I started Brian's quilt this week. I had planned on doing a log cabin-ish quilt but he saw my sketchbook where I had sketched out some designs and he really liked the strip quilt look. So that's what I'm doing. It's going to be a lot bigger than I had originally planned.. so I hope I don't run out of fabric. Maybe if I'm motivated I'll finish it this weekend.
February is create-a-thing-a-day month. I played along a couple years ago but I didn't finish the month, so this year I'm planning on taking a photo a day. That way I figure I'll get to the end of the month. I like thinking that I'll start this project in winter and finish it at the end of February with a little bit of spring poking through. In reality I know that I'll be starting and finishing it in winter.. but at least the days will be a bit longer...
These came in the mail the other day... yep, cloth pads! I read about them in the Etsy forums (just do a search for "cloth pads"). You can find lots of info on the internet as well. I read that cloth pads can actually make your period shorter and less painful. Plus it's much better for the environment than all those disposables! I absolutely hate disposable pads so I can't really believe it's taken me this long to get some cloth ones.I did a lot of shopping around on Etsy and I finally decided on these two sets to start with so I could test them out. The polka dot ones are from Pleat and you can find them right here. The white ones are from gogreengirl and you can get them here. I got the sets that have a liner, a regular pad, and an overnight pad.
I haven't been able to try them yet, but they all look very well made and up for the task. ;)And looking at them in person I think they would be pretty easy to make myself.
------
Completely unrelated... Julie from knitsational is having a really cute giveaway on her blog, so check it out!
I read this a few days ago on Keri Smith's blog, the Wish Jar: "There's a point where you can give up on winter--when temptation can enter your soul, prying its way in like cold air through the cracks in your cabin--around January sixteenth or so, and this can make you realize that February's coming, and beyond February, March.
See, I don't yet realize that March will be the hardest month. Early February's the coldest, and often the snowiest, but March, strange, silent March, will be the hardest.
And before I could stop myself I was reading and planning and dreaming about seeds and vegetables and the smell of the soil and the warmth of the sun and the wonderful tired feeling of a day spent working in the garden... and just like that, I was lost to spring. 
Here's the bag I mentioned last week, the pleated beauty handbag from Bend-the-Rules Sewing. I decided to leave the linen plain and not embellish it like the directions say to do. I also made the lining fabric different than the outside of the bag (I didn't have enough linen). I like the bag a lot but it might be a little too big for everyday use, although I like that I can easily fit a journal, camera, or some knitting (or all three!) in there.
I had more problems than I thought necessary on this bag. 
Another thing I changed a bit is I sewed up the middle of the pocket to make two smaller ones. The size of the pocket in the directions was huge. And I meant to include some small magnets in between the lining and the outside fabrics but I completely forgot! It seems ok without them though.
I wish I could say the same about the bigger bag I'm working on now... I'm having some problems! Hopefully I'll finish it this weekend though and I'll share next week.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
I've been adding a few new things to the shop this week: custom baby rings (you pick the colors)...
Some new colors for the baby rings (more are in the shop)..
And some more matchbook notepads like the ones above, just in time for Valentine's Day. :)
As I was collecting those wonderful quilt images from Monday I was reminded of a quilt exhibit Brian and I went to last winter at the Henry Ford Museum. It featured quilts made by Susana Allen Hunter dating from the 1930s to the 1970s. They were such an inspiration so I figured you would all enjoy them as well.
Several were made from old work clothes.. see where the jeans pockets were removed? 
These quilts are proof that you don't have to go out to the fabric store to get brand new pretty fabrics to make a pretty quilt, don't you think?
(this one's my favorite)
I've been watching these icicles forming outside my craft room window for a while now and the light was so pretty last night I decided it was time to photograph them. I love the upward branching of the trees in the background and the icicles reaching downward in the foreground.
The other night I was looking for quilt photos on Flickr because I'm in need of some inspiration for Brian's quilt (that's right, I haven't started it yet. I'm horrible!). I found quite a few amazing quilts. Some of my favorites are pictured above. #2 is my most favorite of all of them, I love it so much. Looking at these all together I see that I'm drawn to square(ish) blocks surrounded by white space. I guess that's a starting point for Brian's quilt.
Today the mailman brought me new business cards for the shop. I ordered them from Overnight Prints and I'm really happy with them. I've never ordered business cards before (always just made my own) and I must say the quality is great. I'm all for doing it yourself but I just can't compete with actual business cards, you know? :)
I've been a little into felt food lately (never mind that I don't have kids!). They're so cute and the perfect thing to work on while watching a movie. I figured a purchased pattern would be a great place to start, so I bought this one from Etsy seller umecrafts (she has a bunch of really cute patterns. I'm still thinking about getting the veggies). 
But anyway, when I was searching around for free tutorials and ideas for other foods I found a few links that I thought I'd share:
Oh, and about the felt. I used this ecospun felt that's made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles which I think is awesome. It's a good quality, nice and thick and strong. I bought it at Joann's on sale for 8 for 96 cents or something like that. If you want real wool felt (which I love.. maybe someday I'll make some out of wool..), you can find a large selection here, or here if you want to shop from Etsy.
Two paint-by-numbers.
And I saw this old falling apart envelope that looked to still have fabric in it.. I thought it might be pieces of the aprons.
But it was the entire piece! All three tea aprons, including waistbands and teenie tiny pockets for each one. I couldn't believe my luck. It wasn't even ever washed, so when I washed it it faded a lot, but I actually like it better this way.
(I think Henry likes it too.)
Out my backdoor.
Many of you have probably already heard about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) that will go into effect in February (if you haven't, you can read more here). I just wanted to urge you all to vote to have this issue amended so handmade children's items can continue to be sold legally in the US.
This is my 100th post. To celebrate I compiled a list (have I mentioned before how much I love lists?) of 100 things to make. I included things you can sew, knit, make with paper, cook, and a few other miscellaneous things thrown in for variety. Some have links.. maybe eventually I will make a link for all of them? 
This is the last of the handmade gifts.
I made little bags for the pieces and sewed ribbon into one side to tie them shut.
And yep, it all fits nicely in a drawstring bag. :)
Here's what's in that drawstring bag, a bowling set! I made this for a little three year old girl I know (well ok, I didn't make them, I bought them, but I did paint them!). I love this little set so much I almost didn't want to part with it. :)
I love drawstring bags. They are so useful! I use them to store little projects and my toiletries when we're camping. I think they're such a better container than plastic bags or bins. So it's no coincidence that all of my handmade gifts for Christmas were housed in drawstring bags. The last time I made one I took some photos and wrote up a little tutorial for you all. 
