Dr. Seuss in My Closet?
Posted by Nina on May 28, 2010
When I saw this quilt in my magazine a few years ago, I knew that I wanted to make it..
I didn’t however, want to make it as a gift quilt because it looks like a lot of work for one quilt! and I wasn’t too keen on the monsters idea. Some kids are so bothered by them that even the funny stories are out.. the same with aliens and such.. so if I was making this quilt for my kids (God willing…) then I wanted to make it fun. There are 15 little doors that open and button close on this quilt!
So, I started looking into animal prints.. anything that would look cute and unexpected behind the doors.. nothing seemed to jump out at me and scream “THIS IS THE ONE!!” until a couple of days ago when Moda added this fabric to their up coming line.
As a kid there was absolutely no author I loved more than Dr. Seuss. The bindings on my hard covered books were worn completely out, I had each and every book memorized, and I had just about every video he had ever published at that time. I loved him.
Most kids do, right? So I figured it would be the perfect fabrics to make the door quilt out of! No scary monsters, no scary aliens, no boy-ish looking quilt fabric that isn’t quite unisex enough… Dr. Seuss takes care of all of that for me! and it even will have a matching little pillow! This is quite possibly the most excited I have ever been about a sewing project in my entire life. Though I am not pregnant, I am hoping that this little quilt (or not so little, it will be around 54″ by 61″) will create that special reading bond between my children and myself.
And if by some chance I am gifted with children who hate Dr. Seuss (do those kids really exist?) then I will have myself an awesome reading blanket and pillow.. because this quilt, is what I would have given my tooth fairy allowance for as a kid! Now… how on earth am I going to wait until September to quilt it!? I truly have no choice, the fabric is not available until then.
P.S. Because I know someone is going to ask, the quilt pattern is from Fons & Porter’s Fun Quilts for Kids of All Ages Summer 2007 issue, it is the Monsters In My Closet pattern.
Vintage Sewing Finds!
Posted by Nina on Aug 27, 2009
Lookie what I found! I am a big collector of vintage and antique sewing patterns and these are just a couple of my recent additions! I love babies in little bubble rompers and you can’t find better patterns than the ones from the 1940’s-1950’s! Keep an eye out for some darling little baby clothes coming to my etsy store!!
Shhh… Quilts in Progress…
Posted by Nina on Aug 26, 2009
Things have been very progressive at my house lately. I’ve manage to start the full size quilt and even pulled off making a few quilt blocks. I am continuing to love the sweet (heh, get it?) colors of the fabrics and I can’t wait to be able to curl up under this cozy little quilt.
However, a little disappointed to say that I don’t think my sewing machine can handle the stippling of the top and I am going to have to send it off to the quilter for finishing. 
boo. I didn’t want to have to do that but my little project runway machine doesn’t have a very wide arm.. anything larger than a baby quilt and I would either have to do in pieces or on another machine.. but I think I have selected a good and quick professional service.
Remember the sweet little fabrics I bought to make a quilt for our friends new bundle? I’ve nearly finished the quilt top.. all that’s lacking is the outer border.. but I am now worried that its just not looking as good as I hoped.. I hope the white border will make all the difference and it will stop looking like jelly beans threw up all over it. It’s pretty but its a bit more busy than I had hoped it would be. Like it? Hate it?
Happy Moda Day!
Posted by Nina on Aug 20, 2009
There truly isn’t anything better than opening up your mailbox and finding a good stash of moda in it.. especially when most of the fabric is hard to find! When I saw this quilt on Camille’s blog I knew that I had to make one! The only problem was that she used Sweet! by Urban Chicks and I couldn’t find it at my usual quilt shop.. so I turned to my next favorite place.. etsy. I found everything I needed to make the quilt and I found a jellyroll of Oh! Cherry Oh! to boot! The charm pack is for upcoming baby quilts.. If you need to find me for anything.. check my sewing room!
decisions, decisions
Posted by Nina on Aug 11, 2009
Lots and lots of friends are pregnant this year! You know what that means, I need to make lots and lots of baby things! The couple I am quilting for now know the sex of the baby but are not telling anyone anything other than the baby’s room is blue. That doesn’t mean its a boy.. so I am looking at colors that will be unisex and compliment a blue nursery. I’m quite partial to blue myself.. just ask anyone who knows me.. and I love the color combination of aqua & pale green so any chance that I get to use them, I do!
I am fortunate, or unfortunate depending on how you look at it! lol, to have a husband who likes to be in on the decision making so tonight that is exactly what’s happening at my house.. we are going to pick the moda fabric for the new baby quilt and I am really loving the quilt patterns I bought from Camille and I am looking forward to making them again. I really love sea themes (especially for a boy!) so I am thinking to chose a sea theme with unisex prints and colors for the baby quilt and hope that they love it as much as I do. I also hope that I can stand to part with it! lol If not, look for part deux! 
