Kaitlyn’s Quilt

Kaitlyn wanted a new quilt for her bed and she picked this fabric called Sugar and Spice by Riley Blake

and……
This pattern

 
I changed it somewhat, did not want to do all those little squares, plus she wanted it queen size.
I completed it today and here is a quick picture before it heads to the longarm quilter.


take a look who was holding the quilt for me


Now back to garment sewing.

Guest Bedroom Update

The first of the year, hubby and I decided to update this bedroom and sold my high school furniture on Craig’s List.  I was thrilled to have the golden oak furniture out of the house and knew a trip to Home Goods was in my future.

Well, it has been a work in progress over the months but it is complete now and here is a bit of the process.

First, we needed to get a new queen mattress and a headboard.  Years ago, Mike (hubby), made our older two daughters’ headboards.  They were only for full beds but I loved how the looked.  I asked Mike if he could just add another piece of molding around the headboard and make it a full.  He said that would work and he headed to Lowe’s.  The molding and a new coat of paint made a perfect new headboard and the cost was minimal.

Take a look


I painted the walls Valspar Silver Leaf, which is a gray with blue tones.  So with this blank canvas, Mike and I headed to Home Goods.  It was one of those days where everything came together and I found just what I wanted.  My parents were with us and I think my dad thought I was crazed shopper!
We bought a lamp,bedding,  cabinet, pillow and  picture and later found the curtains and another lamp at Pier One.   The picture was the “inspiration” and all the colors came from it.  I spotted it first thing.





The bedding:


The yellow piece was a gift years ago from my Mom, I spray painted yellow for a craft room and decided to move it into this room.  I had the table from the same craft room and all the milk glass.

This is my favorite corner:


The ladder was from the family room, antique quilts made by a relative probably 70 years ago, wicker chair I have had for several years.  The cabinet came from Home Goods and I loved the color.  The ceiling tiles I found in a local antique store.  I couldn’t believe my luck, the colors were perfect.  I was only going to buy one but Paige talked me into two.  She was so right.


The last purchase – curtains from Pier One.

I am thrilled with the redo, this room is so “me”.

Sharing on

and

New placemats

The fabric line called Ruby has been whispering my name since Camille put some of the pictures on her blog.  I didn’t want to make an entire quilt but I knew I needed to make something with it.  So of course, I purchased some, 2 yards of a print and a layer cake.  I would decide later what I was making!
I noticed this quilting book Fast and Furious Family – Quilt as You Go  and Included in the book are  some darling placemats, top left corner

Image from this site
I had to adapt my design a bit, a layer cake is only 10” long, so I added a border to the top and bottom.  Also, in the layer cake you get all the fabrics from the line.  This is great in most of my quilting needs but the Ruby line had several greens and  I do not have any green in my house.  So those came out.  I whipped up 8 placemats, sent them to the quilter (opted not to quilt as you go) and talked my wonderful mom into hand sewing the binding into place.  I will add she did a beautiful job.

Here is one of the placemats


Pictures on my table

another view with plates:


and finally a close up of my zinnias

I did tell my family, move the placemats out of the way before you put a plate on them.  No eating on them for awhile!

I am so thrilled with the end results and the placemats were just like the book stated, Fast!

I had some comments about sewing clothes and quilting and getting things done so quickly.  I am not working currently so lots of time to sew,

Simplicity 2362

Pattern Description: Misses dress in 3 lengths, halter, spaghetti straps or wider strap variations
Sizes: 6 to 22
Instructions:  They were easy to sew with nice illustrations to follow.
Likes/Dislikes:   Kaitlyn loved the fact it had pockets, and they are unique pockets, a separate pattern piece above the pockets, easy constructions and fun feature.

Also, liked the wider straps, pleated bodice and skirt.  A fun, flirty and comfy sundress.
This dress comes together beautifully.
Fabric:  A linen from Joann’s
Pattern changes:  I used an invisible zipper, the pull did not match, so I painted it with fingernail polish for a better match.  Remember I said better not perfect .  I painted the pull after all construction was complete. To keep polish off the dress, I applied a couple of strips of tape on the dress.

Conclusion:  A super cute dress that is darling on Kaitlyn, she wore it today.
Front- such cute details

back:

On Kailtyn:

Three Quilts

Yesterday I finished the three quilts I was hired to make.   These quilts are for the sister of my first elephant quilts and you can read the story at the link.
The girls picked out their fabric, choosing their favorite color and did a fabulous job

Oldest daughter likes orange:

the younger sister likes green:

Then the mom picked out the son’s quilt and his favorite color is red:


The client was thrilled and I had so much fun making these quilts. 
Now onto a dress for Kaitlyn.

