Rainbow Dash Mini Quilt

Last year, I signed up for the Rainbow Mini Quilt Swap Round 2 run by Kate Basti. She runs a tight ship and I remembered seeing so many beautiful minis during the first round, so I was thrilled to be able to participate! I got a really lovely mini from Leah.

And for my partner, I made a rainbow churn dash mini. I wanted to use different fabrics for every patch, and that meant that, because of how I would sew the half square triangles, that I would have twice as many as I needed for her mini. I decided to use extra long pieces and make double the other blocks as well so I could have a mini of my own.

And then I got pregnant. I hurried and finished up the mini for my partner and sent it off, but the other blocks waited and waited until I felt up to sewing again.

I finished it a week ago or so. I did have to cut new center squares because apparently, I neglected to do that. Instead of fishing out the same fabrics and cutting new squares, I used some extra mini charm squares from V&Co's two lines Simply Colorful and Simply Colorful 2 I had in my bin. They were just the size I needed and the colors were spot on for the blocks. Yay! The only other difference between my new mini and the original for the swap is the binding; I bound the original in white and bound mine is gray. I think they're both good binding colors for this.

I love it. I don't know if my partner loves hers, I hope she does, but I love it and I'm looking forward to getting it up on my wall.

Baby Sewing

When I found out I was pregnant, I started casually thinking about making a baby quilt, and maybe a couple of things. I never got around to making a diaper clutch with my other babies, and I thought that would be nice, and maybe some extra receiving blankets. I wasn't stressed, because we had most of the things we needed.

Then I found out I was expecting TWINS (yep, still saying it in all caps in my head). And I started getting a bit more stressed. Not only did I need TWO baby quilts (every baby should get a handmade quilt, preferably from her mother, in my opinion...) but I also needed a second car seat cover, and a diaper clutch wasn't just a nice thing, but something I'd probably really need, and extra swaddling blankets...and I was exhausted because my body was growing two babies. And, to add insult to injury, the very thought of sewing made my stomach churn. Groan. I didn't know you could have nausea about activities, but apparently, you can. And I did. Yes, it was heartbreaking.

Luckily, it didn't last long, and I was able to get my short list of baby things done. I had a Terrazzo quilt by Freshly Pieced already cut out and the colors worked for a girl, so that one became a baby quilt, and I whipped up a quick, modern quilt from Vintage Quilt Revival with a single, off-center large block. I hurried them up to my quilter so I could get them back and bound before I didn't fit behind the machine any more...no pictures of those because they're not here right now.

I also whipped up 4 swaddling blankets out of double gauze. I hesitated about this one, because the uber popular Aden and Anais ones are expensive, but so is double gauze fabric!

I did the math and it was honestly probably a wash, but I went for it anyway because I ordered some Cotton and Steel Bespoke double gauze from Fabric.com for only $11.50/yd and some Michael Miller double gauze that was extra wide for only $9.50/yd. I knew the C&S double gauze was far softer than anything else and I was just dying to make a couple out of the super soft double gauze, and so I went for it. Hemming isn't too hard.

I did make myself a diaper clutch and I made one for a friend who is due only 3 weeks before me, which probably means we'll end up delivering close together. It's her first, and she's having a boy. These go together so fast!

I made one for a good friend when she had her first baby a couple of years ago and she has mentioned how much she loves it and has even made it for gifts for other new moms because she loves it so much. The tutorial is from Cluck Cluck Sew. I altered it and fused fusible fleece to one fabric and then used quilting cotton for both sides instead of minky or chenille. I don't like stretchy fabric... 

And I managed to get in a second car seat cover, also from a Cluck Cluck Sew tutorial. This was a must-do for me; I love how it keeps sun, lots of germs, and strangers out of my baby's space, and doesn't fall to the ground like a regular receiving blanket. These are wonderful. Two was a necessity for sure.
 

I even managed to use fabric from my stash for the car seat cover, the diaper clutches, and the quilts (I had to order fabric for the back of one, but used leftover flannel for the other--score!). I always feel good about myself when I manage to use my fabric stash! :-)

So, baby sewing is all but done. I need to figure out bindings for the baby quilts and get those on when I get them back. Now, that doesn't mean I don't have a sewing to do list, and a few more things I'd like to wrap up before babies' arrival, but at least I've got those things done!