PinkPetunia's House

Mamma's making a Girly Girl Quilt

I did it. I bought a quilt kit from Fat Quarter Shop to make Patricia Bravo's Sweet Girly Girl quilt that was featured in Quilt magazine issue #108 (February/March 2010). I went to Fat Quarter Shop's website and they had the kit but not the magazine. I searched high and low online but could not find a back issue to purchase so I emailed Art Gallery Fabrics directly asking where I could purchase a back issue or if they would sell me the pattern. Within minutes, and I mean only a few minutes, I got an email from Walter. He scanned the pattern from the magazine for me and was happy to share it with me. How nice is that? I swear, in a good way, crafty people are so nice and so helpful. So now if only my kit would get here...

Anyhow, this is the picture that I fell in love with. I am really thankful Walter emailed me the actual scan of the magazine because I would not have known about the free pillow pattern download. They are so cute and I clearly have pillows on my mind of late.

Here is the full quilt.

Look at all this yummy delicious fabric. I cannot wait!
 

There are even fabric baskets you can make. How cute would all of this be in a little girly-girl's bedroom? I am thinking my little girly-girl will love it...SHE BETTER LOVE IT!
 

Now wish me luck that I can get my act together and actually make the quilt and pillows. So excited!

Pillows, Pillows and More Pillows with Fabric and Tutorials

Now that the holidays are over it is time for me to start focusing on some spring cleaning and decorating. I want to recover all the existing pillows I have on the sofas and make some new ones. In the living room we have cream colored sofas and a dark chocolate brown leather chair and ottoman. I think once I find the fabric I want, I can move forward. Here are few that I liked but I am still searching but these all have potential.

Jenaveve Linen by Valorie Wells for FreeSpirit
   

Bicycles by Michael Miller
  

It's a Hoot by Momo for Moda
  
 
  

Sugar Pop by Liz Scott for Moda is one of my FAVORITE collections right now.
    

The leather furniture in the basement and the orange sectional in the loft are going to have to wait until the next go around. I need to focus on the main floor, including my bedroom before I can even begin to tackle another area.

I have been browsing all sorts of blogs and websites for inspiration and pillow tutorials. I had no idea there were so many. Who knew pillows were so hot?

Pleated Pillow Cover Tutorial from Make It and Love It
 

Log Cabin Pillow from Bayou Bags
 

Pretty Ruffle Pillow tutorial from Portabellopixie (Sandi Henderson)

Snow Mum Pillow pattern from Amy Butler
 

Cathedral Window Pillow tutorial from Warmth in the North
 

Recycled Rose Pillow Tutorial from Alisa Burke
 

How to Sew a Throw Pillow in 10 Easy Steps from Cottage Magpie
 

Super Easy Removable Pillow Cover Tutorial from Sparkle Power

So many great ideas, so little time to make them. Time to dig in my stash and possibly order some more fabric.

As you can see, I am all over the place. Any suggestions for pillow patterns or fabric?

Green Grocery Bag Challenge and Reusable Bag Tutorials

Sew Mama Sew has a Green Grocery Bag Challenge going on right now. They are promoting Teresa Van Hatten's, aka the Green Bag Lady, concept of using Green Bags for grocery shopping. The challenge is to get people to give handmade grocery bags for Christmas. They can be a gift or the packaging. Go over and check out the cause but in the mean time, here is a round up of bag tutorials I found.

Fold Away Grocery Bag tutorial, Crafty Ady

 

Recycled Plastic Grocery Bag tutorial, Dana over at Made

 

Insulated Reusable Grocery Bag tutorial, Sew4Home

Bird Seed Reusable Grocery Bag tutorial, Curbly
Perfect time of the year with winter just around the corner we are all going to have to fill the feeders up a whole lot more.

 

Simple Reusable Grocery Bag tutorial, Instructables

 

If you don't have time to make your green grocery bags, do what I do. I have been using reusable grocery bags, the ones they sell at the grocery stores, for my gift bags. Last year for Christmas I did not buy any new paper bags. I only purchased the grocery kind and used them instead. It was a big hit and all the stores have great designs. Safeway always has green and red ones so they are perfect for Christmas. Try Trader Joe's too. They have some really great looking ones as well, very artistic. I am sure your local store has great ones too so if you cannot make them, at least buy them.

What a great thing Sew Mama Sew and The Green Bag Lady are doing. Help them both spread the word!

A little bit of crafting is going on in my world

So last night I was laying on the massage table getting a massage and the woman asks me "does that hurt?" as she is rubbing my thumb. I replied "yeah, you know it does. I noticed it earlier today." Hmmm, I wonder why. Could it be the competive texting I have been doing? No, I only send about 30 texts a month so it is not from that. Oh, wait! I remember. I decided to pick up and finish that long lost scarf I was knitting.

Apparently, I have neglected knitting for far too long if I am getting muscle cramps. I think more knitting is in order.

As soon as I got home and get Ellie down for bed, I went up to my craft hole (really it is a spare room but it is such a disaster up there that I just like to call it the hole) and dug out my size 8 circulars and blue, green and orange Lamb's Pride wool yarn so I could start a new winter hat for Ellie. Please note, I did not pick those colors. She told me she wanted me to make her a hat with those colors to match her "all the colors" scarf I just finished knitting (see above comment on cramped thumbs). Once I weave in the ends I will post a picture. It is long and bright which is perfect for a cold winter day. It will also help when I need to find her in a crowd of kids on the playground.

In other crafty news, I finally got my fabric scraps, interfacing and d rings together to make some belts for Ellie. I am going to make them this weekend. No excuses. Although, now that I think about it, how am I going to have time with the Renaissance Festival on Saturday and the Raven's football game on Sunday? Hmmm. Guess I will have to get cracking because if I put it out here for the world to see, then I must get it done. Right? Right!

I really like the colors in this one from Not Quite Vintage.

 

Another project on the radar is the Monster Pillow by the Tiny Seamstress, featured on Moda Bake Shop.

 
How cute is that thing? I think Ellie would love it. She needs a pillow for her cot at school and this would be perfect. When not napping, she can tuck her sheet and blanky into the pocket and hang it on a hook in her cubbie. What a great idea!

Alright. I think these two projects are enough to get me started.

Now I just need to start planning my holiday crafts...you know, the ones that I will still be working on come St. Patrick's day.

More Pajama Sewing

Remember when I made pajama pants for Rob? Well, before all of our jet-setting around last month, I made Ellie a matching pair only hers are far more girly.

I followed the same tutorial/pattern as her bandana pants. I made a few changes such as making them a little more narrow through the legs and I added a ruffle to the leg bottoms. I think they turned out super cute and she loves wearing them. She normally wants to wear them with a plain white tank because that is what dad normally has on with his.