Disney umbrella stroller

LPlanning a trip next year with some friends and their little sweetheart.  She will be one month short of two. We intend to stay on property which means lots of walking to bus stops. To park. Back to bus stop. To room at large resort.   You get the picture.

I watch a lot of the blogs about Disney and was pretty surprised to hear that people have started stealing strollers. I have to say that's pretty crappy. So I attempted to discourage that by personalizing ours.  

Found this at Sear.com for $19.99. I love a deal!

Then I took the canvas seat and umbrella top off. 

Decided to put our girls name using the Disney font! 

Added a bow and we have a beautiful addition to our stroller (I used just the bow section from a Minnie Appliqué pattern I have). Think she is gonna be a hit!

The final touch was a organizer that we had purchased years ago for the back of a car seat.  I was going to make something similar but found this in the garage and it will do the job nicely! Diapers, wipes, snacks and a cup and we are ready for a day at Disney!

New and Improved Cutting Table

When I started to get serious about sewing I wanted a iron/cutting table. My wonderful husband built me one that worked for awhile. 

But I out grew it. I hated always having to move my cutting mat when I needed to iron and vice versa. So...I began to search for other options.  Considered having him build me another one and having one for each function but then I came up with another design option.  I ❤️ Pinterest!

So we start with three IKEA cube units. 

We put drawers on one unit and added plexiglass to keep stuff from moving through. 

Then put them in the desired formation. I threw in a wrench because I wanted a space to be able to slide extra cutting mats. 

Fastened together. 

Added a top and bottom and rollers. 

I  so very pleased. Little batting, fabric and elastic and I have the perfect workspace!

Eric Carle's The Hungry Caterpiller baby quilt

We have two great nephews on the way. One will be here around February and the other around April of this year. I have chosen Eric Carle's classic stories as my inspiration for their quilts.  The first one will get The Hungry Catetpiller. My own daughter loved this story.  Hard to believe it's almost 20 years old!  

Here are my fabric choices.  The line is by Andover Fabrics. The colors are so vibrant and happy.  This will be perfect for this little guy.  Mom is a preschool teacher so I think it's a good choice. 

The piecing actually went together quickly. What is going to make this quilt special is the actual quilting. I found the PERFECT pattern. It's by Anne Bright designs. 

This is a pantograph design ment to be used with a long arm quilting machine. I have a friend that has one but she lives in Tampa and I am in Chicago. Since I wasn't planning a trip I got this bright (crazy) idea on how to use the pattern on a standard machine by free motion quilting. I purchased the pattern then copied onto paper. I pinned to the quilt and stitched over the lines. Sounds crazy?   It was. But it actually worked.  

As I painstakingly worked my way through this quilt, I fell in love. I was gonna have a horrible time giving it away. 

As luck would have it, I found a great deal on a flight to Tampa and decided to keep this one and make another quickly to take to Tampa and quilt on the big machine. 

A couple of hours later and a little help from my hubby (I really want one of these machines. Thought this would give him a hint) this beauty was done. 

Love the detail in the quilting!

And finished just in time for this guys arrival!

Brown Bear Brown Bear

This had been a busy baby year for my family. Two new great nephews welcomed less than 3 months apart. And just found out a new babe on the way!  Secretly hoping the newest is a girl!  The first boy received the very hungry Catetpiller. The second born is getting this lovely.  

     I have to say I am so very pleased with the final project. I have such a tough time letting them go. This one is no exception!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear. What do we see to start with?  Lots of lovely fabric from Andover!  

Starting concept but it's already starting to be much bigger than a standard baby quilt!   

Adding corner stones is difficult and tedious. What was I thinking?  

(Author Note:  made another quilt and discovered that my machine does NOT see a true .25 inch on standard settings. With the help of this little tool I was able to all pieces to line up almost perfectly. 

I am in love with this tool.)

After a few design changes the final design. Now for the middle!  After searching all over the Internet for a coloring page, was able to get a good scan and cut the middle bear. He will be appliqué. Deciding on the final fabric for him was tough. The whole quilt is very busy with vibrant colors. Didn't know if it was better to stick to solids or go with patterned fabric. 

I think the one pattern piece was exactly enough to make Mr Bear pop!  

Now for eyes. I have an embroidery machine. Can I find eyes that will bring him to life?

?  Not loving it yet.  

Hmmm better. But not quite certain. 

Yes that will work. So cute but must be blue. 

Oh so darn cute!  Fit perfectly!

Done!  Now off to be quilted. Unfortunately I couldn't get a flight to Tampa so sending off to my friend to quilt for me.  I am so lucky and blessed to have someone I trust. 

Chose a very simple pattern.  There is so much going on here didn't want to detract from the pieced front. 

Almost done. Binding is the last step. Can't wait for it to reach its new owner but it's hard to let it go. I am so loving this quilt. 

Done!  Can't wait to deliver to its new owner!

So darn cute!  Welcome little bear to the family!

Dad's Star Trek Quilt-Boldly going where I haven't gone before.

I have decided to make my Dad a Star Trek Quilt.  He is so into it and he is always asking me what I brought him.  Imagine the day he asks me and I pull this baby out.  I am pretty jazzed about this.  Hope I dont end up feeling like I did about the Tardis!  Anyway.  Grabbed the handy dandy graph paper.  I bought a pattern called "Sidelights" which is my inspiration for this however I am not so great at seeing beyond the ugly fabric or following a pattern that great.  I have already begun to gather the fabric for this quilt.  Utilizing Spoonflower again (gosh I love that site) I have started to pick the fabric and put them together.  Taking a page out of my friend Nancy's book, I laid it out in Word on a graph and cut and pasted pics of the fabric I have already purchased.  Not sure if the final will look like this but being the visual person that I am it gives one the idea of where I am headed.......                                                                                                           

Fat Quarter Schematics of a Star Class ship

Fat Quarter of Lt. Data's Posatonic upload.  Kinda neat. 

So I began by creating the grid using a table in Word.  Copied and pasted and maneuvered the pictures so I can start to see what the final product MIGHT look like.  Still have a long way to go, but its a start.  Cannot wait till the fabric shows up.  Ordered the two fat quarters below from Spoonflower.  I also have three fabrics coming from Ebay.  I will have to be careful putting them all together.  Cant wait.  More later.......


Well ran I into a few issues and has to change up the design. Misplaced the fat quarter of Data's brain and then the starship fabric was very washed out looking and not good quality at all so scratch that.  Used some other bright Star Trek fabric I found. 

Chose the bright space fabric for the back. I am so attracted to bright colors. Using all this black has really been hard. 

Got the pieces down to my quilting friends in Florida and with a lot if pushing and encouragement from my friends I got the thing finished. 

On the long arm!  

Chose a grid pattern for the all over quilting. Really added to the overall look of the quilt. Love it!

Finished!  Bordered in space stars. 

Dad and his new quilt!