mini quilt for May's whiplash

I was so excited to see that mini quilts were the challenge for the May whiplash- a great way to try out a quilt without committing to something I would never finish.

I'm definitely a wing-it sewer, to say the least. I have a degree in furniture design/making & had a studio for a little while, but in the absence of having a place to build, I pulled out an inherited Necchi and the rest, as they say, is history! Regrettably I've yet to take any classes, so I sew the way I approached building furniture.

I saw the challenge on Mother's Day, and The Idea fell out onto paper very quickly (I almost never sketch anything, so this was a novelty!). Long before I was even pregnant, I had always thought I would name my theoretical kiddo Blue, because Blue is everything I would like to give my kiddo- the peace, expanse & freedom of the sea, the sky & space/eternity. My daughter was born last October, and my husband put the kibosh on Blue for a boy or a girl. I couldn't even convince him that Blue was a good middle name.

But I still want to give her these things- thus, a triptych of mini quilts, sea, sky & space/eternity/infinity. I have finished Sea- hooray!- and the other two will actually follow, because I have absolutely loved every bit of making this first one!

The quilt is a wavy-seamed log cabin (hard to tell in the picture, sorry). I used the machine to piece it, but handquilted the rest. In the center patch, the "waves" are also wavy-seamed strips, and I used white thread to piece them with the idea that gently pulling/pressing the seams, the white thread might look like the white spray on the crest of a wave. Not, um, sure that that translated as it just looks like I used white thread...

***I am having a problem with the 3rd quilt & need your help!!!! I can't decide if I should embroider the word space, eternity or infinity... please de-lurk yourself and let me know which you think fits the concept the best!



And this is Miss Lovely, whose name is Kate (admittedly just as lovely a name as Blue), though she did get some seriously Blue eyes...

Thanks for viewing- please don't forget to leave a comment casting your vote for the third quilt!

sugarloop high

I'm all weepy over this mother's day- I just cannot believe that I am Miss Lovely's mother. What an honor! I am so, so blessed... it is simply stunning the way God works, often when you aren't even paying attention...

I received a suprise order this a.m. in my shop (I am always suprised and delighted when anybody purchases something from me- so flattering, I blush every time!), and this sweeet print has been on my mind... so I just had to buy it for Miss Lovely's nursery today. I hope she'll love it when she's grown- a reminder for her that she will always, always be my cherished baby girl.

You should pop over to see Sugarloop's prints- I could eat them with a spoon. Seriously.

Happy mother's day!

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miss lovely would go ape for this!

really- she would go crazy for this mobile! frankly, so would i.

http://www.atypyk.com/home.html

Great site, great products- some are goofy and ridiculous, but super fun- enjoy!

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lovely stuff

I was in a mean funk yesterday afternoon due to Mlle. Cranklee McStinkbottom. She just... I don't know. It wasn't the teething. She is just being a crank- and going from 0-60 on a dime, with no warning. Not happy in my arms, in her bouncy, in the sling, in the bjorn, playing on the floor, in her crib, reading, eating- I think she's bored with babyhood. Seriously. I don't mean this in a "My child is soooooo advanced!" way, just in a gut feeling way. She wants to sit up, stand, crawl, grab the dog's nose all by herself. She's sick of it.

I've started picking up the camera when she & I are in a funk. It cheers me up to be creative with her, and it cheers me up even more when I see one or two pictures that just go ping! Forget the 435 that I delete... the one or two fill me with pride - that this amazing creature is my daughter, that we have fun together and that she likes me! (evidence= smiles)

Above are two from yesterday. The Lovely Belly is surely lovely, isn't it? And the lineup of pals in her crib cracks me up- all have wacky-assed eyes! The Cookie Monster was her daddy's (recently given a shampoo & blow dry, no kidding, by Grandma), OX was from her Mama, and the chicken just arrived from Gramma Kc.

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shoes from daddy

Miss Lovely received the most inspiring little shoes from her doting daddy for Valentine's Day - just had to share. I cannot wait until she is big enough to wear them!

And, lucky lady that I am... I received this treat from a most indulgent husband. Have been wearing it nonstop! (when it isn't in the washing machine because a certain Miss Lovely, a.k.a. Mlle. Cranklee McStinkbottom, keeps yarfing on it)

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the whiplash - finally!

