pillows

I have been making some pillow covers recently, trying to change things up a bit in the family room and my bedroom. I am an easy peasy girl, nothing too complicated or time consuming for me, all of these have an envelope enclosure on the back so I can just take it off, throw it in the washer or put it away and put a different one on, no ties, buttons, snaps etc. (not yet anyway)



This one might be my all time favorite, this is a picture of my nephew Garrett, oh my gosh this kid is a cutie!

Garrett

Here is the back, I love using chenille for the backing, so cozy

Here is a pillow I made a while ago, this was a feed sack that I had found at a local garage sale several years ago, I like this one a lot too because it has Spokane on it. :)

I got the idea for this one at a local quilt shop, this is a Moda napkin and all I did was use chenille again for backing....this one has a vintage drawing of Oregon and Washington on it, one of my brothers lives in Oregon {so does Garrett :(} and the rest of my family lives in Washington so it is fun to have a little hometown feel on this pillow too. :)

first finishes of 2011

When I want something, I want it bad and I want it right now.....I wanted to get some stuff off my plate I guess you would say and have a clean craft area, no more unfinished projects, things I felt like I had to get done. So what I wanted I got, I am finished with all of the projects I wanted to make out of my SIL's Aunt's clothing, this was the last of the projects.....I think this might be the brightest baby quilt ever, YIKES, it is crazy busy and crazy bright!



I got the free pattern here. This is for a little girl coming this Spring, using once again bits and pieces of her Grandma's clothing and a little from my stash. I like how the back turned out...had some larger pieces of some pants left and were able to use them all up.

And then another baby quilt....this one is for my husband's co-workers Grandson...I don't even know the new baby's name but I just love my husband's co-worker so I wanted to make something special for them.

I am a wee bit burned out in the quilting department right now....I was thinking the other day I think for the last 3 years I have been working on at least 1 quilt or another....yikes, I am tired! Might also be why I have gained and kept on 15lbs in the last 3 years. Why can't sewing be considered an aerobic activity? If it was I would be a skinny minny! I am going to work on some smaller simpler things for the time being, a bag here or there, a few quilt blocks that I have always admired but been too scared to try and do and then just some stuff that I have had on the back burner for a while some fun pin cushions, pillow covers stuff like that. Maybe I will start moving a little bit more too, that is a good idea, maybe I can lose a few of those 15lbs by short season, not to mention swim suit season, ACK!

future quilter in training

Emily got a little sewing machine for Christmas, she was so, sew excited! She has been begging me to show her how to quilt/sew for a long time. Here she is for her first "session" of sewing. I don't think she had sewed yet because once she pushed the petal and everything started doing it's thing, she got really scared about how fast the needle was moving.


This picture I only took because of blogging and scrap booking because I normally would NOT have had my eye off the needle/7 year old hands! But here we are mother and daughter, me helping her make a blanket for her other favorite Christmas gift, an American Girl doll.

Concentrating! I wanted her first project to be really simple so we sandwiched some chenille, batting and fabric together to make a little blanket then turned it inside out and sewed the hole shut so we (as in ME) did not have to do any binding.

Here she is turning the blanket inside out, note the tongue, concentrating very hard.

Emily was very proud of herself and promptly covered her doll in the fuzzy, warm blanket. I on the other hand do not think I make a good "teacher." :/ it was totally stressing me out! Hopefully the next project both she and I will be a bit more comfortable behind the peddle!

little red

Last Halloween I had one little guy that wanted to be Spiderman and one little girl that wanted to be Little Red Riding Hood, jeezo I could not believe what the stores wanted for a LRRH cape, too much! "I can do that" I thought, so I did. I googled "hooded cape tutorial" and looked around for the easiest, quickest one I could find, of course I can't find it now, but there are several out there....trust me, this was so EASY!

I went to JoAnn's found this awesome crushed velvet like red fabric in the remnant section, yahoo even cheaper, I decided to add a little bit of ribbon to it so I found some nice Scandinavian like ribbon and added it, I must say both Emily and I were really happy with how this turned out.

After Halloween I decided I needed a little bit of LRRH up year round, so I made a wall hanging just for me, this year Jack is a pirate so I think I will be doing the same for him, arggggggghhh!


...this is what I came up with. I just printed one of my favorite photo's of Emily onto some Printed Treasures fabric paper (use a coupon!!) then used it for the center of my wall hanging, used some of my favorite little scraps and viola a little wall hanging for me to enjoy year round of my little Em as Little Red.

Then made a little something for Emily, so with the same picture I made her a little pillow to have on her bed, she just loves it.

I belong to a bunko group (so fun!!) and every October we all dress up, guess who I came as this year?

Happy Halloween!

back to school sew along part 2

Several weeks ago Meagan posted on her blog about a "back to school sew along", perfect just what I needed for a little motivation with a pattern I have had for awhile....lookie what I made with it....Here is Emily "modeling" her new jumper...problem is....apparently she "just isn't into wearing skirts/dresses anymore" WHAT THE?????!!!!! There was a time that I could not even beg or plead or bribe the girl to wear leggings let along a pair of jeans (gasp!!)



