Crafting Break

I just wanted to let all my followers know that I will be taking a big break from blogging/crafting for a while. My health has taken a turn and I am unable to craft or have time for crafting. It has been fun and I will leave my blog up and running for you to look back on but for my sanity it is time I took a break. Do some crafting for me!

Top 10 in 2012

Here are my top 10 projects for the year of 2012. These are in no particular order.

 

Crocheted Toys

 Fabric Headbands

 Thanksgiving Rag Quilt

 All Star Quilt

 Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

 Bathroom Subway Art

 Minky Blankets

 Pajama Bottoms

 Wool Pencil Skirt

 ABC's of Summer

A-G

H-N

O-U

V-Z

 No Piecing Required Quilt

Twin Comforter

I have been working on this project for the whole month of November. My sister decided that she wanted to make a blanket for her daughters room and I went with her to pick out the fabric last year. It is a Riley Blake fabric line that my sister fell in love with. She told me that she was going to learn how to sew and that it was going to be amazing. Well a year went by and she never did teach herself how to sew, instead she asked me to do it for her for a cost. That is what sisters are for right?!

 

 

So that is what I did. I made the blanket for her. She cut it all out but I sewed it. So here is the final result. Well at least one side of it. This is the triangle side.

 

This is the square side. Both sides are pieced together. One side has every other square with pieced triangles and on the other pieced squares.

 She wanted to tie it. So on each side it is tied. We tied the triangles on one side and the squares on the other. Made it really interesting. If you look closely through the busy prints you can see that the ties of one side go through the big squares on the other and reversed for the other side. It is a fun blanket but I am done making blankets for a while!

 

I also made a pillow sham to go with it.

Thanksgiving/Fall Rag Quilt

This is one of those projects that has taken 2 years to dig out of the closet and then it took a good couple of months to do. It was quite the project. I first created a pattern that would allow me to get the most out of the fabric I had bought. I used Sandy Gervais' Gobble Gobble fabric line. I bought 2 Jelly Rolls of the Gobble Gobble fabric and 2 Jelly Rolls of plain brown. I also had some cream flannel on hand that I used for the filler.

I cut each Jelly Roll strip into 8 1/2" long pieces. I was able to get 5 out of one strip. So by the time everything was cut I had 200 top pieces, 200 back pieces, and 200 flannel filler pieces. Then I sewed them all together into sandwiches. Took FOREVER! Once all of that was done I sewed them into 4 piece blocks. Once the blocks were done I assembled them into 10 block strips alternating each blocks direction and then sewed each strip together. Then the clipping started which once again took FOREVER! I am happy with the results but this is one of those projects that I have to look back and say..."What was I thinking?!" It took me forever because it gets so repetitive and I had to take breaks and do other projects. I finally said to myself that I just needed to get it done and out of my hair. I am so glad it is done!! I think this will be the last rag quilt I do for a while.

Tailored Skirt

I must admit that I am a skirt junky. I have a ton and I love to make them. They are quick and easy to make and they are tailored just to my style. Well I have a stash of fabric just waiting to be turned into skirts.

 

This skirt was from that stash of fabric. I found it on clearance and it was a scream of a deal for wool fabric. I really liked the pattern on it, very simple and classy, just my style. Well I must admit that they went to cut the fabric and I learned that this was the back side of the fabric. There is a much more decorated side on the reverse (sequins all over and glitter leaves). I have enough fabric that maybe one day I will get brave and make a skirt with the other side showing but for now this skirt makes me happy.

 

 I used McCall's pattern 3341 and it provides 5 different lengths for this skirt. I picked one right in the middle.

 

Halloween Rag Quilt

So I finally finished my Halloween rag quilt over the weekend. This is a huge accomplishment for me because the fabric has been sitting uncut for almost 3 years. The fabric was bought when I was being overly ambitious and I got burned out before I made it to it. Then it just sat until I finally pulled it out this year in attempts to clean out my craft closet. I am so glad it is finished and out of my closet!

 

Pajama Bottoms

Since temps have cooled off dramatically here I decided it was time to find a sale on cotton fabric and make my son some new winter pajamas. My mom had a pattern for pajama bottoms that was a bit too small for my son so I took that pattern and made my own based on the concept. Pants are super easy to do and adapt to your own child's needs and I personally think I will make more as he grows just because I can make them for cheaper than I can buy them. For this pattern I think I ended up adding about 2-3 inches to the length of the pattern to give him to grow which you can't find in store bought bottoms. I just pair them with some inexpensive undershirts that you get in 5 packs. I absolutely love the end result and so does my son, he wanted to wear them all day the first few days and now they are what he picks out of the drawer at bedtime.

 

 While I was at it I also made my son some pirate pants for his Halloween costume using the same pattern.