The best cure for the blahs? Play. Let yourself go. Forget your lists, and your commitments and just play. It is amazing what inspiration and creativity flow from just allowing yourself to have fun!
And on that note. The Scrappy Trip Along quilt top. Tada!!!
I’m so happy with what happened when I emptied my scrap box and just let it go. I should really let myself play more often.
I have been a fan of football for as long as I can remember. I blame my father. Every Saturday afternoon we would flip on our TV in the living room and we would cheer for whatever Big 10 team was playing back when it was still the Big 10. It was those moments that started my life long fandom.
These days I catch far fewer college games but we catch as many NFL games as we can. At the beginning of the season my dad asked me who I wanted to see in the Superbowl. And I said that my ultimate Superbowl would be Baltimore and San Francisco. And last night it happened. And it was a great game. And I’m very pleased with the outcome of course.
Miss P even got in on the action.
And I have to admit, I absolutely loved seeing her in that sweatshirt because all three of my kids have worn it to cheer on the Ravens. It is one of those strange moments when everything comes full circle and you have a sentimental mom moment when you remember your oldest, then your middle and you are sitting there staring at your youngest thinking how did this happen. Can any moms relate?
But now football is over. Which means Sunday afternoons are open for a new adventure. Sewing maybe? Only time will tell 
UFO. Somehow it still makes me think of little green men and covert government conspiracies. But of course in the context means unfinished objects. Somehow those silly little things reproduce like rabbits around here. Last night I pulled out the first project I ever pieced and never quite got around to finishing. In fact, I even gave away several blocks a few years back so it will remain as an unfinished reminder of my progress over the past four years.
Then of course there is Seuss. Ah Seuss. I meant to finish it by the end of August and give it to my four year old as a birthday gift. Well it is January so I guess a Christmas gift is out of the question too (at least for 2012…2013 still looking plausible). But miracle of miracles I pulled out my progress and I actually finished one side of the sashing, so maybe just maybe I will be able to finish it before too long. Super S (my four year old boy) told me that he and his younger brother I man cannot wait for me to finish it so they can snuggle up underneath it. And even with all that motivation it plagues me.
Mostly because I’m not following a set pattern at this point. So I’m trying to precisely calculate measurements and that always makes my head hurt and my motivation go out the window. But three more sides to go and the top is finished. So I will continue to plug away.
Which brings me to the Scrappy Trip Along. After playing quilts for an afternoon I found the arrangement that I liked. And then my kids decided to rearrange them for me and I haven’t gotten around to trying to figure it all out again. But here was my finished arrangement.
So hopefully I will be able to piece that together and move it on along. Happy Wednesday! I’m linking up with WIP Wednesday because well it is fun
Maybe someone can relate to this but recently I feel like I am sewing on stolen time. There is something about motherhood that seems to suck up time to the point that I could live two days and still not get everything I want to accomplished with them. You have basic needs and then you have all those secondary needs that are as important as the basic ones. Then trying to stay creative and inspiring them to listen to the Lord. Exhausting!!! So the moments I do steal away kind of feel forbidden but oh so luxurious at the same time.
I’m still working on the Scrappy Trip Along. Looking at other people’s work I am in awe but this quilt has already taught me so much. I’m in the final stretch so it is a matter of just pushing through to the end (while meeting little people’s needs of course).
I’m working my way through the last few blocks. In the back of mind mind I’m also contemplating how to quilt this bad boy too. Some type of grid seems the most obvious choice in my head but then I’m thinking that I might want a little more texture. I’m torn. Oh so torn.
So here is one of my favorite blocks of late just to give this post a bit of visual interest 
As of three p.m. three more blocks and then my blocks are finished and I can sew my top together!
And Linking Up with WIP Wednesday
It is 2013. Hard to believe it. Last year was actually the most peaceful of my married life. What a wonderful gift to have everyone here at home learning and growing. For a moment I had some trepidation about the new year just because the old one was so lovely. But that melted away quickly because I know that the best is yet to come. And there is always something so enticing about the next bend in the road isn’t there?
Today I started pre-kindergarten with Super S (four year old). He is such a sponge of learning I figured we would make school time official everyday instead of the haphazard learning he has been doing so far. He loves it. And he is doing a wonderful job so far. I man sneaks in for some lessons too so it is fun to see them learning together.
