Blankies and Other Stuff

Just when you think you will have time to sew, sew, sew, stuff happens! Actually,that is a good thing. Otherwise, we would be all alone and have no purpose for sewing. But between jury duty, working, family, and friends it seems like my project timelines aren't what I had imagined. I really love my family and friends so please don't be offended. I know all of you know what I am trying to say here. It is just that you imagine being queen of the sewing world with several completed projects every week, but then reality hits! Actually, when you read some of these blogs, you wonder how in the world these bloggers manage their lives and still turn out project after project AND have time to write about it AND produce tutorials on how to make them. Oh, well...

I am including a few pictures of my latest projects. The quilt is called "Hush-a-Bye Baby"' and the fleece blanket is just a quick little project that turned out to be something I loved once it was finished. The baby blanket is part of an ensemble that will include burp cloths and bibs. It is a gift for a friend's grandbaby that is to be born in April. I am also working on bedding made with OU fabrics, but that isn't ready for photography at this point. The OU projects will be for our grandsons, Mason and Carter.



Hush-A-Bye Baby
I made this for our grandson, Aiden.

Baby Blanket Gift. I will show the link
on this later for tutorial.

Super Easy Fleece Blanket
made for our grandson, Isaac.

Ode to Sewing Joy!

I've been trying to remember some of the first creative type things that I was exposed to and that I made. My parents were older when I was born, and my brother and sisters were grown and gone before I was six or so. Mother always sewed and crocheted. She made almost all of my clothes for many years, even when I was in college. I have several pictures of me as a child in my beautifully sewn outfits. I do not remember that my mother ever tried to teach me to sew. I did take homemaking in 9th grade where my teacher,Mrs. Sharp, taught the class to sew a few simple things. I think we started with an apron. Later that year I remember making a two piece swimming suit from burlap that I lined. After that, I honestly do not remember making anything during my school years. I must have learned some good basics at some time because when I did begin to sew after college, I seemed to know the basics of cutting, seam allowances, bias, etc. When my husband was drafted into the Army, I wanted to buy a sewing machine to fill the lonely hours. I used it frequently and especially remember a cute voile blouse and a pink knit jumper that I made. Later, I made all of my maternity clothes when I was pregnant with Angela. From then on, it seems like I had one project or another at the machine. One of my sister-in-laws, Becky, also loved to sew. I think she truly inspired me to try to create beautiful things including clothing for Angela, myself, and decorator items! Thank you, Becky. One fine day about ten years ago, I no longer felt an urge to sew. I even had a beautiful new machine and a new serger, but I was done with sewing for awhile. Millions of other things took the place of sewing. A whirlwind in my life had picked me up, twirled me around and around, and finally sat me back down wanting to create again! This time it has appeared in quilting and sewing things other than garments. My heart goes out to women who live and have lived in times and places void of all the incredible fabrics, threads, gadgets, etc that are so easily at my fingertips. To fill my eyes with the colors and to feel the touch of a myriad of fabrics is such joy! Now, to begin again...