Anyway....I had to bribe her to do this little "photo shoot" with some pumpkin pie...good grief, some people's children....

She chose the orange buttons which I was pleasantly surprised because usually everything is pink or purple or lately a little turquoise but orange was not what I expected when I asked her to pick the buttons.....AND...pay no attention to the gap in the middle of the jumper, I did not buy enough buttons but will be this week so the little scrapper can wear this when I beg and plead now that "she just isn't into wearing skirts/dresses" what the?!!!!!!!?!?!?!?

Somewhat of a happy camper...knowing she has pumpkin pie coming.......

back to school sew along

So a local gal...Megan....writes "crafty" articles for the Spokesman Review is having a "back to school sew along" thought I would join....gives me motivation to start and finish something with a time line, GASP!!! I have had this pattern for a year....maybe 2? Time to get crackalackin! Bad picture (I know!) but here is a picture of the pattern with the fabric that I helped Emily pick out (since this is for her) she originally picked a fabric with owls on it but standing in line at JoAnn's I kept going back and forth in my head about things she has that would "go" with the owls and it just wasn't happening....so on to plan "B"...the chocolate brown with all the colorful bubbles...perfect...

So here is the fabric.....it is 9.99 a yard...I needed 2 1/3 yards...had a scratch off coupon worth 70% off....got the fabric with tax for 7.87! YAHOO! I can't wait to get started on this....I was so excited too when I started reading the directions (always a good thing) and realized the buttons I was dreading to put on the jumper...just for DECORATION....Sweet! no button holes to make!!!

I don't know if I will get this done by the first day of school (September 1) but I know I will have it done by the cut off for the "sew along" in mid September.....

block 7

block 7
Originally uploaded by kristinemhanson

I have had these done for several weeks, I have block 8 done too....I have seen a few finished quilts in the flickr group with teeny, tiny pinwheels in the sashing....I have a ton of fabric left from this project so I will add the teeny, tiny pinwheels to my "to do list" now. Happy weekend!

for Miss. Doyle

My daughter's 1st grade class has had a student teacher for the last few months....today is her last day....I wanted Emily to give her something so I had her teacher send me a picture of Miss. Doyle with the class so I could make her something she can have to remember them all by....this is what I came up with. This picture cracks me up....all these little first graders, not a care in the world! (That is my little one in the front row wearing pink, of course).

Here is the back, I hope she likes it, I sure did and it was so easy!!

pattern test

Recently a friend of mine mentioned in her blog that she had a new pattern that she was working on, I volunteered to "pattern test" for her, is this not the cutest wallet ever!?
I really enjoyed making this, it can hold your keys, your id, several debit/credit cards and even has a little coin purse with a zipper. :)

I had never made anything before that needed a snap, I was a bit intimidated but after doing some pounding and a little bit more pounding (enter husband curious for the pounding coming from the sewing room) I got it finished.

I used up a little bit more of my au.then.tic fabric. You can buy the pdf pattern here.

stack of au.then.tic

Lots and lots of triangles, au.then.tic by sweetwater. I have 3 or 4 quilts in the making right now, this is for one of them. I love this line, can't wait to get my hands on their newest line, make life .

I forgot to mention

I got my Bernina back last Friday! I was so happy to see The Quilting Bee on my caller id!! I did not even say "hello" when I answered I just said "are you calling to tell me my machine is done?" the repair guy was taken a bit by surpris he just said very plainly "yes" then I said "yahoo!!" I asked if I just go up to the cutting counter to get it, another simple plain "yes".....he did not understand my enthusiasm for getting my other girl back, I have used her everyday since, nice to have her home!

Flea Market Fancy top ready to quilt

Well here it is!!!! I have my FMF quilt ready to go to the quilter later this week! I can't wait to have it in my hot little hands after it has been on the long arm....now....what to do, what to do?? How would you quilt it? I am thinking an all over feather stitch but am up for suggestions..... Here are a few of my favorite blocks.....

And here is the back!

We had 2 of our bedroom walls painted this past weekend, we had a DARK red/merlot color before....now we have this darkish robin egg blue....I l.o.v.e. it, love it, love it, love it!!!!! Did I mention I LOVE IT?

missing my other girl

I took my Bernina in for a tune up on Friday.....it was time....they told me it would be 7-10 days...WHAT??? I have not been without a sewing machine set up at all times for 3 years, AAAACCCKKK! This has been torture!! I have so many things I want to be working on!!

I took out my Flea Market Fancy quilt top last night, measured it (95"x95") figured out the design I am going to use for the back and was SO happy to realize that the bolt of fabric I bought a few weeks ago on a killer deal at JoAnn's is ENOUGH to do the back along with a strip of the rest of my FMF strips.

I also have figured out what design/colors I am going to use to make two quilts to donate to The Hospice House in Spokane. Both my in-laws passed away there in 2008 and my husband asked if I would make some quilts that we can donate in their memory....so I want to get going on those too.

I did finish a Valentine's skirt for Emily last week, she has not wanted to wear it until her party at school on Friday so I will post a picture when she has it on all ready to head to school....

