From Grandma with Love.........Claira the Pig

I knew my mom was working on something special for Matilda's 2nd birthday, but when Matilda opened up "Claira the Pig", I could not believe my eyes.  Total and complete adorableness! 

This pig doll is named "Claira" and was made from Heather Bailey's pattern "Claira and Clancy Pig Dolls".  Mom put her own twist on the pattern with her use of fabrics, trims and buttons.  The details in this doll are amazing!

 
I am in love with the eyes and the little eye lashes.  Also the sweet flower next to the ear is another special detail that makes this doll one-of-a-kind.

The doll pattern comes with boy and girl clothing options which makes it a great gift for a boy or girl.  The long, skinny legs with the bloomers are totally adorable.  I could seriously eat this doll up!  I didn't get a picture of it, but the arms are attached with buttons so they can move up and down. 

Matilda is one lucky little girl because mom made the clothing for this doll from Kate Spain's "Terrain" line that has yet to be released - she is SO cutting edge.  She used some fat quarters from the bundle that she picked up at the sample spree at quilt market.  This fabric will be released in September 2011.

As you know, I just love handmade gifts and this one is no exception.  I really should have taken a picture of Matilda with Claira because the doll is quite large and is 3/4's of her size.  I love seeing her walking around with Claira's long skinny legs wiggling around.  Matilda has added Claira to her nightly sleeping buddy collection along-side Elmo and her little lamb.

Hmmmm, wonder if Mom will be making one of these for little man too once he arrives?  I think Claira might need her Clancy!

From Grandma with Love........Cherry Picnic Dresses

I mentioned in my last "From Grandma with Love" post that Grandma Jane had made these adorable Cherry Picnic Dresses for the girls.  So here they are -   I absolutely love them and they fit perfectly!

I just love coordinating sister looks where they are matching, but not exactly the same.  Mom found this fabric at her local Joann Fabric store and thought it just shouted summer picnic and I couldn't agree more.

Matilda's dress is so sweet with the pleated top and the button detail across the front.  Her dress has three medium sized buttons in the back and has the plaid accent at the bottom.  I've been kind of into the square neck-line lately and I think the pleated top just makes the dress!

 

Miss Savannah's dress couldn't have been designed more perfectly for her.  She is really into collecting things and sticking them in her pockets (you should have seen the mound of rocks she had in her shorts the other day).  These pockets are nice and large and are set at just the right height for her little hands.  I also love that Savannah's dress has encased elastic in the back which makes for a very comfortable fit.  And my favorite detail of this dress is the piping that has been added in around the bodice edge......mom knows I love that piping!

What's even more fun right now, is that the girls love to be matching.  I know this is not going to last long, so I'm taking full advantage of it for right now.  But with them only being 16-months apart they pretty much have the same taste in clothing and both love wearing dresses!

Thanks Grandma Jane, handmade gifts are the best!  

We love all the pretty things you've been making and sending for the girls!

From Grandma with Love.....Cowgirl Princess Quilts and Ruffle Pillows

I love my mom.  I know I've told you all that before, but she really is the best!  So thoughtful, kind, understanding, a good listener and I could go on and on, but I know she reads the blog and I don't want her to get a big head or anything.

She has really been taking a lot of time lately sewing some fun things for my girls and I just had to share her most recent creation with you.

My mom lives in Texas and she said that when she found this Cowgirl Princess fabric she knew she MUST make these quilts for the girls.  

Isn't that fabric just adorable?

Mom made both Savannah and Matilda each a Cowgirl Princess quilt and a matching ruffle pillows.  I love the piecing and framing she did around the border of the quilt.  It really makes the fun cowgirl princess fabric stand out in the middle.

My mom quilted the center fabric with what she calls her "lasso" technique.  She used her free motion quilting foot to make the stitching look like little lassos.  She said she thought something was missing when she finished the quilts so she went back around the center panel with this decorative scallop stitch.  Genius!  I've used this same stitch on the edging of dresses, but would never have thought to use it on a quilt.

The pillows are adorable and are perfect size for little toddlers.  Because she made the pillowcases smaller, she also made an interior pillow to fit inside each case.  My daughter, Matilda, refuses to sleep with any other pillow right now.  This is the one she loves.

I love handmade gifts and I love that my mom takes so much time to make fun things for my girls.  And honestly, even though my little ladies are young, they really appreciate handmade.  They love getting things from Grandma and tell anyone who will listen all about the fun things that have been made for them.

Thanks for the adorable Cowgirl Princess quilts and pillow sets for the girls.  They love them and we love you!  Yeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaw!!!

PS:  Since I took these pictures, we have since received the most adorable cherry picnic dresses from my mom - I can't wait to share those with you next!

Blue Crab Print

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Fabric Portfolio and Notepad Holder Tutorial

So I've been meaning to post this tutorial for the last several weeks, but just haven't had the time to get it written up.  I made these Fabric Portfolios for my mom and I to take to quilt market.  I actually sent my mom hers for mother's day with the business cards I had printed up for her.  I wanted us to have something to carry around our business cards, postcards, credentials and a notepad.  These turned out to be just perfect!

I designed these portfolios to fit easily inside of a purse, but big enough to hold a good amount of notes and documents.  Make one of these to tote around while you run errands, to carry your coupons, grocery list, or make one for a gift (perhaps for a recent graduate).  I think just about anyone you know could probably find a use for the Fabric Portfolio and Notepad Holder.

