I had a pretty awesome week…busy, but awesome. Last Wednesday I was working on wrapping up a baby shower gift. It was all going great until I managed to fall asleep while I was sitting the chair. Did I mention I was in the process of sewing? I had the needle in my hand and everything. So I decided to skip on the Up Later post and go to bed at a decent hour.
Friday I had to work overtime to cover a shift, but I was lucky enough to get out and head over to Toucan Gallery. One of my favorite painters, Don Tiller was in town to teach a class. I wasn’t able to sign up for the class, but they did have an opening reception, and I was able to spend some time talking to him one-on-one. They also had copies of his book, so naturally I bought one and asked for an autograph. That was pretty much the highlight of my week.
Going to the opening reception and working late both managed to kill my sewing time Friday night. And I also spent a good chunk of Saturday making pasta with the little lady an my husband. But I somehow made up that time Saturday and Sunday and got the blanket finished in time for the party. I am thrilled with how it came out. Lots of long strips of fabric scraps all came together to create something really fun, and not traditionally baby. Best of all, half of the fabric was from my stash. I bought two fat quarters to add some brighter colors, and then I bought the flannel for the backing. That’s my favorite part of using materials from my stash — when I do have to buy materials, I can buy really good stuff without feeling like I spent too much.
To add a bit of personality to the front, I stitched on a little octopus. I free-handed it following a pattern in Doodle Stitching, pairing up white and orange so it would stand out. To keep it simple, I stitched the backing fabric on, leaving a 4″ border. Then I folded the edges over 1/2″, then to the seam. Overall, I am very happy with how it turned out. It will be the perfect size for tucking into a stroller or car seat without leaving a bunch of extra blanket dragging on the ground.
Technically, I do have another baby blanket to wrap up, but I am still going to start painting tomorrow. It’s about time I got back to making huge messes. Because life is all about making big messes. Have a great week everyone!
daydreamhouse 