Broken Herringbone Quilt: Work in Progress Part 1

And now, for my next trick, let me delight the eyes and dazzle the OCD with this broken herringbone pattern quilt!  Oooh.  Aaahh.  After my grand total of 1 quilt down, I decided I was ready to hop on in to this quilting business and up the ante with a more complicated style, again without a pattern to follow.  What could go wrong?

Step 1: Planning (AKA, Quilting Math)
Biggest lesson learned from my first quilt was that I had to properly plan out my quilt in advance of any purchasing, cutting, laying out, or sewing was to be done.  I wanted a herringbone pattern (a favorite for me and my husband, a city planner who lurves him some herringbone sidewalks), but not the typical chevron-style herringbone that's all over Pinterest and the interwebs.  Finding some helpful sources of inspiration, I planned out what I wanted, measured, multiplied, and came up with my supplies for a nice twin-size quilt.

Step 2: Fabric Selection

I wanted this quilt for the living room, which is currently painted a soft green and has brown rugs, a tan couch, and various blue and green accents.  Clearly blue and green were my starting points for color, and I wanted a crisp white backing for the quilt.  I knew I'd need a pop of color in there, maybe a fun purple, or even red or orange.  Binding color was TBD.  I roamed the aisles with several awesome coupons burning a hole in my phone, and was more selective with fabric purchasing this time around.  I added and removed multiple bolts of fabric before settling on my final 6, but in the end I knew that what I had would definitely be used.  Six beautiful patterns, white backing, and navy binding.

Bountiful harvest.

Step 3: Cutting, Laying out, and More Quilting Math
Ok, I cut cut cut all my little rectangles out of the patterned fabric, and now I needed to cut the strips of white fabric that would go in between the rectangles, like the mortar in my herringbone sidewalk.  Again, valuable lesson learned last time was that I would have to account for fabric lost when I stitched two pieces together- 1/4" seams eat up length fast, especially when you're going to lose 1/4" on each side of your rectangles.  So I had to figure out how long these strips of fabric should be, how to make that a standard number rather than measuring out two different lengths depending on which way the "mortar" was going, and how to neatly sew these buggers together in a way that didn't make my head spin.
Some laying out, measuring, adjusting, more measuring, cutting, measuring... and I had my pieces cut and arranged and my AHA! moment for how to sew them properly.  Let me introduce my quilting Ts.
I laid out the beginning of the pattern I wanted.  We have the patterned fabrics and the white strips in between, breaking up the herringbone.

I realized that I could break this into chunks with these Ts.  From my quilting math, I knew that once I had sewed the white piece between 1 and 2, I would be losing a bit of length, which is why piece 3 is a bit shorter when everything is laid out prior to sewing.  Clearly, I needed to sew in this order.  Piece 1 is sewn to the white strip; piece 2 is sewn to that same white strip, and then a white strip is sewn to the top of those 3 connected fabrics, making the T with the white strips.

So I had the sewing order down- excellent.  Next up was how to make this work repeatedly for an entire quilt.  I then realized the whole pattern is made up of these Ts.  Look at the same layout with the new T perspective (highlighted in yellow now):

To the left are two more Ts, and there are Ts rotated as well.  If I create a bunch of Ts, I can connect them to other Ts at an angle, and we're in business.  In theory.  Let me see how this all goes in practice!

Finished Cross-Stitch

Update: I won a 1st place ribbon for this bad boy at the Montgomery County Fair!  Woohoo!!!

This week marked a momentous occasion- I finished a cross-stitch piece!  These patterns usually take me at least a year to complete (not working on them daily), and this was no exception.  I can't remember exactly when I started this one, but it had to be about a year ago because it reminded me of a street in Venice during last September's vacation in Italy.
This pattern is a Dimensions Gold kit- Paris Market- that comes with the blank fabric, all the thread, and some needles.  It's 15" x 11", making it a pretty good size as far as these kits go.  This pattern has a really tiny grid, which makes for a beautiful scene that doesn't look pixelated like some cross-stitch does, but the trade-off of course is a ton of stitches.  In addition to that, there are SO MANY colors in this one, which is why I love it, but switching threads constantly also adds to the amount of time it takes.  In the end though, as always, it was well worth it.  I'm pretty sure this one will be framed and hung in the master bedroom.  Hubby and I both love it, and are happy to wake up to see anything that reminds us of that amazing vacation!

Close up of the yellow flowers in the bottom left corner, to show those pesky French knots.  I hate making those knots!  They add so much texture, though, and you can't skimp on them.  At least this one wasn't covered in snowflakes like one of my past projects!

Fruit Kabobs

My son and I were watching Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood a few days ago, and the little guy got excited when he saw Daniel and his parents making fruit kabobs for a snack.  He was determined to do the same himself, and thankfully we had all the right goodies on hand!  This super easy treat was perfect for my 4-year-old to do himself once I'd washed and cut the fruit for him, and he devoured every bit.
This is a great idea for serving fruit at a party or play date, too!

