savvy stitch

Catch up

2011-09-08T11:54:00.001+02:00

I am well overdue for a blog update. Where do you start after so much time has passed? My dad came to visit us for a week at the beginning of August, which was wonderful.

We walked all around Copenhagen

and spent a lot of time getting to know our sweet little girl.

I took Dad to my favorite antique shop downtown and asked him to sneak some pictures. This shop is full of so much inspiration.

I wish I could buy Ethan this snail rocking "horse." He would LOVE it.

We enjoyed spending time at Nyhavn. This place never gets old.

Ethan's wish came true and we drove around the city in a double decker bus.

Ethan was in heaven and we are still talking about it.

Our Copenhagen summer wasn't much of a summer and now fall is clearly here. Maybe it was here all along!

Believe it or not, this quilt has grown since you saw it last. :)

My goal is to finish this quilt before I leave Denmark. If I am going to do this, I will need to sew one strip on to a block each day. I think I can, I think I can...

Playing tourist

2011-08-02T12:28:00.002+02:00

Aunt Bunny and Uncle Jim came to visit us a little over a week ago, along with our family from Holland (Aunt Annie, Uncle Arthur, and Kevin). We had SO MUCH fun, laughed a ton, and they seriously spoiled us rotten.

We took them to all the must-see tourist spots in Copenhagen. It is fun to play tourist in your own city.

This was Addison's first trip to Nyhavn. I seriously love this place.

We had pølsers at Rådhuspladsen and hit up every bakery we could find.

It was fun to explore these little cobbled streets downtown

and see houses that have become slanted over the last few hundreds years.

On one of our walks, we walked by a woman who I thought was the Queen of Denmark. I asked the shop owner (who she was talking to minutes before) if it was indeed the queen. He said that it wasn't, but that our guess was close. He didn't tell us who she was to protect her privacy.

Isn't this the coolest bike you've ever seen?

It was parked in front of an art gallery.

"I'm just cuddling Ethan's favorite stuffed animal, not eating it!"

Much of our time together revolved around delicious food and caffè lattes. Lots and lots of lattes.

(Sidenote: I started my new exercise regimen the day after they left.)

We visited a cute town up north on the coast and hit the beach after we drank lattes and ate yummy food.

We drove to Frederiksborg Slot in Hillerød and toured the castle and spectacular gardens.

There are 65,000 boxed plants in this garden. Pretty incredible, huh?

Addison fell in love with her Aunt Bunny and can't wait to move back to Seattle to be near her auntie.

Now that all of our company is gone, the house is empty and we are consoling ourselves with the block of gouda cheese that they brought us, which happens to be from our old family farm in Holland.

Last night Aaron snapped these cute photos of the kiddos.

Tiger kisses for Baby Addison.

I love this shot so much...

and this one.

Have a great week!

Hexagons, snails, and puppy dog tails

2011-07-14T15:50:00.002+02:00

The hexagon quilt is growing larger, slowly but surely.

I still have three shoe boxes filled with hexie strips to sew together. It is the perfect project to work on while watching reruns of LOST at night.

The weather has been crummy lately, but we still manage to get outside like the Danes.

This picture makes me smile

and so does this one. Ethan's latest obsession is collecting snails while on walks and playing in the backyard.

Wave hello to Steven and Sammy snail as they take a spin in their black Porsche

and then take off in their hot air balloon.

Check out our neighbor's snail and squirrel hedge.

Addie is such a doll and has slept through the night since day one. She is a pretty amazing little girl with the most edible cheeks!

Have a great week!

Quilt progress

2011-06-22T23:05:00.001+02:00

A couple of weeks ago I started sewing together hexie strips. Now the fun begins!

I am trying to evenly distribute colors in the quilt.

I love the mishmash of fabrics

and Addie's double chin

and Addie and her double chin on Auntie Sarah's quilt

and my darling son

and all the sushi we ate at Henrik and Ulla's house this evening.

Weekend sewing

2011-06-15T08:00:00.000+02:00

Over Easter weekend I did some sewing for some special little people in our life. I made these dresses from a pattern found in Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing book.

Can I tell you how fun these shirred dresses are to make? I think I need to make one for Addison. Once the dresses are outgrown, the straps can be cut off and they can be worn as skirts.

This pink dress is made from a piece of Indian fabric that my brother and sis-in-law-to-be sent me. It is a light weight fabric and perfect for this project.

I hope these dresses are worn a bunch and loved this summer!

Josephine Addison

2011-05-17T10:49:00.003+02:00

Josephine Addison was born on May 9th, just north of Copenhagen. Addison is absolutely as sweet as can be and we all love holding her and observing her cute mannerisms. It was a very bittersweet week for us as my wonderful grandma, Sasa, who I was very close to, went to be with the Lord two hours before I went into labor. I am thankful that Sasa is no longer in pain, but I am missing her so much and it is hard to imagine my life without her.

Last month I made Addison a duvet cover (pictured above) for her future crib out of Liberty fabric and backed it with a Kona cotton. (Danish babies use feather duvets in their cribs which is so cozy.) I followed this tutorial and I love how it turned out. The cover looks professional with the French seams and snaps, and the project came together within a day.

Little Josephine has made us feel like a real family (of five!).

Ethan loves his little sister and Chasey has accepted her, too. I am feeling very blessed.

Pincushion caddy

2011-05-04T10:12:00.001+02:00

I made this pincushion caddy for a friend who is addicted to sewing and loves Anna Maria Horner fabric. It is the perfect pincushion for a hand sewer who needs a portable pincushion/tool organizer.

I have Anna Maria Horner's book, Seams to Me, and have been wanting to make this pincushion for some time. If you buy the book and decide to make the pincushion, I recommend following Texas Freckles' instructions, as there are misprints in the book. (I have learned to do my research on Flickr before following new patterns!)

The pincushion was really tricky to make, but I will definitely make it again because I love the finished result.

We have been enjoying lots of sunshine and I have been nesting like crazy. We are counting down the days until this little one is expected to arrive...

Easter weekend

2011-04-26T10:59:00.000+02:00

Easter weekend in Denmark is the best. Just about everybody gets the Thursday and Friday before Easter off, as well as the Monday after Easter off. It's fabulous. Summer suddenly appeared in Copenhagen, so we spent all of our time outside.

We set up Ethan's pool in the backyard and read books out in the sun. We also went on bike rides in the sunshine, took a couple of drives, and barbecued in the evenings. We all feel so refreshed after a fabulous break!

Classic.

Ethan went on an Easter egg hunt on Sunday and absolutely loved it! Aaron filled the eggs with strawberries and blueberries and it was a hit. After church, Ethan asked us to re-hide the eggs, which we did, and now Ethan hides them for us to find.

This was the moment that he realized that he found a few "DVD Car" Easter eggs.

I'm now trying to put the house back together and cram in a few sewing projects before the baby arrives. We are getting really excited to meet this little girl!

Back view
I made another ice-cream dress when Bekah was visiting. Bekah made an identical one for a friend who is having a girl.

My sweet brother and darling sister-in-law-to-be sent me this gorgeous fabric from India. I'm in love with this print.

I found a glass button in my stash that looks similar to the floral pattern on the fabric. I love it when that happens!

Asher's baby quilt

2011-04-10T07:20:00.001+02:00

I have been making this quilt for our new nephew, Asher, over the last several months. Asher was born last weekend in Seattle and we have enjoyed getting to know him this last week over Skype. It's hard to believe that he and his little Danish cousin will only be a month apart!

I used Melanie's tutorial to make the blocks and it was really a fun quilt to make.

I used fabrics from my scrap bin and cut into some Japanese prints, Liberty of London, and other designer prints that weren't too girly.

Welcome to the world, Baby Asher! We love you!

Isn't he a doll?

It's my birthday today, but we all have a nasty flu that is really sticking around, so we are going to take it pretty easy today. My sweet hubby is making me breakfast at this very moment, so the day is off to a good start.

Recent photos for Sasa

2011-04-02T23:10:00.001+02:00

Ethan in the garden behind Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød.

At Bakken, the oldest amusement park in the world.

Walking around Bakken with Bekah and Chasey.

Daddy bought his boy a "DVD Car" balloon

and it was a hit.

It supplied hours of fun for my little guy.

"Ca chow!" (It's a DVD car thing.)

Ethan wasn't very happy about leaving the park, but cheered up after some ice-cream.

Laughing with Bekah outside Bakken, in Dyrehaven.

We love you SO MUCH, Sasa! xxoo

Spring sewing

2011-03-26T13:09:00.001+01:00

Pattern: Simplicity 8494 (O.O.P.)

Size: Newborn, 1-3 months

Fabric: Liberty, Tana Lawn from stash

I made this little romper for Baby last weekend and just put on the snaps this morning. I used a vintage pattern that I bought at the Goodwill a few years back and made the romper from a small, remnant piece of Liberty fabric. I also cut up a maternity top that had a huge rip in it, and used that fabric for the inside of the yoke. I sewed French seams and encased the raw edges along the bottom edge of the yoke in bias tape. I added light-weight interfacing where the snaps are located and top stitched where necessary. I love my Bernina top stitching foot!

Initially, I thought I was going to sew buttons along the shoulder closures, but I realized that I need a lesson in making button holes and a special foot for my machine.

We are starting to see signs of spring around Copenhagen. I'm happy to say that I made it through my 3rd Danish winter alive!

On our bike ride around the lake this morning, Ethan noticed that the lake "un-ice." Thank goodness for that!

