Getting ready for Baby #3

I am so ready to name this baby! Me and my husband, Josh, have been going back and forth for what seems like forever about what to name this baby. My favorite is Harper, but he doesn't like that. We've talked about Scarlett and Haleigh - along with thousands of others - but just haven't made a decision. Given the fact that we KNOW this baby will be born early, I'm getting a little nervous!

With this baby, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and, so far, have been able to control my sugars with diet and exercise, but our dear little one is still measuring very large. We'll find out in just about 3 or 4 weeks whether I'll be having her naturally (well, with the help of early Pitocin) or by C-section. I'm really not worried about that part, I just hope she doesn't have any issues with sugar or jaundice. However, needless to say, I'm getting close to panic mode trying to get everything done for our new little girl!

The first thing I've done is make a giant quilt. Well, it was supposed to be giant. Josh wanted a larger quilt so that it could be tucked into the bed at night. He likes to put the girls to bed every night, so that was his one request... the other girls' quilts are just too little and they end up wiggling them off at night.

I used fabric from Heather Ross' Mendocino and Far Far Away lines (I, II and maybe one or two from FFAIII) for this quilt. I LOVE Heather Ross fabric! It is so luxurious and soft and the designs are perfectly suited for a little girl. I have been all about some fuchsia and fairy tales with this baby, so I'm really hoping she ends up liking this.

I ended up messing it up pretty badly when I was squaring it up. It's a scrappy quilt and I didn't really follow a pattern, so the measurements were off. I was trying to keep the edge straight, but ended up messing it up BAD. So, naturally, I burst out into tears and sobbed as I cut another few inches off the side to make it square. Josh couldn't understand why I was crying so much, but guys never do...

I just love the fabrics on this quilt! Each fabric tells a different tale and all the stories that are woven into the stitches just make it so special. I can imagine her lying there, looking at the mermaids and the princesses and making up stories of far off lands just like I did as a little girl. At least I hope!

This is the first time I've pieced a back together and used flannel. I have to say, I'm in love! The softness of the flannel, the color and the little snippets of fabric is just so lovely to me. I really hope this little girl likes her quilt!

I had so much fabric left over from the first quilt, that I couldn't resist making some more goodness for this baby! I made another, smaller, quilt (the same size as the ones the girls have now), and a lovey with a teething ring. I've got some other items that I'm working on (burp cloths, swaddling blankets and sheets for the pack n play) that I'll show you next time. I'm staying very busy! I just hope it's all done before she gets here!

Welcome to my corner of the web!

Well, hello! Welcome!

I have decided to jump on the blog train and share what I've been doing. I was bitten by the quilting bug and have been going crazy making quilts and other goodies for my girls. I have loved making bedding for them and I would like to start making bedding for others as well. I have never liked the options on the market, so it's fun to be able to give my girls something unique and pretty that doesn't have "Dora" plastered all over it!

I want to start by showing the first quilts I ever made. The first one is Ashlyn's. She loves purple and I've been in a real Miami phase (I'm obsessed with the bright colors) so I used Amy Butler "Soul Blossoms" and Tina Givens "Opal Owl" to make this bright and colorful Pinwheel Quilt.

I hand quilt all my quilts. This is half because I really like the look of hand quilting and the nostalgia of it, and half because I don't have a very large machine, a walking foot, or the extra disposable cash to send them out. Besides, I think it makes the quilt special for the girls knowing it has my blood, sweat and tears (literally) sewn into it!

The back of Ashlyn's Pinwheel quilt, showing the hand quilting.

A few of my favorite fabrics. I think Soul Blossoms is one of my all time favorite fabric lines!

The next quilt I made was Micaela's. I made it before she had really discovered her favorite color, so I might have to make her another one (she LOVES pink). Lesson learned! Still I like it a lot. I really loved Zig Zag quilts at that time and was dying to make one. 

I really like how crinkly the quilts start to look over time. Unfortunately, this one has a nasty stain on it. The girls had been playing in a hamper in the kitchen and Ashlyn dumped Micaela in the floor, busting her mouth open. It continued to bleed a little after she went to sleep and, of course, she drooled all over the white part. Oh well... just adds another story!

I think I did pretty good for these being my first quilts! People ask all the time who taught me, and as much as I'd like to say my mamaw, she never actually taught me about quilting. She and my Mom taught me how to use sewing machines, but it wasn't until I discovered the joys of YouTube that I figured out quilting. I will say, The Missouri Star Quilt Company has some AMAZING tutorials on their YouTube channel! They are very well done and easy to follow. For the hand quilting, I just searched Google and if I use patterns, my favorite shop is, hands-down, Cluck Cluck Sew. I bought a Modern Chain Quilt from her a while back that I'm itchin' to start on. It might have to wait, though. I've got my eye on a Wonky Star quilt that I want for my bed...

Seriously... quilting is addictive! I've got a lot going on right now with Baby #3 on the way (name still to be determined), so I'll be posting pretty often. Check back soon and be sure to check me out on Flickr and Facebook for the latest updates. I'll be opening an Etsy shop soon, so be on the lookout for that as well.