Halloween Pillowcases

Continuing the new pillowcase tradition started last Easter, I made Halloween pillowcases for the older grandchildren while I listened to Saturday's General Conference sessions.

The green bats are for JC and Braden, and the kitty/pumpkins are for Trinity, Addie, and Corinne.

Here is a picture of JC and Trinity with theirs.

Braden asked if the bats glowed in the dark - what a great idea! I am going to see if I can find that kind of fabric for him in the future.

A Table Runner for Lisa

Lisa asked me to sew a table runner for her classroom at Burnett Creek.

I love the yellow chevron fabric she chose!

 And here's the finished product in use.

Retro Aprons in 2011

In June, 2011, after I had my second knee replacement, I decided to sew retro aprons for all the women in the family.

 This is the pattern I selected.

 I bought all the fabric and contrasting fabrics and trims. And then I sewed like crazy!

It was worth it - everyone was delighted with theirs!

 Sarah and Trinity model theirs and hold up the matching potholders I made with leftover fabric and trim.

 Ashley and Addie match perfectly!

Continuing the mother/daughter theme, here am I with my mom.

 Posing together.

 Addie liked carrying her bag around afterward.

 Lisa wasn't there, but I still made her one and mailed it to her.

She took a selfie and sent it to me.

I can't find pictures of Vanessa and Emily with theirs. I know I made one for Vanessa; I remember the striped fabric. But I am foggy about Emily's. However, I can't imagine that I would make one for everyone and leave her out. I'll see if I can't get pictures from both of them.

Cambria's Alphabet Wall

Jessica invited all her friends and family to make an alphabet letter for Cambria's bedroom. Unfortunately, the letters were all gone when I responded that I'd do one. That made me really sad as I wanted to participate in such a fun project for my grandbaby.

But, luckily for me, someone never got their letter R done, so Jessica asked me if I would do it. I used fabric from Cambria's blessing gown and found buttons to match the bow/headband she wore that day.

Simple but elegant - I am pleased with how it turned out. It will look nice here among all the other letters!

Trinity's Quiet Book, 2004

Trinity's was the second "grandchild" quiet book I made. 

 Trinity got Duffy for her title page and Sesame Street fabric for the cover.

I love the dress up girl - the fabric for the dresses are from clothes I sewed for my children. I don't do the elephant too often - his legs can pop off as they are on brads (or even tear the fabric of the book.)

 Balloons to match and the chick who uses tiny fingers to make a bill.

 Flowers in a vase and the turtle - I love finding interesting fabrics for his shell!

Looks like I need to make some new pieces for Trinity's pumpkin. And the tie the bow is for a lamb with soft furry fabric.

 I don't do the bunny shape matching often - they're hard to cut out and get right. I think the mittens were in Jessie's quiet book.

The fabric on this page has a story behind it. When Sarah was born, Craig was just starting out in his career and we were dirt poor. I made a lot of Sarah's clothes; in fact, almost all of them. I saw this fabric and drooled over it, but it was $3.49 a yard - a fortune back then. I simply could not afford it. I looked at it and sighed every time I went to the fabric store. Finally, finally, finally it went on sale and I was able to buy some and make her some overalls. This fabric still takes me back. Every time I see it.

JC's Quiet Book, 2002

I made a quiet book for each of my children as a gift for their first birthday and have continued that tradition with my grandchildren. I did not begin documenting what I had made until my mother and I were working on Corinne's during the summer of 2013; luckily Sarah and Ashley were gracious enough to take photos of the other quiet books so I could include them in this blog.

Here is JC's.

Winnie the Pooh for the cover.

 This train is a tradition - almost every quiet book has it for the cover page!

 The stop light and Katie Caterpillar.

 The orchard is obligatory as a nod to Apple Jack and Granny Slash, and the Illini tipi speaks for itself.

 Dumbo and shape matching (a hard one; I rarely do it.)

 Normally the pencil and pad of paper are the last page, but I changed it up for JC. And the flowers in a vase page is a favorite.

 That clock sure looks dated! And usually I include a "tie the bow" of some sort.

This page was in Sarah's quiet book. The mitten fabric is from JC's Christmas stocking.

Easter Pillowcases!

My friend and fellow grandmother, Lisa Connolly, told me about a sewing project she was doing - sewing Easter pillowcases for her grandchildren. Easy to do, she had had success making three for her three grandchildren.

It sounded like a great idea, and so I went fabric shopping and began!

Trinity: blue Easter egg

Braden: blue Easter egg

Addie: pink bunnies

Corinne: rickrack fabric

(I didn't make any for Julie, Cambria, Whitney, or Vanurt yet - they're too little for pillows. That's for next year.)

I had texted Sarah about JC - he's thirteen and too old for bunnies, but she assured me he would like a pillowcase, too. All I could think of was the movie, A Christmas Story, where Ralphie's well-meaning  aunt makes him pink bunny PJs for Christmas. Not wanting to be "that" relative, I purchased some more "manly" fabric for his.

Sarah affirmed that the football print was perfect, so that was the one I used.

The pillowcases were not only easy to make, they were so much fun that I decided to whip a few up for the kids of my Hershey colleagues.  Atticus MacLaverty (age 2, Jocelyn's son) got a green bunny print, Grace Ferguson (3, Sarah's daughter) got the large birdie print, and Alexa and Jack Evans (6 and 4, Cindy Evans' kids) got pink and green bunny prints.

I think I will do this for Halloween and Christmas, and maybe even Valentine's Day as well.