A New Obsession

I haven't been writing as much as I would like lately, due to the fact that I have been obsessively sewing. I have been using a book that I mentioned before called Bend-the-Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. I just want to make every single thing in the book immediately and even as I sit here typing I feel my fingers itching to get back to that old sewing machine. The moments when both kids are asleep are so few and precious, like moments when I used to skate and would fly around the rink by myself free as a bird. I don't mean to sound as though I dislike spending time with my kids, of course I love being with them more than anything, it is just nice to have a moment to do something other than nurse, change diapers and deal with two-year-old tantrums.

So here are the things I have been working on lately. Yesterday, I attended a baby shower for a friend and was so pleased to give her a handmade bag, bib and burp cloth with some of my favorite California Baby bubble bath. I even made the tag to match from a coupon sent by Target that was the perfect color. Vince must have thought I was crazy -- as soon as the kids would go to sleep for the night, I would hole up in the laundry room with the machine, the iron and the book to sew. I think it turned out nicely:



Now, I am knee deep in my first (small sized) quilt. I had the most fun picking out fabrics but, boy, is it difficult to figure out which things will match when put into a quilt. I probably spent at least 45 minutes deciding which patterns and solid colors to buy, all the while worrying that Henry was going to wake up and Vince would be stuck at home with no milk. It all turned out just fine -- I got some fabric and Henry was still blissfully asleep when I returned. So here is the general plan for the quilt, I've gotten some of the panels together and am going to work on it a bit more right now!