Project # 9, A B C's

It's poly filled alpha letters wall hangings for a baby nursery.

In making these some steps are very simple.  Other steps were so time consuming and made me want to just put it down and forget about it. But you must carry on. You'll eventually get thru. 

1) Print your letters out to size you require. Play around with the font and size till you are happy. My capital letter was 8" high, and after the sewing ends up about 7" tall. Cut the letters out. 

2) Arrange your fabric choices in the order easy on the eye. Fold and iron the fabric with right sides together. 

3) Trace the letter on the wrong side of the fabric. Eyeing how the fabric print will show on the letter. 

4) Hand stitch around the letter outline. Some letters you cannot stitch around every outline. For example, the capital "B" you cannot stitch the center circles now because you won't be able to turn it right side out when it comes time for that step. Think it thru as you go along. It will save you a lot of time. AND, where you insert the hanging ribbon will also be where you stuff and stitch close at the end.

5) Cut around the stitched lines and other outlined lines leaving 1/4". Turn right side out and iron flat and turn all unstitched lines in and iron flat for hand stitching closed after stuffing.

6) Begin stuffing the letter with poly fill. Fill in every nook and cranny. This is the frustrating part. Not too stuffed. But just the right amount. Can't believe I didn't take that picture of all the poly fill oozing in and out of the letter openings. 

6) Hand stitch all openings. Add the ribbon at top for hanging. Think ahead on the placing of the ribbon. You want it to hang straight. 

This name isn't on the wall yet. 

But the last one I did looked like this. 

A few more baby things coming your way. 

Yay !!!

Remember back here and here when I said I think this is a winner? Well, I was right. It had to win. It was so dog gone cute.

For favorite under the sea character we choose Bubble Guppies. This is the outfit when it was completed. You can read about how it was made and came together  here.

                                                   

For beauty dress we choose to make a blue/white baby doll. You can read about making  it here.

                                                   

This pageant was a local preliminary for LA Our Little Miss. First a theme wear of favorite under the sea character. Then the beauty dress part.

Bubble Guppies put a different spin on under the sea besides all the Ariel and Nemo stuff.  A lot of the older little girls would come up and say "ohhh look, bubble guppies." It was a hit with the other contestants and with the judges, too. Brooklyn got top winner in her age group for the theme wear competing with 12 others in the 12-23 month division. She sported a small crown during awards in this segment for her winning.

A few minor adjustments were made to the outfit before pageant day since I posted the Bubble Guppies project. The two gold ruffles on the top were really too big for such a small body. So I turned the ruffles half down and hand stitched them to make it more appropriate and it was just perfect.

The beauty dress was also a hit with the judges and with the pageant director. Not only did the dress give us a winner but our little contestant did nothing wrong.  First time ever she did so good.

 So the dress and her performance put her as Official Winner in her age division and she donned her crown, banner, and trophy. And she received award for best dress.

A few last minute adjustments were also made to this dress before pageant day. The mom thought the skirt was too full. It had 5 layers. She thought a few layers removed would be better. She was right. Two layers were removed and then I made shoulder straps instead of v-neck halter type straps. Then I shortened the ruffle around the top bodice. All the changes fell right into place and was just what was needed.

Yayyyy Brooklyn!!

I'm linked with You Made It


Gin

Umm, OK, Where Was I

I've lost days on my 100 days of Happiness. I really am happy, I just fail to show it I guess.

Day 9 (Mon),

Day 10 (Tues),
I had nothing else to do today so I made brownies. And ate them. This retirement life is rather laid back.

Day 11 (Wed),
A new app on my phone RunKeeper  beeps and alerts me that it's time for my scheduled walk/run. I'm set up for a 30 day walk/run schedule. It's pretty neat.

Day 12 (Thur) of 100 Days of Happiness.

The little Munchkins.bringing in Spring.

 Eighty-eight days to go.

Gin

Baby Quilt (aka Project # 8)

Baby needs a quilt for playtime. This one is big and comfy for playtime and tummy time.

Supplies needed:

• 1 and 1/2 yard of pre-quilted 1 layer white diamond stitched fabric
• 3 yards of minky fabric
• 1 package of quillting loft, crib size
• ruler
• pencil
• all colors of machine embroidery thread
• embroidery machine

I used the complete yard and a half, 45" wide pre-quilted 1 layer fabric. I knew I wanted to divide it into 3 squares wide and 4 squares long for a total of 12 squares. I marked the fabric in a grid making 13 inch squares with about an inch and a half border all around the complete fabric. I used a pencil to lightly draw my grid because the marking will be covered by the minky strips I will sew between each square.

