Bugs and Frogs

This was my favorite.project.ever.

The same day my friends found out they were having a boy, I found this awesome bug-themed fabric.  It was like it was meant to be. (that white stuff on it is chalk, in case you were wondering)

I used the"Charm Squares Baby Quilt" pattern from Elizabeth Hartman's website, Oh, Fransson!  I lovelovelove Elizabeth Hartman's quilts.  I read her blog all the time, I buy her books and I watch her classes on Craftsy.  Her patterns and projects are very well designed- the instructions are easy to understand and the pictures are always really helpful.   

I only machine quilted the solid parts so the back would be interesting.  The binding was, of course, a challenge.  First, I made it brown.  Then I adjusted the seam allowance without changing the fabric strip size- THEN I decided to machine sew the binding. So, when I tried to wrap the binding around to the back of the fabric and "stitch in the ditch",  I missed huge sections of the binding on the blind side (bottom) of the blanket because it -surprise- didn't reach.  At least I ended up hating the brown binding, so ripping it out didn't make me feel like a huge failure.

The seam ripper and I, we're good friends.

No problem!  I fixed it.  Made it better.  Decided on yellow binding and cut the strips larger so all the binding wrapped nicely around the blanket.  I know there is a little more over-hang than most quilters like, but for me, well, I like it.

So do the parents- but what really made me feel like I rocked it was that their two year old wouldn't stop playing with it. 

I spent yesterday afternoon wandering around the Brass Armadillo.  I like to go by myself every now and again, it's like a little therapy/me time/style-and-craft inspiration.  The oldies they play are fantastic and I lovelovelove looking at the old quilts for sale......and I collect cute glassware and tiered serving trays.  I don't actually use them yet, but I have a cute stash going just in case I start having craft nights or something.  Here's today's retail therapy:

You NEVER know when you are going to need a pink tiered serving tray.

These say to me, "Cider and stitch'n bitch on a cold, autumn night"  Do you see it?

Have a great week!