Supplies:
Fabric - Fat Quarters (I used 4 different designs as well as linen)
Medium-weight fusible interfacing
1 hair elastic
1 button
Two pieces of cardboard
Basic sewing supplies
1 notepad

Directions:
Cut your fabric pieces.

Exterior:
Cut 1 - 10" x 3.5" (Linen)
Cut 1 - 10" x 4" (Fabric A)
Cut 1 - 10" x 6.5" (Linen)

Interfacing:
Cut 1 - 10" x 13"

Interior:
Cut 1 - 10" x 13" (Linen)
Cut 2 - 10" x 6.5"  (Fabric A)
Cut 1 - 10" x 6.5" (Fabric B) - Hem top down 1" - this is the piece that will hold notepad
Cut 2 - 10" x 6.5" (Fabric C) - Fold in half, top down (one goes on each side)
Cut 1 - 6.5" x 5" (Fabric D) - Fold in half, top down
Cut 1 - 5" x 5" (Fabric B) - Fold in half on the diagonal

Sew the outer pieces together.  Place one piece of printed fabric on top of one piece of plain fabric (right sides together).  Stitch a straight line - 1/4" seam allowance.  Do the same on the other side of the printed fabric. Press both seams open.  You will now have a plain piece of fabric on either side of the printed fabric for your exterior.

Top-stitch on both sides of the seam.  1/8"-1/4" on either or both sides.  See picture above.  I top-stitched on both sides.

This is what the back side of the exterior piece will look like when you have pressed your seams open.  Press your interfacing to the back side of the exterior piece of fabric.

Now construct the inner pockets.  I've given you the measurements and pieces I used, but you can customize this to fit your needs.  Add more or less pockets, whatever works for you.

I double-stitched the hem on all of the pocket pieces.  You don't have to do this, but I think it looks nice and adds extra durability.  When I said above to fold in half, I stitched the hem by the fold.  You could just fold and not stitch, but I don't think it would hold up as nicely.

Place all of your pockets on top of each other and run a stitch all the way around the edge of the whole pocket piece.  Stitch as close to the edge as possible.  This will hold your pockets all together.

Now construct the pockets for the other side.  I made one tall pocket to hold the back of my notepad and then another pocket underneath for extra storage.  Put pockets in place and stitch around the entire rectangle to keep them from moving around.

Here are your pocket pieces once you have run a stitch around each rectangle just to hold them in place.

Next you want to hem one long side of each rectangle.  You are going to do a 1/2" hem.  Again, I double stitched here, but you certainly could just do one row of stitching.  Do one side on each of the two pocket pieces.  The hem should be on the side that you plan to have towards the middle of your portfolio, the other side is left raw for now.

Here is what the hemmed edge will look like on the pocket pieces.

Now place your pocket pieces on top of another solid piece of fabric (linen, in my case).  Pin in place.  Run a stitch around the entire large rectangle to secure the pocket pieces to your solid piece of fabric. The stitching might seem a little excessive, but it's just always best to have everything nicely secured when sewing.

Now figure out where you would like your button placed on the exterior fabric.  Mark with a fabric marking pen.  Then stitch in place.  You can use any button and button size that you would like.
 

Next grab a hair elastic to make the band that will close the portfolio.

How long you leave your elastic will depend on the size of your button.  My button was fairly large, so I left a longer piece of elastic.  I also didn't want it to be too tight because I wanted there to be room to load up my portfolio with documents and notes.  Stitch your elastic together by machine stitching back and forth several times.

Now place your exterior fabric piece and your interior fabric piece (the one with the pockets), right sides together.  On the side where you would like your elastic closure, point the elastic loop inward.

Stitch all the way around the rectangle, but leave a 3"-5" opening for turning right side out - 1/2" seam allowance.  You will catch your elastic in this seam.  I stitched back and forth over the elastic piece just to make sure it was secure in place.

Clip the corners to remove excess fabric bulk.  You can also trim off the additional elastic since it has now been caught in the last seam we just sewed.  Turn right side out and press with a hot iron.

Hand-sew the opening closed with coordinating thread.

I cut two pieces of cardboard to make my portfolio a little more sturdy.  Cut two pieces approximately 9" x 5.5" (give or take)  I also decided to cover the cardboard with coordinating paper, just in case it were to ever show.  I'm all about the details and I just like knowing the interior looks as pretty as the exterior.

Slide your cardboard pieces underneath each pocket piece.  Slide one in on the right side and one in on the left.

Now your Fabric Portfolio and Notepad Holder is complete!

If you would like to add your own label, make sure you do this before you sew the interior and exterior pieces together.  I wanted to add a pop of color to the back as well, so I backed my labels with matching fabric.

My portfolio is on the left and Mom's is on the right.

The above portfolio is the one I made for my mom.  I also added some decorative paper to the top of the notepad.  I wasn't too fond of the big "Office Max" label on the notepad, the paper looks much prettier.  I simply cut the scrapbook paper to size and glued it down.

The fabric used in Mom's portfolio is Amy Butler's "Soul Blossoms" and the fabric for mine is Sandi Henderson's "Meadowsweet 2".  The plain fabric is a neutral colored linen. 

Whew, that was a long post!  

So do you think you'll make one?  

I've already gotten a ton of use out of mine and plan to make a few of these as gifts for some other special ladies in my life.