Monkeying on the Square

Just finished this baby quilt for my son, Riot. He's two months old and has had a monkey theme going since being born. Most of his clothing has had a monkey or two on it, and we call him monkey sometimes. My Aunts also made him an adorable quilt with a Curious George theme not knowing about the monkey theme. I had bought this material a week or two ago from Joann's and had the top done within a short amount of time. I wanted to have a small rag top texture like I did for Ava's blue quilt and within the next few washes I'm sure it will turn out very cute. I'm pretty happy with this blanket, my squares actually lined up and were almost all the same size. That's a big deal for me. I have one blanket left to make for my daughter Nova and then will have made all the kids a blanket with a square theme. Looking forward to picking out her fabric:)

Had to share a picture of my gorgeous boy!

Sew cute!

I spent most of the morning yesterday working on this project. April had kindly given me the car seat Jakob had used and while it was in nice condition I had planned to sew a new cover for it eventually. A few days ago I found this adorable Dinosaur material at Joann's on sale and I loved it. Of course it took me a few days to get the time to sew it and yesterday I made the time. I love it and think I did a pretty decent job for doing it on the fly and in between taking care of Riot and Nova. I did mess up here and there and accidently cut of the elastic that hold the bottom down but for the most part it turned out ok. Also I didn't have a neck rest so I made a matching one out of a baby toy I had that the kids never liked. Very happy with the end results. Now to finish his blanket:)

Ahh you got to love it!

I had to share this picture my friend sent to me of her sweet little boy. The blanket he is wrapped up in is one I made him this past summer. He is the sweetest boy and knowing he is sleeping in something I made for him makes me very happy! It's nice to see someone enjoy any gift but especially one that you made for them. So sweet!

Sneak peek at the first blanket I'm making for my son.

Riot was born July 14, 2010 and sadly I did not have a blanket for him to come home too. Not that I didn't want to have one ready I just ran out of time to do it all in. I finally decided on the material this past weekend and took the time to cut it on Sunday. I'm excited to make the it and am keeping the pattern simple as to have time to finish it before Sept. 11. That is the goal at least. I call him my little monkey so I think the fabric is appropriate. He is so cute and monkey like. I'm loving having a son, (at least having one as sweet as he) He's a keeper!

A sweet blanket for a sweet boy.

I finally finished this small baby blanket for my friend Laurie's son, Alexander. He is a sweet boy who has the greatest baby laugh. I started to work on it in March, before he was born in April, but my machine started to act up. Then we moved and next thing I know it's July and I still hadn't finished it. Thankfully it matches she bedroom set. It's a little crooked like all my quilts are but made with love. Who can go wrong with Classic Winnie the Pooh? Also the picture is not great but it will have to do. Now on to all the squares I'm doing for a family square swap!

A crooked quilt of blue

I saw this pattern earlier this year on Amanda Jeans blog "Crazy Mom Quilts" and I loved the simplicity
of sewing squares upon squares and frayed edges. I found this brown and blue coordinating material at
Hobby Lobby and immediately knew it would be perfect for Ava. Sewing the top was very easy and fun
but the quilting was more of a challenge. Not because it was mentally hard but it meant a lot of pivoting
under the machine. It took a lot longer to do but well worth the wait. This picture is not great, you can't
see the cuteness of the frayed edges and the crumpled look of it. If I ever get a machine with a longer
neck I would love to make this again but not until then. Now on to the next.

Sewing Machine Interview for Sew Mama Sew

What brand and model do you have? Brother XR7700

How long have you had it? For a little over a year.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)? $119.00 from Costco

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? Quilts, basket linings, girly things, anything !

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get? I sew more lately. I have made 3 quilts on it, a few blankets, a wall hanging, some basket linings. I try to sew as often as I can.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? I love my machine. It was a great upgrade from what I had before.

What features does your machine have that work well for you? The computerized stitches. I love that it tells me what feet I need for what stitch. I also love that it came with so many accessories.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? The threader seems to give me problems. Still it's better than not having one.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it! At walmart I found a machine for the same price that had no where near the amount of accessories nor stitches. I bought it anyway as I was upgrading from a really old machine and needed to stay in a certain price range. Brought it home and liked it but then 2 days later found my machine at Costco for a better price and all the extras! Was thrilled to take the other back to Walmart and tell them I got a better deal!

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? Yes for those who want a good machine at a fair price and are relatively new to sewing to quilting. It's so easy to use it makes new challenges less intimidating.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? The accessories, the stitches, consumer ratings, cost, and will it meet your needs.

Do you have a dream machine? Yes! A Baby Lock Allure