Mug Rugs

I made 18 mug rugs using batik scraps for the front and whatever scraps I had on hand for the backing and binding. I gave these to the ladies in my UFO group. They didn't all fit in this photo.

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My 1st Basket

I joined a basket group this month and I made this basket. It was the first basket I ever made, besides my coiled fabric baskets. The process was easy although sometimes a bit awkward to weave with the stiff basket materials. I certainly have a better appreciation and understanding for how baskets are made now.

Side view of basket.

I want to try making a coiled pine needle basket next as the pine needles are plentiful and free now this time of year. I've gathered up several bags of needles and washed them and sorted through and bundled them. So I will be giving it a try this winter and see if I can make a decent pine needle basket.

I don't really want to make anymore baskets like the little square one I made above. It was a good learning experience, but those kind of baskets, while beautiful and functional, don't really thrill me enough to want to make any more of them. Pin It Now!

Sakura Quilt

I liked the quilt I made for my daughter's friend Dee (see the post below), so I decided to make another one for me. The Kanji fabric I used for the background of both quilts is the same fabric, but the other fabrics are different and I used slightly larger and thicker buttons for the flowers. I named this one Sakura, which is cherry blossom in Japanese. The branch works perfectly as a hanging rod too.

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Birthday Gifts for My Daughter & Her Friend

My daughter, Amber, said her friend (Dee) wanted me to make her a quilt for her birthday. She told me Dee didn't want anything else for her birthday except a quilt made by me. So being the wonderful mother I am, I made her a quilt. I first asked Amber what Dee liked. She said anything Japanese (Dee is half Japanese, as her mother is from Japan), especially Cherry Blossoms. She also likes owls. I decided to make a cherry blossom quilt. I machine blanket stitched around the flowers. After I quilted the quilt, I added the button and beads on the flowers. I hung it by a branch onto the wall of my cutting/ironing room. It looks so nice hanging there that I just might need to make another one for me! I'll get to enjoy it for a little while until I give it to Amber to give to Dee.

Close-up of the beads and buttons on the cherry blossom.

Amber has always loved pigs since she was a little girl. So I made her this Pink Piggy quilt. Her birthday is a couple days before Dee's.

Close-up look of the pig.

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Even More Baby Gifts

I knit this baby sweater for my daughter's friend who is having a boy in November.

And a hat to match. I also made a zipper gift bag in a baby print fabric (just like the bag with the knit duck hat below).

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More Baby Gifts

The gift bag I made and the chile pepper baby rattle I knit. My friend is going to be a grandmother this month for the first time. Her son and daughter-in-law are expecting a girl. Why a chile pepper? Since Pam designs chile quilt patterns, the bag is for her and the rattle can stay at "Grandma's" house if she wants it to.

I also knit her granddaughter-to-be a sweater. So pastel the colors hardly show up in this photo.

"Chile Pepper" hat I knit too.

The chile pepper rattle, a closer view.

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Second Yarn Dyeing

This is the color I got when I dyed more yarn using the same batch of prickly pear cactus juice. It came out lighter, which was expected. I really love this shade of pink. This time there was hardly any color left to the water after the dyeing process. To see the first batch of yarn dyed with prickly pear cactus, scroll down a few older postings.

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