Pinwheels

One of my friends has a baby girl turning 1 next month. Mom is planning a pinwheel birthday party. So I decided to make a few pinwheel hair bows in her planned colors. I've never done this before so I experimented with the sizes.   The biggest is a 4" square and the smallest is a 2" square. Well, we'll let her choose the size she likes and then make a few more. I found the tutorials for these creations online. Check them out if you want to give them a try.
The pinwheel ribbon hair bow can be found here.  And you can find the fabric pinwheel hair bows here.
Let me know what you think.  

Linking up with Today's Creative Blog" . Go visit and see all the creative people out there.

Giving Quilting a stitch....

I'm taking advantage of my "free" time during summer (between classes and taking Tori places) and giving quilting ago. My dad and sister traveled to Texas to the Neeley family reunion.  I have always admired my cousin Lonette's quilting and finally got the courage to try one myself.  Since I wasn't going to be at the reunion, I felt a little safe concerning possible scrutiny.  Anyway, I already had 4 quilt squares put away for a later project. I got those out and decided to embroider some Texas graphics on 5 more squares.  Rag quilts are easier to put together and likeable. I also cheated by using the stippling pattern on my embroidery machine.  I've got to practice a little more with that.

While they were gone to Texas, I used a few more of the Texas fabric scraps and made a 16" Sprocket pillow. I think it is pretty cute but I will definitely line 
the next one I make. The  tutorial is on the Cluck Cluck Sew website.

My next project is called the Colorful Coins Quilt.  I saw this tutorial also on Cluck Cluck Sew!  It's a great website!  Now I just need to figure out the backing.  I'm thinking of a nice baby flannel.  Then it will top quilting time.  I hope I can do it!  Wish me luck.

A few firsts in my sewing room

I made my first ticker-tape wristlet following the wonderful tutorial of Mandy at Sugar Bee Crafts.  It wasn't so difficult, but I can tell that I need quite a bit more practice.  Anyway, it will suit its purpose.  I needed a little bag for ink pens and my GC ID card for my college courses.

I also made a hooded baby towel for a special little friend.  Easton was born a few weeks ago and I meant to give this to him at the hospital but mom went home too fast.  Oh, well.  He will get it soon.

I entered a Swap-bot challenge to make a potholder for a partner.  I tried to follow some of the neat ideas I had seen through the internet.  This potholder is a little bigger than the norm.  Partly because I embroidered a cute little pig driving a corn-on-the-cob race car on the off-white quilted fabric.  Above the piggy is veggie material formed in a 2" pleat.  Red binding completes the potholder.

My 2nd pillowcase dress

I am a participant on the online swapping site-  www.swap-bot.com. My latest swap was to find my partner something she might enjoy from a thrift shop.  So I went to our salvation army not having a clue as to what I would get.  While at the Salvation Army, I always look for fabric usually in the form of leather or suede skirts, baby flannel, bedspreads (chenille or quilted), and sheets.  Buddy, this time I hit the jack-pot! I found a gorgeous vintage looking piece of material. It was a thin and stiff cotton with chenille flowers and vines all over.  I knew exactly what I would do with it.  And no, I selfishly decided to keep it for myself.

I have a number of friends with baby girls who I love to sew for.  Little Alita was going to be the lucky recipient of this new pillowcase dress.  It is lined with a nice white cotton quilting material so I can be reversible if necessary but I would be afraid that the chenille fabric might be itchy.  I added a cotton trim, around the bottom.  Gorgeous and such fun to watch it all come together.

Now I'll just have to convince dad to send me a picture of his baby wearing it.



And no, I didn't forget my swapping partner.  She got a beautiful vintage red glass candy dish that I filled with some old buttons.  She (said) she loved it!

My First Pillowcase Dress

Well, I made my first pillowcase dress for my cute little test subject, Elin.  I can't wait to see her in it.  I cant believe how easy it was.  Now I'm working a pair of bloomers to go with it. Coming soon.

Baby Stuff

One of my friends is having her very first baby next month (she really hopes this month).  She asked me to make her a diaper bag but she wasn't really sure what she wanted it to look like. I searched and finally found something I liked and something that I hoped she would like.  Puppies..... who doesn't love puppies? Puppies and stripes... even better.  Take a look.

I'm also going to show you a couple of embroidered burp cloths and a personalized pillow made especially for Easton.  Cute, Cute, Cute.....

Stop that Playin'

 You can see that I've been playing quite a bit this week.  But I had to get serious.  I had already read my chapter for the EDIT class that I'm taking and had been mulling it over for the past few weeks.  I sat down with "it" (Chapter 8 of the text) Friday afternoon- worked 'til late (very late) and then started again on Saturday.  Here I am again on Sunday afternoon.  At least I posted it and am now reflecting.  I have decided that it requires much more work to "put together" a unit (al beit a one week unit) for an online course than a face-to-face course. Everything must be complete, proofread,  potential problems recognized and dealt with, and the list goes on and on.  With a face-to-face, problems do occur swiftly and painfully.  You must be a quick problem solver as those "innocent" faces are staring at you. But that is the difference- you are there at the moment.  Online- you aren't there.  You check the online class when you can or when you have set that time.  What if someone has a question 5 minutes after you have logged out for the day?  The student will have to take a risk or be behind for the day.  Ther is much more responsibility for the clarity of the assignment.

Well, lets see how I did.  I'll check in each day some time between 6:30 and 9:00.  Hope all goes well with my students.