An update: Real Life

Real life for me (and probably you too!) means....

Family first! I am lucky to be a full-time mom to these two wild little boys. Pretty consuming, but I wouldn't change it for anything!

So after my family, home, and church commitments are tended too, I am still squeezing in a bit of creative time. Yep, I still manage to sew and give because it helps me find balance in life.

But with all that happens at home, not much is happening here on the blog.  :)

So, to follow along, find me on instagram: givinghandmade.

Happy crafting!

In Love

My greatest project....

Baby Andrew! 

Excuse me while I take a break to love on this little man. :)

Modern Chain Baby Quilt

It's been quite around here lately.....probably because we're busy prepping for baby #2! Any day now!

What I love about sewing and crafting is that it's there when I need it - a creative outlet that helps me feel well rounded - but nothing mandatory. For me, that's what works and makes me happy!

I have spent some time in the craft room lately. I can't stay away for long...

This Modern Chain baby quilt is almost complete. I purchased the pattern several months ago, interested to figure out how something with so many pieces could be pieced quickly. And I'm happy to say, yep, it was quick!

I probably spent more time digging through my scraps, choosing the fabrics, then actually piecing the quilt top. But I realized I loved this process! I think this is  my first quilt top made entirely from scraps. I'll have to do it again! 

After the quilt top was finished, it sat for weeks because I couldn't decide how it should be quilted. I'm such a novice when it comes to free motion quilting. I wanted to try something new, but was hesitant because this quilt has large open background spaces - my less than perfect quilting would be easily seen in those areas.

I decided to try some loose swirls. Since I knew this could get out of hand easily, I marked circles in an offset grid to keep me on track, not only with spacing, but approximate size of each swirl. Glad I did; this was really helpful.

I think it turned out ok for a first try. I'll have to do this again!

Almost done!

Sewing for Baby Boy: Simple Patchwork Quilt

We are counting down (about 7 weeks left, maybe less!) and it's about time I get something ready for this baby boy!

It's funny how excited I get to make a baby quilt for a friend or family member; I always have lots of ideas. But when it came to our own baby - I was drawing a blank. I thought about it for a long time and kept putting if off. All I knew was that I wanted something really simple.

Eventually, I chose the backing fabric. I really like this Michael Miller print, part of the Les Monsieurs collection. I like the grey drawings on the white background, and these little airplanes, cars, and rocket ships are pretty cute. The lime green and range of blues appealed to me too.

So, pulling colors from this print, I gathered several fabrics from my stash and ordered a few more - .....

I opted for a simple patchwork quilt with squares that finish at 4", starting as 4.5" strips to make the most of each 1/4 yard cut.

The quilting is simple, just straight lines about 3/8" on either side of each seam.

I opted for a striped binding, another Michael Miller print.

The quilt is done! Lots more to do...

Sewing for Little Girls

Happy New Year! Hope your holidays were relaxing! Ours were for sure - it was nice to slow down and spend time at home with our little family.
I didn't get into the sewing room much, but I did sneak in one project...

Yes, my craving to sew for a little girl returned! :) A few weeks ago I saw this fabric and instantly thought of my four-year-old niece. Isn't it so sweet? It's part of the Table for Two line by Moda.

So, I turned to the Hopscotch Dress, another Peek-a-Boo Pattern, because I knew it was manageable for me and a pretty quick project. (Here's my first Hopscotch Top.) I also really like the simplicity of this pattern.

Simple and sweet! I hope she loves it!

Now on to spring cleaning, my after-Christmas tradition. Not so sweet, but after that....it's time to sew for this baby! Third trimester, here we are!

Christmas Pajamas!

My little man's Christmas pajamas are finished and I have to say - what a fun sew! This may turn into a tradition; we'll see! (At least for now he loves them....as he grows he may not always appreciate handmade. For now, I'll enjoy it!)

He received them early, just in time for his class Polar Express party. And really, he picked out the snowmen fabric and wouldn't let me forget I had a project in the works, so these were no surprise! 

However, I read somewhere of a family who opens their Christmas pajamas on Thanksgiving night. Great idea, right? Then they can wear them the whole Christmas season!

I went with the Peek-A-Boo pattern, Sweet Dreams Button Up Pj Set. I liked the range of sizes included in the pattern (3 months - 12 years) plus I have used these patterns before and had good luck with them. That's saying a lot because I am a novice when it comes to sewing clothes! To me, putting together a quilt is much more simple. :)

These came together without any problems - pleasantly surprising! I wouldn't label this project as quick, however. The piping really slowed me down, but I love the detail. I bet a set of pjs without the piping would be a much faster project. 

As I mentioned before, my son was in love with these little snowmen. It's a quilting weight cotton from Joann's, which faded a bit. Bummer. It turned out fine, but a flannel would be much more cozy. Maybe next time!

The fit was perfect, and I didn't even go to the effort of measuring my little man or another pair of pajamas. I just went with the size I would have purchased. 

He loves them and it was fun for me!

Merry Christmas!

Quick Charity Quilts

A couple of years ago I picked up a few prints from the flat fold table at my local quilt shop for a really low price, knowing they would make great charity quilts.

Earlier this year I put together the pink quilt so I could practice quilting in loops...

And then when my husband bought a {new to me} sewing machine for my birthday in September, I put together this boy's quilt so I could get a feel for the Bernina walking foot. And that guide bar? Awesome! Makes grid quilting a breeze!

When I heard our church group was participating in a community charity event this weekend, I knew these quilts would be perfect! So I quickly finished the binding and they are ready to go.

They each measure 44" x 60" and though they are not fancy, these simple whole cloth quilts are warm!