Gift Baby Quilt Fabric
Posted by Nina on Jun 8, 2009
Friends of ours are expecting a new baby girl and this is the loot I bought at the fabric store to make up the new baby quilt 
The yellow butterfly fabric is what I have chosen for the backing but now I am thinking it might just be too busy… and I am thinking the pink butterfly fabric for the binding.
Baby Quilt
Posted by Nina on Jun 2, 2009
I’ve never bought a quilt kit before this little beauty but now I am sold! The part I hate most about sewing is cutting the fabric and the kits take all of that away! I bought this kit on etsy when I came across it searching for vintage baby fabrics and instantly fell in love. I have been saving it for some special sewing time.. over the memorial day holiday I tripped and sprained my ankle.. It just happened to be my peddle foot! Ugh! It’s finally getting better.. still a lovely shade of chartreuse but I can walk on it.. I figured it was time I got to sewing.. I finished the quilt top in just a couple of hours and now I am waiting for the batting to finish. This will be my first experience stippling a quilt.
Yellow Dot Minky Chenille & Satin Baby Blanket
Posted by Nina on Jun 8, 2008
Yellow Dot Minky Chenille & Satin Baby Blanket
Finished Size: aprox. 30" x 36"
Yellow Dot Minky Chenille & Yellow Satin Backing with Yellow Satin Ruffle Edge
Machine Wash & Dry
Yellow Thread Binding
Pink Baby Blanket
Posted by Nina on Jan 14, 2008
Most recently finished project! A baby gift for my friend Tonya. It’s adorable! I have just enough fabric left to make one more.. so I am going to make one up and tuck it away for the next special baby! My cousin Brandy also found out she is having a girl, but I am going to give her something a little different.. I’m going to wait and see what the nursery theme or colors are before making hers. I forgot to measure Tonya’s blanket before packing it up but its something like 36″ x 45″ or so.
I’ve been busy sewing all weekend!! I’ll have a post all about the other items I was working on in a few days.
long over do….
Posted by Nina on Jan 2, 2008
The holidays are over.. we’re preparing to take down our tree…. and it’s a fresh start of a new year. Some of us are planning weddings, some of us are anxiously anticipating a new birth, and some of us are trying to adjust to new lives… which ever category you fall into, Happy New Year! 2008 brings us lots of hope… lots of possibiities… and happy endings. So, what’s on my plate for 2008? Have a look!
I joined Goddess Knits winter mystery shawl (knit-a-long) and while the final (5th) clue was give just after Christmas/Yule, I have yet to complete the 4th. I spend most of my time ripping back and readjusting stitches… to make matters worse, I am not entirely in love with the complete design. I was hoping for a more lacy shawl but this has quite a bit of stockinette stitch. Don’t get me wrong, its a beautiful shawl, it’s just not one I would knit again… but I have high hopes for the February shawl knit along. I have also picked out yarn for the Spring Shawl Surprise (Surprice) knit-a-long. The first clue was given on New Year’s day but I still haven’t even swatched for it yet!
I’ve recently discovered my love for bento boxes and have vowed to use them for my daily lunches and occasionally dinner. The portion sizes are ideal and they are a really cute way to dress up a boring lunch. I have quite a collection of bento boxes and items…. if you know me really well, you know that my love for asian things doesn’t just end with the boxes… it carries on to furniture, culture, food, and yes, even dolls.
Meet Blythe. In 1972, Hasbro introduced a big-headed doll with eyes that changed color with the pull of a string. They scared most kids. They were only manufactured for a year, and then countless unsold dolls spent decades in discount shops gathering dust. A few girls kept theirs, not caring that the rest of the world found their dolly a little freaky. In the late 1990s, Gina Garan discovered Blythe for cheap on eBay, started dressing her up and photographing her and blammo — a modern glamour girl was discovered. Gina is now Blythe’s official photographer. The best thing about Blythe is she is fully customizible. You can change out her eye chips, her hair, her clothes, and even her body! She comes with many different hair color choices and you can wig her if you don’t want to take your doll a part. The one posted above is the one I have… I haven’t worked up the courage to take her a part yet… but I am slowly getting there Take a look at some customized Blythes. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
And last but not least…. Sewing… I was able to finish the star baby quilt I was working on.. and I even made a little blanket to send off to my friend Katie who just had her little boy. I am working on a pink version like it for my friend Tonya who just had her little girl. Bella celebrated her 3rd birthday on Christmas Eve, with vanilla vegan cupcakes with peanutbutter frosting.
2008 promises to be a good year to us… we’re buying a house this year… and hopefully we will find our new life, much happier and more fufilling than our previous……. which wasn’t so bad So, from my family to yours… Happy New Year!!
