{Sew Sew Modern Swap}

Dear partner, I really hope you love the mail you'll be receiving in the next few days!  I've never participated in a swap before so I hope I've lived up to the awesomeness of this fun Group!  
You asked for a table runner and thanks to your excellent mosiac on Flickr, I think I figured out your style and your color preferences... at least I hope so!  And I learned a new trick - how to use hexagons, finally!  A three year old stack of hexies finally got used!  Yippee!

I thought some organic wavy quilting would contrast nicely to the neutral top and angular hexagons, I really love how it turned out!  (above photo is of the back of the runner, made with scraps from my Quilt Con quilt!) 

And partner, I did end up washing it just to be sure everything was good and secure - which it was!  So now I can sleep easy! ;-)

For your small item I thought a mug rug would be fun, so I whipped up this little guy, complete with free-motioned "Sew Sew Modern 2013" on the front.  Not shockingly, at first I accidentally wrote "2012" so the "2" had to be picked out and the "3" added, but hopefully you can't tell.  Woopsie!

So your mug rug plus a little extra are hiding in this fun drawstring bag!  Is it not adorable!  I wanted to keep it, but decided I can always make more.  The pattern is from one of my favorite blogs, In Color Order and the bag seriously takes about 30 minutes to make.  I believe this is the... "snack bag" size but also serves as a small goodie bag!  OH and the mug rug fit too so they're both snuggled in there for the trip.

There we have it partner!  All this quilty/surprise goodness stuffed into one Poly Mailer... I hope it makes it to you safe and sound!  I can't wait to hear if it suits you!

And I have to say, it felt really good to cut into a bit of my hoarded Mama Said Sew text print... rather liberating!  Plus I still have over a yard left... hehe

Thanks for stopping by!

xo

Cristin

{28 Weeks} + two quilts finally in the works!

 Don't laugh, but I think the stripes make me look smaller than I am!

Friends have been asking me what it's like to carry twins... so here's my synopsis: 

Everything happens faster than with a singleton - feeling them move, showing more, becoming uncomfortable, ligaments and tendons stretching out, and the infamous trouble sleeping.  

Its a regular pregnancy x5 or it feels that way at least.  And these girls move A LOT.  Last night at midnight I'm trying to fall asleep and I'm getting kicked in the hip bone - repeatedly.  Then I feel a constant rhythmic tapping, baby A has the hiccups!

They're currently both lying transverse (sideways) so I suppose they're not very comfortable either.

I'm not a known whiner so the above are strictly facts, ok? :-)  I've got nothing to complain about!  

Now... on to some fabric goodness:

 

I'm thinking wonky log cabin blocks for both of the girls quilts... with these fabrics!  They're all pressed, mostly cut into strips and my gracious friend Jac is coming over tomorrow to help me turn them into blocks while our kiddos nap!  Yippee!

Thanks for stopping by!

xo

Cristin

{Fun Fabric Friday!}

Flannel!  

I've heard that the good stuff (as in: flannel not from Joanns) is amazing when used to back a quilt... so I'm going to give it a try for the girls baby quilts.

Hawthorne Threads carries the new Riley Blake Flannel collection in chevrons, dots, and even gingham - so I snagged a yard and a half in pink and navy!  It is oh-so-soft and not even washed yet.  I'm really looking forward to how these quilts will turn out! 

(I'm sure loads of other shops carry these flannel prints too)

Now... to just get moving on actually cutting and sewing some blocks together!

What all is on your to-do list? 

Happy Weekend!

xo

Cristin

the real {WIP Wednesday}

 

Caution:

Hexies at play!

So I've never actually used hexagons in a project (crazy, I know!) So how do you attach them to a quilted item?  Hand sew where the sides meet, then top-stitch down?  Hand applique each one? I've seen so many methods I don't even know where to start.

I fear my usual "wing-it" method just won't cut it this time.  Haha!

I do love the zig zag (or chevron) design this layout gives - which will be more pronounced once its on its proper background fabric - linen! 

{25 Weeks with Twins}

Sometimes I crack myself up.  I almost titled this post "WIP Wednesday" as I figured these babies are a work in progress but then I thought nooooo, thats silly!  They're babies, not a half finished pillow cover or freshly basted quilt top... or maybe I'm wrong.

Either way, I'm actually closer to 26 weeks although I was supposed to take a photo at 24 weeks - alas, we were out of town after Christmas so I dropped the ball there.  Oh well!

 

Babies are doing well, they're kicking and squirming frequently now and I can usually tell which baby is causing the commotion, A or B.  Odd, I know!  

 

 

Plans are in the works for two stroller quilts, do you like?  I wanted coordinating fabrics but not matchy-matchy.  Can't go wrong with Wildwood, Heather Bailey, Wild Thyme, and Amy Butler's lotus, right?!  Can't wait to work on these mini whole-cloth quilts, just the right size to tuck baby into their infant carrier.

 

But first things first - under an actual WIP Wednesday post coming soon!

{2012} in review

Dang, I actually finished more quilts this year than I thought!

Between the 5 quilts there were a spattering of pillows, an infinity scarf, a few Wiksten Tank tops, three stockings (2 more to go!) a few table runners, and a custom baby stroller quilt... not to mention twin baby girls on the way!  Maybe that should go in the center of the mosaic as quilts should NOT come before babies... 

I feel like it was a good year - but I'm ready to start fresh with 2013!

I've already got a few projects on the burner... plus two baby girl quilts that I aim to finish by the end of Feb, because who knows when they'll actually arrive?  Not I!    

My friend, AnneMarie, gave me the genius idea of backing said baby quilts with flannel instead of regular quilting fabric.  And guess what I found at one of my fav online fabric shops?  Riley Blake flannel in chevrons!  I'm rather excited for that if you cannot tell!

What crafty goals have you set for yourself in 2013?  Or maybe its just to relax more and stress less?  Nothing wrong with that!

xo

Cristin