Make it Merry Month Two

In Month Two the assignment was to make four Block #2's and four Block #3's and once again I enjoyed every minute of it. I cut out the fabric for the Block #2's and assembled them before cutting out the fabrics for the Block #3's. This divide and conquer method was soothing and not at all stressful or confusing.

These are my four Block #2's. Making flying geese is not onerous when sewn orderly eight at a time.

Here are my four Block #3's. The method of making those QST's for the star points worked out really well. They were made a bit oversized and then trimmed down symmetrically, carefully centering the mid point.

Block #2's and Block #3's are both stars but look how different in shape they appear, side by side.

The eight blocks from Month Two, similar to the eight blocks from Month One, are not at the very center of the quilt. Can you find the location of those eight Month Two blocks? Hint: each set of four is positioned at corners.

Month Three will have the fabric for eight more blocks. I am still excited about this project and looking forward to the arrival of the next installment. Happily, the novelty has not worn off.

Woody and Buzz Lightyear

While trying to maintain my momentum in stitching down my stash of flannel, I came across some half-yard pieces with the characters Woody and Buzz Lightyear. My special needs adult son Alex still loves Woody and Buzz Lightyear so I decided to put it them in service as some absorbent cloths for use in the car. Alex is beyond ... perhaps not "to infinity and beyond" beyond ... but still, far beyond burp cloth usage. He still, however, has bouts of spills and untidiness; but everyone, no matter their age or ability, has a "whoops" now and then. Besides the practicality of these cloths, their feature fabric brings a smile to the face of those who need to use them. So I made four more burp absorbent cloths.

As I am wont to do when I write these blog posts, I went down the internet rabbit hole and learned some facts about Woody and Buzz. Woody is primarily voiced by Tom Hanks, who voices him in the 1995 Toy Story movie, follow-on films, and TV specials. Hanks's brother, Jim Hanks, voices Woody in video games, attractions, and other merchandise. Woody is named after Woody Strode, a character actor known for many roles in western films. Buzz is voiced by Tim Allen, and named after American astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon after Neal Armstrong.

These are the "fronts"of the four burp absorbent cloths I made. The previous picture showed the "backs", though which is which is debatable. They are shown folded in half and measure about 20" long x 13" wide when unfurled. For the central triple thick sections, I used the secondary fabric, keeping the highly recognizable Woody and Buzz prints the most visible as the bulk of the cloth. We will keep one Woody and one Buzz in each car.

I have been making these burp cloths since 2012, when my first grandchild was born. Instructions are in my blog post dated 6/18/2014. Adding these four, my running grand total for these absorbent little gems now sits at 292. Since each cloth takes two fat quarters of flannel, or ½ yard per cloth, my running grand total for yardage consumed is now 146 yards of flannel!

Alex has come a long way since this photo, taken from his Make-a-Wish trip in 2004 when he was 17. The next ball tossing photo was taken on his 37th birthday at the Discovery Museum in San Jose. Alex still wears that green hat and, young at heart, he still likes Woody and Buzz!

Burp Cloths for a Baby Boy

My burp cloths have a reputation. As requested, these are for my daughter's husband's brother-in-law's daughter. It is her first baby. Each burp cloth takes two fat quarters of flannel. The next photos show three pairs of burp cloths folded in half. The feature fabric is on the left; for these... video games, animals, and circles. When the fabric allows, I make them in pairs of two fabrics as complements of each other. Unfolded, each burp cloth measures approximately 20" x 13", double thickness along the long edges and triple thickness in the middle.

Before mailing them off, I wash them two or three times with a couple of fresh Shout® Color Catchers and a capful of Synthrapol® . Color Catchers absorb and trap loose dyes in the wash water, preventing them from staining other clothes. Synthrapol is a special detergent that suspends dye particles so that they do not reattach to the fabric. When those Color Catchers come out in their initial white state, I am sure no more errant dye is on those burp clothes to mess up baby's laundry to the dismay of the new parents. Those dark grays have bled all the dye they are going to.

I have been making these burp cloths since 2012, when my first grandchild was born. Instructions are in my blog post dated 6/18/2014. Adding these six, my running grand total for these absorbent little gems now sits at 288. Since each burp cloth takes two fat quarters of flannel, or ½ yard per burp cloth, my running grand total for yardage consumed is now 144 yards of flannel! 

Burp Cloths for a Baby Girl

Some close friends of ours from our college days just became grandparents and they are thrilled. I made up my classic burp cloths for their baby granddaughter. Each burp cloth takes two fat quarters of flannel. The next photos show a three pair of burp cloths folded in thirds and followed by a close up of the feature fabric: in this case, ladybugs, clowns, and circles. Unfolded, each burp cloth measures approximately 20" x 13", double thickness along the long edges and triple thickness in the middle. When the fabric allows, I make them in pairs of two fabrics as complements of each other. 

Before mailing them off, I wash them two or three times with a couple of fresh Shout® Color Catchers and a capful of Synthrapol® . Color Catchers absorb and trap loose dyes in the wash water, preventing them from staining other clothes. Synthrapol is a special detergent that suspends dye particles so that they do not reattach to the fabric. When those Color Catchers come out in their initial white state, I am sure no more errant dye is on those burp clothes to mess up baby's laundry to the dismay of the new parents. (That orange, which could have been disastrous, is now safe.)

I have been making these burp cloths since 2012, when my first grandchild was born. Instructions are in my blog post dated 6/18/2014. Adding these six, my running grand total for these absorbent little gems now sits at 282. Since each burp cloth takes two fat quarters of flannel, or ½ yard per burp cloth, my running grand total for yardage consumed is 141 yards of flannel! 

Make it Merry Month One

I have been hesitant to participate in any Block of the Month quilt programs because of my fear of getting hopelessly behind. But this Make it Merry wreath quilt really caught my eye and the Fat Quarter Shop program ran for only 6 months, not twelve. I decided to chance it. With the first installment I got the instructions for the entire quilt, so I could see where I was going. Setting up a binder of all the instructions in plastic sleeves made me feel very organized and well prepared. This aspect also appealed to me. Yes, I could have gotten the entire yardage of quilt fabric at once as a kit. I would have guiltily stored it in my closet, next to my other kits, overwhelmed and finding the act of opening the package too daunting. The Block of the Month format avoids this trauma. In Month One the assignment was to make eight blocks and I enjoyed every minute of it. 

Interesting enough the eight blocks from Month One are not at the very center of the quilt. Can you find the location of those eight blocks?

These are my eight Block #1's and this is my binder.

Month Two is to arrive at my box the day after tomorrow and I am excited to watch for it and make it. I already know there will be two designs: four Block #2's and four Block #3's. See? Knowledge is power!