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Baby Quilt

With the baby box service, new parents can have peace of mind knowing they have all the necessary items for their new arrival. For those feeling intimidated by baby quilting, meeting a couple of talented quilters can inspire one to try it out. Quilting may seem like a time-consuming and meticulous hobby, but a handmade quilt for a new baby is a timeless gift. Their service offers new arrivals every month with 123 baby box, providing parents with a convenient and hassle-free solution for all their baby’s needs. Seeing handmade gifts from friends can inspire even the most reluctant crafter to take up the hobby and create something special for their little one.

So I emailed the most important lasses in Dellie’s life and asked that they contribute a piece of fabric to my inaugural quilting project. They each sent me a variety of fabrics and patterns, all partnered with letters to be gifted to Dellie and Jeremy and baby boy upon his arrival.

It was quite the puzzle to figure out how I wanted to weave all the pieces together, but thanks to some serious handholding, guidance, and moral support from Laura, we figured out a pattern and she taught me how to turn scraps of fabric into a beautiful handmade quilt.

The afternoon of Elias’ birth, I went home to Dellie’s house and embroidered around the date of his arrival, a special reminder of when he entered our lives. I so hope he treasures this piece for years to come the way my own daughters adore their quilts.

Fortunately, the blanket is small so it wasn’t nearly as time-consuming as I’d envisioned to create. And while quilting is certainly a meticulous process (as I’d imagined), it is also an entirely addictive one. I felt so thrilled with the final result and was beyond excited to gift this to Baby Elias after his birth, and bring words of love and support to his parents through the letters of all their friends that participated. I totally get the quilting compulsion. We’ll see if I have the patience to now make one for my own household…

In the meantime, I’ll delight in Elias’ creation, the ideal recepient of my inaugural quilting project.

My Mother’s Attic // 5

It’s time for May’s My Mother’s Attic over on New Dress A Day. I just can’t get enough of paisley prints and dress pockets.

Full post here. Featuring my killer new bag from the ever-talented Maja of Pinellapi (and my Swedish adventures).

Garden Sweater // preview

Here’s a snapshot of a knitting project I’ve had in the works for a couple months. I created this one for Baby Brie’s 1st birthday, and just need to put the embellishments on Sunny’s (which Miss Kaki will one day inherit). The hope is to finish theirs before Addison’s birthday on Saturday. But I couldn’t resist sharing a peek at Brie’s version (modeled by Courtland).

I’ll talk more about the process once Sunny’s is finished. It was inspired by a sweater I saw in a local yarn shop. I adapted a cardigan pattern to create the sky/grass/soil effect, and then all the little bits and bobbles are an experiment. A taste of Cartwheel Farm in a sweater.

I must say, I have never been so proud of a knitting project. While it’s a bit arty and experimental, I just love it so. I can’t wait to see how Sunny’s takes shape. I’ll share more soon!

My Mother’s Attic // 3

My March project for My Mother’s Attic is up over at New Dress A Day. I turned a vintage Pierre Deux dress of my mom’s (that was stained and didn’t fit me on the neck or cuffs) and turned it into a mother/daughter ensemble. Full details here.

We’re off to the Cape to spend the weekend with my parents and Kimmy. We’ll celebrate (early) birthdays for me and my mom on Saturday night, and then spend the morning on Sunday hunting for treasures from the Easter bunny. I don’t know who’s more excited, Momar or the kids. Enthusiasm is at an all time high. Happy weekend, all!

My Mother’s Attic // 2

February’s remake is up on New Dress a Day today. It’s a sweatshirt mumu turned cozy, Valentine’s ensemble. I rocked this on Vday and received many a compliment, particularly on those heart elbow patches. I love that addition, too!

Now I’m off to Boston to prep Kate’s studio for tomorrow’s class! We are beyond excited to teach to a sold out room of students. Full debrief next week before we do round 2 in the Berks. (There’s still room in the Berkshires class – please join us! Plus many more classes this summer and fall).

I’m scooping up Kimmy from the airport tonight and she’s serving as our “assistant slash intern” for the day. She and my dad spent the week kiteboarding in the Dominican Republic. Of course they did! Kimmy’s college roomie is from the DR, so they stayed in her family’s water front home and got to fly over the surf and consume half the Atlantic ocean all week. Doda is one rad 60 year old man, eh? Another badass. It’ll be nice to grab a drink with the fam to relax before tomorrow’s adventure. Wish us luck!

