Party Shirt & My Son, the Fashion Model

Simplicity Pattern #2907 Toddler Separates: Toddler Pants, Shorts, Dress, Shirt or Vest (pictured: Shirt, style D) Sizes: 1/2 – 4 (pictured: size 4) Material used: 45″ Commercial Cotton Print (7/8 yd) Other Materials: 6 snaps or buttons, fusible interfacing, hook & loop (optional) Doesn’t he make an adorable fashion model? OK, I know, he’s my son, so of course I think he is cute. This pattern went together like a dream. It is so rare that commercial … Continue reading

No strings attached

Finally, something new and totally without strings attached! It’s not often that I have time to make something purely for the joy of making it. A while back (well over a year), I took a class at our local fabric store, G-street Fabrics, in something I’d been wanting to learn about for a long time: Kaleidoscope quilts.  Most quilt designs I can look at and deconstruct and understand basically how it was done.  But there are tricks to … Continue reading

If You’re Going to San Francisco…

Be sure to bring a quilt. So I have these two friends.  And they are good friends.  And for the last couple years they’ve been living in Frankfurt, Germany.  I missed them. A lot. Last May, I guess it was, we got a call from Frankfurt that they were finally going to get married!  Hip, hip hooray!  In September, they returned stateside for a short stint and began planning.  May would be the date, California … Continue reading

Holiday Gifts: Necktie

Pirate ship Necktie Originally uploaded by alyson_olander Strictly speaking, this was not a holiday gift.  My dad’s birthday falls just a few days prior to Christmas and, because I understand how much it must suck to get a load of Christmas ‘n’ birthday combined gifts each year, I make a concerted effort to give him one gift for each. This year’s birthday gift was a pirate ship necktie. Now, be honest, a necktie is kind of … Continue reading

Holiday gifts: Jewelry Tote

Jewelry Pouches Originally uploaded by alyson_olander Welcome to the first in my series of holiday gift posts! I handed these cute little pouches out last night to our daycare providers during their holiday party.  I wish I could take credit for the design, but I can’t – they came from Quilting Arts Magazine special Gifts issue (2009/2010).  The pattern was designed by Margarete Steinhauer and appears on page 132 of the mag (almost all the way … 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

Artomatic 2009 is coming…

Adam and Alyson Painting a Wall Originally uploaded by Ninth Raven I’ve been keeping myself quite busy for the past few weeks with preparations for Artomatic, and now the show is finally upon us!  Walls have been painted, lettering has been added, postcards printed, paint touched-up and, most importantly, art has been made and HUNG!  Even though I completed my installation on Sunday, there is still a nagging voice in my head saying “What on Earth … Continue reading

Busy, busy, busy

All washed up Originally uploaded by alyson_olander It’s been a while since I posted. I’m so out of practice. I worked on this piece today. I know you can’t see much of it here, but it will be in Artomatic between May 29th-July 5th, so iffin you want to see it, you should come for a visit. Or, I will probably post a full pic when it’s done, so you could take that route as … Continue reading

Spiral Bound Calendar Cover – Complete!

Calendar Cover Originally uploaded by alyson_olander This was just a quickie project for myself that may end up turning into more. I bought one of those spiral bound calendar books this year in order to keep myself better organized. I immediately thought of covering it, but I didn’t have the time, the inclination or the material I wanted on hand. Luckily all of those things came to me about a week an a half ago. … Continue reading