Whenever the sun is out, we are out in it. That is what living in Copenhagen has taught us.

I love this boy so much!

Thursday marked the 1 year anniversary of my mom's passing. It's hard to believe she has been gone a year...I have a feeling she is looking down from heaven and is excited about everything happening in my life and Alex's.

Ice cream and a bike ride

2011-03-13T18:52:00.001+01:00

Over the weekend I made this Oliver + S "Ice Cream Dress" for my little lady. I made it in the 12-18 month size, just in time for her first summer in Seattle.

I sewed the dress with French seams and used Amy's tutorial for lined pockets.

Back view

I love that mother of pearl button!

If you decide to make this dress, I recommend using Amy's detailed instructions in tandem with the directions that come with the pattern pieces. She has a bunch of helpful information in her posts.

The sun was out today, so we went on a long bike ride to the Dyrehave ("Animal Park"). We stopped for hot chocolate at a cafe in the park and biked along the coast on the way home.

We started our ride like this...

and ended the ride like this. (Ethan is still in the bike--you can see the top of his helmet if you look closely.)

Hope you had a great weekend.

Liberty blouse

2011-03-09T17:15:00.002+01:00

I whipped up this Liberty blouse yesterday for Baby, using the Onion 10016 pattern. I tried to translate the pattern via Google Translate and it turned into absolute nonsense, so I got some courage and dove into the project! I sewed French seams for the first time (since I don't have my serger in DK) and I am a complete fan. I used a Liberty Tana Lawn print that I got for my birthday last year and love the way it turned out. A mother of pearl button from the stash adds the perfect finishing touch.

I have a feeling that spring is on its way. We have had a few sunny days which are ALWAYS a delight and the birds suddenly appeared at the lake near our house. Fingers are crossed...

More hexies

2011-02-28T08:00:00.007+01:00

Progress is being made on the hexie quilt. This thing is going to be enormous! I have 1772 hexagons that have been sewn into strips and now I am adding hexies to the strips, to make strips of nine. I think this technique is going to help me distribute the colors and fabrics evenly, as well as incorporate some light colored fabrics.

It's hard to believe that there are over 1200 hexies stacked on this tray!

Chase found the tray the other night...

and got really comfortable. He does this with every project I work on. What can I say? The pup loves fabric!

Aaron's cousin, Tom, is here for a few days and took some pics of us on a bike ride yesterday. Tom rode Aaron's bike, so I rode with Ethan in the Christiania. Riding bikes has become such a part of our life here. I absolutely love the bike culture in Denmark.

We are going to bike downtown today and show Tom Copenhagen. On the list: Nyhavn, Christiania, Strøget, smørrebrød and/or pølser, flødeboller, and Danish pastries, but not in that order. We're glad that he could come and visit--it's been so much fun!

My brother got engaged to the most wonderful woman yesterday and the whole family is thrilled! Ethan is getting another fabulous auntie!

All about food

2011-02-15T10:08:00.002+01:00

It has been grey and cold in Copenhagen for months now, but Ethan and I have been trying to get out as much as possible and meet people. There is a FABULOUS indoor playground downtown that is run by the Kommune, which has been a popular spot for us this winter. I am so excited for spring to come, but know that spring is months away. (In Copenhagen, spring arrives in May!)

Last week my sister-in-law tempted me with a picture of her homemade bagels and I really couldn't resist making some, too. I have been craving bagels like crazy and they aren't that easy to find here. I used this recipe and they were surprisingly simple to make and sooooo delicious! I put salt on a couple of them and found that they were tasty plain.

Yesterday Ethan helped make heart shaped cookies for Valentine's Day and sampled frosting for the first time.

I made fondue for dinner last night with served it with a bunch of veggies, including blanched broccoli. Aaron and I decided that fondue on Valentine's Day is our new family tradition. It was so fun to spend Valentine's Day as a family and be reminded of all our blessings and the love we have for one another.

Ethan and Chase surprised me with this beautiful bouquet. I wish I snapped a picture of my sweet boy handing it to me!

On the sewing front, I have been working like crazy on the massive hexagon quilt. I really want to finish it before the baby arrives. I am sick of seeing stacks of hexagons on my sewing table--they are taking over! It's time to wrap up this project and move on to other projects. In a few weeks I will be making a quilt along with Anne and her daughter, Michelle, over Skype. It's a virtual quilt circle! The pattern that Anne proposed will be perfect for my Sherbet Pips layer cake. More on that later...

What have you been doing this week?

A quilt for his little sister

2011-02-07T16:58:00.000+01:00

Ethan helped me sew his little sister's quilt this weekend.

I wanted the quilt to be colorful and whimsical, and I think it is just that. Many of these fabrics are by Prints Charming, my new favorite fabric line. The back is by Prints Charming, too. (The backing is made from the fabric in the bottom right corner, which I got for $3 a yard!)

So, what do you think of it, Ethan?

I think he approves!

Checking in

2011-01-20T23:09:00.001+01:00

Yesterday my husband found a hexagon in the fridge, today my son threw a tantrum when I wouldn't let him play with the bus and car hexies (because he had sticky hands), and hexagons have become permanent fixtures on the kitchen table. Clearly I have ~~an addiction~~ a love for these six sided beauties. I have basted 2304 out of 3815 hexagons for my queen size quilt. I refuse to give up on this project!

On Sunday, all but two of my friends will have left Denmark, and unfortunately, one of them is back to work full-time. Making great friends only to have them leave is exhausting and sad.

Today I am thankful that the sun was shining, the snow melted, blueberry muffins were made, I got to visit with my sweet friend who is leaving on Sunday, and I spend the day with these darlings.

Liberty vest and Sherbet Pips

2011-01-07T12:22:00.006+01:00

Our baby girl is the length of a carrot and weighs less than a pound and I'm already making clothes for her. I can't help it...girl clothes are sooo cute, especially in Denmark. (I am getting plenty of inspiration here.)

Pattern: Homemade #1501 by STOF 2000
View: Line
Size: 4 months
Fabric: Wool and Liberty of London, Tana Lawn, repurposed from a thrifted table runner.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I actually didn't read the instructions since they were in Danish. I already knew in my head how to put the pattern pieces together to make it completely reversible.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I thought that the vest was very easy to make, although, machine quilting the wool and sewing the back of the bias tape by hand took some time. I like the versatility of having a reversible vest.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Unknown. (I didn't read the directions.)

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Definitely! I think this would make a sweet little baby gift and it doesn't use much fabric.

What will you do differently next time? Next time I will select a wool that is washable.

I had so much fun making this little vest. I plan to make a few dresses next.

I participated in Sew, Mama, Sew's giveaway day and look what I won! A Sherbet Pips layer cake from Annela Hoey (the fabric designer) herself! I started jumping up and down with excitement when Annela emailed me with the good news. This line won't be released until spring, so it is especially fun to have the fabrics in my hot little hands. Thank you, Annela, for the gorgeous bundle of fabrics and for your generous giveaway. I am a huge fan of your quilts and fabric line!

The weather is gorgeous in Copenhagen today--blue skies and a foot of snow. Perfection. AND it's Friday!

Pattern Challenge

Christmas Highlights

2011-01-03T11:18:00.002+01:00

My in-laws came to visit over Christmas and we had so much fun! Here are a few highlights from their trip. We loved...

watching Ethan stare down the presents under our tree.

going to Henrik and Ulla's for dinner Christmas Eve.

eating a traditional Danish dinner at Henrik's Christmas Eve. (Yes, I was the crazy American taking pictures of my food.)

lighting the candles on the Christmas tree.

dancing around the Christmas tree with the little man.

watching Ethan open his presents Christmas morning. He had so much fun!

going on walks in downtown Copenhagen.

making boeuf bourignon on New Year's Eve in my new dutch oven. It turned out sooo good!

the fireworks along the lakes downtown.

visiting Roskilde, in central Zealand.

taking a peek at the large church in Roskilde. (This is where the royal family is buried.)

finding out that we will be having a girl this May! I am already planning a quilt. :)

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are having a happy New Year!

Update

2010-12-22T11:19:00.005+01:00

We have been away from the computer, busy getting in the Christmas spirit!

We made Æbleskiver for the first time last week. They are really easy to make and soooo delicious!

These pictures are making me hungry. Really hungry.

Ethan reaching out for Daddy's hand

We went to Tivoli with friends and Ethan had his picture taken with Santa, although he wasn't happy about it.

Tivoli was decorated with tons of Christmas decorations, and of course the little elves were everywhere.

We planned to go to Germany to see the Christmas markets last weekend, but our plans changed so we booked a last minute trip to Göteborg, Sweden. This city was DECKED OUT for Christmas!

We heard that the biggest Christmas market in Sweden was in Göteborg, so we knew we had to go. The market was held in an amusement park, similar to Tivoli.

Lights and decorations were up everywhere you looked--it was so festive. (It was difficult to get decent pictures in the market due to the crowds.)

There were handmade goodies and decorations. These elves are very popular in Scandinavia.

At the market, Aaron and I had the best hot chocolate in the world--hands down. It was made from real chocolate, but not rich. It was flavored with vanilla and cinnamon and the homemade whipped cream had a faint flavor, too. I could really go for one of those right now!

This was as close as we were allowed to get to Santa. Ethan is not too sure about that guy.

It was bitter cold in Sweden, but luckily there were hand warmers all over the market. They really warmed up our digits in a hurry.

We told Ethan that he could go on the carousel and he insisted on riding on the elephant.

