zig zag

There's not much I like more, when it comes to patterns, than a zig zag!

I started randomly working on this with no end in mind - kind of like that last thing, which has turned into a quilt top (and still isn't finished - needs to be a little bigger and I'm envisioning a chevron row or two in its future!) It could totally be a baby blanket, but I'm not sure I can give it away! I was also thinking of a quilt top with maybe a border between two lengthwise halves which could be coordinating colors, but totally different patterns! who knows - right now I'm just having fun making it! every chance I get, I add another row. Who knows where it'll end. If I actually used my dining room table, I'd call it a table runner, but who am I kidding? I probably shouldn't admit that out loud.

big catch

The pillows that I just finished for my oldest nephew (he's 9) are cracking me up!

I happened to find this panel with the remnants at the fabric store - one of those things that are printed and you cut them out and make stuffed animals of them. I'd never looked at them before because it kind of seemed like a cop out, but these are really cool! He's big into fishing, so I liked the fact that they're realistic fish and not cartoon-y. Plus, it did take more than just cutting out two halves, sewing them together and stuffing them - the pectoral fins are separate from the rest of the body, and each of the fins are lined with batting then quilted before the rest of the body is stuffed. I think he's going to love them - aside from the fact that they're fish, they're also BIG and when you're 9 years old you judge gifts based on their volume!

More gifts, in the bag!

I think I'm doing as well this year as I did last year on making stuff for all of my family! whee! I just finished this little aviator hat for my youngest nephew, Jude.

I hope it fits him - for some reason it doesn't seem deep enough (long enough? I'm not sure how to describe that dimension of a hat - you know what I mean, right?) so I'll just keep my finger crossed.

I also finished up my parent's stockings by lining them, which was super easy and I think it really makes them nice. Plus, stuff you put inside won't get all hung up on the floats.

Then last night I made this bag for my oldest niece.

She loves pink and is also into asian stuff (well she says she's into Japanese stuff, but she really doesn't know the difference!) so I had a fat quarter bundle that I picked up at JoAnn's a while ago and it was all asian type prints which was perfect. The solid pink was from a skirt that I got at a thrift store and wore a couple times before deciding I was too into it and subsequently de-zippered and de-lined it and put it on the fabric shelf - that may be my best recycling ever! Oh, and I used a heavy pink fabric to line it - stuff I bought year ago, of course, which I think gives it some strength, since the outside is basically just cotton quilting weight stuff.

I think it came out great! I'm not finished yet, but I'm totally ahead of schedule!!