she and whim

CARDINAL

This is another tiny baby quilt I made several years ago for Sam’s other best friend that had a baby. They’ve been friends since seventh grade and this was their first munchkin. They were waiting to find out the gender so I decided to incorporate the crazy black-and-white patterns newborns find so mesmerizing. :) And I included a little cardinal – who’s got a little present under her wing flap for her new baby owner – which ended up being a girl!

 

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LOVE

Two years ago I made this quilt for our church’s annual quilt sale. All the quilts are donated and the proceeds go towards missions. I love that they do this and that I was able to participate! I used mostly suiting fabrics, and florescent pink thread. :) I really liked how it turned out – it was so heavy from the weighty fabrics, and oh so cozy!

 

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TOES

I created this little quilt for my husband’s best friend’s new baby boy. Sam and Mason have been on many camping trips together and I wanted to make a quilt that showed their fondness of the mountains. This quilt was the first one I made with a little surprise 3D flap used for the tent – and when opened there are 10 tiny toes willin’ for some chillin’. :) I know Mason and his son will have many camping memories in the future, but until then he can dream of spending time with his dad snuggled up with his quilt. :)

 

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MOOSE

I have decided to post some of the other quilts I’ve made in the past. I created this one for my youngest after his birth, and it’s the first quilt I ever made. It’s a small snuggly baby size because he was a newborn – and because I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing! :) But I love how it turned out and hope he saves it for always and remembers how much I love him.

 

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SCHOOL QUILT

My son’s preschool teachers asked if I could make a class quilt for the school’s annual charity auction. The proceeds went to a one-year-old little girl in the community battling leukemia :( I was so surprised and excited when they asked, and loved that the money raised went to someone who needed it. I don’t pretend to be a great quilt maker. I’ve just been learning as I go – and I learned a lot making this one!

 

 

For the front, I pre-cut all the pieces of fabric and planned which fabric markers I wanted with each piece. I taped them all on pieces of cardboard and the kids wrote their names on them, along with the verse and back wording. And they did a great job! Not a single fabric-marker-on-clothes accident :)

 

 

And a little bird for an added detail :)

 

 

And the teachers names and school year are on the back.

 

 

I love wonky, modern quilts and thought the style went so well with the youthfulness of the kids that helped make it. What a treat to be a part of such a fantastic project! And yay for something to snuggle up in :)

 

 

DOODLE BUG

The boys are doodle bug (and general animal) loving fanatics. Now that spring is here, they are on the hunt every day. They miss their doodle bugs at night or when they drop them and can’t find those little guys again. My favorite was when my youngest came shuffling out of his room the other morning, shoulders stooped, and I asked what was wrong. He said in his little 2 year old voice, “I miss Sweetie. She was my doodle bug last night. I dropped her on the deck and she fell down the crack. *sigh* She was a wife.” :D And he shuffled to the kitchen all sad. So after all this heartache, we decided to make some doodle bugs to keep in the house to play with too, just in case we need an emergency buddy.

We had to do serious doodle bug research for this project, so we decided the best doodle bugs were at the park! So we headed out…

 

 

…only to find a hungry tree that gobbled them up! After a quick escape, there was lots of exploring, playing, and finally some doodle bug hunting. Then we found one!

 

 

And don’t even think about taking that doodle bug away – or that cheetah in his pocket. :)

 

 

The next day I made a quick pattern (that you can use too). It’s just a simple line drawing in 4 sizes (a dad, mom, kid and baby, as requested by my guys). I cut the grey fabric from the pattern, then cut strips of striped material and sewed them to the bottom of each grey piece. Then I stitched them together leaving a hole at the bottom. These are the bugs, some inside out and some partially stuffed. I like the striped fabric, the black being their many little legs :)

 

 

And action shots of the fellows… one serious and the other, not so much.

 

 

After they stuffed them, I stitched closed, and then Mr. 5 year old drew the stripes and eyes on with a grey fabric marker. I’m glad we made so many because 4 have already disappeared!

We also made a set for their cousin’s 2nd birthday. Hope he enjoys them as much as my guys do :)

Yay for doodle bugs!!

 

 

{design © claire sneau : for personal use only}

 

 

 

HAZEL&#39S QUILT

I became an aunt (for the 4th time!) last December to sweet baby Hazel. She’s my sister Cate’s first baby and she’s a cutie! (See more pics of the quilt and Hazel on Cate’s photography blog.) They live in Denver so I made her a crib quilt that shows their love of the mountains. There’s a climbing wall in her nursery! You can never start too early ;)

 

 

I hope she has fun finding the little feet under the tent flap! xoxo

 

 

SUNSHINE

My BFF, Candy, has two girls that are BFFs with my girls. Her youngest had a Little Miss Sunshine party and my girls wanted to sew something special for her! And any time there’s a sewing interest, I’m on board! So we bought some bright yellow fabric and their noodles took over. The girls drew their designs on paper and cut them out. We pinned to the fabric, cut, and then sewed their creations on my machine…

 

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It took a while to get their tiny projects turned right side out – sheesh!

 

 

We had some comic relief when things got frustrating…

 

 

Then they stuffed them! That’s always an exciting part. I sewed them shut, and they drew on them with fabric markers.

 

 

Little Miss Sunshine!

 

 

And a sun! :)

 

 

I thought they did a great job! And I’m proud of them for sticking with it. It would be fun to make more of these little guys – like a cloud or bird… It’s a fun way to learn to sew and have a new toy. Yay for sewing!!

 

 

wife + four littles =
creating, michief,
yummies, parties,
wisdom, wonder,
outdoors, ruckus,
and...
whatever other
whims we conjour.