Apron Swap - My Creation

... and I literally mean my "creation" because it was my first attempt at an apron, or anything like it, and I did it without a pattern.

I don't sew much lately, but had the fabric from two Christmases ago when my MIL, SIL's and I collected our handpicked fabric for our holiday craft project. I never got around to making it for myself, so the fabric was lonely and begged for some attention. I felt guilty waiting such a long time to make it for myself (I would think of how long it took everytime I saw it) so it made sense that I'd make it for someone else instead. Why am I saying "so" so much? Sheesh. Anywho, I LOVED the pieces I picked out and, apparently, my swapping buddy did too...

"your apron buddy loves her new apron and hasn't taken it off for two days. She almost wore it to bed the first day!! You are adorable."

Here's the apron my swapping buddy sent.

Here's the Apron Swap coordinator's blog.

Here's a link for the current swap (sign up April 28 - May 5 and mail apron by June 9, 2008).

Apron Swap

Don't you just LOVE getting an unexpected package on your doorstep? Isn't it even BETTER when the contents exceed your expectations?!

Abby at A Feathered Nest coordinated an Apron Swap for anyone who wanted to join. Having been busy with moving, my sewing machine is sadly neglected. There's just something about running fabric under the sewing foot in a steady rhythm that I miss. So I signed up with an idea of what I'd sew and got mine from Kimberlys French Bee Collection in the mail today (she also has an Etsy store). I almost didn't open it because I haven't sent mine yet (for the record, I wrote my buddy a letter letting her know it's coming soon), but excitement took over and I couldn't resist. Sew cute!!!

Thanks, Abby, for coordinating this fun swap :0)

And THANK YOU Kim for the darling apron!!!

Lookie what I got...

I'm SEW excited about the apron I'm making (hope my buddy likes it)!

Gordon B. Pumpkin

Just got this in my email and there isn't any recognition of who made it. CUTE!

Gordon B. Pumpkin

Quilts - at the end

These have been done in the last year. There is one missing because I don't have a picture of it yet - it's a blue/white pinwheel for my nephew (2nd to make me an Aunt).


Actually I think this was made over a year ago because I just saw the little guy who has this blankie and I think he's almost 2. Eek! Fun monkey fabric.


I about killed myself over this one. My FIRST full-size-adult blankie. Baby blankets are quite manageable because they're smallish. THIS one, phew. I decided to make a blankie for a friend that is so kind to everyone. Don't think he gets as much as he gives. I joked with him once that I'd trade him a professional framed photograph of his brothers work (he's locally famous for his photos) for a blankie. I meant the blankie I was already planning to make for their last baby but he tried to make it seem like it would really be for him. So, with his wifes permission, I set ahead to make him his own. I thought it'd just be 2 pieces of fabric, sewn right sides together, turned right sides out and stitched around the edge - maybe tacking it down here and there so it didn't lay funny. But I couldn't find the fabric I had pictured in my mind because they only made that kind 45" wide and not 60". Then I went off the deep end and picked this Bullseye pattern because it's a masculine design and he's very meticulous so it fit. I busted this blanket out in about a week and gave it to him on his wifes birthday (SHE insisted I take it to him that day instead of waiting until Christmas). The whole family loves it and that makes me happy.


I dabble in purses. These were my first 2 and I've made a couple since. I might make some wallets similar because I cannot find the perfect wallet to hold all my frequent-purchase cards (like the buy 10 get one free at Bajio and stuff).

Quilts - in the middle

Then I got a little better with time and practice...


This was my first attempt at the triangle edges. Jeannine showed me how.


This was for my niece and the first time I used higher quality fabric from actual quilting shops (Stitching Corner in Orem - LOVE them). I emailed my SIL links to fabrics and she picked out what she wanted. She was the first baby to make me an Aunt!


The story about Kira and Olivia (both adopted and born 7 days apart) was so precious that I had to make them special blankies. They're babies adopted by my friends friends. Made with a lot of love.


This is Olivia's blankie - different from her sisters.


Threw together this yellow & red (bad pictures, I know) blankie for my daughter.

Quilts - from the beginning

Per Compulsive Writers request (well, insistance), I'm going to post the quilts I've made that I actually have pictures of. In the beginning of my quilt making days, I started out small and simple. My MIL taught me to sew as an adult (my own mom attempted to teach me but as a young girl I had NO attention span for it) in 2001.


My son's blankie was the first quilt ever. Notice how the backside, that's supposed to be 1 whole piece, has a border on it? Well, measuring isn't my strong suit and I made the top too big to fit the back and had to jimmy-rig the back to fit. That was an ordeal --- being my first quilt and all.


The second was made from some squares I bought on eBay (that's the middle) then the checkered lavender fabric was vintage that I also got on eBay. That was my first time stippling (quilting by hand with the machine in a puzzle-shape pattern but using no pattern, just eyeballed it).


My first attempt at Yellow Brick Road (although not my last). I made a handful of these because I didn't realize all the fabric would make so many. So there are a few with these same fabrics floating around out there. Maybe about 3 or 4 more.


This is little Jenna on her blankie. She's bonded with it and still? sleeps with it (she's 5ish). Well, the last time I talked with her mom she told me about how she couldn't go to sleep without it. That makes me feel mushy inside. LOVE it.




Diane's quilt was made out of much love for "Other Mother" so her grandkids would have a blankie they'd use when visiting Nana and Papa's house. Her favorite color is blue and I used vintage replicated fabrics.