                                

I choose (from my embroidery cd image patterns) alphabet letters from the Winnie The Pooh alpha images collection.

                                 

The soft, slinky, smooth minky fabric is cut to the size of the top pre-quilted fabric with an added 3 and 1/2 inches around all edges to fold over and hem. 

Make your quilt sandwich of the top, the filler, and the backing and either pin together or baste stitch in several areas or do what I do and use temporary fabric spray adhesive. I love this stuff.

                                

 Then, with the remainder of the minky fabric I need to cut 5 strips 5"x56". I just cut them all the same length and will trim those needing trimmed. Place on top in appropriate place to form grid of equal spaces. I also use temporary spray fabric adhesive here also. I love this stuff. It's like a pin that doesn't stick you.. Turn 1/2 inch under and stitch two down the quilt between the columns of squares. Do the same with the other 3 strips across between the columns of squares. This attaches all layers together. 

Then turn minky fabric edge up over the top, fold under 1/2" and machine quilt stitch all the around all 4 sides. Spray away with the temporary spray fabric adhesive. I love this stuff. 

                                 

Squares of cuteness. 

 

One comfy quilt for baby.

Baby's name in bottom right that is hard to see in picture.

                                         

Gin

Project # 7 Bubble Guppies, Favorite Character Under the Sea

Just for fun there is an optional event for an outfit of your favorite under the sea character at the next local preliminary pageant . I choose Nickelodeon's Bubble Guppies because they are unique and different and rather cute. Ariel the mermaid has kind of been around awhile and everyone does her and frankly I'm tired of seeing her everywhere.. To get you up-to-date on Bubble Guppies, they are a cartoon of fish, a puppy, a girl, and other critters with fins and bubbles.

So I began brainstorming for design and ideas.

• blue shimmer fabric representing water -- I used the hologram sequin fabric in aqua
• fish net --- I actually used gold mesh ribbon
• the Bubble Guppies -- I ordered iron on appliques on line

It magically came together.I couldn't have been more pleased.

A four piece set including top, skirt, bloomers, hair bow. 

The top -  added bow and straps of fushia that matches the fushia color in the iron on appliques.

The skirt  - two pleats in the front and two pleats in the back with elastic at the back waist.

The bloomers - the mesh ribbon  around the elasticized leg openings to show just below the skirt. 

The hair bow - not shown, but is the fushia ribbon like the bow on the waist.

So un-plannned was how the iron on appliques had the same gold color and fushia color as the ribbon colors I was already planning on using. When the applique arrived in the mail, it was a sweet surprise that all the colors coordinated. 

                   

Really really an inexpensive outfit. 

1 yard of hologram sequin fabric was $4.95/yd. It only took 1/2 yard

1 roll of mesh ribbon $1 on the Christmas clearance isle that I happened to buy for my stash.

Bubble Guppies applique set ordered on line $4.95

Fushia ribbon roll $1 on the Christmas clearance isle that I happened to buy for my stash.

Add it up:

                                                       2.50

                                                       1.00

                                                      4.95 

                                                      1.00

         APPROX TOTAL:::        $      9.50

A think it's going to be a winner. We will see.

Day 7 & 8 of 100 Happy Days

                        

Reasons, Results, Reservoir

A trip to another city over an hour away for work related reasons took most of our time today. The trip resulted in a nearby detour to a huge water reservoir. Like any other huge water recreational spot, this place was really nice. A 50 square mile of recreational waterway 

With beautiful homes and condos on the water front. Walking/jogging lanes across narrow parts of the water. And miles and miles of scenic driving.

Mainly fishing boats out on the water today. But did see quite a few joggers and walkers with their pets.

We went about half way around stopping at a refreshment center at the spill way. Only a couple flood gates open and water gushing out with a high spray and a very loud rushing water sound.

Then made our way back the way we came. 

Gin

Happy Day 6 of 100

Go here and here to see more 100 Happy Days.

Gin

Project # 6: A Quick Blue

A pageant dress again.

 Layer upon layer of  fish line hems alternating blue and white. As seen from the bottom up.

Five layers to be exact. Blue white blue white blue.

Attached to a tiny bodice with a narrow decorative ribbon of shiny sequin shaped designs around front and back. A  v-neck centered strap to match the sequin ribbon across the back and criss-crossed across the shoulders in the back.

Finished with a tiny ruffle all around the top edge. And a double bow adorned with a bling button attached at the empire waist.

It came together nicely and in record time.

