The I-almost-missed-your-birthday apron

My Aunt Pat's birthday is coming up. I was all set to start making her a retro apron this weekend until I realized at about 10pm last night that her birthday is this Saturday. Yes, I pulled out the fabric and went to work!

I made this pattern once before so I knew it was child's play until the bias binding neckline.

The pattern is "My Mom's Favorite Apron" from Sew Simple Patterns (click on the title for a nice big photo). See how cute that is when it's on your body?

Of course it's reversible! 

Fabrics:

Red = Let's Play (Plaid with floral red) for Benartex

Blue = Hankie Club by Whister Studios Style (mini dots blue) for Windham Fabrics

By 1:30am the last thing I wanted to do was hand stitch bias binding, so I utilized a fast & fabulous method from Accio Fabric! (If Vicki would just upload a freaking tutorial I could link straight to it! hint! hint!)

Check out these results--a perfect seam on one side and cute top stitching on the reverse. 

Well, this beauty was done by 2am and at the post office by 8:30 (this is when the postal worker told me that it wouldn't go out until 4 pm and my lip curled as I growled at her). Thankfully, it is scheduled to arrive on Saturday! Happy Birthday Aunt Pat!

For anyone who would like to enter the giveaway going on right now, click here. If you're already a follower of Mary Lou's, that counts too!

Another apron?!

Okay, I think I might be tired of making aprons. But you know how it goes--one person gets an apron and then another person says "I think I'd like that too," especially when they're sisters. In the end, the color combinations that are chosen make each one special. Well, that and my Aunt Bunnie is paying me good money to make these for her daughters!

This fabric line is Domestic Diva by Riley Blake. I just love the splashes of aqua and coral that really pop.

Again, the pattern is Mary Mulari's Chatterbox reversible apron. It's easy to put together; it requires 2 yards of fabric and 2 inches of velcro--that's it! One of these days I'm going to make one for myself!

the front!

a close-up of the pattern: L♥ve it!

And the reverse!

Oh Yeah, I'm Feelin' It.

Well, it's been a while. I needed a break so I had one. It was great, thankyouverymuch. 

I made an apron (Mary Mulari chatterbox pattern) for my cousin Danielle, but unfortunately, I sent it off before taking a picture. So, imagine this apron:

in this duo (Michael Miller's Dinnerware is the fabric pattern). Darn tootin' cute!

Additionally, I finished this quilt top today.(Kate Spain's Verna fabric line & Natalia Bonner of Piece-n-Quilt's I'm Blushing quilt pattern found on Moda Bake Shop)

I made some serious errors on this quilt when I made the squares. I was so irritated with myself that I put it away for a long time, waiting for the day when I would feel up to spending quality time with a seam ripper. 

Well, in the last three months my outlook has really changed: There is no need to ever go back and change something. Move forward, embrace the aberrations, and know that whatever it is, it's supposed to be that way.

So I added strips, made more "errors," and threw in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch seams where it suited the cause. One of the flowers is almost on a diagonal, so I put the centers to the left as if they are leaning towards the sun. ha! 

Mama like. 

What I've been doing...not really but OMG

Are these girls amazing or what? I don't think I could ever do that! This takes some time to load, but trust me, it's worth it!

Okay, you win...

This is what I've really been doing...some commissioned work & a gift:

(click for a closer view)

Saturday Night Fever!

These Saturday night sew-ins at Tammy Tadd's with host Vicki are really getting me in the groove to make some cool stuff!
This is almost finished...it is the result of a ticker tape technique workshop from the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild. Most of the participants made a wall hanging, but I thought I'd make some hot pads that will look oh-so-fashionable hanging in my kitchen.

Next, I started this fabulous apron and finished it tonight. I made it for the woman I stay with when I go to Mexico for Christmas. She is one serious baker so I thought it would make a nice Christmas gift. This is one of the easiest patterns I've ever seen and at $6 it's a steal! I HIGHLY recommend this reversible Chatterbox Apron by Mary Mulari:

p.s. and a quick update for those of you who know the back-story:  Supercute is 7 pounds, 9oz, and 18 inches long! His original "due date" was May 15 so at 3 months now, he's doing great! If you click on the photo, you can see his little smiling face.

My Birthday was a Stitch!

Friday was pretty awesome--Aidan and I need to be certified in infant CPR because Supercute should be coming home next week. He's up to 5 lb, 13 oz, 18 inches long. It is with both delight and wonder that I consider the fact that my exhusband and his fiance have asked me to be the 'emergency person' they can leave Patrick with. No one else will have this honor. wow. I'm floored, actually. {above} So here's Aidan with Supercute--big bro and little bro!
{above} And here's what happens when they pass Supercute to me. Somehow, I don't believe he's thinking "who's that raven-haired vixen holding me?" But then usually, I'm throwing my manhooks into something a little bit older. Interestingly, they sure do cry the same, regardless of age.
{above}Ah! Happy Birthday to me! My day started with Aidan making breakfast--bacon and french toast. My little sweetheart even made the bacon first, brought me sizzling slices, and then went back to make the rest. Ah, bacon then french toast. works for me!

I spent my birthday night with the girls--quilting, of course! Jennie gave me this awesome bag I was drooling over at the quilt show and Vicki gave me a box of taddles. We ate pizza and cupcakes from Sweet Dreams, a local bakery. They even sang the birthday song--how awesome is that? It was, without a doubt, the best birthday I've had in years.

{above} here's what I completed last night: the table runner and a reversible apron. I was having such a rush from the evening that I stayed up quilting until 1:30 this morning. A quilting hangover. Dang I'm getting old!!