Baby Stuff & A Review

Well the race is on. I have been making little things for the new baby coming March 29th. My daughter still has yet to pick a name. She says she wants a neutral name but has not found one she likes. Right now the baby is called Spike since it kicks the heck out of her!

I saved the hardest for last. The all important Diaper Bag. I had a pattern but it was too small. I searched the internet to purchase one but the prices were ridiculous! $60 to $260 + and still not enough pockets. I finally stumbled onto warehouse fabrics inc. They have a blog with a diaper pattern. Lots of pockets, lots of potential! at 20 x 13 it was big enough. Lots of pictures! That is what I like. Visual aids!

I used the ultra firm fuse on stabilizer. This was a good idea at the time but if you have arthritis this is not for you. My hands hurts for days after turning the outer part inside out.

 

So stiff it stands by itself!  Then came making the inside.  Since the outside was so firm, the inside seemed flimsy. I added fusible web to all the inside fabric enough though the pattern did not call for it. I added a pocket to the inside divider as well. Now for assembly. I kept having nightmares about having to pull that stiff outer shell through the side of the inside piece. Oh my, was I going to be able to do this without ripping the fabric?

This sandwich was so thick that I broke a needle on it! I had to move the machine away from the wall too. The whole thing kept getting stuck on the wall. Turning this inside out was 10 x harder than the outer shell. My hands were throbbing for hours. Now we have an awesome bag with lots of pockets inside and out.

Another issue I was dealing with was how to close the bag. It was so thick that I knew the magnetic snap was a waste of time. I couldn't figure out how to insert a zipper, so Velcro was the next best idea. I added a Flap!

I ended up putting 2 strips of Velcro on the flap in white and 2 strips of Velcro on the bag in black. This way it is secure if she over stuffs the bag.

4 days and 30 hours of labor...the bag is done! Yes you do see skulls on the fabric. My daughter has quite a different taste in fabric than her mother!

This is Carri modeling the bag for her sister who lives in Upstate New York!
 

Finishing touch

 

 UPDATE :Added the button today and off in the mail it went!

Hope you like it!

 

 

 

 

I also finished the baby blanket. This is in soft pastels on the front using the Arrow pattern by Anita Grossman Solomon and a skull pink hounds tooth fabric on the back.

 

 

 

Now onto the crib sheets!

The Modern Quilt. What is it??

I asked myself that question several times as I come across some beautiful quilts on the internet. What am I looking at? The quilts are very appealing. What makes them modern?

Editor in Chief of McCall Quilting, Beth Hayes says it best. “

“Modern quilts are notable for their minimalist aesthetic, use of bright, bold colors with large doses of white and other neutral solids, asymmetrical designs, and free-form piecing.”

They are many things, especially Fun! A new twist on an old idea, and everything in between. Quilting has evolved from utilitarian to 5,000 + pieced beauties with quilting that can literally make a quilt stand up on it’s owe.  The simplicity of many of the “Modern Quilts” reminds me of the abstract artist of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

McCall Quilting has provided this free link to 3 beautiful Modern Quilt Patterns. I especially like the Lemon Squeezy designed by Sherri Driver. I have made a few Quilt as You Go quilts but never thought of making them in this scale. You can make a whole baby quilt in to time flat, using this method and it is already quilted!

Happy Quilting

Aileen in FL