3 month Asher

Our Baby Boy you bring so much joy.

Chubby cheeks and chin and a really great grin.

All of God's grace in your cute little face.

Even tho' we pray, little you won't stay.

Please don't grow so fast, let these cherished moments last.

Cars, balls, and boats soon you'll make them float.

Our Cherished Baby Boy!

 Two tiny feet that wave in the air, Two tiny hands that tug at my hair, Cute bottom for patting, Adorable face, A bundle of joy to love and embrace.

Precious Asher, we are having so much fun with you. You are so interactive now, always discovering new things! You're getting so big too; when we put you on our home scale it read 17.5lbs! -And we love your chubbers! You definitely do not lack in your daily quota for kisses and cuddles. Although, you're not really a cuddler, you will sit facing out on our laps or in our arms, but you don't like to lay your head down. You are taking the world around in- every detail it seems.  New places and sounds are fascinating to you. When you're really concentrating on something we can almost see your little brain gears turning. You're such a happy little man, and still an amazing all night sleeper!

 Son, we pray that you will love Jesus with all your heart and want Him in your life from a very young age. We thank the Lord for you often, you are an extra special blessing and light in our life. 
All Our Love, and many hugs and kisses, 

Mommy and Daddy

quilts over the years

I started quilting when i was probably 15 on my Mom's Elna.  I really enjoyed it.  It's one of those hobbies I've picked up every now and again since then. I have to be in just the right mood.  But as my interior design style has changed over the years so has my quilting style, as well as my taste in the types of quilts I make.  Now I sew (mostly baby quilts and odds and ends) on my Janome

These are some of my quilts I found around the house, not sure where the rest are. Oh well.

I made this quilt for my Grandma Reed

My mom let me cut up all our families old jeans to make this quilt.

It's backed with corduroy. I use it as a stadium blanket and  on picnics. 

I think I made this while watching Anne of Green Gables Movies

I know there's a large baby quilt around
here somewhere that goes with this little blankie.

It's a relaxing pastime for me.  I'd be happy to show ya how anytime.

bibs & blankies

These little "taggie blankies" are simple to make.  I like to use a style called strip quilting. End to end first sew random lengths of various fabric rectangles together. then cut the strips into the length you want your rows (width of blankie).  Sew the rows together. Then right side to right side sew a cuddly fabric with strips of material or short cords placed along the edges as you go. turn right side out and "wa-la"! 

This bib and the taggie blanket on the left above coordinate with the baby quilt and burp cloths I made Asher.

And this blanket was really fast- cut a cotton fabric to the size you want your receiving blanket to be and then cut the back made of flannel (in this case)  sew with right sides together and then turn inside out.  I like to sew a finishing stitch around the edges to make it look polished.

Amy Butler's "Little Stitches for Little Ones" book was very inspirational for me. Worth looking over, and may instructions are "googleable".

baby quilt

This the baby quilt I made for Asher in my summer of modified bed rest.  I was super inspired by these fabrics, Amy butler designs, and this spotted quilt (and all her other quilts!). -And I'm not even a "quilty" person anymore!  :-)

Fun places to shop for fabric in the twin cities: Treadle Yard Goods, and Crafty Planet.

Too many fun ones to choose from!

Some of the fabrics I chose.

I had to play around with the design and placement 

for a while.  Charlie helped a lot with this part.

I appliqued the little squares on by using a blanket stitch on my machine.

Finished Front.  I made Burp Cloths to match.

Finished back, I added a little strip of each fabric I used
on the front; it makes the back look snazzy.

The best part of this project was seeing my little man on top of it!

I also made a bib and burp cloth and taggie blankie to match.

My next project: these adorable hand crafted stuffed animals!  Found them on Martha Stewart.

LOVE!

Nested, and Coco Knits, are also sites that have lots of fun and classy crafty projects on them.
Enjoy!

burpy-urpy cloths

Because every little one over fills that little tum-tum. (Asher is a pro at the whole spit-up thing). I wish I had made more of these.  But thankfully my friends gave me some they made.

On the ones I made I just put flannel or a striped terrycloth-like fabric.  The fronts were all cotton.

The two pictured above coordinate with a quilt and bib's I made for Little Asher Man.

And I made one to coordinate with the little worm diaper bad, pictured below.

Above, in the top right I made a cotton from/flannel back blanket with matching burp cloth. And the ones that have "Little Mr" monogrammed on them were made by my friend Sarah.  Hers have a towel-like terry cloth on the back with flannel on the front. They are quite absorbent. The silky one is a taggie blanket she also made.

Below is a burp cloth (one of six) that my friend Dana made us. These are the classic white cloth diaper ones, and to jazz it up she has sewn a strip of flannel down the front. To be honest, these are my favorite, because they are the most absorbent of all of the ones I have.  If I make more in the future, they'll probably be similar to this one.

a diaper bag ditty

When I finally made it to modified bed rest this last summer I had extra time to do this sort of thing...

I didn't have a pattern, but did use this helpful post for guidance. I changed a few things and added a divider in the middle.  Wasn't to tough. I'll leave this one in the car with a snack and change of clothes for those sure to come emergency situations.  ;-)

I wish I had a serger.

I also whipped up a burp cloth to match.

monogrammed shirt for kiddo's

This little sewing project is pretty easy... I did it.

Thought I'd write a quick tutorial in case you wanna give it a shot (or sew).

1. By shirts. I usually look for a sale or H&M

2. Print out the letter in the font and size you'd like to use. (not curved edges get a little tricky if you're using a machine).

3. Buy felt. I buy it at Joann's for like $.30 a sheet. This way I have lots of colors to choose from.

4. Coordinate your felt to your shirt.

 5. Trace the letter upside down on the felt.

6. On that same side of the felt iron on double sided interfacing glue. (read instructions on package)

7. Cut out the letters that now have interfacing "glue" on their back side.

8. Iron the letter to the shirt. I place my letters in the middle of the shirt towards the top. 

9. As a finishing touch chose one of the following: *Sew with a contrasting thread color about 2/8" from edge around the letter (that's what I have shown below). or *Hand sew up and down in the same way with contrasting candle-wicking thread. or *do the same with yarn (I've done this too, but my fingers really hurt after from pushing the needly through so much fabric and felt, plus the yarn thickness. But it does look super cute). 

There ya have it! CUTE - CLASSY & CRAFTY!

Your next gift for the kiddo's in your life.