Commonplace

Off My Feet

I alluded in my last post to needing to be off my feet for a few days. It's not that I meant to be cryptic or secretive, it's just that I didn't want to make anyone cringe. I had a 'procedure' yesterday that involved general anesthesia and a gynecologist. Need I say more? It was routine and everything went fine, but I'm not allowed to lift anything heavy for a few days. Have I mentioned here that my baby weighs almost thirty pounds and is only just learning how to walk. I laughed out loud at the idea of not lifting him but the doctor seemed pretty serious. So I called in the troops and I'm staying off my feet. What's a girl to do?

Finish old projects.

Start new ones.

I started the scarf almost two years ago and lost interest somewhere very close to the end. It's quite gratifying to pick up a project so far along and have so little to do before it's finished. Sadly, I'm not nearly as fond of the colors as I was two years ago. I hope Jake's teacher likes it!

The blocks are a first birthday gift for Andy my next door neighbor. I'm pretty sure he'll like them as I've made similar ones for my one year old product tester and he approved. All the fabric was from the stash and the jingle bells in the center were recycled from other toys.

I expect to be up and around very soon and it's a good thing too—I'm not cut out for this lying around stuff. For now, though, I think I'll take another nap.

Neck Warmer Tutorial and a Quilt Block

Some of you wrote that you would like to have the pattern for the heated neck and shoulder wrap that I posted here. Well, here you go! I've made a few of these lately in an early attempt to keep the holiday gift making rush under control later. I always start early and end up in a mad rush anyway.

I find these fun to make and I really love using them. I heat mine up almost every morning while the coffee is brewing and drape it over my shoulders to help shoo away the early morning stiffness. Unless one of the kids gets up first and then all bets are off on my slow-waking rituals.

Here is the first block for the SewConnected swap. It was really fun sewing with someone else's fabric (except for the moment when I thought I had made the wrong cut and ruined it) and I hope Rita likes it.

P.S. If the .pdf thing isn't working for you, feel free to email me and I'll send you the instructions.

Neck Warmers

As soon as the cooler weather sets in here I wake up with stiffness in my neck and shoulders. The extra time I've been spending at the computer probably doesn't help, and I'm sure my almost 30 pound baby who doesn't walk yet is a contributing factor as well.

I've found that heavy warm moist heat really soothes the pain. I've been making these neck and shoulder wraps in one form or another for some time now. In the early days of nursing (I couldn't help but strain my neck to see the miracle up close) I had no time for sewing so I used rice-filled socks, tied and heated in the microwave. I would drape them over my shoulders and around my neck to relieve the stress. Of course a pretty one made with Amy Butler fabric is somehow even more comforting! I make these in different sizes and usually fill them with flax seed or buckwheat hulls, but rice works fine as well. I'm not one for aromatherapy, but sometimes for gifts I mix some subtle essential oil in with the filling. When you heat the wrap the scent is gently released. This one is baffled to help evenly distribute the filling.

I'm thinking about putting together 'relaxation baskets' for holiday gifts this year. Maybe one of these with a book of poetry and some fleece socks and candles tied up pretty with a ribbon. I'm feeling relaxed just thinking about it.

I might make one of these and shoot some photos along the way for a tutorial if anyone is interested—just let me know!

I May Have a Problem

After I posted about sewing my first bag and how much I enjoyed it, many of you commented on how addicting they can be. After further deliberation, I officially concur.

This is Amy Butler's Birdie Sling pattern. It was easy to follow and well written. This bag is very large and has two inner pockets that are very deep. I learned how to make a gusset and what fusible fleece is, and I learned to read everything twice through before I cut a thing. Also, did I mention how large this bag is?

(Yes, that is an orange corduroy sofa and yes, it's up against an orange painted wall. I've written about this before if you're so inclined.)

I already have my next Birdie Sling planned out. Does that make me addicted?

My First Bag

I'll admit it. I have a fear of sewing patterns. They are like a foreign language to me. I open the package and unfold those scary fragile papers and I retreat in terror. Twice I've signed up for dressmaking classes and twice I've had to back out (read: childcare issues). So imagine my delight when I attempted to follow these directions and came up with this:

Now I get why so many of you are addicted to making bags. It was complete instant gratification (despite the many mistakes I made). Why didn't I try that sooner?