Simplicity 2584

Pattern Description: Misses dress, tunic and headband - Cynthia Rowley design. Neck and sleeve variations.
Sizing: 4 to 20
Likes/Dislikes:  I liked the look of this top, especially with the yoke around the front slit.  Also, the construction of this is great.  Instead of turning under the edges, you line the yoke.  This feature makes perfect edges for the yoke.  The darts are a plus for a good fit and all the sleeve variations.
Changes:  My only change was to shorten the v-neck.  As it was on the pattern piece, I would have had to wear a cami under the top.  Well, with record breaking temperatures, I did not want another layer!
Conclusion:  After seeing Lynn's chambray top, I knew I had to make one for me.  I thought about using the same pattern, Simplicity 2892 but I have made that one a couple of times.  While I love it and the fit, I had been wanting to try this pattern, mainly for the yoke detail.





My only possible issue is the way the shoulders look on my dressform.  I need to evaluate this on me and see if I need to alter this.

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On a side note, Kaitlyn hit another home run last night!  Summer ball is over and now we will see if she keeps it up once school ball starts in the fall.
My garment sewing will come to a standstill for a bit, I have three quilts to make.  Hoping to have them completed by the weekend, ready for new clothes!

We call her Babe Ruth

This morning, my dad called and said, "How is Babe Ruth this morning?" 

Why you ask?  Kaitlyn hit not only her first home run last night but also her second!  Both over the left field fence.  The team had two games last night 4:30 and 9 p.m.  Mike couldn't make the first one and missed her first home run.  The second game, just before her first at-bat, I said hit one for your dad and she did! 

Here is a picture of her crossing the plate after the first home run, from my phone but look at that big smile. 

I asked her when she knew it was gone.  Kailtyn responded, "I was running hard to second and then saw the umpire with his hands up (signaling a home run)"

Me?  I knew on the fly and jumped off the bleachers, getting my phone ready to snap a picture. 

Kaitlyn and Meredith  have four games today and four games tomorrow, I am packing my camera! 

Butterick 5497–Purple and Gray

Another repeat pattern, first time for Erin
Review here and blogpost here
this time again for Erin, from a ITY purchased at Joann’s several months ago.

and the back

Simplicity 2181–Pink and White

A repeat pattern for my sewing, first time for Erin


blogged here and pattern review here

This time from a very nice pink and white knit from Joann’s.

Close up of the gathers

My only change was to hand sew a few stitches at the bottom of the       v-neck so the top wouldn’t be so low.

Happy sewing!

4th of July desserts

Kailtyn worked her baker's magic and made a couple of fantastic desserts for our 4th of July party with family and friends.

First a cake from Bird on a Cake

Kailtyn added some ribbon and piping on the side

Next the favorite of the day, Push-up cakes
You can check out the details at Betty Crocker and here are Kaitlyn's

Flowers

Thank you all for the kind comments on my dress from the last post, I appreciate each and everyone.  Many of those comments had something about my flowers and Andrea asked who was the gardener.  Well, the answer is Me!
I thought I would share some pictures today from my flower gardens.  The main one is a big “U” shape off of our deck.  But the shape is an upside down “U”.
I bought some new blue pots for the deck this year and my wave petunias are doing fantastic

Nest we step off the deck and to the left starts the biggest flower bed, which part is next to the house.


As the bed curves around you come to a water feature.  This runs very rarely as there is a hole somewhere and I have to fill it daily to run it (which I do not do).  I do like how it looks and the dry water feature is fine with me.

From the water feature, the bed curves out into the yard.  This part is what you saw in yesterday’s post.

anther view


Now there is an arbor that leads to the pergola and the swimming pool.  I have a gorgeous climbing rose on this arbor along with a clematis on each side. The clematis are gorgeous in the spring.  I usually do not have to cut the climbing rose back but after last year’s hot and dry July and August, the rose was not in the best shape.  So it is starting over

The bed now is the other leg of the “U” shape and runs parallel to the pool.  The next few pictures picture were taken from the arbor



I took some pictures from the end of the bed looking back.




At the front of the driveway I have two flowerbeds on each side.  One is beautiful and filling in so nicely, it is around our flagpole.  The other is suffering with the heat and poor soil, no pictures of that one today!
The flagpole bed is on the east side and the sun was bright this morning so the colors look a bit off.  The bed is a mix of daylilies, roses, a couple of yews, marigolds, summer phlox, black-eyed susans and Russian Sage

A closer view

Now one last bed, this one separates the house yard from the barn/machine shed yard.  A long raised bed with roses and ornamental grasses and evergreens.


Hope you enjoyed the look into my garden.  I like more of a cottage-themed garden with flowers everywhere.