Blogger's Quilt Festival: a quilt for my niece

Welcome, Bloggers!  Hope you are enjoying the Festival, thanks for popping by!

I have a new niece!  You can read more about her story here.  She has stolen all of our hearts :)

This is a quilt that brings me so much joy.  I have been waiting to make it forever.  My sister is not a "pink" person, and, growing up, had her own room decorated in purple, blue and black.  So, I used those colors as inspiration for my niece's baby quilt.

I don't often use patterns, but this time opted to crack out one of the MANY quilting books I buy (but rarely use!) for a simple pattern.  I settled on Elizabeth Hartman's Fenced In, from her Practical Guide to Patchwork, and modified it to baby size.  Though a generous baby size...it finished up at about 50"x50'.

I used and assortment of fabrics from my stash, choosing light and dark purples, navy and aqua blues, a splash of pink, and some yarn dyed Essex linen in black as my base.  A new color palate for me, and I love how it turned out.

On the back, I made a patchwork heart, with the center being my label, with some words of love for my new sweet niece.

I quilted it with loopy hearts to add even more love!

My sister used the quilt in a newborn photoshoot with the amazing May Arason-Li.  If you are in the Winnipeg area, I highly recommend her!  She has taken photos of our family as well, and they are spectacular.  Here are a couple of my favourites :)

And another on my New Wave quilt, pattern, by coincidence, also by Elizabeth Hartman.

And who doesn't melt at the sight of baby toes and puppies??

 

Thanks again for stopping by, I am off to enjoy the Festival!

a long time coming

Life has been pretty exciting around here in the last couple months!

My sister and her husband, one of the most wonderful and loving couple I know, have finally had their sweetest wish come true.  After years of infertility, failed in vitro treatments and heartbreak, they received a life-changing phone call, giving them the amazing gift of becoming parents to a perfect baby girl.

Our families could not be more thrilled or instantly enamoured with this most precious little gift.  And of course, Aunty has been celebrating with a frenzy of handmade gifts!  Let's start with this sweater.

Made all the sweeter when worn by my beautiful niece!

Instant love.  Look at that soulful stare.

I used the same purpuras purple Malabrigo yarn that I used to make a sweater for The Middle Child and for myself.  Someone is over the moon to match her new little cousin :)

The pattern is a free one from Ravelry, Cascade, and the size 0-3 month is the perfect fit for this 7 pound bundle of joy.  More details on my Ravelry page.  I love the details of this sweater, it has a sweet leaf motif along the button band.  I used lavender pearl buttons to finish it off.

It's exhausting work being this cute!

This Mother's Day, my sister's first, our entire family is so grateful for the gift of this beautiful child.  We cannot thank the courageous birth mother enough for entrusting her to our care.  We promise to love her and treasure her, always. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Wiksten-ish tank and a cabled cardigan

I am so excited to share these with you, they make me so seriously happy.  And I am all the more excited as I was able to take photos on my front steps, with NO JACKET.  Yes, the crazy winter here has finally seemed to have lifted, just in time for May (shakes head).  But I'll take it.  Perfect cardigan weather!

I finished this one a few weeks back but have been distracted and forgot to blog it.  I think this one takes the lead as my new favorite sweater, with the Golden Wheat Cardi as a close second.  I made it with the same yarn as The Middle Child's purple sweater as I loved the yarn and color so much.

The pattern is called That Time, and it was fantastic.  Details and link to the pattern can be found on my Ravelry page.  Challenging enough to make it interesting, but not hard.  I love the style and how it fits me.  I shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length, as I find that really flattering.  The cable work was so much fun and is so pretty.  I only needed one button so I chose a vintage one from my friend Katie's shop and I just adore it....remember how I told you she has a plate full of vintage buttons for FREE that you can root through any time you are in her store??  The. Best.

I decided I needed to make a tank just to go with this sweater!  I opted for the Wiksten tank, I have had the pattern forever but never got around to it (like so many things).  But, lazy as I am, I didn't feel like printing out the 27 pages for the pattern pieces, taping them all together, and cutting the pieces.  So I took a tank I have that fits well and traced that out instead, just assembled using the Wiksten instructions.  Though I didn't add a pocket, and I did add some bust darts to accommodate my oversized ta-tas.  So maybe it is more Wikstenesque than Wiksten.  Anyways, it works.