On the way back from the market we stumbled upon this outdoor ice-skating rink, with hand warming stations of course.

There were lights and decorations all over the city and often traditional candles in holders in windows.

We went to a flea market right before we left on Sunday, which was really fun.

Aaron's parents are coming for Christmas and we can't wait! We have been baking a bunch and freezing all the goodies. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

2010-12-09T14:04:00.001+01:00

We picked up these little elves and vintage candle holders a few weeks ago at the biggest flea market in Scandinavia. I thought it would be fun to have some traditional Scandinavian Christmas decorations.

I'm ready to turn these gorgeous fabrics into hexagons. I think they are going to add some punches of color and interest to my hexie quilt.

The snow keeps falling and melting and falling some more. We are still searching for a sled for Ethan, but haven't found one yet.

Last weekend we decorated our tree as a family and I think Ethan understood the concept!

We are eating fondue with friends tomorrow and I can't wait. I've been craving it all week. Have a great weekend and stay warm!

Snow and sewing

2010-11-28T23:22:00.003+01:00

Denmark in the wintertime is completely magical. On Friday we went for a walk in our town's downtown area and it started to snow. The Christmas lights were lit up and strung between the buildings, which created such a sweet atmosphere. We stumbled upon Santa Claus passing out presents to all the kiddies that walked by and women passing out Æbleskiver and mulled wine while playing Christmas music. Danes make everything that they do cozy. I love this about Denmark and want to incorporate hygge into all areas of my life.

We have about a foot of snow now and needless to say, we were so excited to get out in it this weekend.

Ethan has been getting more and more interested in helping out around the house. This weekend he helped with the dishes and has been feeding Chase on a daily basis.

This snuggle is a daily occurrence

Aaron and I laid out all of the hexagon strips this evening and it looks like my quilt is getting pretty big, although, according to my calculations, I only have 18% of my strips made. I can't believe I already basted more than 1/3 of the hexagons I need for the quilt. Yahoo!

What have you been up to this weekend?

A trip to a distant island

2010-11-17T18:18:00.009+01:00

Yesterday our little family visited the chalk cliffs of Møns Klint on the distant island of Møns.

Visiting this island which is 2 hours south of Copenhagen, is like stepping into a storybook filled with charming old towns, pastures filled with sheep, and houses with thatched roofs. I highly recommend making the trip if you find yourself in Denmark.

We stumbled upon this pretty church on the way to the cliffs.

When we reached Møns Klint, not a soul was in sight. We discovered that the on-site museum was closed for the season and our car was the only one in the parking lot. We truly had the place to ourselves.

These stairs were tricky to get down with an excited dog who had been in the car for hours.

The stairs just kept going...

and then we saw this gorgeous water, turquoise from all of the minerals.

The cliffs were beautiful. Apparently the chalky soil gives nutrients to a variety of orchids in the early summer. I definitely want to go back to see that!

The erosion makes it dangerous to walk off the path and under the cliffs.

We stopped a few times on the way back up and Aaron noticed that there were no animals, no birds, and no noise except the rustling of bare branches. Creepy!

Today I've been having one of **those** days. You know the ones when your dog has to have a potentially cancerous mole removed and the vet charges you 4x the quote he gave you the week before (in one of the most expensive cities in the world)? And then you get a huge parking ticket while you are at the bank in order to over pay the vet? Yeah, I had **that** day. The hiccups in life sure feel like speed bumps when you are going through them. Must keep calm and carry on.

Ethan's clamshell quilt

2010-11-11T11:53:00.002+01:00

After working on this project for a year and piecing 200+ clamshells together by hand, I finally finished Ethan's quilt! Ethan loves it and knows that his mommy made it just for him.

I happened to have this mushroom fabric in my stash and it matches perfectly. I made the binding out of scraps that I had left over and love how it blends in with the border and part of the backing fabric.

Aaron and I will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary tomorrow; I can hardly believe it! We have a lot to be grateful for.

Tutorial: Stacked coins placemat set

2010-11-03T08:43:00.002+01:00

I recently made these placemats for a friend who turned 30. Her house is light and airy with some Japanese influences, as she lived in Japan for a few years. After hunting around a fabric store for a couple of hours(!) with Anne, we were delighted to find these modern fabrics that were created by a Japanese fabric designer. Follow my tutorial and make placemats for your next dinner party! I recommend reading through all the directions before you begin.

**This pattern makes 6, 17" x 11" placemats**

Supplies:

Cotton thread

1 1/2 yards (44" wide) neutral colored fabric (with leftovers)

1/8 yard of 8 coordinating fabrics (1 yard total)

2 yards (22" wide) midweight to heavyweight iron-on interfacing

Rotary cutter

Cutting board

Sewing ruler

Scissors

Iron and ironing board

(Use 5/8 inch seam allowance, unless otherwise noted.)

(Please note that this pattern calls for 1.333 yards of neutral fabric (48") and I rounded up to 1 1/2 yards for the sake of simplicity.)

Cut each of the eight strips of coordinating fabric in half. (The strips I used were not completely straight or even, to give the stacked coins a slight "wonky" look.)

Divide the strips into two piles--a unique fabric in each pile. Make sure to distribute the thick and thin strips evenly in the piles, so one pile doesn't have all the thick strips. Each pile should have eight strips total.

Arrange and stack the strips in each pile in a visually appealing way. These will be the "stacked coins" on the sides of your placemats.

Sew the strips in each pile together, but don't sew the piles together. (You should have two thick strips of stacked coins.)

Iron both stacked coin strips. (Press seams open or to the side.)

Clean up the edges on each set of stacked coins with your rotary cutter and ruler. Cut 6, 6" pieces from each set of stacked coins. You should have 12, 6" x 12" stacked coins. (You have 6 stacked coins arranged in one way (Style A) and 6 arranged in another (Style B). Keep these piles separate.)

To make the placemat fronts, take one 8" x 12" piece of the neutral fabric that you already cut and pin the stacked coins (Style A) along the long side (12") of fabric. Pin the stacked coins (Style B) along the opposite long side of the fabric. Make sure pretty sides are together and sew both sides. Press seams open or to one side. (Repeat this step for the tops of the other 5 placemats.)

Cut interfacing into 6, 12" x 18" pieces.

Iron the interfacing to the BACK SIDE of the 6 placemat fronts to make them a bit stiff. Trim the placemat fronts to 12" x 18" if necessary. With pretty sides together, sew the back and the front of each placemat together, but leave a 3" opening in order to turn inside them out.

With your scissors, trim the fabric corners to reduce bulk. Turn the placemats inside out and press flat. Pin the the area closed that you left open to turn inside out. Top stitch around the perimeter of each placemat and "in the ditch" where the neutral fabric meets the stacked coins.

You're done!

If you would like clarification on the directions, leave me a comment and I will get back to you. I would LOVE to see pictures of what you make!

Halloween, a 30th birthday, and Køge

2010-11-01T12:28:00.004+01:00

Each year Tivoli opens for a couple of weeks in the fall and is decorated for Halloween. Last weekend some friends took us there.

Ethan went for a ride on the carousel, touched all the pumpkins that he could find, and splashed in every puddle.

All the rides and decorations light up in the evening--Tivoli is such a magical place. I can't wait to go there again around Christmas.

Aaron turned 30 last week! I made boeuf bourguignon and a cake (which proved to be no easy task with a very hyper toddler and a hungry dog). Aaron had a mound of cards to open from family and friends back home, which meant a lot to him.

This weekend we went to an old town called Køge. We walked around and checked out the outdoor market and admired the architecture, much of it dating back to the 17th century.

So many of the houses have completely slanted walls which add to their charm.

I love all of the details that went into building houses "way back when."

Halloween isn't celebrated in Denmark as much as it is in the U.S. Aaron had to go to two different grocery stores to find Halloween candy! We had a few trick-or-treaters stop by and Ethan passed out candy to each child. Ethan loved carving pumpkins, too.

When it was time to go to bed last night, we searched high and low for Ethan's beloved tiger cub blanket. Thirty minutes into the search, Aaron spotted him in one of the carved pumpkins.

On another note, this is how I am storing my hexagons these days. I am going to fill the tin up a bit before I start sewing them into strips again. I am almost 1/4 of the way done basting hexagons for the hugest hexagon quilt ever made!

More hexies and a fun weekend

2010-10-13T13:35:00.000+02:00

We had such a wonderful weekend visiting friends who live north of us. Belinda and Troels just bought a beautiful home and invited us to stay with them for the weekend. Chase was invited, too, and he was on his best behavior.

We went on plenty of beautiful walks near their house. (The abundance of forested paths has to be one of my favorite things about Denmark.)

We walked down to the sea one day. We did plenty of chatting and relaxing. It was just what we all needed.

I have picked up my hexagon project and love how it's coming together!

This pink mustache fabric is one of my current favorites. Thanks, Christine!

Our Boston trip in a nutshell

2010-10-02T11:40:00.000+02:00

Ethan and I spent the last two weeks in Boston, where we spent time with my in-laws. My dad was able to come up from Seattle for a long weekend, which was really fun. My mom- and dad-in-law took us all over and we hopped to different states on day trips.

Grandpa Phil and Ethan

We visited pretty beaches

checked out local farms

sampled a whoopie pie

explored antique shops

did some sewing

went to pretty lookouts

ate lobster in Maine

View from the outdoor restaurant in Maine

watched Ethan bond with his grandparents

Grandma Susie and Grandpa Ed with Ethan. (Ethan's future ride is in the background.)

and traveled to darling towns with tons of history. We also ate delicious food and just relaxed.

