Colter's Quilt - Jelly Roll Rag Quilt - Twin Size

Yes, I do still exist. Just haven't been doing as many crafty, fun things. Well, with having a toddler and an infant, kinda slowed things down for a bit.

I finally finished Colter's quilt, my first-ever quilt, my slightly crooked quilt, hopefully not my last quilt! I started this project back when I was pregnant with Kaley. Kaley is now 7-months old. This is the tutorial I followed (jelly roll rag quilt). It was an easy quilt - of course I have no point of reference being it is my first one. It was just time-consuming. Last Fall, I cut the strips, which took the most time. I forget how many I had to cut - somewhere around 100. They are about 70'' x 2-1/2''. Then, sometime in the Spring, before Kaley was born and then again a few weeks after she was born (had to get going on it when I found out Grandma would be moving into the room where I sew in June), I got most of the way done with sewing all the strips. But realized I was a little short and had to cut about a dozen more and sew them, too. Then, Grandma moved in and I stopped working on it until this week. Grandma is in Hawaii for two weeks, so I got motivated and completed the last part of the quilt, the edging. I bought fabric and made my own bias tape and sewed it on. Cut all the 'rag' edges on the top side. And this morning took it to the laundromat to wash (my history with sewing projects and our washing machine equals washing machine being broken until Kory can fix it). So here it is, Colter's quilt!

Farmhouse Bed

Farmhouse Bed - Kory built using knotty alder wood and barn board from an old building on the farm in Montana. Next up, night stands and dresser.

Baby Girl Room

Baby Girl's room is done! And was so much fun to decorate. I choose a bright fabric that she can enjoy for years, as a baby and toddler - even as a little girl. As seen in an earlier post, I sewed the valence and bed skirt.

I used the same fabric as background in a picture frame above the dresser/changing table.

To highlight her name, I put together colorful daisies with the letters of her name in pots.

I found a great deal on decals on eBay. And placed them in a few spots on the wall - doggy, kitty, flowers and butterflies.

Baby Girl Crib Skirt and Valence

Woo hoo! I'm finally done with this time-consuming project. I picked out a colorful fabric to use in Baby Girl's room, Michael Miller's Carnival Bloom. And wow it is very colorful - a lot of fluorescent colors in it. But it's cute. I just made a crib skirt and valence. I don't use a crib bumper. And sheets and changing pad covers I bought (light pink ones and brown ones). I made two layers of ruffles with the fabric and one layer with pink tulle. It was fairly easy to sew - just took awhile to do. I cut out the pieces. Hemmed them. Sewed the two rows of long stitches, then pulled the gathers together, then sewed onto a back piece of muslin. (Now onto Colter's jelly roll rag quilt for twin xl bed. Well, at least sometime in the future :-)

Nursing Cover #2

Another nursing cover... I still have mine, this one went to my friend who is due to have a baby shortly after me. Such an easy project. Just cut some fabric, hem, make the neck piece, and add a little terry cloth pocket to the corner for wiping and holding stuff like breast pads. Hope my friend likes it!

Below is the one I made for myself before I had Colter two years ago. Still have it so I should be able to us it with baby girl.

Taggie Blankets for the Baby Girls

Finally a sewing project complete - since this one was quick and easy! I made a taggie blanket, like Colter's (http://linwhim.blogspot.com/2008/12/taggie-blanket.html) for baby girl. And decided to make two, since I had extra material. Second one will go to Janelle's baby girl (due a few weeks after me).

I had fabric left over from the valence and bedskirt (which is just cut - not sewn yet). Also, I had some light green minky I found on clearance awhile back. I would've chosen a different color for the minky, but decided to use it up. Also, I found some more ribbon on clearance at Hobby Lobby. I followed directions from this blog (http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/2010/02/tutorial-tuesday-tag-blanket.html). The cutting and sewing went fairly well. After sewing right sides together and leaving a little area to pull right side through, I was left with a little area to sew up. Next time I will try using invisible thread (if there is such a thing) to stitch that area.

Big Boy Bed

The big boy bed is done! Instead of getting another crib for the arrival of Baby Girl, we decided to make a new bed for Colter. We've had a twin XL bed that Kory used in college - it's a comfortable mattress. Kory built a bed frame to use with it. I choose a blue paint for it - similar to a bed I saw at Pottery Barn. It will match his cowboy theme that will be brought over from his baby room. The valence and decorations will be moved. The bedskirt, and tons of other fabric, are being used for a quilt that is in the works right now. Since the room Colter will be moving to is rather small, we did a low loft style bed with drawers underneath it. Rustic star knobs were used on the drawers. Not sure I'm comfortable about the side rails - or lack of. Now we begin the transition - hopefully before Baby Girl gets here. Last weekend, Colter napped one day in it. He was happy to get in it, have Daddy read him a couple of books, but did not like when Daddy shut the door and left. He cried for about 15-minutes, finally falling asleep for a little over an hour. When he awoke, I found him sitting at the end of the bed, so hopefully he slept in it (and not on the floor). Just not under the covers.

Smock

I made another smock in early December for our 3-year old nephew Bryan. Joanns stopped selling the Cars picnic table cloth fabric I had used for Blake's smocks a few years ago, or any other fabric that would work. I checked at Hancocks and found clear Cars vinyl, on sale for $2/yard from about $8/yard. I bought all that they had left :-). I made two smocks, one for Bryan and one for Colter. Also, I cut a big piece of the vinyl for Bryan to use as a floor mat. And I still have some of it left for future use. This material was great to work with. Sewing it together and sewing on the bias tape was so easy. Even easier than cotton, and no ironing required.

Next up, I have a lot of projects to do. A twin XL size quilt for Colter's big boy bed, frames for his wall, baby girl bed skirt, baby girl valence, and hanging puffs for her room. Here's a sneak peek at the fabric I will be using.