Done!

I mentioned in a previous post that I was working on something for K2, a quilted something.  I was being deliberately vague on the off chance that the person for whom the quilt was destined might actually read my blog - a long shot, for sure, but why take chances?

Quilt finished and gifted, I can now post pictures - pictures that I shot with my shiny new camera, no less!

Here's the finished, slightly larger than crib sized quilt, held up by my lovely assistant...er...friend, K2:

 A detail shot of one of the special panels K2 ordered.  They were the most difficult aspect of the quilt for me - they were all slightly different sizes and cut alightly crooked, and the design goes right to the edge, so I had to cut very carefully:

 I held my breath.

Another detail shot, this time of the batiks bought to compliment the three panels:

 A shot of the quilt on the floor, showing the backing fabric, a nice, soft, nubbly bit of fabric that was actually the most difficult part of the quilt, but for Mum:

Since I didn't bat the quilt, we just put right sides together, stitched back to front, then turned it.  We?  No, really, Mum did that bit, and thank goodness because I would have been in tears.  That delicious backing fabric?  Stretchy.  I don't do well with that kind of material, and on top of that I don't have a walking foot for my machine.  Mum is talented AND has a walking foot, so she was nice enough to sew, turn, and top stitch, and then I could finish it by tying the corners of the blocks.

I plan to use the scraps to make a coordinating car seat blankie, too, but K2 really wanted to gift the quilt for Christmas, so I put a rush on it.

Whadaya think?

Sew What if I'm A Quilter?

Yeah, yeah.

Anyway, I finished Sprout's quilt last week, but only just got the photos loaded onto old Bob the Wonder Computer.

The look on Someone's face isn't a reflection of his feelings for the quilt - he is making a social commentary about the scent of seven-year-old-boy feet. Either that or the Evil Genius farted.

The quilt is 100% cotton, a sort of pinwheel/windmill square made from pink and green fabrics, with purple paisley sashing (strips of fabric between the blocks). The backing (which I didn't photograph) is more purple paisley, but it's just a tiny bit different.

See, I got the fabrics for the front a few weeks ago, but the back? I've had that in my stash for almost a decade. I love that fabric. It's busy and gaudy and horrid and not at all my color or style and I love it. So I bought a big piece of it way back when it first made my mouth water but couldn't bring myself to cut it.

It looks essentially the same, until you get in close...then you can see slight differences in shading, but I dig the weirdness of it, and how the backing has a tiny bit more pink and green than the paisley on the front, so it echoes all the colors.

I was feeling lazy, so rather than quilting (which I have to do by hand when I do it, because my machine is cranky and doesn't take kindly to layers), I tied it with pale purple pearlized cotton. I may quilt it one day, but it'll do for now.

In case you can't tell, the pink has a looping line on it that makes hearts, and the green has a sort of leaf-and-vine on it...and the leaves are tiny hearts.

Now if we can get the bolts for the crib (still waitin' on those), I'll be able to make up her bed and get Sprout's room in order.

About a Baby

My friend K had her baby yesterday. Oh, wait...did I mention that my friend, bandmate, sister-of-my-heart was pregnant? Yeah, about that...oopsie.

She had a boy, seven pounds, nineteen inches long, full head of hair, and (no kidding) sideburns. I'm calling him Elvis because that's not his name and hello? Sideburns! Awesome!!

I went to visit them in the hospital and took a bunch of pictures, but am not publishing them yet because I figure it's only fair that she get first crack at makin' the little feller famous in the Blue Nowhere, since she went to all the trouble of growing and birthing him.

Instead, I will regale you with photos of the little lad's room.

K likes to decorate her children's rooms, give them style and personality. She went with earthy colors for Elvis; chocolate brown, sage-ish green, and medium pale blue with forest critters were the main design points.

Because I'm broker than our political system (but far less shady), I offered to make her a quilt, as I did for her daughter The Bean. She gave me some fabric (seven different prints!) and the go-ahead. Here's a close-up of the quilt:

I love the owls.

I made a little pillow for Elvis's rocking chair...but it was too small to be a butt cushion, so I'll make another. Good thing he won't need it for a while!

Here's the quilt on the crib. I made a simple semi-random patchwork and backed it with coffee-ice-cream colored anti-pill fleece. No batting - the little guy doesn't need to roast! I didn't do any fancy quilting...just ties the corners of the squares. It's washable, portable, and cuddly, and as long as K was happy (she was) I wasn't going to get too fussy with it. I like making quilts people aren't afraid to use.

The awesome bumper that matches her color scheme? Another friend found it at Goodwill for maybe three bucks! Sweet!!