Fabrics from Sarah

I had an astounding amount of mail waiting for me in Boston--mostly swap fabric from Flickr friends. My sister-in-law, Sarah, sent me these pretty fabrics for my hexagon quilt. I was so surprised and excited when I saw these beauties. I have accumulated about half of the fabric I need for the quilt!

My friend, Ashley, sent me this handmade wrist pincushion along with swap fabric. I love it!

Ethan now pulls the basket around the grocery store for us. Occasionally he picks out treats for himself and puts them in the basket.

We're now back in Denmark and are adjusting to the fall weather. (The weather in Boston was in the 80s for most of the time we were there!)

We had seat belts installed on the bench on my bike, so Ethan can sit up and see where we are going, instead of riding in his car seat.

It's so nice to be together again. We really missed Aaron and Chase.

Ed's Scampi Provençal

2010-09-27T17:47:00.000+02:00

My father-in-law, Ed, makes the most delicious shrimp appetizers and he recently shared the recipe with me.

Ingredients:
24 medium size jumbo shrimp
6 cloves garlic
butter
olive oil
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
12 slices of toasted French or Italian bread
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoons half and half

This recipe serves six people.

Peel and devein the shrimp. Wash them in cold water and pat dry. Melt two tablespoons of butter and add two tablespoons olive oil. Add six minced garlic cloves, one teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, two teaspoons herbes de Provence, and two pinches of red pepper flakes.

Drizzle the butter mixture over the shrimp and marinade them for at least ten minutes. Cut bread and toast.

Heat saute pan to medium or medium high heat. Add two teaspoons olive oil and two tablespoons of butter. Add shrimp and cook both sides until light pink. Add 1/2 cup of good white wine and drink a little while you're at it. Heat until liquid has reduced and wine has bubbled off.

Push shrimp to the side of pan, off of the direct heat. Add a generous splash of more white wine and four tablespoons of half and half.

Place shrimp and sauce into a bowl and serve with the toasted bread. Enjoy!

Thanks for the delicious recipe, Dad!

A multifaceted project. Literally.

2010-09-08T20:11:00.001+02:00

I sewed these hexies into strips while Ethan napped today. The fourth row from the top is my favorite. If I swapped with you recently, you might recognize some of these fabrics!

This project consists of:

Searching for charm packs
Finding people who want to trade fabric
Chopping up charm packs into 2.5 inch squares
Walking 30 minutes to the post office with the dog and baby
Receiving fabric in the mail from Flickr pals :)
Washing, drying, and ironing fabrics
Cutting paper hexagons
Basting hexagons
Arranging in rows and stitching together
Tracking progress and posting pics
Repeating all of these steps again and again

This is going to be an epic quilt. I am throwing a party for the quilt once it's made.

If you are interested, you can track my progress on my blog's sidebar.

New additions

2010-09-05T11:18:00.001+02:00

Meet the new additions to the quilt!

After sewing a couple hundred of these together, I have created a system. When sewing hexagon strips together, my goal is to make the colors in each hexagon "pop." I try to do this by placing hexagons together that are coordinating colors or colors that are opposite on the color wheel. My goal is to use at least one or two white or light fabric hexagons in each strip and surround those hexagons with bright colors. I also try to have an even distribution of color and have at least one "fussy cut" in each strip. My husband now knows my system and helps me arrange strips once in awhile. Good husband!

Like I've said before, I like making hexagon strips because that way I can make sure that there is an even distribution of fabric lines, polka dots, etc. throughout the quilt.

I have been swapping fabric like crazy and have had so much fun doing it! I enjoy meeting people that are making a hexagon quilts, too. These pretty fabrics are from my Flickr friend, Jan. A bunch of the fabrics she sent me are designer, including a handful of Liberty prints (my fave).

This fabric she sent with the tree stumps and mushrooms might be my favorite fabric ever. Thanks, Jan!

Odds and ends

2010-08-28T21:28:00.001+02:00

We biked downtown to met our family friends Ulla and Eydfinn today. They both live in Seattle, but are Danish. It was so much fun to see them in the city that they know so well and adore. Their first stop is always the pølser stand at Raadhuspladsen, so that's where we met. Aaron and I decided beforehand that we were going to get whatever pølser they ordered, because we wanted to know which one was the best. Well, we got our answer--the rode pølser and was incredible. INCREDIBLE. If you have never tried a Danish pølser, you must try one. They "pop" when you bite into them and apparently they aren't available in the States. I need to eat more of these I think...

Ulla's next destination was to find flødebolle at a pastry shop. We walked along the Strøget until we found this swanky new pastry shop that everyone has been raving about. This goodie has a wafer bottom, a fluffy marshmallow center, and is coated in chocolate and dipped in coconut. If you come and visit us, we are stopping to get one.

On the way back to the train station, we stopped to see some interesting characters. Meet a human fountain...

and the invisible man. Yes, the man with the umbrella does not have a face.

On another note, my aunt and Sasa sent a care package along with Ulla on the plane. It was so fun to open it and it included some fabrics for the hexagon quilt.

These fabrics have already been chopped up into 2.5 inch squares and some will be swapped with other hexagon obsessed people. I believe that the key to a pretty hexagon quilt is an assortment bright, fun prints and lots of variety. I realized last week that I underestimated the number of hexagons I need to make a queen size quilt. As it turns out, I need 4,349. **gulp** Good thing Ethan naps and they are really fun to make!

I have been swapping fabric in my stash like crazy the past few weeks. Check out the cute Japanese fabrics that my Flickr buddy Ashley sent. (above)

This pile is ready to be sent out to another Flickr friend.

Sasa writes Ethan at least once a week and Ethan loves receiving her mail. She makes the cards herself on the computer and includes cool pictures and updates.

If it is an especially good one, he gives it a smooch.

Have a great week!

Hexed

2010-08-15T17:59:00.001+02:00

I had too many piles of hexagons, so I started sewing them together in strips. As I have been doing this, some story lines have emerged:

Weekend getaway

Picnic in the park

Mom's sewing basket

Midnight train

I've been having way too much fun with this project. I think it's time to tame the crafty mess on our kitchen table.

Hexagon update

2010-08-12T10:09:00.000+02:00

This is my hexagon set up. They are in stacks, sorted by color. I don't have a fancy box to organize them in, so I am currently using a tray.

If possible, I am trying to fussy cut each print.

I am using each fabric in my stash about three times and now I'm all out of fabric! I have bought a couple of scrap packs online and can't wait to turn these DELICIOUS fabrics into hexagons.

By chance, I stumbled upon other hexagon obsessed people on Flickr. I am so glad that I did because I have found other people to swap fabric with. I am ready to send off this pretty bundle today.

I was talking to my aunt on Skype yesterday and she said that as far as addictions go, fabric wasn't a bad one to have. I asked her to repeat that statement when my husband was in the room.

The best place on Earth

2010-08-09T13:19:00.002+02:00

This weekend I was once again reminded how much I love Denmark in the summer. On Sunday we went to our local dog park and rode our bikes while Chase frolicked with other dogs and ran through the mud.

This isn't your run of the mill dog park. This dog park has a large manor on the grounds, owned by Danish royalty.

Closer.

Isn't it pretty?

This is the Swiss chalet that serves cold drinks...some of these cold drinks are on tap.

The park goes on and on and on--I still haven't explored all of it.

No dog park would be complete without a swamp

and swamp flowers.

Did I mention that the queen has a rose garden there, too?

An afternoon tea is served in the garden on Sundays.

Are these old stables?

Babes riding in the bike

Chase thinks it is the best place on Earth.

I can't stop making hexagons...

2010-08-04T13:57:00.000+02:00

I have about a hundred hexagons sewn into strips and am nearly out of fabric!

Ethan and I are going to the beach today. Hope you have a fabulous afternoon.

Handsome Hexies

2010-07-30T10:11:00.001+02:00

I was bitten by the hexagon bug and now I am making a throw size hexagon quilt. I joined the Hexagon Charm Quilt Piece-Along and managed to persuade two friends to join me. (Jess and Bekah, you rock!) These are one inch, paper-pieced hexagons; I'll need over 1,000 hexagons *gasp* to finish the project. Melanie, who started the piece-along, is making a quilt with no two fabrics that are the same. Yes, that means that she has over 1,000 different swatches of fabric. You can find a link to her GORGEOUS quilt here.

These are my favorites so far. It is going to be an "eye spy" quilt of sorts. These fabrics are mostly Liberty of London, with a couple of Heather Ross prints mixed in.

Here is my thought process day two of making the quilt: When piecing hexies together, the colors/style/pattern of one hexagon leads to the next. For example, on the bottom row starting on the left, the little stars in the flower remind me of the little star-like shapes in the fabric to the right of it. Then the purple mermaid coordinates with the fabric to the left of it. The mermaid looks like she is diving into a teal pool in the Amy Butler print and the mushrooms coordinate with the Amy Butler hexie. This process is completely subjective and it is fun finding links between all of the hexies that I am piecing together. I am piecing the hexies in strips of five which I can then move around in order to get an even distribution of colors and prints.

This is going to be a portable side project for me and one that will take a very long time to complete! I want to finish up a dress I made for Sarah's Pattern Challenge this weekend. I am so close to finishing it!

Have you been bitten by the hexagon bug, too?

