100 Quilts 4 Kids!

Welcome to the third stop on the 100 Quilts 4 Kids Bloghop! I recently joined the DC Modern Quilt guild. Each year, the group runs a charity quilt drive called 100 Quilts 4 Kids, the goal of which is to make and donate 100 quilts to a charity that will provide them to kids in need. This year’s fantastic cause is the Carpenter’s Shelter in Alexandria, VA which serves over 1000 homeless children and adults … Continue reading

And the bunny ran away with the spoon

Back when I first found out I was pregnant with a little girl, I started thinking about all of the clothes that I was going to make for her over the years. I sorted out patterns, started collecting fabrics, and put aside special buttons and trims. Now I have a baby and a stack of fabrics and patterns as tall as she is, but I don’t want to make anything because “she’ll just grow out … Continue reading

It’s been a while OR, what I did in my year-long hiatus from blogging

baby laying on a color quilt

It’s been quite a year in Alyson-land.  I mean, I worked, I played, I made some quilts, oh and I had a baby. The heck you say? Yes, yes, I know.  Most of you already know.  But I did kind of leave the blog hanging and I thought i would catch you up, just in case.  So here she is, Erica Beth. Born January 31, 2014 at 7:22am. I couldn’t have been more surprised when … Continue reading

Work in Progress: Zakka Style Baby Quilt

Hey look, it’s my First. Ever. WIP Wednesday post!  I so rarely take pictures of items that I’m working on, usually reserving the “big reveal” for the finished product.  Over the long weekend I did a lot of sewing but didn’t fully finish anything, so I took pictures anyway. This is a baby quilt pattern from Zakka Style: 24 Projects Stitched with Ease to Give, Use & Enjoy by Rashida Coleman-Hale.  I know I’m way … Continue reading

Farfalle Baby Quilt

Do you know what Farfalle is?  It’s the pasta that’s shaped like a bow. You know, this stuff: Did you also know that “farfalla” is Italian for butterfly? Neither did I… ANYWAY…this weekend, I made a flying farfalle quilt as a well-past-due gift for the baby of some friends.  (The baby is now 4 months old, so it’s not THAT far past due…) What a fun quilt to make!  I love how this turned out…well, … Continue reading

“Missing Rail” Tutorial

I made this quilt for my friends and their little girl (who should be here any second!), using those brilliant prints – Mendocino by Heather Ross. I’d been holding onto the fabrics for a while and I finally figured out what was stopping me from really getting down to working with them – variety. Somehow I’d managed to only get the fabrics with light or white colored backgrounds – mermaid on white, octopuses on pale … Continue reading

Little baby blue

Check it out! Number and 1 and number 2 of my nanoSEWmo projects! The pattern for this baby quilt and pillow is a Wonky Rail Fence, using the Stack-and-Whack method. The backing material is a solid light blue that I had on hand.  I also used a white/blue ombre rayon thread for quilting.  It adds some extra sparkle to the quilt, I think. The pillow has a simple ruffle around the edge and an envelope style back. … Continue reading

Monster Work in Progress

Another To-Do list project: Monster Baby Quilt!  No, not an extra large baby quilt, a baby quilt with monsters!  I bought these monster “patches” from Jennifer of the Cotton Monster at Crafty Bastards last year.  I originally intended to make a new quilt for Caleb, but I can barely get that boy to sleep under a sheet these days, let alone a quilt.  I have about a bazillion friends who are pregnant or who have had babies recently, so Monster … Continue reading

Yesterday there was S.E.X.

Minds out of the gutter, please. We’re talking “Stash Enhancement eXpedition”, thankyouverymuch. A close friend of mine found an local interior decorator who was moving offices/going out of business/changing things up (we’re not quite clear exactly what the situation is) and was invited to take a look at the stuff that the interior decorator was getting rid of. She was astonished to find that “stuff” included ROOMS full of fabric: samples, yardage, upholstery, silk, cottons… My friend kindly invited … Continue reading