The Forever Project - Part 2

It was over a year ago that I first posted about The Forever Project.  A friend of mine asked me to make him a quilt with his large collection of concert t-shirts.  I was happy to help, and he mailed the shirts to me in April 2011.  Yup, over 2 years ago.

His only request was that the quilt not end up looking like a giant checkerboard, which seemed logical enough at the time.  I got to work right away ironing fusible interfacing to the back of each design and cutting them out to (more or less) match the size and shape of the design on the shirt.  Then I put them into a drawer.  For a year.

In May 2012, I made some embroidered blocks, with song lyrics he had asked me to include.  Since I was thinking about this project again (finally), I pulled the stack of shirts back out of hiding and laid them out on the top of my king sized bed, which they covered completely.  I started arranging them and realized that I should have spent more time thinking this through.... it is very difficult to attach squares and rectangles into a quilt when every single one is a different size.  Back into a drawer the entire pile went.... for another year.... 

From time to time, I would think about this quilt, try to make it work it my head, but it never came out of the drawer.  About a week ago, I decided enough was enough, I couldn't *actually* take forever to finish this quilt, even though that's the quilt's name -- The Forever Project.  So, back out they came, for the biggest, messiest game of Tetris I've ever played.

Layout 1: Too long, not wide enough.  Too many small homeless pieces.

Layout 27: Getting better, but still not quite right.

Layout 43: If we lose a skull, this may possibly work... 

Layout 92: The skull makes it's way back in!

I ended up printing out that last picture and drawing boxes around the "sections" I needed to create, in order to put this entire quilt together.  I ripped a few seams, made a few more changes, and I think I *finally* have the final layout figured out.  Maybe.  My goal is to finish putting the top together this week, since I'm leaving for 3 weeks in New York on Sunday.  I know I won't have the back done, but I'll sleep much better at night knowing that "forever" may actually arrive!

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Summer Song quilt for Allie

Want to know the best way to make it rain in South Florida?  Let me finish a quilt and want to take some photos of it outside.  Works every time!  We're on day 487 of rain and gloom here.  OK, maybe only 5.... but still a lot when you really want an outdoor shot!   The grass was finally dry enough this morning to take a few photos, but of course, the sun went behind the clouds quickly as soon as I got outside.  My husband is now racing to mow the insanely high lawn before the rain begins yet again.

I found this fabric at Tuesday Morning.  I don't typically make such colorful, busy quilts, but something about these FQ bundles called out to me.  I'm really glad I listened, I think it's wonderful!  I see more color and more "busy-ness" in my quilting future!  The fabric is a Riley Blake design called "Summer Song."  The 2 FQ bundles were similar but one was in the orange scheme and the other in pink.

The quilt is for my younger daughter's BFF (Allie), who is moving far away to Minnesota next week, the day after school ends.  I am so sad for my daughter.  When she was 3, her BFF moved to Israel.  When she was 4, her new BFF moved to northern Florida.  Now, almost age 7, her BFF for the past 2 years is moving to Minnesota.  We wanted to send her away with a really special gift that she could keep forever.

I made a small pillow to match and quilted it all with my go-to "meandering squiggly stuff" in a bright pink color.  It measures 40" x 60" after washing.

I used a bright, striped binding (which also came in the FQ bundle).  This quilt used a total of 12 FQs for the front and about 1.5 more for the binding.  I think I'm in love!

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Better than a finish (but I have a finish, too!)

I have been traveling a lot (unexpectedly) for work, so sewing has taken a back seat... but the one finish I have (and a funny story to go with it), is COMPLETELY trumped by my sister's finish for this week....

Meet my new little nephew, Liam Christopher

Born Tuesday, May 7 (his daddy's birthday!!) @ 2:19pm Eastern

23 days early but still a healthy 6 pounds, 6 ounces

Mommy (my little sister) and Baby Liam are both doing great!

I can't wait to see pictures of him in his nursery, wrapped in the monkey quilt I made him!!

Now the one finish (or set of finishes) I have is a set of pillow covers for my friend Phoenix, who lives in Phoenix.  When I was there (for work) in April, I got to see her house and decide what colors to make (she has been undecided for a year!).  I got them completed and in the mail last Monday, and this was the picture I planned to show you in this post:

Pillow covers (with hidden zippers on the bottom) for two 24" pillows and two 18" pillows.  (She already had the naked pillow forms.)  I decided to buy two 12" forms and make those for her, too.  They're more burgundy than red, with cocoa brown, black and beige.  The 18" pillows are cocoa on one side and beige on the other.

Like I said, they went in the mail last Monday and were scheduled to arrive in Phoenix on Wednesday or Thursday.  On Wednesday morning, my boss called to ask if I could get on a plane (to Phoenix!)  THAT AFTERNOON for a meeting on Thursday.  As dumb luck would have it, *I* got to Phoenix before the pillow covers did!!  It sure was nice to see them in person, though, and take pictures of them on her couch!

You can see a mug rug I made her a while back on the ottoman.

I came home from Phoenix on Friday (yes, 10 hours of flying on 5 hours notice for 11 hours of meetings).  Now I've been home a whole 4 days.... and just found out I'm probably flying back there on Monday.  Maybe I should just leave my sewing machine at my friend's house.... it's not like I have time to use it here in Florida!

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Much ado about not that much

Busy, busy, busy... that's what I've been.  In the past 4 weeks I've been in New York, Arizona and several different parts of Florida.  I've been to Butterfly World, Flamingo Gardens, Animal Kingdom and Epcot Center.  I've cried more times than I can count over the bombing at the Boston Marathon --- as a mother, a runner and an American.  I've taken care of sick kids and a sick husband and now, I'm trying to take care of a sick self.  I've done very little sewing, but that's OK... I'm at home now, with the people I love the most, and counting my blessings every single day.  

