So Much To Look At

I was holding up the backing of this quilt asking my husband which row was the shortest and he said there was so much to look at he couldn't figure out where I was asking him to look.  I told him, it's a Dr. Suess/Cat in the Hat quilt...it's supposed to be crazy!  Tell me I'm right.

Quilt top - blocks made by members of my local quilt group.  We're so original, we call ourselves The Quilt Block Ladies 

The Back - made by me


Something I read this week over at The Bitchy Stitcher  that totally fits this quilt:
(don't go if you can't handle the language, but I laugh at every post)
"Babies need stimulation and perfectly straight lines are far too stultifying for young minds. This kid will be a fuckin' genius, no doubt."

I'm going to be working on getting this quilted in the next day or so.  I'm not sure yet how I'm going to do it - straight lines because that's all I'm comfortable with, but not sure what to follow.  Any suggestions?  I was thinking just 1/4 inch from the seams of the large blocks on the top, maybe 2 rounds...if that makes any sense.

Work In Progress Wednesday

On Monday, my friend Beth and I hit a few of the local shops on the Treasure Valley Shop Hop (more to come on our big Saturday trip soon). One of the stops was Nancy's Quilts and More (no website) - I love this shop, it might be my favorite local shop. Nancy has her shop in her home, she has one room dedicated to Christmas fabrics, another room for baby fabrics (and some Valentine's Day and Halloween mixed in) as well as a couple other rooms of all of the "other stuff." Now, when I tell you the shop is in her home, I mean it is IN HER HOME! The cashier table is set up in the kitchen...where she cooks food...in fact, she was pulling cinnamon rolls out of the oven, cinnamon rolls that she shares with her customers (and they were delish)!!

While at Nancy's, I decided to buy 2 charm packs of Chrysalis. I had NO IDEA what I was going to do with it, but thought I needed to have it - maybe she puts something in those cinnamon rolls that makes you want to buy things you don't really need ;). Didn't I just post recently about needing to know who for and what I was going to use precuts for before buying some?

I got these charm packs home and still didn't know what to use them for. I was thinking of adding something to them to make a larger quilt but, because I didn't have anything on hand, I just started sewing the squares together randomly, 10 rows of 8 to make the 'what.'

A baby quilt top:

I decided that I love using precuts. Obviously because you don't have to spend the time cutting them. It was nice that there were not threads fraying all over the place. Most of all, I think I discovered that my inaccuracies must come from cutting because nearly every single one of these corners match up beautifully and that is abnormal for me. I see more precuts in my future, after answering "who?" and "what?".

I still have no idea about the 'who' on this quilt top but it will be nice to have this on hand for the next baby girl I know. I'm not sure when I'll get around to finishing the quilt, I guess I was in need of a quick project and was so excited about using the precuts that I whipped this quilt top out in no time at all (a few hours including cooking dinner and getting the kids ready for bed).

I've kind of been thinking lately about my projects, quilts, knitting, even things like cleaning my house. I've decided I may be somewhat A.D.D. about them and I like to move on quickly so big (time consuming) projects aren't my thing. I love doing bee blocks for this reason, they are done quick. My 4 inch section of an Oddball knit blankets is nothing....but don't even ask about the progress of this blanket! So, the above quilt top will be put away for awhile (especially because I really need to pack - also and A.D.D. task for me), but hopefully I can finish it soon, especially being on the smaller scale of quilts, it may be just what I need someday for a quick project - especially to test out my quilting skills, as I've only machine quilted one quilt (straight lines...no free motion quilting here yet).

Bubbles - Photo Challenge

Bubbles is the theme for the photo challenge this week over at i♥faces

and when I saw the theme I immediately thought of this photo I took of Hunter on his very first Christmas Eve:

Hunter at the Doctor and Girl Projects!

Hunter had his doctor appointment for a check up on Monday.  I took him in because Calvin was sleeping so Travis and he stayed behind.  Hunter weighed in at 42 pounds (100th percentile) and is 39 inches (80th percentile).  He was a little nervous, I think, because the last few times he has been to the doctor with Calvin he now associates the doctor with shots (I don't think he can remember actually getting shots himself - but maybe).  Luckily for him - and me - he didn't have to have shots this year, but will next year (they do their 'Kindergarten' shots at 4 now I guess).  He also had an eye exam and has 20/20 vision.  It was kind of cute because the nurse showed him some cards with the objects from the chart on them and the one that looked like: ⇧ he called an arrow (when most kids call it a house).  And the one that looked like: ◯ he called an 'o' when most kids say circle.  There was another one that had the outline of what was supposed to be an apple, and he called it a heart (it was pretty close to heart-shaped).  Here's the picture of him being embarrassed by the eye patch:

This is the first place I've known about that they have the kids change into a gown for their checkup.  I tried to upload last year's picture as well, but it wouldn't work for some reason, so here's this year's:

After his appointment we went to the new JoAnn's for fabric.  I'm not finishing my knitted blanket on time for Saturday's baby shower - so I decided I'd whip up another frayed edge quilt for my friend's baby girl.  We picked up some cute fabric and I splurged a little and got a rotary blade and mat because I did not want to trace squares anymore!

Isn't this fabric I picked up so cute?  

That night I got all of my squares cut out:

I love my new fabric cutting tools - can you believe when I made Hunter's blanket I traced and cut (with scissors) all 144+ squares?  Where have you been all my life Mr. Rotary Blade?

The next day I completed the blanket - it was a quick project and I had so much fun making something for a GIRL!  I'll have to do more, especially since I know of 2 other new baby girls!

The blanket all sewn up and ready to cut!

The finished product after a cycle through the washer and dryer - I love the way it frayed!

Close of of the monogramed details - personally my favorite, it adds a special touch!

Gift Bags

A piece of advice (for myself, and anyone else who wants it):

If you are going to a baby shower, or giving a gift to a new baby, you should use wrapping paper.  DO NOT USE A BABY GIFT BAG!  I know they are so cute, but please - refrain yourself.  I don't always use wrapping paper, usually because my gift is purchased on the way to the shower and put together in the car (since I always put things off until the last minute - a bad habit I need to change).

Anyway, if you can't use wrapping paper, the next best thing is to use a generic gift bag, not one specific to baby.  Why you ask?

I cannot tell you how many baby gift bags I have in my closet from when Hunter was born and that I've added to since Calvin was born!  At quick count (without digging too deep) I counted 24.  Thing is, I don't know 24 people who are going to have a baby so those bags will remain in my closet and maybe even move a time or 2 with me (since I never throw things away - another bad habit to change) until someone has a baby (perhaps I'll give a gift for my grandchildren in these same bags and I can say, "your daddy got a present in this bag when he was born").

I did get some generic gift bags - a blue and green stripe one, a Pooh and friends one, a Carebear one - that I can use again for a kids birthday or other gift.  God bless the ones who bought those bags! 

Think of me if you're going to a baby shower.  Either think of my closet full of baby gift bags and say to yourself "I need to wrap this gift," OR, even better, swing by my house and shop my closet - my gift bags are FREE and you're welcome to them!