A New Wallet

So, you got a new purse?  How about a new wallet to compliment your great taste in accessories?!  

You can fancy it up with a little bling.

Complete with a nice deep pocket, it even has an insert for all your credit cards, cash or stamps.

Check this tutorial out over at Christy's Cuties and make one for yourself.  

A little blanket

I've made my debut into the art of quilting.  By quilting I mean sewing straight lines, lots of them, onto layers of fabric which resulted in a crinkly on one side, soft and snuggle-y on the other, handmade little faux chenille baby blanket.  

I have Dana over at MADE and Anneliese at Aesthetic Nest to thank for the tutorials and inspiration for this blanket.  Click here to see Dana's, and over here to see Anneliese's versions of the blankets that started the whole process.  

A few notes about this particular blanket:  

The bottom layer is 100% cotton, and the top is three layers of 100% cotton flannel (the chenille part of the blanket).  Mine were patterned because that is what coordinated the best, but solids work just as well since you cannot see the design once the blanket is cut.  

I do not recommend pre-washing your fabrics for this type of blanket.  Am I the only one who hears the angels sing with that statement!?  Ahh, that's right, no waiting for the dryer.  It helps things wrinkle up quite nicely in the end.  Wash and dry this blanket once it is finished and you will be amazed.

I purchased a walking foot for my machine.  It may not be necessary for everyone, but I found it to be very helpful when dealing with the copious amount of fabric.  It came with an adjustable spacing guide which helped keep my lines somewhat uniform and evenly spaced at 1/2" apart.  Aesthetic Nest used this technique on a Chevron chenille blanket, her lines were 3/4" apart to follow the pattern on the fabric.  As long as your lines are on the bias, they will fray nicely.

I made reference to these tips about straight line quilting over at Tallgrass Prairie Studio.  It is important the lines on this type of blanket are on the bias for optimum fraying after it is cut.  

I found it helpful to use a pair of Machingers Quilting Gloves, they are breathable gloves with grips on the fingertips to help feed the thick layers through the machine.  

I also took the suggestions of other readers and purchased a chenille cutter, as was recommended in the tutorial over at Aesthetic Nest.  It takes all the work out of cutting through layers of fabric and the strain off your hands from an ordinary fabric scissors.  

Even though this is not a typical quilt, I certainly learned a lot about quilting by making this blanket.  Sewing line after line sure didn't seem like a serious project.  I learned quickly it was not for the faint of heart.  It was time consuming and tedious, but once I got the rhythm it went pretty well.  I enjoy projects that come together fairly quickly and don't show the mistakes.  By mistakes, I mean character, handmade character.

The best one yet!

I saw my first hooded towel when my sister was expecting.  I purchased one from a friend for her baby shower gift.  It was free from any major embellishments aside from a ribbon around the hood.  It was her favorite color; lime green.  It was neutral.  Very functional.  After all the positive feedback, and gasps of how darling and useful this was going to be, I gave it a good look and began sewing them.  Hooded-towels became my new go-to gift for babies.  I began sewing one for every baby shower I was invited to, and each one became a bit more detailed, more personal.  Each time I gave one away, all the mother's in the room raved on how functional these were, and how it is the ONE thing they still use, years later.  I had no idea I could have such an impact, I wasn't a mommy.  The new owner to this hooded towel was born yesterday.  She's her mommy's first born daughter, and though we didn't know if it would be a he or a she, I think this one will fit her just perfectly.  After all, pink isn't the only color she can wear, it just may be the best color, but not the only color, in my opinion.  Welcome to the world, baby Elise.  I hope you like your bath-time as much as your mommy likes to wrap you in your towel.

We call it a 'Moses' Boat

Have you ever had a banana smeared with peanut buttery goodness!  Yah, me too.  Well, lunchtime today was filled with all that and then some.  Grab your supplies::  Ready to eat bananas-sliced, peanut butter, chocolate chips (yup, had to sneak those in) and some flour tortilla shells.  Start by having the kids spread their tortilla with a thin layer of peanut butter, top with sliced banana, and finish with a light sprinkle of chocolate chips.  Sure to be a show stopper.  The kids will enjoy making these as much as eating them.  Enjoy!

Michelle

Baseball T-shirts for the boys...

Summer will be here, SOON!  Here in West Michigan, even that seems like a stretch.  One good thing about a cold spring is there is more time for sewing, and that makes this momma happy!  Here is the tutorial from make it and love it.  Shown here is a 12 month size.  I have a pile of thrifted tees that are just waiting to become something new!