Now.......if I could just get an early phone call that my Bernina is done!!!

doll quilt, student of the month and the croup

Emily was chosen as student of the month for her class, the attribute was "diligence". I had to have her tell me what that was! We are very proud of her, she was very proud of herself. :) I have finally gotten around to making one of the blocks for my doll quilt partner, this little guy is 3 1/2", so small!! I did cut out enough pieces to make myself one of these little quilts but for right now I am concentrating on my swap partners so I can get it done and off to her to enjoy.

I had a nice time in Seattle on my weekend away last week....I did NOT get nearly the sleep/rest I had hoped but still had a great time. I got home Monday to Jack having a bit of a cough....1:30 A.M. Tuesday was woken up to that "seal like bark" cough, a.k.a. THE CROUP....called our after hours doctor, then whisked him away to the E.R. After spending 2 hours with him there, got a breathing treatment then a liquid steroid, we were home a bit before 4:00. At 5:30 A.M. it was Emily's turn, but hers was even WORSE...this time daddy took her to the E.R....same hospital, same set of doctors/nurses...WOW....had never experienced that before and hope we never do again!!

vinyl pouches

What an exciting title to an entry!! I remembered this tutorial when I saw a blog entry recently from these ladies. I had a big remnant of vinyl just waiting to be used so cutting away I went. After my first attempt at these I learned 2 things....#1 I did not like making these and #2 IF I ever make these again I will ALWAYS use a white zipper (hides the stitching and restitching if needed) If I had not already cut out the fabric, interfacing and vinyl for all of these I would have stopped at my first one (made that one for Emily). On all but 1 of these the vinyl slipped and got stuck in the zipper, uhg! So I had to cut away at the vinyl so they look like crap inside but none of my friends that I am giving these to are crafty kind of gals and won't notice anyways! I also used a little wax on the zipper to help it move back and forth because of some of the vinyl issues. I am going to put a few little goodies in these and give them to my roommates for Saturday night.


This one with the Heather Ross gnomes and mushrooms is for me. I was so proud of myself to finally cut into this fabric. Just like my Flea Market Fancy fabric it was time! I just love those little gnomes!

And speaking of my Flea Market Fancy quilt....I have all the rows sewn now with white sashing, yes I went with the white sashing option! Now I have cut out the white shashing that goes between each row, this is going to be a big quilt! I am putting it away for the weekend, hopefully have it all finished up next week then meet up with my "quilter" and get that project checked off my "to do" list.

feed sack-mail sack

I finally did a little bit of sewing this past weekend....last summer I found a bunch of old, in great condition feed sacks....I bought ALL of them and I finally cut into a few of them and this is what I made. This pattern is called Mail Sack by Pink Chalk Studio. My girlfriend told me the big bag is big (pattern has two sizes) and it is BIG! But it will be perfect for me to use on little trips to shows like The Farm Chicks and The Vintage Barn. I "fussy" cut the feed sacks a few different times so you could see Spokane on the bag, Spokane is where I am from. :)

I wish I had a better picture to show....our computer is going downhill FAST, and everything I do takes FOREVER on this old computer, uploading, downloading you name it...last week I tried to install Ikea's kitchen planner, not enough memory on our hard drive!! My husband and niece's husband will probably be out this weekend looking for a new hard drive for us, yahoo!

autumn mini quilt

I subscribe to the Sew Mama Sew blog....this month they are having a "scrap busters" theme....there are some great ideas on there....the other day I came across this entry....decided I needed another throw pillow like I need a hole in my head so I came up with a mini quilt for my kitchen. I l.o.v.e. this.....

one for me, one for her

I have mentioned this wristlet before....this is such a quick, fun little project....the top one is for me :) made out of my Flea Market Fancy stash...pretty pretty....

This one is for another friend with an October birthday, the back fabric and the front fabric with the aqua apples are made from vintage feedsack fabric given to me or swapped with me from online bloggers....it will be filled with some fun little birthday goodies :)

see katie sew ruffle wristlet

see katie sew ruffle wristlet
Originally uploaded by kristinemhanson

I made this wristlet last week, it really was pretty easy and only the 2nd time I have ever put a zipper in something! I got the pattern here. I used quite a funky combination of fabrics but I wanted something spunky and I think I got it! I am going to use this for part of a birthday present for a girlfriend of mine....find some goodies to go with it and in it.

I realize that most of my pictures recently have been taken outside on the grass.....up until last week it was still in the 90's here in the day time....I think autumn is finally here though...today it is 52 degress but the sun is out!! :)

pillowcases for the girls

I whipped up a few pillowcases the other day...these are SO easy, I really think it takes longer to cut them out then the actual putting them all together...I found the tutorial over a year ago here. From top to bottom they are for my daughter, my niece Gracie and my niece Abigail, Abigail will be receiving hers this weekend along with the quilt I made her...We will be seeing Gracie in a few weeks when we go and visit my brother in Portland.



I have to say though, this one is my favorite...I just love the pinks with the blue, I think Emily loves it too. :)