An Hour in Pictures

2010-07-22T21:11:00.000+02:00

(My sister-in-law made the hat that Ethan is wearing.)

Ethan's Clamshell Quilt

2010-07-21T10:07:00.000+02:00

I stayed up until midnight last night because I HAD to finish Ethan's quilt! I estimate that there are around 200 clamshells in this quilt.

The quilt has such great texture. The best part about making it is seeing Ethan's face light up when he sees it and I tell him that it is his quilt. I laid it out on the ground this morning and he promptly grabbed a truck and started playing on it. Be still my soul!

I am going to add a 9 inch border in this fabric. I am hoping to send it out to get quilted in the next couple of days.

Chase's girlfriend, Dolly, moved to Scotland early this morning. Chase looked REALLY sad this morning, which broke my heart. He'll get some extra TLC from us in the coming days.

At This Moment

2010-07-18T16:34:00.000+02:00

At this moment...

my little boy is sleeping

Chasey is snuggly

Hubsy just made homemade pizza and is now watching a kung fu movie

and I am admiring the Liberty and Sanderson (William Morris print) fabrics that I scored at the flea market in the form of a shirt, table runner, and pillows. I am going to rip the fabrics apart and give them new life this evening.

What are you doing at this moment?

Giveaway Winner

2010-07-13T17:00:00.001+02:00

The results are in! Our winner was chosen at random, using the high-tech method known as "husband drawing number out of hat". And the winner is...Kristin! I am sending an email to you right now. Thank you to Jamie from CSN Stores for this awesome giveaway prize!

100th Post and a Giveaway

2010-07-05T06:00:00.001+02:00

In honor of my 100th post, Jamie from CSN Stores is giving away a $50 gift certificate to the CSN Stores. Based in Boston, CSN Stores LLC began in 2002 and has grown rapidly into a Top 3 online U.S. retailer of home and office goods with 400+ employees. Beyond providing unparalleled customer service, selection, and savings to our U.S. customers, CSN Stores has opened its doors to online shoppers from Canada, the U.K., and Germany. Recently named to the Hot 100 List of online retailers for 2009, CSN Stores continues to grow. You can find anything from headboards to go-carts on their website.

Here are some of my favorites that are under $50:

Alessi Pino Funnel by Stefano Giovannoni

Alessi Dozi Paper Clip Holder by Mika J. H. Kim

Normann Copenhagen Plane

CucinaPro Pasta Fresh Machine

Camp Chef Popcorn Popper

Alessi Mediterraneo Kitchen Jar Collection - "Mediterraneo" Kitchen Jar Series

And here are some favorites that are over $50:

Normann Copenhagen Play Soapbox Cart in Yellow

Alessi 9093 Signature 67oz Kettle with Bird Whistle by Michael Graves, 1985

Alessi Richard Sapper Espresso Coffee Maker

Cuisinart Electric Fondue Pot

Now for the really good part. We're having a giveaway for a $50 gift certificate that can be used at any CSN Store. You can find a list of stores here. You can use your gift certificate to buy something for $50, or use it towards a larger purchase.

The giveaway starts today, July 5th, and ends on Monday, July 12, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. You can have your name entered up to two times.

Here's how you can enter to win:

Look at the headboards on the CSN site, then come back here and post a comment telling me which one you like best. Your name will be entered into the drawing for our giveaway.
Subscribe to Savvy Stitch and leave a comment telling me that you did so. (You can subscribe on the right hand side of my homepage.)

Please make sure that you leave your email address, so I can contact you if you win!

Due to international shipping charges, this contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. I will pick a winner randomly and will announce the winner's name on Tuesday, July 13th. Good luck!

A Week in Pictures

2010-06-28T21:16:00.002+02:00

I have been using my new camera every chance I get. I have so much to learn about how it works and hope to take a photography class at some point.

Hello sweet boy. I can't bear to cut your beach boy locks.

The weather has been fantastic lately. We have been going on family bike rides in the evening and it stays light until 11 pm. How great is that?

It is hard to believe that this lake was frozen over a few months ago and people were pushing prams across the ice.

To celebrate summer solstice, the Danes burn witches--well, fake ones. (Once upon a time they used to burn real ones. Or at least thought they were burning real ones.)

We went to our first witch burning last year with my dad and D--it was really fun.

Once the sticks are piled high, the scarecrow witches are roped up and a guy with a paint sprayer filled with kerosene sprays it all down. Then a match is lit and the whole neighborhood stands around the bonfire and sings a Danish song.

Ethan seemed to enjoy watching the bonfire with Daddy. He kept pointing at it, saying, "more, more!"

On the sewing front: Ethan's quilt is growing by the inch. At this rate he might receive it by Christmas!

Can you spot the peacock amongst the clamshells?

Be sure to check back next week for a GIVEAWAY!!!!

Little by Little

2010-06-18T11:59:00.001+02:00

I put this clamshell quilt for Ethan on the back burner for awhile. It is not one of those instant gratification projects, if you know what I mean. Then I realized that if I don't finish this project while Ethan is little, I am going to have to sew MORE clamshells together to make a big quilt for a big boy. This thought got me sewing.

I have been quilting during Ethan's naps and in the evenings. This project is fun because I can talk, hangout, or watch movies while I sew.

The clamshells are really poofy and I am wondering if I am going to be able to quilt it myself, or if I will need to send it out to be quilted. I plan on putting a coordinating border around the quilt and would love to have a feather design quilted along the border.

But quilting it is a long way off. For now I will keep drinking lattes and stitching the clamshells together. (I still have over 100 clamshells to stitch together!)

After visiting the coolest flea market in the world, I have been thinking about how to arrange framed family photos on our wall. My favorite frame in the world (on the left) dates back to the end of the 19th century. (This is what I found at the Parisian flea market. I also bought a larger version that looks similar.) I love how the paint has chipped away and the gold paint underneath has come to the surface. As far as arranging the photos, I like the idea of placing framed photos within large empty frames. I continue to find damaged antique frames at flea markets in Copenhagen and with a little plaster and gold paint and they look great.

The weather has been gorgeous this week! We went sailing up the coast with some friends last weekend and one of Ethan's little friends came over to hang out in our garden this week. After the longest winter I have experienced, the sun is SUCH a welcome change.

Have a fabulous weekend.

Tutorial: Elliott Sun Suit

2010-06-11T20:38:00.001+02:00

I made this sun suit for my niece, Elliott. She was born last week and we can't wait to meet her in person! I wanted to make her a little romper that she can wear when she strolls around Greenlake this summer. If you would like to make one of your own, follow my tutorial! I recommend reading all of the directions before you begin.

Materials:
1/2 yard soft cotton fabric (you should have some fabric left over)
1 package double fold bias tape, or make your own!
thread
seam ripper
old onesie
Sharpie
pins
scissors
1 yard thin elastic
3 inches of velcro

1) Find an old onesie that you are willing to part with. (You can use an old one with stains that will never be used again, or find one at the Goodwill.) Sketch one side of the desired neckline with a Sharpie, making sure to start under the armpit of the onesie. Sketch the "point" (where the straps will attach) below the original shoulder seam. (I used a kids' clothing magazine to get an idea of what the neckline looks like on a romper.)

2) Cut the arms off of the onesie and discard. Carefully slice open the seams on the sides and shoulders of the onesie. You now have two pattern pieces: a front and a back.

3) Take the front pattern piece with the neckline that is already sketched, and fold it in half vertically. Make sure that the hips line up and carefully pin up the side's raw edges, smooothing any wrinkles in the fabric as you go.

4) With the front pattern piece folded in half, cut the neckline that you drew in step one.

5) Take out the pins and unfold the front pattern piece. (You now have front pattern piece with a symmetrical neckline.)

6) Lay the front pattern piece on top of the back pattern piece, making sure to line up the hips. (I didn't line them up well in the picture.) With a Sharpie, sketch the neckline of the back pattern piece. (I made the neckline of my back pattern piece slightly higher than the front.)

7) Fold the back pattern piece in half vertically, and repeat step three. Don't forget to line up the hips of the back pattern piece!

8) With the back pattern piece folded in half, cut the neckline that you just sketched. Take out the pins on the back pattern piece, and VOILA! You now have a back pattern piece with a symmetrical neckline. Symmetry is a good thing.

9) To gather the front of the suit, sew a basting stitch that is about 3 1/2 inches long near the top of the fabric you are using. When you cut the thread from the machine, leave about four inches of thread on both sides of the basting stitch. Half an inch below the basting stitch that you just made, sew another basting stitch that is parallel. Leave about four inches of thread on this stitch, too.

10) You now have eight loose threads--four on the "right side/pretty side" of the fabric and four on the back. With the right side of the fabric facing up, take the two loose threads on the left side of the fabric and knot them together. Flip the fabric over, and do the same thing directly below the knot you just made.

11) With the pretty side of the fabric facing up, take the two loose threads that are left and carefully pull and gather the fabric. Once you do this, knot these loose threads like you did in step ten--on both sides of the fabric. (You now have four knots holding the gathers in your basting stitches in place.)

12) Lay the fabric flat. Position the neckline of the front pattern piece slightly above the secured basting stitches that you just made.

13) Pin the front pattern piece to the fabric. Pin the back pattern piece to the fabric. Make sure that the fabric's pattern is going in the same direction for both the front and the back.

14) Cut the fabric, but add 5/8 inch on the THE SIDES of the front pattern piece and the back pattern piece. (We have to account for the seam allowance.) You now have a front panel and a back panel.

