BBJ's Quilt

We're making progress, y'all! I really hope to get the top of this quilt pieced together this week. I've had the little 9-patch blocks done forever, but I froze after that.
I decided on an unbleached cotton for the sashing, and I'm really excited about how this is coming out.

The original pattern made a lap-sized quilt. I'm stretching it a good two feet longer to make it into a twin-sized quilt for BBJ's bed. Instead of 9 9-patch blocks, I added an extra row to make 12. I've also added an extra inch to the horizontal sashing, plus an extra inch to the external vertical sashing. (I promise that will all make sense when you see the finished quilt!)

The fabric for the blocks are all vintage bed linens. The sashing is unbleached cotton, from IKEA.

I'm just loving how this is turning out!!

A New Pair of Trousers

During the week, I came across a tutorial over at KoJo Designs to make pants for your little one. (If you've never seen their site, by the way...GO. Gorgeous ideas for parties and weddings. So inspiring!) Hers, of course, were hip and eco friendly and awesome - she made a little pair of yoga pants for her dude out of one of her husband's old t-shirts.
Like I said - Awesome.

Here, the weather has turned chilly - we have a high of 56 one day this week. I needed something a bit more substantial than a t-shirt!

I dug through my stash and came up with a cheap fleece blanket I picked up at Goodwill last Spring. I had intended to cut it into strips to use as filling in my fleece baby blocks. Since I hadn't needed it up to this point, I figured the blanket wouldn't mind being a pair of pants before it became stuffing in a block!

I think the trousers came out rather cute! I used a pair of his sweatpants as a pattern.

The drawstring is three long narrow strips of fleece, braided together. (So, so clever!!)

The pants fit great, and kept my little dude warm.

Please ignore the bits of food on the floor. He's playing underneath the kitchen table right after lunch. How can I tell it's right after lunch? The ants hadn't finished carrying away the leftovers yet. Those little dudes are industrious! And fast. Very, very fast. No wonder the grasshopper wanted to free-load off of them!

Unfortunately, my fabric choice could have been a bit better. Crawling babies are rough on the knees of their pants. I'm seeing the wisdom of sweatpants material! (What is that stuff called?) By that evening, the pants were already pilling up. Oh well! They're fabulous around-the-house lounge pants. I'm thinking of making up a pair for me, next!

Pigpen

Do you remember watching Peanuts when you were a kid? The old Snoopy cartoons?

There's a kid on the show called Pigpen. He's a nice enough kid, but people kind of avoid him, or compensate, because he has this CLOUD of dust that follows him. Everywhere.

Why do I bring it up?

Oh, no reason.

(See those size three jeans over on the side there? They're a part of my CLOUD.)

Crafting has been to a minimum lately. With these two tailing my every move, and the smaller one taking two 30 minute naps during the day...pulling out the scissors and thread is a risky proposition, at best!

At night, once they're all down...I'd really rather just lay on the couch with Lo Gung and watch So You Think You Can Dance or Project Runway!

The other day, though, I snapped. I had to create something, or I'd go nuts. I had to make something that they wouldn't eat, lick, destroy or throw on the floor.

So I sat down and made a birthday banner for the lass, and a new pair of trousers for the wee lad.

Aaah. Much better.

Now. Where were we?

Thing 1 and Thing 2

Two of my son's friends turned 1 a few weeks ago, and he was invited to their birthday party! The boys are twins, and adorable. Since this was Siu Jeun's first birthday party to attend, I wanted to make sure he had a present he would be happy to give them.

Aprons, of course!

I made up matching aprons, in different colors, and appliqued the boys' first initials on the front in white fleece. The aprons are re-purposed (upcycled? What's the cool term now?) pillow cases.

The aprons were a snap to make. Getting Siu Jeun to model them?

Not so much.
(Hold him down, BBJ! Don't let him get away!)

BBJ and I took care to make some little cards for the boys.
(The aprons are a new style for me - the pocket is folded up, instead of appliqued on. I'm not sure which style I like better yet.)

Hats!

A while back, during a massive blog hopping event, I won some free patterns from You Can Make This. When I took off for two weeks with my family at a gorgeous lakeside home, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try out one of the patterns!

I made a patchwork bucket hat...minus the patchwork. I was on a deadline, and had to make four hats. Two of the hats had to be altered to have chin straps so that teenies couldn't tear them off.

I got measurements from my sister, and set about making hat for all of the Smalls - three girl hats, and one for my little man.

Unfortunately, something was off in the measurements so that the smallest hat (Siu Jeun's) and the biggest hat (Ernie, my niece) weren't even close to fitting. Siu Jeun's could be crammed onto his head when I took this shot, but by the time we got to our reunion, the hat was way too small. Ernie's was the same way.

Oh, and the other baby figured out how to pull hers off, even with the chin strap tied.

Oh well - at least they're cute!