Archive for the ‘sew it’ Category

Update:  I’ll be posting the Babushka Tutorial late Monday afternoon for those who are interested.  I’m off to Cub Scout Camp at the crack of dawn this morning… and will be putting up the tutorial when I get home.  Wish me luck!  I’ll count camp a success if we all have fun, and nobody gets a tick.

My mom always called this little style of kerchief a babushka…

I call it cute as a button.  I also call it a lifesaver for summer hair.

Running through the sprinkler, playing hopscotch in the breeze, rolling down the grassy hill…  all the activities of summer leave my girl’s hairdos much to be desired.

That’s OK.  Throw on a babushka, and you’re ready to go and looking darling.

This morning I tried my hand at a making a babushka, and this was the results.

I wanted it to be easy for the girls to put on by themselves, so there are no ties… but a covered elastic in the back.

This first version was trial and error.  I made a few mistakes, and learned a thing or two.

Monday I’ll be posting a tutorial… with all the proverbial wrinkles ironed out.

This babushka is so easy-peasy to make, you’ll want to make more than one.  I think I may even end up making a few for myself.

Why should the girls have all the fun?

Last week I continued quilting lessons with my mom by working on a new checker board quilt.  We wanted to make a picnic quilt that was whimsical and easy.

The idea of a checker board just seemed too fun.

But my first thought was… with all those small squares, this quilt will take forever!

Not when my mom is teaching me the ropes.

The technique is so easy.  Black, white, then black strips are sewn together.  Next make a white, black, white strip.

They are stacked together and cut out.  Each one form 1/3 of a nine patch…

Now it’s quick and easy to build each block.

And with each block…

It’s easy to build the quilt.  I love quilting with my mom.  She makes things so clear and easy.

She is precise without being too fussy.  See how each seam comes together neatly.

Even the back of the quilt is neat and precise.

One of the other things I love about working with my mom is watching her hands.

I could see her hands in a photograph and know them immediately.  Her hands are rarely idle and can usually be found quilting, cooking, knitting, cleaning, or gardening.  They are strong working hands, with lots of character.  I love my mom’s hands.