x's and o's

It's hard to believe that it's already been four years since I met you at the end of this aisle and promised to spend the rest of my life with you.

In the time since that day, we've made some big changes and welcomed a son.  We've struck out on our own, to make a life for ourselves, to have an adventure.  It has been an adventure, to say the least, and I know we're going to have many more before long.

In four years, we've seen good things and difficult things and I can't imagine anyone I'd have rather been with through it all.  I love you more than words can say and I'm so glad that you chose me to be your partner, your friend, the mother of your child, and your wife.  I can't wait to find out what's in store for us down the road because as long as we're together, we can conquer anything.  Happy anniversary, Nate. xoxoxo

Busy Bee

Soon to be finished...

(nearly) Instant Gratification

I love the instant gratification of making kids' clothes.  Ok, so I suppose it's not instant instant, but they come together faster than big projects like quilts or embroideries.  I love that I can start a project on my lunch break and have a finished item before bedtime.



This is a cashmere sweater that Nate refused to wear.



For Peter, I've been focusing on upcycling clothes that Nate and I don't wear anymore.  I don't want to spend money on new clothes for him this year.  Not only does he outgrow them so fast, but kids clothes are expensive considering how small they are.



In progress

 So, I cut up this sweater as well as a green knit fabric I had left over from another project to create the Urban Sweatshirt by Heidi and Finn.

I thought all the colorful little pins looked cute.

I did make a couple of minor adjustments to this pattern to save time and because of constraints I was presented with.  To save time, I used the existing ribbed trim on the bottom of the sweater and the sleeves and I found out my sewing machine won't sew a button hole on this particular fabric, so I left off the buttons as well.  I still think the resulting toddler-size sweater is super cute.




All done!





Action shot!


The length is a little long on Pete, but it will fit him for at least 2 years this way and that's a-okay with me!  The only downside to making his clothes is that when he grows out of them, I'm so sad.  Oh well.  I'll hang on to them--at the very least, they'll make nice heirlooms to pass on to Peter when he has his own little one someday. 



Rebecca's Quilt Top

It's so appropriate that I finished this quilt top just in time to photograph it on a slightly misty morning since that's what inspired the palate.  I am completely in love with the lavenders, grays, and blues that make up this quilt and I can't get enough of the block.

Oooh, I love the colors of the quilt next to the fall leaves on the ground

Usually after finishing a quilt top with a specific quilt block, I don't feel the need to revisit it, but this particular block has gotten under my skin.

I wouldn't be surprised if you see it again, soon.  Now, all I have left to do for Rebecca's quilt is quilt and bind it.  I have a pretty clear idea for how I'm going to quilt it, so I'm excited to get started.

Tonight I'm bringing the finished Piano Pillow to my customer and we're going to discuss the next pillow he's going to have me make.  I've suggested a Cathedral Window block pillow and I hope he takes me up on it.

Piano Pillow

I finished up my first of four commissioned pillows.

I lowered the lid of the piano by about half--the only alteration from the original design.

The recipient of this first decorative pillow is a piano teacher.  I adore the black and white checks surrounding the embroidered center panel, and I have to say that grand piano looks pretty darn good.  It's my own design rather than a commercial design and it came out beautifully.  To those of my friends who didn't believe my art degree would pay off, I offer you evidence to the contrary.

I did some straight line quilting on the top to emphasize the diamond motif.

To finish, I hand-sewed a couple of buttons on the back and the tassels at the corners.

Hopefully I'll be starting on the second pillow soon, and in the meantime, I have been working on Rebecca's lavender quilt.  I'm pretty excited to get all of the blocks done and the top sewn together.