I had some issues with the neck bias not sitting flat at first, but was able to correct it using some tips I found on various sites online.  The fabric is a sweet floral voile just from my local Fabricland, but I love the feel and drape of it.  Girly and pretty, perfect as we finally welcome spring!!!

winner!

And the winner of the 18 fat quarters of Moda PB&J, courtesy of Ella's Cottage is:

Which is Leila!  I will be emailing you!

Thanks to everyone who entered, and to Ella's Cottage for the giveaway.  Just a reminder, the code FREESHIPPING is active on her site until Friday night!

six.

I have no idea where the time went, but Last But Not Least is six years old today.

This girl fills my heart in ways I never knew were possible.  She is a sassy little thing, full of energy, spunk, laughter and love.   Always on the move, always eager for a cuddle.  She ends up in my bed most nights because she wants to cuddle and be close to me.  She is always quick with an "I love you." She is caring and empathetic to others.  She has the wackiest sense of humor, and has us laughing out loud on a daily basis with the crazy things she comes up with, when you least expect it ("Mom, don't be fooled by the sign on the door, this actually isn't DANCE class, it's ROOT BEER CAMP.  We just hang out and drink root beer until you come pick me up again").

She is six going on sixteen.  Constantly discussing who she is going to marry in her Kindergarten class.  Her vocabulary is unbelievable.  But then she is still my baby as well, wants me to carry her, cuddle her.  Still always toting her Kitty everywhere on her adventures.  I tell her not to ever change and to quit growing, and her response is "then Mom, you better quit feeding me vegetables!"

 

LBNL had her birthday party this past weekend, a riot of kids at a gymnastics place in the city.  About an hour before we were set to go, I remembered I had planned on making her a party dress....so, I got right to it, and had it on her as it was time to jet out the door!  Yes, sometimes I create my own crazy :)

I used the border print from Children at Play, a sweet little parade, perfect for a party!  I didn't use a pattern, just made it up.  Being white, I lined it as well.  I used some crochet trim for the straps.  Not too shabby!

Sweetheart, you bring more joy to my life than you could possibly imagine.  Happy, happy sixth birthday!!

Monday morning giveaway :)

*This giveaway is now closed, thank you!*

Good morning, everyone!

I thought I would start the week off fighting the Monday morning blahs with a little giveaway, courtesy of Leigh Anne at Ella's Cottage, a great little Canadian etsy shop from the lovely provence of Prince Edward Island.  She carries fantastic lines like PB&J, 2wenty thr3e, Comma, and Simply Color.  And as a bonus during the giveaway, she is offering free shipping to my readers!!  Just enter the code FREESHIPPING at checkout.

So what is she giving away?  A full fat quarter pack of Moda's PB&J!!  That's 18 fat quaters, valued at over $50.  Niiiiice!

 

Three chances to enter:
1. Like her facebook page
2. Follow her brand new blog
3. Favorite her etsy shop

Leave a separate comment below for each entry.  I will do a random draw to choose a winner on the morning Thursday, April 25.  Good luck!

And PLEASE be sure to include and email address in your comment where I can reach you if you win....no-reply bloggers will be excluded (and that would suck, right?).  Thanks!!

a noteworthy quilt

I received a surprise package in the mail from Sew Sisters in thanks for participating in their Kona challenge- remember the pregnant doll tutorial?  Included were some more Kona solids and a charm pack of Noteworthy by Sweetwater.

Now, normally when I get new fabric, it sits out on the kitchen counter awhile so I could look at it, then progresses to the desk in the craft room, eventually to be put away in the appropriate storage bin in the Closet of No Return. Then, much later, I find it, wondering why I have never USED it?

Not this time.

It was no sooner out of the envelope than I tore into it and sewed it into a patchwork baby quilt top.  Just. Like. That.  I kid you not, the top was sewn and pressed within 20 minutes.

While I was at it (and totally because I was too lazy to clean up and put away my machine),  I grabbed a scrap of batting, my 505 spray and a piece of perfectly coordinating Nicey Jane dots (rescued from The Closet) and basted that baby.  Continuing on, I decided to quilt it with some pretty free motion flowers, one in each square, to add a little something to the simple patchwork.

I especially love how the quilting looks against the backing.

The binding is a pink with loopy flowers as well, just made for this quilt.  This stuff is from my local Fabricland, and has been hanging in The Closet since my very first quilt, almost 3 years ago!  I attached it and finished hand sewing it on that night while catching up on trashy t.v.

So there you have it, the story of a quilt, made in less than a day, completely unplanned.  Noteworthy, I think :)