Two Year Anniversary! Plus A New Addition!

Two years of sewing and blog writing have passed! Two years of learning and challenging myself, and of feeling confident and insecure all at once. So much has happened, especially in this last year.

Michael had some medical issues, which have now thankfully resolved, and during that time sewing and this blog changed for me. Sewing became the thing I did to feel normal, and like my world wasn’t out of control. In some ways my blog suffered. I wasn’t always able to post once a week, and when I did I sometimes felt like the posts lacked heart. Then again, sometimes all I could say was, “hey guys, I made a thing”, and let me tell you, it took a lot of dedication to do that much.

So that’s how the year has gone for me, ups and downs, and trying to keep moving forward. Thanks for sticking with me!

For my two year anniversary post I wanted to highlight the project that was meaningful to me, so here it is!

With my cousins Russell and Marisa expecting a baby boy, I knew exactly what I wanted to make for the new addition to the family!

In a previous blog post I told the story of Grandma Doris’ childhood quilt. (See previous post “Been There, Done That, Got the T-Shirt, And Made A Quilt”.) My Great-Great Grandma, Gertrude Elizabeth McMichael made her granddaughter a quilt. Here she is, Great-Great Grandma Gertrude, quilt maker.

The quilt she made for Grandma, a very loved and now worn out Sunbonnet Sue.

When it came time for Grandma Doris to be promoted to Great Grandma, she made Mia this Sunbonnet Sue, because she had loved hers so much.

I couldn’t make a Sunbonnet Sue for a little boy, but I could make a Suspender Sam! Here’s a picture of the Suspender Sam pattern.

This pattern is applique, which is cut pieces that are sewn onto a fabric block. The technique this pattern uses is fusible interfacing sewn, right sides together. You then turn the piece right side out.

You then put the pieces in place, and iron them down. The fusible interfacing keeps them in place while you stitch around the pieces to hold them down permanently.

I used scrap from old projects. I decided to have some of the “Sams” holding a fishing pole with a fish, since Russell loves to fish.

I hand stitched around each piece of fabric, and embroidered the fishing poles onto the blocks. I decided to use round pieces of felt for the buttons instead of real buttons. I didn’t want the blanket to be a choking hazard!

I chose this fabric for the sashing and got to work cutting and laying out the quilt.

Cutting the sashing. Yes, my long ruler is broken. Yes I have another one. This one, however, is my favorite and has been through many quilts with me.

Laying it out.

Putting the cornerstones in place.

The front was all sewn. Now to lay it out onto the batting with the backing fabric. I then pin it all together, and hand quilt it.

I had this fun variegated thread that matched all of the colors in the quilt.

Sewing the binding.

I tried a new technique for the binding. I really liked the way it turned out.

To finish it off, I sewed this tag onto the back of it. I found this little tag in Grandma Doris’ sewing box after she passed away. I’m sure she would want her newest great grandbaby to have it.

Then we waited and waited for our new baby boy to be born. Russell and Marisa had decided on a name, Bert Holliday. Bert after Grandpa Bert, and Holliday in memory of Russell’s brother James. James was a huge Doc Holliday fan. James would love the name, and would adore his nephew.

Since we’re talking about babies, here I am, holding my new cousin at that time, James.

The day finally arrived for Bert Holliday to be born! Don’t mind me, I had a very early phone call, and a long drive up the hill, and a long wait in a waiting room to get this picture! I wore one of Grandma Doris’ rings to the hospital, so a little piece of her got to hold the new baby too! You can’t see it in the picture though. The one you can see belonged to another grandma. It belonged to mine and Russell’s Great-Great Grandma, Marion Sinclaire, who we always called, “Nana”.

Baby Bert, enjoying his quilt!

If you notice, the block right above him is made from scraps of Grandpa Bert’s WWII fabric.

This burgundy piece is scraps from a maternity dress that I made for Marisa.

Cozy and surrounded by love!

Just cuteness overload!

Quilts are made for sleeping!

And just because he’s so cute, and I love him so much, here he is again! This time in Grandpa Bert’s old fishing basket, surrounded by Grandpa Bert’s old fishing gear, and Grandpa Bert’s belt buckle. Which now, of course, belongs to him.

If you knew Grandpa Bert, you’ve probably seen that belt buckle before. He wore it A LOT!

So that wraps up my two year anniversary sew. I was very happy to carry on the tradition of “Sunbonnet Sue” and now “Suspender Sams” in the family. After so many generations of people making that quilt, I guess it qualifies as a family tradition!

But since it is the two year anniversary post I’m not finished yet! A lot of you voted on Facebook, and your favorite sew/blog post of the year was, “We Can Do It!”.

The overalls were fun to make, but the day spent with my nieces doing the photo shoot will always be a treasured memory for me.

However, since it is my blog I looked back on the years sews and picked two of my favorites from this past year.

First, Aunt Tamy’s sleeping bag jacket. The challenge of turning her childhood sleeping bag into a jacket was exciting. I was more pleased to be able to give Aunt Tamy this very special gift.

I know Aunt Tamy really does love it. She wears it out and about often. Here she is wearing it while out and about in San Francisco.

My other favorite sew was the “Little House on The Prairie” dress that I made for Reagan. It too was challenging. I wanted it to be perfect for Reagan. I was very particular about choosing the fabric so she would look just like Laura Ingalls. The lace needed to look homespun like a prairie girl would have worn. Of course, the buttons were antique, shell carved buttons from the time that Laura Ingalls actually lived in. I was thrilled with how it turned out, bonnet and all! I was even more happy to be able to put a smile on Reagan’s face, and make her feel special. She was, I’m sure, the best dressed girl at “Prairie Days”.

My favorite things to sew are the things that make people smile, and feel loved. I am grateful to be able to sew and give the people I care about special, quirky, upcycled, one of a kind, vintage, modern, customized, and sometimes crazy garments. I wonder where this next year will take me and my sews.

Thank you all , again, for following my sewing journey and supporting me.

As for me, onto the next!