It is a fun challenge for me. I’m slowly becoming more organized and setting more learning goals. It is fun because I feel like there isn’t any pressure and we can kind of learn as the wind blows us. Too soon state standards will be breathing down our necks and curriculum will need attention. This unpressed learning is fun!
On a crafty front. I have gotten sucked into the scrappy trip along. Instagram makes for crafty addictions sometimes. Here is a link if you would be interested in more information. The great thing about this quilt is that it is great practice for a novice quilter like myself and it is busting my scrap pile. Win win.
Here is my first block. I’m quite pleased with how much I am learning with this quilt. The boys were quite trying today so this is all I have accomplished so far. But I do have all of the strips cut out.
Happy New Year!
I have mixed feelings on the topics of toddlers and crafts. It is awesome for them to be able to explore, create and gain confidence. On the other hand there are times that just the day in day out of mothering seems so overwhelming that even adding one more thing feels like it could push me over the edge. Sometimes I push through and when I do I’m always happy that we spent the time to create.
So I share our latest project. It is by far the messiest project to date. It included, glass, glue, glitter and paint. But I have to say they did a great job despite my disorganization. I am quite proud of them.
I won’t bore you with a tutorial. But it was fun to use different sizes of glitter for different ornaments. The kids really enjoyed the different effects it created. They also enjoyed mixing the different glitters and it worked out.
Only one casualty from our resident super sneak I man who just got one without my knowledge and smashed it all over the floor of his bedroom. Yay glitter bomb!
These are gifts so I don’t want to ruin the surprise but I will give a preview.
Happy holiday crafting everyone!!
Wow it is my 100th post! How exciting! And how fitting it is that I am coming on to write about none other than the indomitable Miss P.
Today I had quite a scare. Miss P was finishing breakfast in her highchair and I was doing the mommy meal dance. You all know the one. It involves blowing on food that is too hot, getting up to refill drinks and thousand times, and then of course fetching any number of random requests your toddlers make while trying to shovel a few bites of food into your mouth before the kids are done and running around the kitchen. Just me?
Ooops I got a bit off topic there for a moment. Anyway I looked up from my frantic dance and Piper was sitting on top of the table. She had stood up in her highchair that was pushed up to the table, and some how crawled to the top of the table and was sitting there calm and smiling. She is such a goof!!!
When she caught my eye she started babbling, with not a care in the world. What a blessed mommy I am!
Well the truth is she is a tiny thing. She just is. She eats all day long and she is still tiny.
Her newest accomplishments include pulling up on things and she is just starting to try to cruise if she is feeling particularly brave.
She is also becoming a lot more independent, while she still enjoys her snuggle time, she needs her moments of independent play time too. She loves her doll and her Tater Tot blanket the most but her brothers cars and trucks will do in a pinch as well.
She has two teeth but she eats practically everything, from meat to vegetables nothing is safe. And she is highly offended if offered purees. She has also learned how to use a sippy straw so that has been a fun new experience for her as well.
She says mama, dada, hi, lots of babbling and screaming and a word that I cannot figure out yet.
But the cutest thing that she does is her own wave. She does a kind of salute wave that is beyond adorable. I don’t know why but she breaks into the biggest smile and waves and it is beyond adorable.
That is the world of Miss P right now. Ever onward and upward. We are so blessed and thankful for this gift we have been given.
Sorta Summit
Raglan Sleeve Tutorial
Step One Drafting the Pattern
Materials
Ruler
Freezer Paper
Pencil
Eraser
Shirt of a similar size to the one you want to make
Turn your shirt inside out. I am using a onesie for this tutorial but I’m going to make a shirt. You are basically using the shirt as a guide to get the sizing right.
The beauty of constructing a raglan out of a knit is that you can use straight lines for the majority of the pattern. Straight lines make me happy when I’m constructing garments.
With the shirt turned inside out, fold the shirt in half. Then trace around the neck, body and bottom of the shirt using a pencil. I like to add a good inch or more to the bottom of the shirt because you can always hem it but it is much harder to add more to the bottom. But that is one of those things that is up to you.
Next I take my ruler and make all of the lines nice and straight and tidy, except for the neck that is curved.
