Since it is the last day of the month, I can still consider this project my January project!  I wanted to get a quick post up with my latest sewing fun. I have a friend having a baby in April, and my older sister is having twins in June, so I have some baby projects to work on. I bought this fabric last Sunday at Intown Quilters in Decatur, GA. The shop is full of wonderful fabrics, well organized, and the staff is very helpful. I always end up leaving with some treasures.

The first three fabrics I am using in a baby quilt, and you can see the start of it below. I am hoping to have the top finished this weekend, and then I need to pick the backing fabric and work out plans for the machine quilting.

I have made a number of baby quilts over the years, and I have never actually finished one before the baby was born – let alone make it to the shower with one (same can be said for wedding quilts). I hope to break that pattern with this one! The pattern is from Quick and Easy Projects for the Weekend Quilter (which seems to be my standard pattern book these days) and is called Interlocking Stars. Okay… back to my quilt, I have ten more rows to put together!

Update: The top is finished! I know… I am just as shocked. I haven’t decided yet if I want to add a border to pull everything together, but the major piecing of the top is complete! I think seeing all of the progress Carrie has been making on her cakes (aren’t they the coolest?) has helped motivate me. I won’t be posting a photo here until the quilt is complete and has been passed along to the new mom so I don’t spoil the surprise any more than I already have. Happy February!

Update 2: The quilt is finished!

I agreed to donate a cake to a silent auction fundraiser for the Delaware Children’s Museum that is coming to the Riverfront in Wilmington (Click on the link for more info on the museum). For the event, I needed to make a few mini-cakes (6 inch rounds) to demonstrate what I could offer. I looked around online for some ideas and found a couple jumping off points. In the end, I am quite pleased with the end products.

The first is a Rubber Ducky in a Washtub Cake:

This was such a fun cake – I hope to make a bigger one someday! Here is the table view:

The second cake incorporates the Delaware Children’s Museum logo. I used fondant and 3 perfectly colored and strategically placed toothpicks. I hope it holds up for the event!

I will have another cake to post when I am commissioned for the winner of the auction item.

Update:

I received an email from an attendee of the auction: “Everyone was very impressed, and the museum director took the DCM cake hoping to preserve it!” I’m not sure how to preserve a cake (besides freezing it!) but I was happy they liked it! I hope it brought them lots of money too

For Danica’s birthday, I thought I would make a fun cake that I could guarantee she would love! I went for a Devil’s Food cake with a Peanut Butter cup mousse inside. The icing is Hersheys’ “Perfect Chocolate Icing” and I used fondant for the decorations. Here it is:

I’ll update with a picture of the inside soon!

I was commissioned last week to make a cake for a confirmation. I know one of the boys who was being confirmed and I knew he needed something more than just a cake with a cross or dove on it. I couldn’t find anything more creative online so I started brainstorming with some friends. This is the final product:

The bottom layer is a thin 15″ x 11″ vanilla cake. The Bible is a thicker 7″ x 11″ cake wrapped in fondant.  The banner is made of fondant – 2 layers in different colors. I dried it for 2 or 3 days prior so it was nice and solid. The Jesus action figure was added at the end for a playful feel!

I asked for some feedback on the cake so I can improve and the mom said it was good but the bottom crumbled a little bit. Anyone have a good cake recipe they are willing to share?

This was one of my favorite projects so far this year, even though it was very difficult to get it perfect. Taking an old t-shirt, my friend Katie and I put together this wallet in about 4 hours. I’ll try to clarify each step as best I can so you can make one too!

First, press the t-shirt fabric (cutting the sleeves and back off at the at the seams. You can also use a new fabric of your choice if you desire.You also want to press two other fabrics for the inside and pockets.

Next, make the cuts!

Cut Outside fabric: 8.5″x11.5″

Cut Fusible fleece: 7.75″x10.75″ and iron onto back of Outside fabric.

Cut Inside fabric: 8.5″x11.5″

Cut a piece of pellon (fusible interfacing): 7.75″x10.75″ and iron onto back of Inside fabric.

Cut 2 pieces of pocket fabric: 8.5″x7″, and sew them right sides together at both 8.5″ sides.

Cut one long piece of pocket fabric: 19″x8.5″

Attach 2 snap studs to the bottom of the outside fabric about 1″ and 1 1/2″ from the bottom.

Next, you’ll construct the lower pockets. when finished, you will have 6 credit card slots and a money pocket. Using a ruler and being careful to be precise, mark the back of the long pocket fabric at the following measurements from the top: .75″, 1.75″, 1.75″, 2.25″, 1.75″, 2.25″, 1.75″, 2.25″, 1.75″.

Folding at each interval, construct the pocket and press the folds well. Stitch across the top of each fold and stitch up the center to separate the pockets.

Place the finished pocket on the bottom of the inside fabric and stitch the sides to hold it in place.

Take the stitched upper pocket fabric and press it right side out. Topstitch both seams. Fold the bottom up to about 1/2″ lower than the top. Stitch the center of the bottom pocket to create 2 pockets. Align the pocket about 1/3 of the way down and attach upper pockets to the inside fabric by stitching across the bottom of the pocket.

Align the inside and outside fabrics so that the snaps are opposite the lower pockets, right sides in. Pin well.

Sew just outside the fusible fleece leaving a hole to flip. Trim your corners and flip the wallet right side out.

Check the pockets with a credit card and topstitch all around the wallet closing the hole as you stitch. Press and fold the wallet. Position the snap and attach with the pearl snap on the outside fabric at the top.

And voila! You are finished! Here are some pictures of the completed wallet:

inside:

Outside open:

Outside closed: