-Samantha-

Samantha Jane is here!  

She is a wee little pip squeak, and we are all very much in love. The last few weeks of pregnancy were hard...really hard.  So happy it is over, and she is here safe and sound!

Her siblings are very much in love.

I can't believe that I have *four* beautiful little kids.

  

This guy is having the hardest time adjusting, but he likes to pat her.

In other news it appears I have lost quite a few of the photos on my blog.  I know I will be able to recover them all, but it may take me awhile to get them back up.  I will start with the tutorials and more recent posts and work my way through.  So frustrating but at least they aren't gone forever!  If you have a post that you are looking for the pictures for, please let me know and I will try to get them up soon for you.


  

-hop, hop!-

I made this little bunny for my nephew for my birthday.  Isn't he cute?!  Of course, I am way late in getting this off, but luckily one year olds don't have much of an idea of what is going on anyway. ;0p

This is a pattern by Retro Mama called Betsy and Basil.  The last time I made softies, there was a lot of trying to turn itty bitty arms and legs.  It wasn't really my cup of tea, but this pattern fortunately doesn't have that issue. ;0)  The pattern calls for corduroy which I thought I had, but must have thought wrong because I could not find it.  So I just substituted a plain tan solid, and I think it worked just fine.  For the accent pieces I used some Heather Ross dots and stripes.

I love his little fluffy tail!

Hopefully, he will be loved by his future owner!

-slower-

Life has been going at a much slower pace or rather I have been going at a much slower pace. ;0)  Between sickness and end of pregnancy I just haven't been doing much except trying to keep up with the kids and reading.  I picked up "The Hunger Games" on a whim and before you knew it I was addicted and finished all three in less than a week!  *whew*  I was having all sorts of crazy dreams while reading those!  

I did make this envelope clutch last week!  When I saw Anna's new pattern I thought it would be a great little purse for me to put in the diaper bag  I am going to have to be toting around again soon.

It was a great pattern and came together easily.  I used a fat quarter text print I picked up back in October during the shop hop at Sewing Summit.  

For the inside I used a white Moda Grunge fabric and notebook fabric for the pockets.  I had just this small amount of light pink piping that was just waiting for this clutch! 

I made the large size, and it is quite large.  Perfect for fitting all your basic necessities!  I am thinking another large one would be perfect as a diaper clutch!

-a mini complete!-

I finished my little mini quilt for The Fab Little Quilt swap over on Flickr.  I admit when I saw my partner's mosaic I was filled with anxiety.  She had picked such amazing pieces filled with details.  I didn't know what in the world I could make.  So, I started browsing through my copy of Cathy Gaubert's Doll Quilt Book.  In fact, this quilt is one of the featured minis on the cover!  It really suited so many of my partner's requests and likes.  I didn't change much.

This little quilt features fun bright colors, raw edge applique and some embroidery.  I definitely think my favorite part is the house with the birdie on top.  

Overall, I am pleased with how it turned out.  The pattern was relatively easy to follow.  The only thing that I did not like was that this quilt required 1/2" seam allowances.  I had already started cutting before I realized this, but I recommend adjusting it to 1/4" seam allowances.  There was quite a bit of bulk.  I also like to use single fold binding for small quilts and mug rugs. I have been a convert ever since reading this little tutorial.  

Lucky for me, I finished this just in time to enter it into Jennifer's Modern Mini Quilt contest!  There are some amazing prizes and lots of amazing entries!  I am getting this in just in time!  *whew*

-sewing week-

Sewing week was a success for the most part!  Yay!  Having my machine downstairs amongst all the activity definitely helped.  I am going to keep it down here for another week to try and complete a few more projects.    

I made hair bows!  I made a couple of different ones.  This pink one seems to be the favorite.  The last time I tried making hair bows they were a complete flop.  I found this tutorial that uses hand sewing, and this one "clicked" for me.  

Juliana kept smiling so hard in these pictures.  I was trying to get her to look a little more natural, so I told her not to smile for this one, and this is what I got.  I took a look at it and just busted out laughing.  