Check out the insanely cute baby biker boots! I want a set just to put on one of my Teddy bears.

K is an artist...she does wonderful things with glass, with mixed media, and with paint. One of the things I love about her kids' rooms is how she surrounds them with herself, with her love and creativity. Lucky kids. She painted these owls based on the fabric:

Don't you want one for your own?? She's hireable...although you might have to wait a bit...she did just have a baby.

And then these little guys, too, because why not?

And then got a little funky and linear and other artsy phrases:

This only looks like an empty canvas:

Really, it's an amazing piece of potential waiting to be fulfilled. She's going to paint it with a nest (I think) and fill the nest with photos of the people who will surround Elvis in his life - family, friends, people who will love him, tease him, and maybe occasionally give him presents. Cool, huh?

And then there are the Ugly Dolls. I love Ugly Dolls. I keep threatening to steal my son's...they are so full of the awesome.
Because K travels to sci-fi conventions a lot, she has access to vendors who sell the dolls, and she brings them home with her. When I win the lottery, I'm buying a whole set, just for me. Meanwhile, I will play with Elvis's when he's not looking.

Look at this doodad...it's got pockets for holding toys or nappies or bearer bonds in!

Bird has a dragon one that K bought him several years ago...I bet she got the frog at the same place. Ikea, anyone??

Finally (I heard that sigh of relief!), a last look at one of the little lamps in the baby's room:

Good grief, isn't that just fantastic?

I don't know where she finds half this stuff...but I do know there are few babies in the world that will come home to a room so filled with love and welcome - a room put together by his mama, his papa, his mama's and papa's friends and relations, everyone happy to welcome another life into the circle. We're all family, here.

Welcome to the circle Elvis!!

Guess What...

I'm home - bless Mums heart for pulling a marathon style drive and letting me bring us on in to Casa de Crazy instead of stopping for the night three hours away. Thanks to her, I got to spend an Evil-Genius-free night with my sweetheart and wake up with him on Valentine's day - the kid was with his father, and it's not like V-Day means that much to me, but it was nice...and I was beyond ready to be home. I had a lovely time (despite the lack of free wi-fi) and will happily bore you to tears tell you all about it later, when I'm done unpacking and have caught up to myself.

Also, I am rather chuffed to tell you that my modest little quilt square took second place in the challenge. Squee! I am no the proud owner of twenty of the blocks (including mine and Mum's) which I may one day even turn into an quilt of some sort.

While it was a lovely cruise and I visited and learned about some beautiful places, I am glad to be home with my family - the Evil Genius returned home this evening, the cats have almost forgiven me for my prolonged absence, and Someone and I may stop grinning and touching and kissing and other mushy stuff one of these days...but probably not.

Now if you'll excuse me...I have what seems like a half-million photographs to sift through, which is the perfect way to send a day forecast to be snowy. I wonder if it's too late to get back on the boat...I could fit Someone and the Evil Genius in one suitcase and the cats in another...

Flat Aunt Becky got in on the action...

The winning square...marvelous!

Square

The cruise we're taking is a quilter's cruise. One of the activities actually happened before the cruise even began - they sent every registered guest a piece of fabric and some simple instructions; make a 12.5 inch x 12.5 inch square using this fabric and the theme "Life's a Beach".
The winner gets a prize (Mum won last time and got a discount on her next cruise) and their choice of the squares to take home and make into a quilt to remember their cruise by. I think second place gets to pick squares too.

I am up against women who have been quilting for longer than I've been alive, and sincerely doubt I'll even place in the top fifty...but I am game for the challenge. I decided to make a square after a collage card I did, a tropical scene made of bits of carefully cut and glues paper. Alas, it sold before I ever had a chance to photograph it. C'est la vie.

So below is my square. I cut and hand stitched each piece, making an appliqued square. The hammock? I had to take apart four-ply yarn t get one ply, just thin enough to match the scale of the square, and I crocheted it several times to get it right. Nothing like working on a project when you don't have any clue as to technique!

The challenge fabric is the bright blue that I used for the shallow water.

If you can't figure out what the rest of it is, don't tell me...I may cry.

I do hope whoever wins likes my square enough to claim it...

I'll let you know when I get home.

The Natives Are Restless

Every now and then there's a drum circle in Atlanta. I went last June and had a blast. The video doesn't do it justice...some sixty drummers in synch, people dancing and laughing, children and dogs running about...I hope to get to another one soon, maybe bring my drum and the Evil Genius along.

I'm sewing again today, but this time it's for me - I'm working ona quilt I've been piecing together for three years. It's not complicated, I just haven't made the time to work on it. I'm hoping to finish it before the end of October. Don't hold your breath.