Birthday Preparations

Next week is Quinn's first birthday. I don't know what could possess me to start three projects that I expect to have finished in a week. Yes. Three. Granted they are not gigantic projects, but seeing as I haven't finished much of anything in a year, it seems silly to start, and plan to finish, three in a week.

When Quinn began crawling all sewing has been relegated to the bedroom. I haven't really set myself up with any productive arrangement so this is what it looks like when I'm working.

When I'm mid-project(s) I've given up on putting it all away each evening. The baby-naps are too short and unpredictable to pull it all out again and get anything else done.

The project on the bed is a fabric banner. I've seen this project done multiple times on some of my favorite blogs and filed it away in my "I'll-get-to-that-one-day" file. Apparently yesterday afternoon was that day. I'm combining the techniques described in this tutorial with those in this tutorial. It's a great stash-busting exercise and should be very festive for the party.

The other projects are a quilt and a (another) birthday bib for photos.

It's been great fun pulling out fabric from the beginning of time and remembering what they were originally purchased for.

I hope you like the new banner. It's about how I'm feeling these days — like my life is pieced together from multiple colorful scraps forming my whole. It's a continuing fascination with all things patchwork.

Blueberries for Quinn (and a New Bib)

Bibs in my house disappear mysteriously with gym socks. It doesn't much matter how many I'm sure I bought, there's never one where I need it when I need it. This morning I sat down to make some and I've posted here what I did in case any of you have the same problem. Please be gentle as this is my sewing tutorial.

Materials:
WASHABLE fabric scraps and velcro

Instructions:
Trace your favorite bib.

(Perhaps I should have washed this one before snapping this photo.)

Draw 1/4" (don't worry about it being exact) around the outline for the seam allowance and cut along the outer line.

Trace the template onto the back side of your fabric or, as I did here, pin the template to the fabric. For this example I was using a batik that doesn't have a 'wrong side'.

Cut along the template and repeat with contrasting fabric for second side of bib. (I used the same fabric for both sides here.)

With the right sides of the fabric facing each other, using a 1/4" seam allowance, and beginning at a straight(ish) part of the bib, back stitch a little and then stitch the sides together. Stop stitching about 2" from where you started and back stitch again to secure.

Turn bib right sides out using a knitting needle or a dull pencil to poke the pesky seams outward. Press, taking care around the opening.

Top stitch as close to the edge as you are comfortable, closing the turning opening and making sure to secure the ends with a few back stitches.

Cut the stiffer side of the Velcro into a small rectangle (about 1" long) and the softer side into a larger rectangle (about  2 1/2" long). Stitch the Velcro onto opposite sides of the neck opening - this allows the bib to be both adjustable and reversible.

Now make many many more and stash them all over the place!

Baby Clothes Quilt (In Progress)

When Big was little, I couldn't give away his baby clothes. I saved them, kind of knowing that they wouldn't actually ever get used again (who knew). And then I learned how to sew. I started cutting squares out of everything and hoarding them away. I told myself that it wasn't waste because they would be of use and make a lovely quilt. But the quilt never got made. And Big turned six and then seven and time kept passing.

Fast forward: almost three years ago I married a love from another life. Big was seven and I was, well, older than before. And my love wanted babies. Could I actually do this again? I was long past diapers and nursing bras and sleepless nights. Did I want to do it again? Youbetcha. Skip forward two years and welcome Little. Five weeks early and magical. Big and I discussed using the squares of fabric from his baby clothes that I had saved to make a quilt for his baby brother. He liked it and so did I. The quilt top was simple (those of you who know my quilting taste won't be surprised) and took no time at all. I pieced the back and then I hit a wall. The whole thing is still on pause. Maybe for Little's first birthday in July.

The light blue plaid in the upper right hand corner is from a romper that Big wore on his first Yom Kippur. The bright yellow plaid is from an oxford shirt that my mother bought him at Costco. I could go on. I started hand quilting it but am currently rethinking that choice.

Baby's Got a New Pair of Shoes

This very fun pattern is from Stardust Shoes. I'm not good with sewing patterns but I found this one to be well-written and easy to follow. I just love the fabric and have hoarded close to a yard of it for some future yet to be determined project. How cute are those tiny feet!