique...just fuse the pieces down, cover with chiffon or organza, and stitch a simple running stitch (quilt stitch) around each piece.

The pattern pieces and the pattern layout are both pdf files and I have uploaded them into my adobe acrobat account. Just click and they are available to you...free!

Enjoy!

If you like working with shadow applique, don't miss the angels, florals, and fairies in the Studio...link to my shop is at the top of the page.