So we switched back to smiling.  Much better.

I made a simple little cover for my new Kindle Fire!  My sweet husband gave me one for Valentine's Day. I wanted one for my birthday because I know I am going to spending a lot more time sitting on the couch come April once this little baby is here.  I love it!

I used some of my treasured Far, Far Away II fabric.  I just measured around the Kindle and added some seam allowances.  Of course, the first time I sewed it together I had to completely rip it apart and use a smaller seam allowance.  

So, I moved on to baby things starting with this swaddler.  This is a pattern in Lotta Jansdotter's baby sewing book, but I found the pattern for free here.  We are big on swaddling over here, and I am sure this will get a lot of use.

I used some of Anna Maria Horner's flannel from Loulouthi line and an older Good Folks cotton fabric for the outside.

These weren't on my list, but I became obsessed with the idea of making some little newborn pants.  I used the Britches and Bloomers pattern.  Super easy and sooo cute.  It is hard to tell just how tiny they are, and it is hard to imagine they could really fit anyone!  

Here is another pair made with a sweet little birdie fabric and some eyelet.

I also found this little peasant dress tutorial through Pinterest for a newborn.  Another quickie!  I sometimes forget how fast sewing can be.  I have gotten used to all the more complicated quilting patterns I have been working with lately!

So that is what I finished!  I have started baby girl's quilt and am almost finished with my mini.  I will be back later this week to show you all!

-turning twenty complete!-

I finally finished my Turning Twenty quilt.  I finished it a couple of weeks ago, but I was waiting to try and finish up the hexie and crochet pillows to go with it before showing you all.  Then I realized that just wasn't going to be happening soon.  So here it is!

This quilt has been planned for a number of years.  I was inspired by this one done up in Good Folks.  One of my most favorite lines ever.  However, I realized it was probably a little too bright of a line for my taste in home decorating.  Then Modern Meadow came out, and I fell in love.  I knew it was perfect for what I wanted.  Two years ago my lovely family gave me a whole fat quarter bundle!  Last summer I finally decided it was time.  I finished the quilt top rather quickly...so easy!  However, I was undecided on how to quilt it.

I wanted to send it to be long armed, but in the end decided just to do it myself.  It wasn't actually that bed!  I spent about four days quilting this for about two hours at a time, and only when I was quilting the middle did my arms ache. ;0)  For the back I used a king cotton flat sheet in light blue.  I also made some matching pillowcases.  I do still have my accent pillows to finish, so I sure you will be seeing this quilt again! ;0)

I haven't been sewing much for the past month, but this is the week that is all going to change.  I have been cleaning and organizing like a mad woman.  I have bought all of the girls' curriculum for next year for homeschooling.  (That was a lot of fun!  There are so many awesome books out there!  I love putting together things that I think will suit them and their particular needs.)  I have gone shopping for the kiddo's spring/summer wardrobe, which is really almost here in California.  So, this week I am giving myself some time off to delve into some projects.  I have a lot planned, and I know I won't get to it all.  It is fun to dream though, isn't it?

My list:

-baby quilt

-mini quilt for Fab Little Quilt Swap
- special project

-Art Student Tote

-hair bows

-snuggler for baby

-dress for Juliana

-case for my new Kindle Fire!

Let's see how much can get done!

  

I even moved everything down to the dining table, so that I can whip up snacks and put together lunch and still hop on the sewing machine in between!

-quietly plugging away-

I have been trying to grab some sewing time here and there.  I am working away at my Turning Twenty Quilt.  I was going to straight line quilt it, but I decided just to do a large stipple at the last minute.  I find free motion quilting is just a little bit more entertaining, especially for something this huge!  I am super pleased with how it turned out.

I made the binding a couple of days ago.  So it should be done soon!  I had plans to get it done earlier, but you know how "plans" always seem to work out. ;0)

I have been working on some hexies as well to make a pillow to go with this quilt as my sitting on the couch project.  This seems to happen a lot more now than sitting at the sewing machine.  ;0)  I am definitely in the third trimester!