Pocket Dresses

I knew that I would make this pocket quilt for Sophia's bedroom as soon as I saw it. The pattern is called "Dressed to Impress" and it is from Quilts and MoreFall 2010. I used Dena Designs "Kumari Garden" fabric line, because it would match the pink in Sophia's bedroom. The first step of the project was to make the dress applique for the front of the pockets. I traced out 4 different dress patterns and created a template.

If you haven't made your own applique before it is very easy to do. You need "Steam a Seam" Double Stick Fusible Web. You need to trace your design on to the web and fuse it to your fabric. *Make sure you trace your design on the correct side of the fusible web, the side that is less easy to pull away from the web.

After you have fused the web, to the wrong side of your fabric, you are going to cut it out. You will be left with your pattern ready to be ironed on to your project.

You could end there and just iron the template on, I tend to use an embroidery stitch around each piece to resemble an applique. You can see the pink stitch around the dress design on each pocket.

I took a couple other photos of the progress of the quilt. If you decide to make this pattern keep in mind that it is as time intensive as making a quilt, and it takes more fabric. Each pocket is lined and there is batting between the fabric on the front of the pocket, and a full sheet of batting for the back of the quilt. Sewing the pockets together requires a heavy-duty sewing machine that can take the thickness.

I absolutely love this pocket quilt! And by creating my own dress template for the pockets it's even more unique.

I had not finished hand stitching the binding when I took this photo, I need to take a photo of it hanging in Sophia's room. I created tabs on the back so it could hang on a curtain rod. I'll include photos of that with the finished product. It might give some of you an idea of how to turn a quilt into a wall hanging. I finally took some final photos.

And the tabs on the back were a suggestion of a friend. Thanks Anne! I stitched a piece of batting in between 2 pieces of fabric (scrap leftover from the back) and I sewed one end into the binding at the top. I then looped it under and hand stitched it into a loop.

I think it looks absolutely adorable in Sophia's room. Definitely a "hint of pink" in this bedroom.

Robot Party

It's finished! If there is anything positive to say about the time change it's that I feel like I've had an extra hour a day on the weekend to get things completed, including this quilt. And a few people at work can attest to the fact that this quilt was finished yesterday, since I had to bring it in and show it to them today. I took the photos yesterday but it was a little late to stay up and post the finished product, completed ahead of time! I must say that every time I finish a quilt and "just" have the binding to hand sew I drastically underestimate the time that it will take me to finish, just want to thank the inventor of the sewing machine for making the rest of the project such a delight. Now that the quilt is completed I can stand back and look at the quilt and I'm not sure if I am more in love with the front of the quilt...

or the back...

I definitely have to rate this "Toddle Time" quilt pattern as very good, I found that I didn't need quite as much fabric as the pattern suggested, but I also like to lay everything out ahead of time and make sure I reduce waste, if it wasn't for the additional fabric I had to buy this would definitely be an excellent rating. The instructions were very easy to read and understand and with the strip piecing option with 2 of the 3 blocks it took little time to assemble. The finished size is amazing, it can be doubled over to fit on a crib/toddler bed, thrown on the floor for tummy time, and then placed on a twin sized bed for an older child. This pattern and fabric has been a hit with moms with boys (I'm lacking in the boy department over here) and I really hope a new mom will appreciate that the robots will be cute for a baby and still practical for an older child. With the due date fast approaching I can hand off the finished quilt, but I still have fabric left over to make a fantastic throw pillow with his name on it, and really isn't that what every baby wants, a matching quilt and throw pillow for their crib?!?

Robot Block Party - Day 5

Well, I didn't think it could be done but I have the front of the quilt complete! I received the fabric last Monday and 7 days later I am ready to start assembling the quilt. The great thing about this pattern is that if I was in a real rush I could have sewn it faster, but I took my time and worked on one piece a time. I'm hoping to get out and purchase the batting tomorrow, and depending how late the trick or treaters come I might get a chance to start assembling the quilt. At this rate I am hoping to be finished by this time next week.

Robot Blocking - Day 4

I'm not sure if today is Day 4 or 5 but since I didn't sew yesterday I'm going with 4. So today I finished sewing all of the blocks for the Robot quilt. There are 14 blocks in each of the 3 designs, and with the addition of the top and bottom scrap pieces I should have a 48x64 quilt when I piece it all together. It may be the fact that I have not done much sewing recently that I have energy to work on the quilt OR the fact that this quilt is extremely easy to put together but after 4 days I did not imagine that I could have all of the blocks assembled ready to piece the quilt top this weekend. I'm already getting excited about how great it is going to look. And with the extra fabric I have left over I am planning on making a personalized pillow with the new baby's name, I will have to wait until after the birth to finish that project. But I have to finish the quilt first, one project at a time.

Stripping - Day 3

Strip piecing a quilt is amazing! Piecing all of this fabric together is such a quick way to make a quilt. I still have to cut out the squares and sew my diagonal squares together but I'm thinking that I might need to buy my batting this weekend to keep my momentum going. I'm not sure how much sewing I'll get done the next few nights, since I have to work at my actual job, but I have a great feeling that I'll get this quilt done before the baby is born.

Cut It Out Robots - Day 2

I'm not sure why quilters get such satisfaction out of cutting up full yards/metres of fabric, only to put it back together again in a completely different pattern, but I am ecstatic with the progress I've made in 24 hours. After pre-washing, drying and ironing all that fabric last night it is interesting to see how little space it takes up now that it has been cut down to size. You may notice that some of the pieces of the quilt are still in strips, so technically it isn't completely cut out but since 2 of the 3 blocks in this quilt can be strip pieced I will be waiting until after I piece it together before cutting out the blocks. I won't give away the rest of the technique, so there is something to look forward to on "piecing" day. I made my first rag quilt for Sophia when she was around 8 months old and I cut the entire quilt out with scissors, I couldn't cut all that flannel in 2 days let alone 2 hours. I really have to thank Joyce for suggesting that I buy my OLFA rotary cutter and mat only 4 short years ago. The time I have saved was worth the price!

Robots - Day 1

When I got home at lunch today and saw my parcel tag on the door I knew that my fabric has arrived. A couple weeks ago a girlfriend asked me to make a quilt for her soon to be arriving nephew. It seems like I've been buying a lot of boy fabric recently so I thought I would switch things up a little and not use flannel. I searched online a week and a half ago and found this adorable cotton fabric from Robert Kaufman, Robot Factory by Caleb Gray. I wanted to choose a fabric that would take a long time for a boy to outgrow; actually Steve wants a blanket out of this fabric so I know it will last a long time!

I picked up my fabric on the way home today (even before I picked up the girls) and was excited to see that it is as adorable as I thought it would be. I chose to make the "Toddle Time" Quilt, by Carlene Westberg.

So like I was saying today is Day 1 of the project. I prewashed all of the fabric and I am hoping to have it all dry and ironed tonight. I'm not sure how long the quilt will take me but I'm planning on documenting my progress. Wish me luck!