Fabric Ring Stacking Toy

 I noticed my daughter really enjoyed playing with some stacking rings when we were out visiting.  With her approaching birthday I decided to make her some.

Stacking rings are sort of fundamental toy and a classic one at that and I love classic toys.

I dug through my fabric stash and pulled out a bunch of scraps and pieces.  I knew this project would be great for using remnant smaller pieces.

I thought it would be fun to approach it like a mini quilt and sew together fabrics to create the look I wanted.

Some of my rings have one fabric on one side and another fabric on the other side.  Which I think is lots of fun.

I noticed when I was stuffing the rings that the natural tendency is for the ring to square up.  I think this is due to the fact that four edges have a straight grain and the other four are on the bias and move out of their rounded shape and let it look squarish.  I am not sure how to overcome that.  Perhaps with a fusible interfacing?  One that isn't too stiff but stabilizes the the bias so it doesn't stretch out of place and the rings maintain their roundness.

I  pulled out the quilt top I had finished and a couple other fabric toys I have made for color comparison and included those for reference.

I wanted them to look cohesive and also didn't want them to have too much of the same fabrics.  I am sure my baby girl won't care one way or another but it will make me happy when I look at it.  Which equals lots of happy!

I did a web search for patterns and amazingly didn't find much.  So used circle templates.  Later I searched and found lots more but by then I had already made mine.

This link is like the ones I made
http://www.detectivehoundstooth.com/stacking-ring-toy/
I really loved the  pattern I found today by Heather Bailey and wished I'd found it couple months ago.
here is a link so you can have it!
http://www.heatherbaileystore.com/product-p/sp003-hs.htm&Click=25

If you notice my base is very flat I did not stuff it but used a firm interfacing that is often used in purse or handbag construction.  I love it!  I also used it in making the cone shape and it has lots of support. So that meant less batting in the cone.

I am pleased with how it turned out and I am glad she likes he birthday gift that I made for her.
In the end that's all that matters!

playing with my new mini charms

looking to make a quilt for my baby and thought these colors were cute....

still not set on what the quilt will be.....

need to figure out the pattern, but at least I have these to dictate the colors  :)

9 patch summer sewing class

It's summer and tome for fun sewing classes! I invited each girl to pick a doll that needed a quilt. Then we determined the size and made patches accordingly.

Then I had each girl use a hand needle and sew the patches together. Once upon a time hand sewing was an art and tiny stitches were a girls pride. So practiced tiny hand stitching, running stitches.

They each had the freedom to pick fabrics from my cotton quilting fabric. I did go through it first and weed out any pieces I had big plans for. They loved being the one to decide what colors and where they went. 

I loved that we finished them in one day!

What you don't see is the finished quilt I haven't take a photo of that yet! We used the technique for self binding where you fold the backing over onto the front. You cut the backing larger than the front. Fold in the corners. Press then fold up edge and then fold over again over top pieced and pin in place. We zigzag stitched it on. You get lovely mitered corners that way.

a Whale of a baby shower

I was delighted to help host a shower for a friend of mine this weekend

I was inspired by the baby shower eVite

working with that I made a banner with bright pink, orange, light pink and lighter orange

I drew free hand a whale and cut out a few.   I also made some picks to put in the treat jars.

Then of course I had to make something cute for this new baby girl!

A whale is a unique baby motif which I adored immediately.

I decided this baby needed a a "lovey" mini quilt with ribbons.
I appliqued the whales and waves with machine satin stitching
then I hand embroidered the spouting drops and hearts as well
as the faces of the little whales.

I used a cotton velveteen for the whales, so soft.  I also used some 

pink chenille and some dotty orange minky. 

This girly with have endless delight touching this mini quilt with 

all the different fuzzy textures and ribbon loops.

The baby shower was a success!

It was a fun group effort.  I made decorations and cupcakes and others did the food and shared the

use of their home.  That's the way to do it if you can and no one shouldered it all.

It turned out so cute! And of course the mama to be was so happy!

Maybe you are inspired and want to have a whale of a shower too.

 go ahead and use this whale shape for a template and have fun!

Shopping at Pine Needles in Utah

My sisters, my mom and I went to Gardners Village in Utah.

My favorite was the shop called Pine Needles
I could have bought the entire store!
I loved every inch of that place! My goodness it was a candy store.

I know my sister and I were wishing we could some how be wealthier that minute.

Another sister and I recently went to a shop in Denver such fun.
(have to blog about that place later)
I believe this will be a new tradition to go to quilt shops on our travels.

Fabric Friday!

Look what I received!   Five pieces of lovely fabric, from  QuiltHome.com.  

It always comes so quickly too!

I selected some lovely prints by Sandi Henderson.

Now the creative juices are gonna get to work.
I think I need some new tops!