15) With the right sides of the fabric together, pin the front panel and back panel together. Make sure that the hips line up on each side. Sew the side seams. (The armpits might not line up at this point and that is okay.)

15) Pin the double fold bias tape along the raw edge of the neckline of the front panel. Make sure the pretty sides are together! Sew a 5/8 inch seam across the neckline and remove the pins as you sew. Trim the bias tape when you get to the end of the neckline.

Cut a piece of elastic that is slightly shorter than the length of the front neckline. Sew the elastic ends to each end of the neckline on the selvage--you can sew by hand or use the zig zag stitch on your machine. Fold the bias tape OVER the raw edges of the neckline (enclosing them and the elastic), pin, and top stitch. The elastic creates a slightly gathered neckline.

16. Pin the double fold bias tape along the raw edge of the neckline of the BACK panel. Again, make sure the pretty sides are together. Sew a 5/8 inch seam across the neckline and remove the pins as you sew. Trim the bias tape when you get to the end of the neckline. Fold the bias tape OVER the raw edges of the neckline (enclosing them) pin, and top stitch.

17) If the armpits do not line up on the front panel and back panel, grab your scissors trim a little bit until they line up. Make it work!

18) Pin the double fold bias tape along the raw edge of the of the sun suit's bottoms. You will use one piece of bias tape and will be rounding corners around the perimeter of the bottoms. Make sure the right sides of the bias tape and fabric are together. Sew the bias tape to the fabric.

19) I decided to use elastic around the legs of the sun suit, since I used cotton fabric which isn't stretchy. (Elastic gives the suit some shape.) Where the diaper closure begins, secure the elastic to the selvage that will be enclosed by the bias tape. (You can use the zig zag stitch on your machine or tack by hand.)

Make sure that you don't sew all the way through the fabrics, as you do not want to see this stitch from the outside!

20) With the bias tape, enclose the raw edges along the suit's bottom and pin in place. Carefully slide the elastic in the casing that you are making, and create a gentle gather with the elastic. (You don't want the elastic around the legs to be too tight for the baby.) Cut the elastic and secure at the other diaper closure, using the zig zag stitch.

21) Repeat steps nineteen and twenty for the other leg of the bottoms. You want to create a SLIGHT gather in the leg area with the elastic. You're almost done!

22) Top stitch the bias tape all along the bottoms and make sure you don't accidentally sew the elastic that is enclosed.

23) Take the 3 inch piece of velcro and place it on each side of the diaper closure. You will most likely need to trim the velcro to fit the diaper closure. The velcro I used stuck like tape, which was great. Make sure the top and bottom diaper closure line up.

24) Top stitch along the four sides of each piece of velcro.

25) Now it is time to make the darling ties. Pin bias tape (pretty sides together) along one armpit, with about one foot of bias tape on each side of the armpit.

26) Make a 5/8 inch seam along the armpit.

Fold the bias tape over the raw edges of the armpit and pin in place.

Continue to pin up the bias tape on each side, to create the ties. Repeat steps twenty-five and twenty-six on the other armpit.

27) Fold over the top raw edge of the straps and top stitch. Trim the corners so they don't stick out. Top stitch the bias tape straps and armpit area.

Remember the two basting stitches that you made? It is time to rip those seams out.

Now admire your work and think about all the people who will ooh and ahh over your work at the next baby shower that you attend. Good job.

If you follow this tutorial, please give me feedback and I will continue to edit the directions to improve the tutorial. I would also love to see pictures of what you make. Happy sewing!

Featured on Prudent Baby

I finished the quilt!

2010-06-08T09:25:00.000+02:00

I finished Sasa's quilt and even embroidered our names on the edge of it.

I quilted Sasa's quilt the same way Rita did. I think that quilting it in this way secures the raw edges inside the quilt, which will hopefully make it stand up to repeated washings etc. I love the quilt's crinkled look after it is washed.

Waking up to this munchkin everyday is such a delight.

Gourmet Scrap Quilt Top

2010-06-03T17:23:00.002+02:00

You know how I was making this quilt? I got a *little* sidetracked. I really fell in love with Rita's HST overload quilt and decided to make a quilt like this for Sasa, my very special grandma.

Sasa's quilt is made exclusively out of scraps of Liberty fabric. As it ends up, I cut WAY too many triangles for my other Liberty quilt, so it made sense to make Sasa a quilt using triangles.

The Liberty Tana Lawn is so soft--I love it. This is my favorite quilt to date.

I think the high contrast blocks look the best.

Tonight I plan to baste it and hopefully can start quilting tomorrow.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

2010-05-30T20:15:00.000+02:00

I have been saving all the scraps from previous projects. They are just too pretty to throw away! It was a friend's birthday a couple of weeks ago and Aaron was sweet enough to watch Ethan, so I started working on a project for her. It ended up being a very LONG project. (It took two days to be exact.) I was inspired by this house and this one and decided to make the birthday girl her own version in the form of a quilted pillow. I started out by making a piece of fabric out off all of the scraps. This proved to be an addictive process. Don't try this at home.

The scraps I had on hand were Liberty, Amy Butler, Heather Ross, a few vintage textiles, Denyse Schmidt, and some Danish designs.

I had a pink and white striped vintage dress that I ripped apart for the shades. This is my favorite part.

Oh, and I also like the flower garden in front of the house and this little Liberty flower with mother of pearl button. So sweet.

I would love to do more fabric art like this. A whole quilt full of funky houses would be nice.

I have really been missing my mom the past couple of days, but am trying to count my blessings in the midst of grief. Quilting seems to help a bit, too.

Hope you all had a restful weekend.

Another Liberty Quilt

2010-05-19T10:08:00.000+02:00

I started another quilt! Instead of doing a Liberty sampler quilt, I decided to play around with triangles. I was inspired by Rita's quilt and followed this pattern.

These blocks are really fun to make! I made the blocks out of Liberty scraps, remnant pieces, and Liberty fabrics that were given to me by friends and family. The fabrics in Rita's quilt don't match and they look fabulous together! (I have realized that some people are completely gifted in this area. Jessica, you are one of these people.) I wanted to experiment with fabrics that don't match and can't wait to see how the quilt develops.

I had fun making cards a couple of weeks ago. I decided to use my sewing machine and vintage buttons to make the flowers on the Mother's Day cards we sent out. It created a cool effect.

I think spring has finally REALLY arrived in Copenhagen. It's about time!

Yesterday Ethan started rolling oranges all over the house. Chase just goes with the flow. I love this pup.

My sister- and brother-in-law are in town, visiting from Seattle. They brought the gorgeous weather with them and we are all having a blast together. They planned their whole European vacation around Ethan's birthday--they wanted to make sure they were here for it. What cuties!

It is hard to believe that Ethan will turn one year old tomorrow! I have been thinking back about life one year ago--playing the waiting game, enjoying time with my mom-in-law, running to Ikea at the last minute to get Ethan's room set up, laaaaaaaaaaaaabor, and then the day that Ethan was born. That day (pain and all) was the best day of my life. I loved meeting the little guy for the first time. I am feeling very thankful this morning.

Hope you all have a great week!

A "photo-less" post. Is that even a word?

2010-05-08T19:59:00.003+02:00

I just read this post and then read this one. They both got me thinking about the Internet, privacy, and how much information I want to share about our life and what pictures I want to post in this public setting. The posts also made me think about what I want (and don't want) to share about my grieving process. My blog looks a little different right now; a couple previous posts have been deleted and others look bland (and "Ethan-less") as I am figuring all of this out.

Living far from home, I know that many family members visit the blog specifically to see pics of the little guy, and this news will be disappointing. I just need to process these thoughts and go with my gut. I welcome any ideas that people have!

Aaron, Ethan, Chase, and I got out of the house early and went downtown today. A friend gave me a gift certificate to a fabric shop for my birthday, so I had some fun picking out some pretty fabric for a Danish shirt that I will be making. We also checked out a small flea market that was going on near the train station. Tomorrow is Mother's Day! It is my first one as a mom and without my mom. Mom would want me to "have a groove" on my first Mother's Day, so I am going to try to do just that. Hope you all are having a great weekend!

A Big Birthday and Paris

2010-05-06T21:24:00.002+02:00

While I was in Seattle for my mom's memorial service, I turned thirty. Aaron had an elaborate surprise party planned for me in Copenhagen, so I was bummed to miss it, but happy that friends and family in Seattle were able to celebrate this milestone with me.

On my birthday I woke up to this delicious breakfast that D and Aaron whipped up. It was delish! Aaron snuck a Fran's salted caramel on my plate--my favorite. Aaron and Dad threw me a wonderful party with some of my Seattle friends. My family bought me a camera for my birthday that takes high-quality pictures. (I am still learning how to use it, so please excuse the learning curve.)

I thought a lot about my mom who gave birth to me thirty years ago to the day. It was a very bittersweet birthday for me.
On another note, Mhiles and Anne, two of my friends in Copenhagen, gave me an unbelievable gift for my thirtieth birthday. They took me to...

Paris! I couldn't believe my ears when they told me about my present back in February. It was a dream come true. We left two days after we flew back from Seattle.

The plan for our girl trip was to do all the fun things that our husbands wouldn't want to do on a trip to Paris. (Explore fabric shops, hunt for good deals at flea markets etc.) Unfortunately, Anne wasn't able to come at the last minute, so Mhiles and I explored on our own.

The first day we walked around Montmartre. What a beautiful area!

