MAYA SLING

Do you need a quick-t0-make gift for a baby shower or a new arrival? Check out www.mayawrap.com for instructions on how to make this baby sling. (You can buy them on this site also.)


I made this one last weekend. It was the second one I made. It literally takes ten minutes to make. It took longer to press the fabric than it did to sew this. I didn't have a baby handy, so here it is on my newel post with a sack of potatoes in it.

Here's little Parker in the first one I made. The poor little guy had a very "immature belly", (translation: colic), and really had a hard time his first few months. Being in the sling really comforted him and helped preserve his parents' sanity.

Fast forward a couple of months and you can see that he is still very comfortable in it, and of course, it's great for momma and poppa to have both hands free for other things.

What I really love about this company (www.mayawrap.com) is that even though they sell the slings, they shared instructions on how to make them. There is a video on the site that explains different ways to wear it for different ages.

BABY BLOOMING NINE PATCH

I spent some time yesterday working on this Blooming Nine Patch quilt for a very special baby that is scheduled to arrive in December. The baby is going to be a girl, but the momma didn't want anything too "girly or baby". I took that to mean no bright pink and purple, and no juvenile prints. Soooo, what to do? Well, I just love this Moda collection, Martinique. It's just plain pretty. Since the big picture isn't very clear, scroll down to get a closer view of the fabrics.

I am going to add a narrow border of the large print shown below...that's what I used for the setting triangles, so it will just carry that design out a bit. Or....now that I'm thinking about it, maybe a scalloped border....hmmm....

This is one of my all time favorite patterns from one of my favorite all time books, Tradition With A Twist by Blanche Young and Dalene Young Stone. This is one of those patterns that looks good in any type of fabrics....I have done it in Cherrywoods, batiks, and just regular cottons like here. If you visit Webshots (http://www.webshots.com/) and search for Blooming Nine Patch Quilts, you will see oodles of pictures of different BNP quilts.

It is my personal opinion that this book should be in every quilter's library. I probably make at least one Bloomin' Nine Patch a year, but there are also some other great patterns in this book, including classics like Irish Chains and Trip Around The Worlds. The instructions are so clear and concise....very well written. And some of the patterns are good stash busters! These quilts go together FAST!

If you don't have this book, BUY IT NOW!!! It's actually been out a long time....at least ten years, but it is still being reprinted, so I guess I am not the only one that feels this way.

NEW DESIGNS FOR QUILT MARKET

We are so excited to introduce our newest artist, J Blake! It has been so much fun interpreting his wonderful, whimsical style in fabric.....and I never, in my wildest dreams, imagined that classic cottons, batiks, and wool would play together so nicely!

Three Wise Guys

Good St. Nick

Identity Crisis

Poppy Love

Beach Baaa-be