Entry Way Bench

I'm re-doing the "from the garage" entry. We moved the sofa table into the closet to make room for the Ikea Expedit Bookcase we picked up in Salt Lake. I've been super excited to build it and finally got around to it!

To make the bench seat I cut down some MDF board that was left over from my craft table! (Love it when I don't have to buy anything for a new project!)

Its important to note in this picture that I am using a pruning hand saw. Yes, a pruning saw. Awesome doesn't feel that it is safe for me to use a saw. *eye roll* And also it's expensive. Which I do agree with. Use what you have. It took awhile but I at last I cut through!

Next step was to cut the foam to size. Luckily, the craft store cut down the length exact but I had to narrow it down. I tried the pruning saw again but that was a fail. But a box cutter was like butter.

I cleared off a space, placed the fabric right side down, then the foam, then the MDF. Pulled up the edges, folded them over and used a staple gun to go through the folded fabric and MDF. Super easy and clean cut. Kind of fumbled on the corners but they are good enough.

Here's the finished bench!! I love it. And the vintage feel.

Pouf Chair Extravaganza

I decided I'm going to try to sell these in the fall when all of the holiday craft bazaars are going on. Not sure for how much, not sure if I'm going to make different sizes, don't really know much of anything yet! But I've been busy sewing and sewing and sewing to build up a little stock pile! I have a total of 7 made with probably enough fabric for about 3 more. I try to exclusively buy super sale or remnant fabric...

List of Completed Pouf Chairs: 

Purple and Grey

Purple

Light Blue

Teal

Blue and Green x2 

Summer Floral

My First Quilt

One of my friends recently posted a video on how to do a "Jelly Roll" Quilt top in less than an hour! Wow. That sounded like my kind of project. I watched the whole video and it didn't sound like anything I could handle so I started looking for jelly rolls on Amazon and was immediately overwhelmed and gave up--to save this project for another day.

But while walking through Joann's the other day I spotted these little beauties! I could not resist.  

In the jelly roll video the rolls were quite large so I bought two of these smaller ones and crossed my fingers that it would be the right size. And I followed this tutorial.  Here is how the top turned out without the borders.

I think its important to mention here that in the video it tells you to take the strips right of the roll. Which is what I did and the rows did not turn out as randomized as hers did in the video. I figured out that the smaller jelly rolls rotate the patterns and the larger ones stack each pattern then move to the next one. I made another one not pictured and separated the patterns out and it looked much better. 

I added a grey and a teal border just to square it up. I think it makes it look much better. It turned out HUMONGOUS. So it will have to wait until she's older before she can use it but i still love it. Some mistakes but overall I'm happy.

For the back I used a Minky super soft grey fabric that I love! it was like $14.99 a yard luckily I had a coupon.

Super happy with my first ever quilt!! 

Rag Quilts. Or as I like to call them: Stupid.

My super sweet and talented Mother made the most adorable rag quilts for both of my little ones when they were born. They are so soft and perfect for tummy time when the babies are small. 
She made each of my kids 2 and also made some for other people too. I figured, she's probably made over 20. Since she's made so many... how hard could they be to make. Mistake #1. 
So Joann's was having a sale on flannel so I bought 6-1yd patterns to make my first rag quilts. Let me tell you, I was excited. One of my friends is having a boy so I bought all blue and green. Adorable. 
So it was finally time for a new project and I remembered reading one time to cut the raw quilt squares 5"x5"... And instead of double checking the instructions on Pinterest or calling my Mom I just started cutting. Mistake #2. The squares should have been 8"x8" and would have saved my sanity while cutting. I cut 2 yards of fabric with scissors and thought to myself and quite possibly out loud. That this is stupid. Luckily, I was already stopping at the fabric store later that day so I picked up a rotary cutter. A new favorite toy that saved my sanity and made cutting the last 4 yards much easier. 
*Only 1 accident with the rotary cutter. But it was a fairly bad one. I had both the kids home and it happened in the morning, and I was NOT about to spend the day with 2 kids in the doctors office to get stitches. So, I used superglue to close the big slice (after cleaning it out and all that). I wouldn't recommend it. and it KILLED and separated again after just a day but luckily not as deep. Now its all healed and just a small scar is left. No biggie. 

Once it was all done, I decided to stitch X's across, like I had seen in a post. Mistake #3. A quick call to my Mom again would have confirmed that this is an unneeded step because I was not using batting. Oh well. Here are all my stacks all done. Whew. 

After this step, putting the blankets together was really a sinch. Just lay out the pattern you want and stitch the rows together. This by far was my favorite part. I finished sewing them together in no time. 

Now the cutting. Back to Stupid. Now my scissors could use some sharpening but they are not the right kind apparently. After cutting one whole blanket and destroying hands with my horrible scissors, I called my mom and said "HOW DID YOU DO THIS SO MANY TIMES??"
It was awful. And she told me I needed to get these amazing scissors called "Rag Quilt Scissors" that have a spring and will save your life...or your hands anyway. 

I found them and you better believe I bought them! They are essential for anyone making these blankets. It made cutting the other 2 blankets a piece of cake. 
Here are my masterpieces: 

This one I think is probably my favorite. Its a safari print that I have never seen before and I love the blue and green multicolored chevron. 

The other 2 are practically the same just different designs. 

Things I learned: 
1. Bigger Squares: 8" 10" or 12"
2. Don't X if you aren't using batting
3. Use a Rotary Cutter *just watch your fingers when cutting!
4. Use Rag Quilt scissors--A MUST
5. Don't wash the fabric before you cut. You have to wash it when you are done anyway.


Materials and Cost:
6 yards of flannel: I don't remember and can't find the receipt but it was all 60% off. Wait for a sale if you can!
Rotary Cutter and Mat: $12
Rag Quilt Scissors: $14
TIME: ALOT.

Total: Approx. $15/blanket but that includes the scissors.

>> I was able to get THREE baby blankets for the amount of flannel I purchased and I was only expecting 1, so that was a nice bonus for me. 

So 6 yards of fabric, cut 5"x5" squares, makes 3 blankets and not pictured I had enough for a burp cloth too.

I won't say that I will never make any of these again...but I probably won't. They were not my favorite project. But they did turn out pretty cute.