Here are some photos of my recent adventures.

We fed the birds at Butterfly World.  Rachel may or may not have enjoyed this.

My younger daughter, Jessica, is in there somewhere under all that hair.

She was quite disappointed when I said it was time to pry the bird off her forehead.

I couldn't let them have ALL the fun :-).

Rachel, Jessica and Rachel's BFF, who I refer to as "Number 3."

Jessica got a monarch butterfly puppa at Butterfly World.

It "hatched" 3 days later and we set it free in our back yard.

If you're looking for a simple way to put your sewing skills to use to support Boston, check out To Boston With Love over at the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.

I wouldn't call this a "craft project" but I used a Sharpie to make this shirt, which I wore on my run the day after the marathon bombings.  

With only 1 day notice, I made this tote bag for Jessica's BFF, Lotta.  She likes dogs so Jessica picked this fabric from my stash.  She told me Lotta's never had anything with her name on it because it's uncommon, so I got to put my embroidery machine to good use :-).

I was planning to take better photos (these are from my iPhone) but Jessica ran off to deliver it before I had a chance.  I "cheated" and used pre-quilted fabric for the lining, which allowed me to skip the fusible stabilizer step for the outer layer.

Change purse to match.

No trip to Phoenix is complete without a sewing request from my friend Phoenix.  (And I wouldn't want it any other way!)  This is one (of many that I'll get to) pillow cover for her couch.  She bought pillow forms a year ago but couldn't find covers that went with her decor, which has elements of brown, black and beige.  A few yards or corduroy and problem solved!  

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Lots of Travel = Little Sewing Time

My daughters and I had a great visit to Upstate New York last week for their spring break.  We got to spend time with family and friends and threw my sister a beautiful baby shower.  (Photos below)

I've only been back 4 days and on Sunday, I leave for a business trip to Phoenix (again) for a week.  Unfortunately, my sewing machine doesn't travel with me so there probably won't be much to share here for a little bit longer.

I did, however, manage to put together (this week) some birthday gifts for my little nephews, who turned 4 and 6 in March.  Their party is this weekend.  They'll each be getting a little backpack with a personalized towel, plastic tumbler and bottle of bubbles (and a gift card, not shown).

Derek (aka: D-Man) just turned 6.

Aaron (aka: A-Bomb) just turned 4.

Here are the bags (which double as gift bags!) all filled up and ready for a trip to the pool.

They look a lot better in person but it's raining today so I had to take the photos inside.

Though it's not her birthday, I also made a towel for my little niece, Megan, who is 1.

Now I have to figure out a hand sewing project to take to Phoenix with me.  I think it'll be this hexagon project, which I started last year and intended to be a quilt.  When I found out my sister was having a boy I stopped working on it and honestly, I'm not sure I'll ever finish this to a full (even baby sized) quilt.  Any suggestions for what these 1" hexies should become?  Here's one layout I was playing with, but I have (literally) hundreds more fabric hexies cut out and ready to assemble.

And now, a few photos from my trip last week:

Sarah opening her monkey quilt at the shower (with help from my daughter, Rachel).

The precious little boy who will sleep under that quilt.  I'm in love!

So happy I got to be there in person when this ultrasound photo was taken!!

My sister and I.  At 5'6", I'm the "really tall" one, LOL.

I'm not sure why we're both leaning so much... I think I was afraid to bump her belly :-).

With my baby brother at his restaurant (he's the Executive Chef) after the shower.

Jessica and Rachel adore their Uncle Chris!!

And this is what I did after the shower and after dinner.  It was a good day :-).

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Monkey See, Monkey Done!

Tomorrow morning my daughters and I leave for a week in Upstate New York to visit my parents, brother and sister.  (Yes, I'm the nut who leaves 80 degree South Florida to go to 30 degree Upstate New York for spring break.  *sigh*)

Saturday will be my sister's baby shower and I finished Baby Boy's quilt this weekend.  I am **SOOO** happy with how it turned out!

Here are some close-ups of those little monkeys, who all match the decal on the wall of her nursery.

I also made a diaper stacker with a monkey on it (using this tutorial).  The green matches the window valances and crib skirt I already made her (and also used for the leaves on her quilt). The polka dots are sprinkled in to all the different items I've made her.  In hindsight, I wish I had made that monkey face a little bit smaller, but oh well!

I also made her a Boppy (nursing pillow) cover -- it's blue on the back -- and a small pillow to put on her glider.  I remember how many hours I spent in my glider as a new mom, so a little lower back support will be nice for her as she rocks her new precious baby boy to sleep.

As a completely random side note.... it was VERY hard not to write Baby Boy's name as I wrote this post.  My sister and her husband have picked a name but they're keeping it a secret (well, not from me, LOL).  I think that's a really wise move, as my 2nd daughter's name changed during my pregnancy because everyone had an opinion.  We needed a "J" name and my husband and I both loved Jaelyn / Jaylyn, but couldn't agree on the spelling (I liked it with an "e" and he liked it with a "y") so we changed it to "Jessica."  It was the right move (she's definitely a "Jessie") but sooooo many people had very strong (and loud) opinions on Jaelyn.... I swore if I ever had another one (which I do NOT plan to do, thank you very much), the name would remain top secret until he/she was born and it was too late to argue :-).

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

One Little Monkey

To call this week "chaotic" would be an understatement, so this post will be short and sweet :-).

In between about a bazillion other things, I did manage to finish one of the little monkeys on my sister's baby quilt.

Here's how the monkey decal looks on her nursery wall:

And here's how he looks on her baby-boy-to-be's quilt:

One down, two to go!

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~