Update: Nana's Quilt

As promised, here are some photos of the quilt I started back in May 2012 for my Nana, who sadly passed away that same month.  I chose bright colours that would cheer her up and brighten her room in the rest home. 

First stage of top completion - the white sashing is from a jelly roll, the strips of fabric in the blocks were all cut from larger pieces, I think it would be easier next time to use a couple of jelly rolls so all the strips are the same width.

My probable borders:  red, blue, navy/white stripe binding

I started following a pattern I found on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Ixvjje310 which looked easy.  Of course, being a newbie, I didn't realise how important 1/4 inch seams would be....consequently, my seams are all over the place in this quilt!  However, I think it's so far turned out okay.  I used a jelly roll of plain white sashing, my first time, to break up the busy-ness of the quilt. 

Next step will be to sew on some borders, get it quilted and then finish with the binding.  So, this is another to-be-continued post, hopefully it won't take another three years to finish!

Unscheduled Break

When we lost my beautiful baby niece in December, I was lost.  I didn't want to create anything.  I didn't want to look at baby things or all the fabric and other bits and pieces I'd collected to make things for her.  I didn't even want to walk past the baby aisle in the supermarket or shops.  I had a huge hole in my heart and my life that was Elaina-shaped and that would never, ever go away. 

Today, several months later and that hole is still in my heart.  Sometimes, I think about something I could make for her, I see something she would love...a toy, an outfit, a book.  And my heart breaks again, cracking along those same lines....

So, I took a break.  I stayed in touch with craft-y friends, but I didn't make anything.  I admired their beautiful pieces, but I refused to sit at the sewing machine.  I commented and complimented their works of art, their quilts, their cushions, their creations, but I didn't make anything myself.  I even bought fabrics, threads, socks (for monkeys), buttons, etc....but I would NOT do anything with them other than file them in my cupboard.

Today.....today I sat at the sewing machine and sewed.....another poignant piece as I sewed together squares from the quilt I was making for my Nana before she passed away almost three years ago.  As a slow, gradual, sometimes crushing feeling of love, loss, happiness, grief came over me....I added stitches to Nana's quilt.  It's not perfect....it will never be perfect....it was started when I had little understanding of how to make a quilt.....but it will be filled with love, with my memories of her, with my memories of Elaina who had fueled my renewed crafting.  And it will always be mine to snuggle in....to wrap around me.....to hold on to...

I will post pictures as it progresses.  Today was just the beginning of a slow process to reawaken my creative spirit, to allow myself to not only create, but to remember and to grieve anew. 

One Sock Monkey...Two.....HEAPS!!!

After learning how to make sock monkies a couple of months ago, we've been hard at it and donating them to the children's ward at the local hospital.  A lady came up with the idea of giving every child who has to stay in hospital a little friend to stay with and sock monkies were the obvious choice.  They're cheap and easy to make and each one has their own personality!!  And, of course, they each have their own name!!

 Meet Hope (above left)                                       Lucy (above right)

                                                                        Archie

Daisy (above left)                             Colin (above right)

Molly (above left) - with pink arms and finally Dotty (above right)

Baby Items!!

 With a new baby niece due in December, I've been madly searching for crafts to make!  What perfect excuse to try some new sewing projects and also make things that are practical?!  Firstly, I decided to make a nappy (diaper) cake.  I used about 60 or so infant size nappies (I chose to use the second size in nappies instead of newborn so Mum will have some on hand when baby grows and also because I keep reading how fast babies grow). 

The bottom layer consisted of rolled nappies (each nappy is rolled and held with a rubber band).  Then I put a small size baby powder in the centre and added nappies all the way round in a circle.  It helped that I had also purchased a cheap cake board in a circle so I used that to judge how big to make my bottom layer.  Then I used a rubber band to hold the whole mass of nappies together.

To fill in gaps I bought some lovely velour baby facecloths (a six pack).  I rolled each one and fitted them into the gaps where the nappies didn't quite make a full circle.  Finally, I took a piece of tissue paper, cut an X in the centre (to go over the baby powder) and wrapped it around, tucked under the nappies to give a nice, clean, uniform finish.  Everything was then held in place with a wide ribbon, tied at the front.

Second layer uses fewer nappies (about two rows fewer).  Wrapped over the top with tissue paper again.  Then, outside the tissue so they're visible, I added some rolled bibs, a digital thermometer (in box), a small bottle of baby moisture cream, and an Eeyore sensory toy.  A matching ribbon holds everything in place.

Top layer is fewer nappies again, more tissue paper, a hole cut in the top to allow a taggy blanket to stick out like a candle!  The final piece was a home made sock monkey, I've named her Twinkle.  She's the perfect size for little hands to hold and has no bits that can be chewed off and swallowed accidentally. 






Another craft I've made (following a tutorial onlilne) is a take-anywhere changepad.  One side is embossed fleece (purple, with teddy bears).  The other is a paisley cotton, which coordinates with the purple fleece. 

There's a piece of striped elastic sewn to one side so the changepad can be folded in half and rolled up for easy carrying.  In between the two layers is some pellon batting, which has a higher polyester content and will dry quicker.  This is easily thrown into the washing machine if it gets dirty, can be thrown down in the back of the car or on a public change table to protect baby and also give some padding.  It can also be used at home on the floor or when visiting to protect the carpet from accidents, give baby padding and be a bit more hygenic.  


I would like to make a coordinating wipes pouch that can also hold a couple of nappies when Mum doesn't want to go into her big nappy bag. 

Wedding Card

With a good friend marrying her best friend, I felt I had to make a card they could treasure forever (hopefully).  I found a sampler pattern and changed it enough to allow me to personalise it.  This is the outcome.  The butterflies are 3D-ish using paper cut-outs to compliment the card colour and thread colours. 

Wine glass charms with glass blown sheep, cow, pukeko, kea, kiwi and jandal as well as a pukeko wine bottle stopper, very kiwiana were also part of their gift.  Hopefully the boxes, bubblewrap, padded bag and additional thick pieces of cardboard mean everything arrive safely in the US.

SPCA Cupcake Day 2012

A selection of the cupcakes I baked and decorated for the 2012 SPCA Cupcake Day at the end of August.  A flock of sheep, some pawprints, a dozen Oscar the Grouch cupcakes, busy bee with a flower, some dogs, some dogbones.  All in all I baked 70 cupcakes, 51 were elaborately decorated, the others were just for us at home.  $100 was made through selling them to the Lions members and was donated to the Taranaki SPCA.  Quite pleased with my efforts. 

 



Blossom

This is Blossom.  She's the first crafting I've done in over a month now.  With a little rose in her hair, she's quite a pretty little girl.  Using The Wool Stops merino and silk fibre in the paua colouring, with a little bit of pale blue for her ears, nose and pads of her feet.  The photos don't quite do her justice really.