Show Off

The last few months around here have been a bit crazy to say the least. In addition to getting ready for baby (whom we are still waiting for), in the last 2 1/2 months we have:

• Finished a Master's Degree. Ok, Jeff did most of the work (his degree, not mine), but still...after 8 years, it's nice to be done!
• Put Granite in our kitchen and 2 bathrooms.
• Did a tile backsplash in the kitchen.
• Refinished the banister...a beastly job that took way longer than it should have.
  
• Put in New Carpet (which felt an awful lot like moving).
• Researched and put an offer on a lot in San Diego (and still researching it!).
• Continued daily homeschooling, piano lessons, and life in general.

But, I'm writing this post to SHOW OFF some of my nesting list items!!

I was very excited to make the Chenille Blanket. At a rare trip to Fancy Tiger in Denver, I fell in love with the Amy Butler Soule Blossoms Home Dec Fabric and chose this piece. I know, I know, it's for a baby girl, but my favorite color is blue!


The hardest part was sewing the endless lines....ugh. But soon it was done. The Olfa Chenille Cutter is a MUST for this project though.


I'm not sure I absolutely love how the colors I chose for the back flannel look. If I had to do it over again, I think I would have done a more monochromatic scheme, or at least colors next to each other on the color wheel rather than the contrasting pink/green/blue. But, I'm sure it will be loved and I will love it more and more with each wash!


The Diaper pail liners are probably the most boring of the projects, but for those of us who love cloth diapering know that this can be fun too. I made some before out of flannel, but decided to make two more with some PUL fabric. Awesome fabric, but kind of a pain to sew with. I got the fabric at the super-great Denver Fabrics (JoAnn started selling PUL, but it's all thin and weird-feeling, ew).


My newborn cloth diapers just arrived the other day (yippee!) so after I go through those 2 packages of disposables, I should be up on my feet enough to go back to cloth.


The Flannel Tie Blanket is one of those baby basics for me. My awesome aunt taught me how to make them when I was pregnant with Sarah, and I've made one for each of my babies (though some didn't get theirs until after they arrived). I saw this flannel at Denver Fabrics and I thought it was so cute...pink and brown, how could it go wrong!



This blanket is SO easy...For a crib-size, it takes 1 2/3 yards of fabric for the front, back and batting (I used 6 oz polyester batting to make it a little more fluffy). Pre-wash the flannel and then lay the fabrics right sides together, smooth and trim fabric so both pieces are exactly the same size. Lay batting on top of fabrics, trim to fabric size, and pin. Sew all 3 layers together (with batting on the bottom) leaving a 10" opening on one of the ends. Turn inside out and slip-stitch opening closed (sorry, a little hand sewing). Tie blanket with yarn making sure edges are straight...ta da! Soft and cozy for baby.


The blessing day bonnet was really fun to make. It came together really quickly and was a very fun project. I can't wait to try it on the little one, though it may be a little big for awhile, since I made it in 3-6 month size.


And...if you've made it this far hopefully you will be rewarded with this last project...my favorite. I saw this pattern awhile back and bought it (which is something I rarely do since there are so many awesome "freebies" out there). I like it because it is both classic and modern all in one quilt! The pattern has been sitting, but I decided it was the one to use for the baby quilt. I've done the nursery in Amy Butler's Midwest Modern pink and orange fabrics as well as her Okra quilter's solid (the exact match) and had a bit left over. (Nursery post will come soon, when it gets put together).


The front just looks so neat and I added a bit of a "scrappy" back using the 6 fabrics I used in her nursery decor.



I just love this quilt. It has it's mistakes--like a big pucker in the back and a few tension problems--but I kept telling myself that it will look OK when washed, trying to put my perfectionist self to rest (which it does look better). I bound it in this fun fabric, which makes it look almost stripey in places (I love stripey binding!). It was unintended but I love the result.


So, that's what is done of the Nesting List thus far. I'm hoping this baby isn't waiting for me to get all the items done before she gets here, though it has been fun to take afternoons off for projects the last few weeks thinking that she will come "any day."

Come soon little one, mama is ready.