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Thursday, February 26, 2009

Quilts, Quilts, and More Quilts

Well, I have been busy sewing lately. Baby quilts and more baby quilts. As I posted last week, I finally finished Marie's baby quilt. She plays on it almost every day and I love it.

This is the quilt I just finished for my first soon-to-be-born niece. I'm going to be an aunt!! I'm pretty excited and can't wait to meet this little girly.

For this quilt I used prints from the Park Slope line by Erin McMorris. As usual, Etsy came to the rescue and I was able to buy a bundle of these prints already precut into fat quarters and yardage for the borders and backing. I love Etsy!

I sort of made up the pattern as I went and it ended up being kind of fun and different. I quilted around the inner edge of each rectangular shape and did a free-motion stipple quilting design on the borders.

Of course, a set of burp clothes to match!

I also finished a couple of quilts that are available in my Etsy shop. Both of these came out so soft, thick, and plushy. They are almost like comforters! You can check them out here.


Thanks for looking, and have a blessed day!
Jessica

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Chimpanzee Shirt from Ottobre


Intro:
This was my first ever attempt at painting on a shirt. Ottobre patterns are simply fabulous in my opinion. The chimpanzee may be a bit scary, but I rather like him. :)

Pattern Description:

A raglan sleeved t-shirt with a stenciled chimpanzee print. The raglan seams are curved, making this design unique from most raglan shirts.

Pattern Sizing:

European sizes 92-122; I made a size 122 for my 8-year old son.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Very Easy. However, I did not follow Ottobre's instructions for the stencil. More details below.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

Everything to like, nothing to dislike about this pattern!

Fabric Used:

I used a poly/cotton jersey fabric from my stash.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:

No alterations, and no design changes. The only thing I did differently from the instructions was my procedure for cutting out the stencil design.

Ottobre suggests using plastic (like from a sheet protector) for the stencil design. Instead, I traced the monkey design onto freezer paper and then cut it out with an x-acto knife. Next, I ironed the freezer paper onto the front of the t-shirt and proceeded with the paint. The freezer paper works great because you don't have to worry about paint seeping under the edges of the stencil and smearing the design.

For the paint I used Tulip Soft Fabric Paint--black and white, mixed together to make gray. I used a sponge brush to paint the design. I am very pleased with the results, but I'm curious to see how this will hold up in the wash.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I'd like to do more stenciling on clothing. I probably won't make the same chimpanzee again, but I'd like to try other designs. Also, I will definitely be making this raglan shirt pattern again. The pattern goes together quickly and I highly recommend it.

Conclusion:

This was the first time I've ever embellished a piece of clothing with this stenciling method, and I enjoyed doing it. I also enjoyed seeing Jacob's delight when he first saw the shirt this morning. I have a feeling he will be wearing this shirt a lot.


Update, 2/5/09: I just took the monkey shirt out of the dryer, and the paint stayed on, didn't smear, and didn't melt. Yay! I washed the shirt turned inside out with a normal load of dark clothes.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Marie's Baby Quilt

Finally finished!

I made the quilt top when I was pregnant, but just finished the quilting and binding this weekend. The floral prints are from Moda's Three Sisters, Sanctuary line. I fell in love with the purple fabrics when I was pregnant and just had to make Marie's baby quilt with the coordinates. I love the combination of lavender, pink, green, and yellow.


I'm finding that I'm really treasuring these fleeting baby days in a new way with my second baby.

I love the way her little fists flail and beat against me when she gets mad, and I love how her eyes light up and her whole body trembles with excitement when we are about to nurse.
I love her little milky smiles when she finishes nursing and falls asleep, so happy and and contented.

I love the rolls of baby chubbies on her arms and legs! I love how she smells...so soft and sweet. I don't want her to ever change...

I'm trying to enjoy every little moment, because it's only a matter of time and she'll no longer be a baby.




Miss Marie and her Aunt Emily. Marie will be 3 months old next week. They are just over 4 years apart.

Blessings!
Jessica