There's a New Quilter in Town!

On Thursday, Hayden and I finally got around to putting together his fabric for a quilt we cut out a while ago. He successfully wrenched me away from my project (grid quilting the all-blue monster) while I had enough patience and calm to teach him a few basics. He learned how to thread the machine, pull up the bobbin thread, and sew a straight seam. We both agreed that for now, I would be the one to do the rotary cutting, and the ironing.

It was a lot of fun! I'm normally not the most patient when it comes to kid projects (a horrible admission for a full-time mom!) but Hayden listened very patiently and accepted his inability to do everything perfectly. The best part about the whole eneavor was his enthusiasm, demonstrated by his patented "happy jump" -- the pogo-like vertical two-foot hop he does on the soccer field, and at the carnival, whenever he is really excited and happy.

Yesterday he finished the quilting and sewed on the binding. The next step will be to teach him how to blind stitch the binding to the back side. He was a little resistant to hand-sewing, but I think it will be a good skill for him to learn -- and will also free up the sewing machine...for me!

Order Up!

The boys and I toted a crate full of quilts down to Jeanine's store today. And I was so glad to get them out of the house I felt like shouting "order up!" as I did when I was a breakfast cook.

I've had them mostly done for over a month now but have been dithering on tags, labels and signange. I finally beat Macintosh Pages into submission and created a "look" I really like. I bought a font ("Deviant Plain" dontcha know) and floated my text over a puffy white cloud in a beautiful blue sky. Sharon "got" the dreamy, peaceful concept I was going for when I showed her a tag today, so there's my positive reinforcement.

Jeanine had a scarf rack already hanging in the store where she decided to hang the quilts. I'd love to be a fly on the wall as people are looking at them...hopefully they'll say nice things, and even more, I hope they'll bring them home and find a cuddly baby to enjoy them.

I don't reckon I will really make what one would call a profit on these, but I did get the satisfaction of creating some wonderfully well made little works of art.

So, if you're looking for a special shower or baby gift, head on down to About Time Clothing at 839 Water Street in lovely Port Townsend and pick yourself up one of my creations.

Mini Quilt Monday

Over on a stitch in dye is a feature called Mini Quilt Monday. I' pretty sure this doll quilt I made for Harper's fifth birthday qualifies: at 17"X14" it's a wee little gem.

I was pretty random in constructing it - I'll call it a "disintegrating three strip," as I simply grabbed some strips of fabric off of my sewing table and sewed them together, then cut them up into 4" blocks, sewed those together, and then cut them apart a la the disappearing nine patch technique. Eureka! orderly, yet random, just as the disappearing nine patch is.

Harper's birthday party was yesterday, and the whole afternoon was a delight. Graham and I walked the four blocks to her house with me in heaven because he held my hand the entire way. I swoon every time I get to hold his hand. Harper's folks have a lovely big house, with an epic yard. After being physically attached to me for a good solid hour, Graham finally got up enough gumption to run and play and join in on the birthday fun. It was a "parent's stay" kind of party and I enjoyed a couple of glasses of white wine while having lovely conversations with the assorted moms and the few dads. Oh, and the weather was gorgeous! Sunny and warm enough to wear a skirt and sandals! My idea of the perfect temperature.

At present opening time I was trying to get a cute picture of Harper and her new quilt, but as I was using the little Canon camera which is dreadfully slow, my cutest pic has another child's head in the middle of the frame! I'm pretty sure Harper loved her gift as after the presents were all opened, she was carrying it around the lawn, clutched tightly in her little hand.

What an absolute treat to know adorable five year olds who love doll quilts!