Only took about 3 nights to complete.About 15 hours on and off.
Diaper cover, hair bow, and matching ruffle socks to match.

So how much did it cost?  I added it up. A few things I already had like buttons, hooks, and elastic.
Seriously, it didn't cost that much.

                                        

No instructions given on this post. But if you're interested just the least little bit look here  for instructions on fish line hem. The dress was created without a pattern, just using measurements of the toddler.

And by the way, the hair spray is used to lightly spray each layer to form it as near as you want it too look as possible.

I hope it fits perfect. If not, there is always the secrets of adjustments with pins and needle and thread.

Gin

Happy Day 3, 4, & 5 of 100

I'm throwing together several happy days in one. 

A gorgeous day with a blue sky full of balloons.

Bright bold colors of summer.

Can't wait to enjoy these very very soon.

Gin

Project # 5: All About Baby

It seems as tho almost all my projects are all about babies. That's because they have been. Some items made for friends and some made for my grand baby #3 due to May.

Made with Bernat Baby Blanket yarn in baby pink.

With a size H crochet needle and a simple straight chain connecting stitch pattern. That's not the proper name of the stitch pattern. I made it up.

The finished blanket measures   35 x 47 inches. Including the little crochet ruffle around all 4 sides.   And the booties and bonnet will fit just fine.

This is the 3rd baby set I've done in 2014. A set of  crochet baby blanket, booties, and bonnet. The previous 2 baby sets this year can be found at:
             Project # 1
             Pink Project # 3

My goal this year was a project a week. Surely I thought I could manage that. It's week 10 in 2014 and I'm on project 5. I must speed things up a bit. 

Gin

Happy Day 2 of 100

                                              

Colorful as can be with a project starting up. Look here and here for more Happy Day pictures.

Happy Day 1 of 100

                                                      

Look here and here for more Happy Day Pictures.

This week

Mardi Gras is a big deal with parades and partying. That is if you participate. Schools are closed Monday and Tuesday and most businesses are closed Tuesday.

So what to do when day cares are closed and you work in the health care field which never closes? You call in the mother of all mawmaws. 

I kept the two little ones for 2 days. Here's a peek into our time. 

The weather did not cooperate. Rain and cold made for inside play. Took a trip to Bass Pro for a little entertainment. It was kinda like going to the zoo. Except some of the animals were stuffed. But there were live fish and live waddling quacking ducks and 1 hide and seek raccoon.  Of course we have to eat. Play time and nap time rounded out the Mawmaw daycare. 

                               

New Paragraph

Usually it's called a new chapter in your life.. But to me it's just a new paragraph. Just a continuation of life, but on a different topic.

This week marked some milestones for me.

#1  

My birthday. Not really that unusual except for the fact that I turned sixty. I didn't want to use the numbers 6 and 0. It looks better like "sixty" than "6-0". Or rather than calling myself a senior citizen or an older person or an elderly person. Sixty is the new forty. I consider myself blessed to see the age of sixty. All is well and I am dog gone proud to have made it this far with only a few scrapes and bruises.   So, Happy Birthday Week to me. I'm going to celebrate all week.

The festivities began with two BDay cards with money. Then a bouquet of flowers. And many calls and messages with BDay sentiments. Again, all is well.  

#2

My sixty wonderful years brings about milestone #2.  Retirement at sixty thanks to my husbands 42 years of work entitles me to his spousal  retirement benefits. He's been retired for 2 years and now I am joining the ranks of hanging around the house while the money goes in the bank. All is well and we are doggone blessed to be at this stage in our life.  Blah, Blah, Blah.  

Friday (the day after my birthday) was my official last day at work. Personally, deep down, I kinda sorta want a part-time 2 day a week job. Just something to keep me in the swing of things and get me out of the house for some me time with a little cash on the side. 

#3

While this isn't exactly a milestone, it looks like I'll have plenty of time for visiting family and friends, plenty of time for chores around the house without blaming a job taking all my time, plenty of time for sewing, plenty of time for outdoor sutff, and plenty of time to act my age. 

I have an agenda and I'm sticking to it. An agenda that includes doing everything from A-Z. Like washing the AUTOMOBILES to visiting the ZEBRAS at the zoo. See, everything from a-z. And I want to take it all in. It'll be like taking a fresh look on things instead of  being in a rushed, chaotic, busy, blur of a day. 

#4

So my new paragraph in my life starts today. It's not all about me. It's about all those who are a part of  all my sixty years, who without them I would not be who or what I am today. Thank you!

Gin