Does this fruit stand look familiar? If not, you should rent the movie Amélie. It's a good one.

What we saw next took our breath away. The Parisian fabric stores are all housed at the base of the Sacré Cœur. Mhiles and I were overwhelmed as we had never seen so many fabric stores in our lives.

There were shops that exclusively sold buttons. (I am getting giddy just thinking about it.)

Other shops just sold trims and tassels. This is a sewer's dream come true! Mhiles and I both love to sew, but were so overwhelmed by this experience we didn't buy anything. Shameful, I know.

The next day we went to the largest flea market in the world, and just saw a sliver of it. This was the most exciting treasure hunt of my life. Each stall was really a small store that was decorated like an Anthropologie catalogue. I will remember this day for the rest of my life. I had THAT much fun.

Vintage textiles

Old beads

This frame shop was my favorite. These antique frames were exquisite.

We worked up a hunger after shopping around all morning, so we found a small restaurant nearby. They seemed to be filming a TV show inside.

As fate would have it, our apartment was near the most incredible bakery. Really, the pastries and cookies were more like art.

Don't these look delicious? After I took this picture, we were asked NOT to take pictures in the shop.

Ladurée also had a beautiful Sunday brunch.

Anne and Mhiles, thank you both for an incredible trip! It was the most memorable birthday yet.

You may be wondering who took care of the boys while I was away. Aaron took excellent care of Ethan and Chase AND rumor has it that Ethan's outfits matched and coordinated with Daddy's. I came home to a house that was cleaner than the one I left. Way to go, Hubby!

If you weren't you, what would you be?

2010-03-18T13:17:00.000+01:00

If I was a month, I’d be August.
If I was a day of the week, I’d be Friday.
If I was a time of day, I’d be early morning.
If I was a planet, I’d be Saturn.
If I was a sea animal, I’d be an orange sea pen.

If I was a direction, I’d be up.
If I was a piece of furniture, I'd be an antique.
If I was a liquid, I’d be an aged red wine.
If I was a gemstone, I’d be labradorite.
If I was a tree, I’d have cherry blossoms.

If I was a machine, I’d be a serger.
If I was a flower, I’d be a hyacinth.
If I was a kind of weather, I’d be a crisp autumn day.
If I was a musical instrument, I’d be a cello.
If I was a color, I’d be gray/blue.

If I was an emotion, I’d be passionate.
If I was a fruit, I’d be raspberries.
If I was a sound, I’d be church bells.
If I was an element, I’d be oxygen.
If I was a car, I’d be a convertible.

If I was a food, I’d be homemade.
If I was a place, I’d be an Italian piazza.
If I was a material, I’d be mother of pearl.
If I was a taste, I’d be rich.
If I was a scent, I’d be lavender.

If I was an object, I’d be a flea market find.
If I was a body part, I’d be the taste buds.
If I was a facial expression, I'd be :)))))))
If I was a song, I’d be on repeat.
If I was a pair of shoes, I’d be walking the cobbled streets of Italy.

(Idea taken from Sweet Jessie.)

Mermaid Quilt

2010-03-04T15:14:00.003+01:00

I finished the mermaid quilt! I can't get a decent picture of the whole quilt because our house is small and the quilt is big. So, if you want to see the whole thing, you'll have to come visit us in Copenhagen! Anne was such a lifesaver when I was starting the quilting process. She talked me through some quilting problems over the phone and we realized that my walking foot wasn't on correctly. I think that woman knows everything there is to know about quilting!

I met a couple friends for coffee downtown yesterday. It has been gorgeous here the last couple of days.

I joined my sis-in-law's Pattern Challenge. These are the two Danish patterns that I am going to make this spring. I love the look of the pants and the top. Hopefully I can figure out how to make the patterns with some help from Google Translate.

Hope you all have a fabulous week!

Love

2010-02-15T11:27:00.006+01:00

In honor of Valentine's Day...
I love, love, love...

my three boys.
Jesus.
Ethan saying “Mama!”
laughing so hard I can’t catch my breath.
clean sheets.
books that I can’t put down.
jr. high memories with dear friends.
dreaming about how to use up my fabric stash.
the smell of jack-o-lanterns burning.
the crunch of dry leaves.
relaxing in a clean house.
dinner parties.
honesty.
a freshly painted house.
afternoon naps.
Chapstick.
waking up to a latte and Ethan singing.
my sewing machine.
productivity.
Coldplay.
watermelon smoothies.
the day Ethan was born.
Christmas Eve.
paying off school loans.
George Clooney in Ocean’s Eleven.
Scandinavian summers.
high heels.
chai tea lattes.
spring flowers.
giving old items new life.
painted nails.
The Wedding Singer.
people who rise above difficult situations.
spontaneous adventures.
family get-togethers.
living in Europe.
Sasa.
the smell of lilacs.
mother of pearl buttons.
my supportive family.
sewing.
Mew.
cooking with Aaron.
museums.
being a life-long learner.
the sweet smell of my baby and pup.
mowing the lawn.
traveling.
thunder and lightning.
fires.
hymns.
good neighbors.
berry picking with my aunts.
repairing old furniture.
Cannon Beach memories.
Italian leather purses.
free time.
being Aaron’s wife and Ethan’s mom.
family traditions.
having reasons to celebrate.
curling up under a quilt.
The Dave Matthew's Band.
creative people who inspire me.
puppy and baby cuddles.
beautiful paper.
optimism.
flea markets.
a good steak.
following dreams.
Liberty fabric.
the ocean.
old friends.
people watching in Piazza Signoria.
prank phone calls to friends.
the best dog park on earth.
family bike rides.
stinky cheeses.
Seattle.
speaking Italian.
waking up on a snow day.
everything Ethan does.
having visitors in town.
salted caramels.
sledding.
C.S. Lewis.
receiving mail.
kind people.
a good shoulder rub.
surprises.
foraging for mushrooms.
dogs.
new friends who feel like old friends.
vintage wallpaper.
Skype.

(Idea taken from Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman.)

Another Week Has Passed

2010-02-14T10:00:00.003+01:00

Ethan and I went over to Anne's house a couple of times last week. Ethan took a nap long enough for me to baste The Little Mermaid quilt. The colors in this quilt are so vibrant--I'm in love. My dear friend, Bekah, made a darling quilt top from the same fabric line. Can you believe that this is her first quilt?

It is still snowing here! We haven't seen any dirt since Christmas. Ethan, Chase, and I have been going on many walks in the snow.

Aaron and I decided that I will probably start working part-time, which means Ethan will be going to a Danish kindergarten. I know that he will love it, but I am not ready for this change!

I was sick all day yesterday, but am feeling a bit better today. Aaron and I are making Valentine's Day cards and a to-die-for meal tonight. I love the slow pace of our weekends in Denmark. Happy Valentine's Day!

Snowflakes, Food, and Fabric

2010-02-04T21:06:00.002+01:00

Another snowstorm hit Copenhagen on Tuesday. We have over a foot of snow now. That makes me happy.

I used a bit of my Christmas money to buy some Denyse Schmidt fabric that is discontinued. I am throwing around some ideas for a quilt, but am not allowed to start another one until I finish the four that are already in progress. (What? It's cold here!) I am planning to baste and quilt "The Little Mermaid" next week. It is so much fun to be surrounded with beautiful, soft fabric. As you can see, Chase agrees.

This tortilla soup is to die for. Seriously. I thought about it all day long.

It's Still Snowing!

2010-01-29T21:31:00.004+01:00

Aaron made this giant snowman a couple of days ago. Chase thought it was pretty cool, too.

It is snowing like crazy outside, but we are staying warm by the fire. Fridays feel so good! Our weekend will be filled with walks in the snow, homemade chai tea lattes, and playing with the little man--we can't get enough of him! Hope you have a cozy weekend.

Quilt Progress

2010-01-27T23:24:00.002+01:00

Ethan's clamshell quilt is coming along and I am quite happy with it. I work on it during Ethan's nap, at night, and with Jessica and Belinda, my crazy quilting buddies.

My Liberty sampler quilt has been on hold while I wait for my solid cotton contrasting fabric to arrive. However, tonight I decided to jump in and do a log cabin block because it requires all printed fabric. Did I fall in love with the hodge-podge-I-don't-care-if-I-don't-match look? Not really. Am I curious about experimenting and seeing where this project takes me? Absolutely.

I got together with the women from my prenatal class today. (We get together on a regular basis with all of our babies.) The crazy quilters and I rolled out our clamshell quilts and sewed happily while we caught up with the other moms in the group.

We had a huge snowstorm today. It has been so cold, even the ocean is freezing over. Stay warm!

Good News, Bad News

2010-01-24T11:01:00.006+01:00

Emily: "Do you want the good news or the bad news?"

Aaron: "Bad news."

Emily: "Don't worry, I'll make something cute for Ethan out of it."

*Aaron stares into space wondering what piece of his clothing Emily has ruined.*

I washed some clothes on "finvask" which I thought meant "fine wash." You know, the setting that you use to wash delicate items. My washer's temperature must be set for "hot" on that setting, because Aaron's favorite sweater became itty bitty. I mean, it could fit a second grader. Once I realized that it was ruined, I felted the sweater and made a vest for Ethan out of it. My mistake was Aaron's loss and Ethan's gain.

I traced a sweater vest that was made by Tout Petit. The vest is lined with the felted wool. (Thanks, Honey!) I used vintage mother of pearl buttons that I already had and sewed a label in it that says it was made by Mom. That's me!