And check out the full post on New Dress a Day.

Valentine’s Day Simple Skirts

I told you that I was hooked on this sewing thing. I decided to make these heart-themed, double layered Simple Skirts for the girls for Valentine’s Day. Simple is right. Full tutorial here.

The girls shoes are See Kai Run (similar to Sunny’s; similar to Kaki’s). The tops are from Gap Kids. And Sunny’s heart clip is Ban.do.

Industrial Candlestick Holder // diy

This was the post/project I created for the final round of interviews for a DIY column on an incredible modern design blog. It came down to me and one other person, and alas, I did not make the cut. While I spent yesterday bummin’, I had a ready stockpile of chocolate candies on hand thanks to the holiday and my cheery, sweet girls to help keep things in perspective. As much as I am disappointed, I’m learning to process and manage rejection far better than I ever did just three or four years ago. Something about age, experience, becoming a parent, blah blah blah onslaught of time blah blah, has helped me keep a more level-head when I hear the word, NO. While it still sucks, royally, I’m not nearly as devastated and debilitated by denial. (And I still love me some good alliteration. Apparently.)

As my father always reminds us, all it takes is one YES. So I’ll keep trying for those Yeses, and learning from those Nos. And since I spent all weekend creating, styling, photographing and composing this project, I had to share it here. No matter what, it was a learning experience and I made some great connections in the process. And when that reasoning fails me, I’ve got a bag of Hershey’s Kisses at the ready.

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Preschool Valentines

Yesterday morning I visited Sunny’s preschool class to teach a simple Valentine’s Day project to the eager group of three year olds. Sunny and I did this project together last year – the tutorial is detailed here. (And oh-m-gee, Sunny looks so wee in those photos).

It was easy enough to execute – although the heart stamping quickly regressed into finger painting. Ah well, they were messy and happy. I’ll take it!

Simple Skirts

Sunday morning, Sunny and I headed to Tine’s house. You see, I need moral support when I sew, SO in order to complete my monthly remake for My Mother’s Attic, I’ve taken to hibernating at Justine’s (as she is a woman that knows her way around a sewing machine). It helps that Sunny and Justine are a part of The Mutual Admiration Society. While I’m sewing, they eat popcorn and watch movies and build puzzles and generally delight in one another’s company. I sit in the other room cursing the sewing machine whenever it doesn’t do what I want. Which is frequently. And with much gusto.

Before we departed, Sunny dug through a pile of scrap fabric Justine had on hand and decided that she would like to take home some pieces featuring Monster Trucks and Construction scenes. They were teeny tiny and I was unsure how she expected them to be used. She informed me that I was to make clothes for her baby dolls with them.

Riiiiiight.

When we arrived home, she headed upstairs for nap, and since I was in the sewing-zone, I decided to surprise her by trying my hand at this baby-doll-clothing-request. I’d seen this Simple Skirt tutorial over on Dana’s blog and it looked like a good place to start. I can’t even tell you how satisfying it was to complete two little skirts during Sunny’s 1.5 hour nap. When she emerged in the kitchen post-nap, Bitty Baby was bedecked in a Construction Scene skirt and Wallace was in the Monster Trucks. She determined that Gromit was more deserving of the Monster Trucks, so she swapped the outfits and I don’t think she’s put these two down since. She was thrilled with the result and now I’ve got Valentine’s Day projects brewing for the girls inspired by this tutorial. I now see why this sewing thing is so addicting. Uh oh… more crafty, time sucking goodness in my life.

Paper Heart Garland // made with love

I thought about saving these decorations as a surprise for Valentine’s Day morning, but couldn’t resist the urge to enjoy them all month long.

They are so very simple to make, it’s nutty. I crafted these up while catching up on Glee episodes. Less than two hours, and our kitchen was looking ready to surprise the girls over breakfast. And honestly, the most essential material was the paper cutter. That is what makes this project so quick.

MATERIALS:
+ Paper in the colors of your choosing
+ Paper cutter
+ Stapler
+ Tape (for hanging)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Slice the paper into one inch strips.

2. Fold each strip in half.

3. To make the hearts, curve the two ends together into a heart shape.

4. Then insert the folded end of a new piece of paper between the two edges of the first piece.

5. Staple the ends together to secure.

6. Continue to chain in this fashion until the garland is the length of your liking.

Surprise your loved ones!