It has been completed. It has been tested. It will soon be washed (since it was tested- yuck)! It was photographed.... and the verdict is... it works! My shirt is clean!

This is the Quilted Spit Up Smock I whiplashed for the February whip up- it was super fun! Here is the whole story- from sketches to completion.

Miss Lovely, my satisfied customer

Materials used: A torn, tattered, stained old flour sack towel that had just been sent to the rag stack, leftover flat cotton quilt batting, thread & pearl snaps.


Category entered: Household Waste

ReForm School? With a modified design, I'd love to do it.



What is a Quilted Spit Up Smock, you ask? It is a solution to the age-old issue of a baby wearing a bib, spitting up, and somehow defying all laws of physics, completely missing the bib and instead soaking you with watery cottage cheesey spit up. This smock is long enough to put over your shoulder when holding your babe, protecting your fine threads, and long enough to drape over the front of the Baby Bjorn (when carrying facing forward) so the babe isn't puking/staining/gnawing all over the carrier.

The smock snaps at the neck for quick on/off, and it is as long in the front as it is in the back for reversing when one side gets clobbered.

Side One
Side Two

Tatters, tears, holes & stains- in other words, the interesting parts- were cut out of the towel and pieced together. The perimeters of the holes & tears were stitched to stave off unravelling & provide a little stability, as well as to emphasize the beauty of these marks/imperfections. To me, they are an elegant record of function and utility.

Edges were also left raw; the cotton will fray at the edges through washings, and the flat cotton batting can be seen. I love that you can see exactly how the piece was constructed and what materials were used- sweet, unabashed honesty.

Detail of exposed edge & stitched tatterDetail of tatters & piecing

Detail of big tear & small hole.

Big tear was stabilized with aquick running stitch (by hand).

So there you have it! Miss Lovely didn't mind wearing it, it was convenient, it is soft, it is absorbent, it isn't so precious that I won't ever let her wear it, my shirt didn't get spit on, it was fun to make, I am proud of it, and maybe someday one of her babies will wear it. And best of all, I rescued a lovely old towel from the rag stack!

Thank you, whip up founders for starting this site & inspiring thoughful projects- you have given me pause to exercise my "real" brain in the midst of sometimes mind-numbing adventures in teething...

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whip up whooped me

am so excited- the whip up spit up smock is almost done- i love it! needs snaps. that's all. can't remember where i put nani's snaps?

took pictures of it while it was in process, but the camera battery just died. aargh. and seriously- it is now 2:15 a.m., i should be going to bed anyways.

sometimes a project is like a really good book- can't put it down until it is d-o-n-e.

my funny valentine

This woman made tears stream down my face laughing because of this post... I could hardly breathe I was laughing so hard.

Michael Jackson- freaking hilarious!

Luckily, Miss Lovely does not pull MJs on me, but she has snuck some poop firecrackers along to the grocery store.

This was my little spit up smock debate today- snaps at shoulder or down the center? I think shoulder. And I think I'll go for the round neck. And I'm all hyped on exposed seams- or leaving the edges raw so they unravel in the wash. I love that soft edge- love to look at it, love to touch it, hate how the strings can get tangled & then you get a lump coming out of the dryer, but it is so worth it...

there's gonna be a whole lotta lovin' 'round the world tomorrow. happy early valentine's day!

4 shots

I cried again. When they gave Miss Lovely her shots. I am one of those mothers.

- sigh -

And it has been a rough day since then for the poor girl. I wish she were old enough that I could cheer her up / distract her with a treat- all I can do is hold her gingerly, trying to keep her sweet chubby thighs from touching *anything*... I quickly discovered that she shrieks when touched between the bellybutton & knees. Convenient, no?

Via Modamuse, this one girl was a good distraction for me...

And long story short, I am suddenly throwing together a Red & Pink dinner for a church I'm helping to start here. No pastor. No building. Nada. We rent space at a local daycare- this is very curious for a person who has always gone to established churches.... at any rate, red will be spaghetti, pink will be pink lemonade, and I have suggested a Pink Potluck for dessert. How freaking cute is that? I am, of course, obsessing about what my pink dessert will be. I'm thinking of winging it with something completely invented.... jello cupcakes.

Miss Lovely is awake again- signing off -

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