The lake near our house is completely frozen over. The commune roped off a safe area for people to skate. I saw people biking and pushing prams on the ice! (That is completely out of my comfort zone.) Aaron and Chase stood on the lake for some pictures.

Aaron, I'll get you a new sweater. Don't worry.

Ethan's Quilt

2010-01-18T09:25:00.000+01:00

I literally have my work cut out for me. All the fabric is cut out for Ethan's clamshell quilt. THAT took a long time! I spread out all of the pieces, and it is going to be a pretty big quilt. I "fussy cut" the peacocks and positioned the pieces together, so the bodies are more or less intact. I added some Liberty peacock fabric in the mix and I like the result. I carefully stacked all of the pieces in order, and am sewing one row at a time.

I am already done with two rows. If I keep going at this pace, I will finish the quilt in less than two months. Not bad! I am also making a Liberty sampler quilt along with my mom-in-law. We both love Liberty fabric and were deeply inspired by this quilt. The directions to our first block can be found here. I might make my first block today. I made Dacia's delicious chicken salad for lunch today and can't wait to eat it. Hope you all had a restful weekend.

Addicted to French Food and Quilting

2010-01-11T11:15:00.002+01:00

Aaron and I had some intense cravings for French food this weekend. I think it all started when we watched a chick flick and the characters in the film were eating croque monsieurs. On Saturday morning I perused my Barefoot in Paris cookbook and got hungrier and hungrier with each page flip. We decided that we HAD to make the croque monsieurs and boeuf bourguignon. These are not recipes that you can make everyday, unless you want to throw your New Year's resolution out the window. But, these were both incredible recipes that I will make again. We called up Jess and Pat at the last minute and asked if they wanted to come over for boeuf bourguignon on Sunday afternoon. Jessica knows how much I love Liberty fabric and brought me a piece of "The Strawberry Thief" in the pink/purple colorway when they came over. What a delightful surprise!

After they left, I took out all of my Liberty fabric, including the fabric scraps from previous projects. I would love to make a Liberty sampler quilt like this one. Does anybody want to join me? It looks like so much fun! I discovered a great place to order Liberty fabric and fabric scraps. I think that I can make a block every week or two.

Jessica made the most gorgeous clamshell quilt for her daughter by hand. (She didn't make the one that I linked to, but you can get an idea of what a clamshell quilt is.) This quilt inspired another friend to make one and then that inspired me to make one, too. I am making one for Ethan out of some Amy Butler fabric I already have. The thing that I love about this quilt is that the project is completely portable and we can all work on it when we get together with our babies.

Ethan is doing more and more every day. This week he started waving"hi" which is so darn cute. We sure are in love with our little guy.

I heard birds chirping for the first time in months. Does that mean that spring is on its way? Have a great week!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

2010-01-05T15:24:00.001+01:00

Thank you to my lovely husband who watched Ethan and Chase so I could create a quilt top. I used the Yellow Brick Road pattern, which I love. Strip piecing quilts is totally the way to go--it is so fast! I cut, arranged, and sewed the strips into squares in one day. I used Heather Ross' Mendoncino fabric. This quilt will be perfect for the beach.

We had a relaxing New Year's Eve at a friend's house in downtown Copenhagen. We saw the most spectacular fire work display--it went on for hours. Happy New Year!

A Mantra and a Quilt and a Christmas

2009-12-30T17:38:00.011+01:00

After months of working on this quilt, it is finally complete! Unfortunately, instead of feeling elated about creating a masterpiece, an heirloom that will be passed down from generation to generation, I find myself picking my work apart. I can't stop seeing the mistakes! Perhaps all quilters do this. For the past 3+ months, the part of me that wanted to "jump in" and learn as I worked was at odds with the part of me that wanted this quilt to be a perfect work of art. After all, the fabrics were perfect so the quilt should be, too.

On a positive note, I learned a ton! Countless sewing lessons have been burned into my memory. As I mentioned before, I used the "loopy" quilting method and love the texture that the quilting creates.

The title of the quilt and my new mantra is Bloom Where You Are Planted. It seems appropriate and I am trying to live it out!

While we completely missed our friends and family back home, we had a great Christmas in Copenhagen. The fun began on Christmas Eve at Henrik and Ulla's house where we enjoyed the most delicious traditional Danish Christmas dinner. Henrik is a gourmet cook, so we were spoiled rotten. We ate yams, caramelized potatoes, herb roasted potatoes, roasted duck, sauteed red cabbage, and pork roast with a rich wine reduction gravy.

After dinner we ate the traditional "risalamande" which is a whipped rice pudding full of chopped almonds and topped with cherry sauce. In this dish there were three whole almonds that guests were supposed to find and conceal in mouths (if found) while eating this dessert. There were many false accusations and second and third helpings that were had. The winners revealed who they were after the serving bowl was empty and the last portion was eaten. The winners even got prizes! We also sang songs and danced around the Christmas tree. Aaron and I will take these traditions home with us.

Keeping with my family's tradition, we made the bread ring again this year. We used marzipan instead of almond paste and it tasted great!

Hope you all had memorable Christmases.

Catch Up

2009-12-17T10:22:00.006+01:00

I was reminded by Sasa, my sweet grandmother, to update my blog. It has been awhile! Aaron and I have been busy enjoying Denmark at Christmastime.

We bought a tree and carted it home in our bike. (You can kind of see the bike in the background.) We thought that this was a great idea until Ethan woke up and realized that there was an enormous tree in his face and started crying. We were nowhere near home when this happened.

Did you know that many Danes leave their Christmas trees outside?

Our family was invited over to our friends' house to enjoy birthday cake last weekend. St. Nicholas made a surprise appearance and brought toys for all the kids. It was really, really sweet.

We went to Tivoli this week with Jess, Pat, and Ruby. Tivoli at Christmastime is gorgeous--lights and decorations everywhere.

Ethan met Santa and told Santa what was on his Christmas list.

Danes don't seem to knead the breads that they make, which is just my style. They just mix the ingredients and let the bread rise overnight. I will be making bread on a regular basis.

Finally, a photo of my quilt progress. I basted my quilt last week and used the painter's tape to create straight lines for quilting. I fell in love with Tallgrass Prairie Studio's loopy quilting, so I am giving it a try. Jacquie, from TPS was kind enough to email me and give me some helpful hints for this technique. Freemotion quilting is very difficult and is hard on the hands.

We have snow here and are staying warm indoors.

Christmas Inspiration

2009-11-25T14:24:00.007+01:00

Ethan is now a six-month-old! He is sitting up, eating "solid" foods, drinking out of a glass, and rolling over. He also says "mamamamamamama" and "dadadadadadada" which we love. Aaron and I are so in awe of our little guy.

I checked out this magazine from the library. I thought that I had lost it in our house, but luckily I found it! Aaron tried to buy me my own copy, but we can't buy it now that the latest edition is on the newsstands. This Danish magazine has totally inspired me to make MORE Christmas ornaments and decorations.

Ornaments for the birds

Hanging wreath decorated with candles, yarn, and ornaments

Yo-Yo bag

Owl box??

Birdcage ornament

Owl shadow box

Pipe cleaner bird wreath

Paper bird mobile

Liberty ornaments

Striped stockings

Antler advent

Bye! Gotta get crafting.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

2009-11-16T10:35:00.005+01:00

We have had a great week! Aaron and I celebrated our four year wedding anniversary on Thursday. I can't believe that we have been married for four years! I woke up to breakfast in bed, had flowers delivered to me, and enjoyed a gourmet meal with my little family. It was such a great day.

This delicious dessert is called aebleskiver. Aaron and I LOVE them. We found out that supermarkets sell them around Christmas. They taste like a fried pancake ball.

I have been addicted to making Christmas ornaments the last couple of weeks. Aaron and I didn't bring any of our Christmas decorations from Seattle, so I have had an excuse to craft. (Not that I ever really needed an excuse!)

I found out that two friends, Mhiles and Anne, are just as obsessed with making ornaments. We have spent three full days in Santa's workshop (a.k.a. Anne's art studio). We have had a blast eating snacks and inspiring each other. Ethan is in love with Anne's puppies. Oty, the basset hound, is extremely interested in Ethan's toys and loves to snuggle.

The first ornaments we made were the earless felt horses.

I made the Libery bell and tree from an old MCall's pattern. The snowflakes were Martha's idea.

The owl family is my favorite. We got ideas from Etsy and then created our own spin. The owls and birds are made from felted wool. I stitched the owls together with metallic thread. The eyes are made from vintage mother of pearl buttons.

The birds started this whole ornament obsession. I bought some felted wool weeks back and couldn't stop thinking about making little birds. I love how they turned out.

Have a great week!

Weekend Excursions

2009-10-21T11:18:00.003+02:00

We had such a fun and relaxing weekend. Our Australian friends, Pat and Jess, took us to Tivoli on Friday. The only word to describe it is MAGICAL. I have never seen more pumpkins in my life. There were shops set up everywhere--full of fall treats. I'm still thinking about the apple donuts we tried with powdered sugar and jam. YUMMY!

We went on two huge bike rides this weekend, too. (This is our favorite family activity.) We biked to church on Sunday which took over an hour. I know next week we won't miss the entire sermon!

Aaron made chicken soup, chai tea lattes, and played with Chase and Ethan, so I could sew for two days straight. I am making progress on the Liberty quilt. Pictures will be forthcoming.

For the first time last week I realized that I really LIKE it here--there is so much to like. I am feeling pretty grateful.