Here is where it can get a bit confusing. I like to take a bit of length off of the neckline I find this makes the neck and the sleeves look more streamline. So measure about a half inch from the outer edge of your neckline for infants or an inch for toddlers. And of course maybe a little more as you size up. This is where it takes a bit of experimentation to make the fit perfect for your child. Make a mark at the half inch/inch point of the neckline. And draw a straight line from the arm pit to that point on your neckline.
Now I am making a long sleeve but if you were making a short sleeve you would want to add some length to the bottom part of the sleeve or the under arm becomes awkward. In picture the dashed line follows the contour of the onesie sleeve and the solid line closest to the dashed line represents where I would place the cut line if I wanted a short sleeve. It is approximately an inch from the dashed line.
Finally Cut the body out and the sleeve out. You have your basic pattern. Mark the fold lines which are pictured on my pattern. Also place your stretch arrows to guide you in ensuring that the stretch goes the proper way when you are cutting your knits.
Step Two Cutting Out The Fabrics
Materials
1 yard of a knit fabric (less if you are making the shirt for an infant)
1/4 yard of trim fabric ribbing (I prefer cotton/lycra or cotton/spandex or interlock for neckline and
trim. I find Ribbing or interlock are the best choices as jerseys do not have enough stretch, and 100% cotton ribbed knits tend to lose shape and sag after wear.)
1 t-shirt in a similar size to the shirt you would like to create to use as a template
100% polyester thread of high quality I like Gutterman That matches your fabric and trim.
quilting ruler
freezer paper to use to create your pattern
pins, scissors
Take out your main knit fabric not the trim. Fold it with the stretch going across your pattern from arm to arm. Place the pattern on the fold using the fold line and stretch arrows to ensure that you are cutting the fabric the proper way.
Now it is time to measure the trim. I take a piece of yarn or thread and I use it to measure the neckline of one of the body pieces. Take that number and multiply it by two. Then subtract 2 and that is the size I like to use for my trim. You want the stretch to go the long way not the short.
Cut
Two Body Pieces
Two Sleeves
One piece of neck trim
Step Three: Sew It Together
Start by hemming the bottom of the shirt and the sleeves. You can do this at the end but I think it is trickier especially when you are constructing baby garments. I like to use heavy duty spray starch and fold up a approximately a quarter of an inch and then another half an inch and hem (honestly I eyeball it). Do this for the bottom of the shirt and the sleeves. I chose to make two seams to add a little visual interest but that is completely up to you.
Here is a picture where you can see the double seam better. 
Now pin the sleeves to the body right sides together and sew the sleeves to the body. I tried to write out this step using words but I think the best explanation is the pictures.
Next sew your seams open. Now if my serger was functional. I would use it to finish the seams here. But the interlock will not unravel so really serging is for looks in this situation. I have also been known to line my tshirts but that is another tutorial. You can also topstitch on either side of the seam to add some interest. I didn’t for this shirt but it does look nice.
Then sew the sleeve closed and the sides of the shirt closed all in one shot. Once again reference the picture just follow the pins making sure to backstitch once at the beginning and end of your seam to secure it (take note of the nicely pressed seams).
Time to attach the neck. First sew your neck band into a band. Then fold the band in half. You want to divide the band into four equal parts and mark each section with a pin. Next divide the neck on the shirt into four equal parts. Now pin the band to the neck in those four places. Then divide each of the sections again until your neckband is well pinned. This will ensure that your neckband will be evenly stretched. Carefully sew into place. That was a lot of words. Once again. The pictures help.
Then fold the band in half. You want to divide the band into four equal parts and mark each section with a pin.
Next divide the neck on the shirt into four equal parts.
Now pin the band to the neck in those four places.
Then divide each of the sections again until your neckband is well pinned. This will ensure that your neckband will be evenly stretched.
Carefully sew into place.
Now topstitch the neckline.
Voila!! You have an adorable raglan shirt! Trim all those pesky threads put it on your child and enjoy!!
Things have been a little crazy here. My ISP has been a bit squirrely so I give you a photo taken this morning.
I hope you voted today. Things seemed so somber at the polls when compared to just four years ago. I can’t remember a more partisan race. It will be interesting to see how things pan out.
In the world of Miss P. We are trying to get her to gain weight. It is my constant goal. She is such a tiny thing. But she is now on the move constantly and starting to pull up on whatever she can. It is so completely adorable!! She is the best!