Ingredients (makes 5 kabobs- enough for 2 snack servings)

• 1/2 cup strawberries, quartered
• 12 grapes
• 1 banana, sliced
• Skewers

Directions

1. Wash and cut fruit; place in a bowl for youngster to choose from
2. Place fruit on skewer, alternating fruits

Variations 

• Dip some fruit in chocolate and allow to cool before putting on skewers (like an Edible Arrangement)
• Arrange skewers stuck in a firm base like a watermelon
• Sneak in a marshmallow here and there as a special treat

DIY Curling for Kids

This is a WAY overdue post from February!  While watching the winter Olympics this year, my son fell in love with curling.  He wanted to do it himself, and with some quick improve we had our own home version set up in the living room.  He'd play along while he watched the US team each night and we all got a kick out of it.  I hope you can take the same idea and play with your little ones, too!

Supplies

• 2 plastic plates, like an outdoor or child's plate
• Painter's tape, washi tape, or masking tape
• Soft brush, like one used with a dust pan

Directions

1. Tape off a square and a smaller target in the center of the square.  Tape a starting line far enough away from the target to be a bit of a challenge for your little one, but still close enough that they can slide the plate into the target.

How to Play (for 4 or more kids)

1. Each round, both teams get to play.  Team 1 player sits at the line and pushes their plate toward the target.  Other teammate(s) pretend to swipe the ice in front of the plate with the soft brush.
2. Team 2 gets to go.  Player sits at the line and pushes a plate toward the target; other teammate(s) pretend to brush the ice.
3. At the end of the round, each team with a plate touching the box or the bull's eye gets points accordingly.  If both plates are touching, both teams get points (they do not cancel each other out).

• Plate touching the large square (but not touching the bull's eye) = 1 point
• Plate touching the bull's eye = 3 points.

Play 5 rounds, alternating which team starts each round.  Team with the most points wins!

If you've got just one kiddo playing like mine, improvise or just have fun shoving the plate at the target and seeing how they do!

Layered Circle Skirt

A little while back, I made a couple cute circle skirts for my baby girl.  She's getting bigger, and the newborn size skirt has started looking more like a tutu, so I decided to add a layer.  Easy peasy, and while I was at it, I ripped the old messy stitches on original skirt's the bias tape and re-stitched.  Things are nice and clean now, and extended the life of the skirt a couple more months!  I thought I'd share the easy steps so you can keep up with my sewing lessons learned.  :)

Supplies

• 1/2 yard fabric- same as top layer, or coordinating color/pattern
• Bias tape
• Sewing notions

Directions

1. Fold top layer of circle skirt into quarters.  Fold 1/2 yard fabric for bottom layer into quarters.  Lay folded top layer on folded bottom layer, as shown below.
   
2. Trace curve out of corner of bottom layer, making a bigger opening than that of the top layer (~1" further down from corner).  Measure out at least 2-3" past hem of top layer and cut.
3. Unfold the top and bottom layers, and place them on each other, right side up.  You should have two donuts, with fairly similar openings.
   
4. Flip upside down, and pin the larger skirt layer to the smaller top layer, just past the elastic of the smaller layer's waist.  Pleat every inch or so to use up the excess fabric and create waves that mimic the ripples in the top layer.  Sew.
   
5. When you flip the skirt right-side-up again, your layers should be nicely attached.
6. Pin bias tape, right side against the right side of the fabric of the larger bottom layer, and sew in the fold of the bias tape.  Cheating and sewing as you go, instead of pinning in place, may result in a surprise shortage of tape when you reach the end.  Oops!  I decided this just determined where the back of this otherwise perfectly uniform skirt belongs.
   
7. Fold over the raw edge of the skirt, and fold again.  Pin and sew.
   
8. Done!
   

Make Your Own Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino

I am craaaazy crazy about Starbucks, but need to watch my coffee budget more closely these days.  I've been craving my beloved Caramel Frappuccinos but can't stomach the cost for a daily dose of that sweet, caffeinated bliss.  I experimented at home today and sure enough, for the cost of 2 of these drinks, I can easily make 6-8 at home.

Starbucks: $4.25 for one tall
Home: $4.99 Vanilla Latte, $1.99 Caramel syrup, $1.49 whipped cream, ice = $8.47 for at least 6 talls

And I promise you, the taste is spot on because I used the premade Starbucks iced vanilla latte (sold at most grocery stores).  You could easily make yours completely from scratch with brewed espresso (you can buy tins of espresso instant coffee) and milk, but then your flavor will be different.

Anyway, here's the simple recipe!  Let the savings and cravings commence.  :D

Supplies

• 4 to 8 oz Starbucks vanilla latte drink (vary depending on desired size and consistency)
• 5-6 ice cubes
• Drizzle of caramel syrup (I like the Hershey's bottled kind)
• Whipped cream

Directions

1. Blend latte, ice cubes, and a drizzle of caramel syrup in blender.  I first used the ice chop setting for about 20 seconds, then the liquefy setting for 45 seconds until the drink reached the right consistency.
2. Drizzle caramel syrup in glass (or better yet- reusable Starbucks cold cup!), pour in blended drink, top with whipped cream, and drizzle with additional caramel syrup.

My tips: 

If the drink is too liquid, resembling a slightly more frozen version of the latte drink, add more ice.  

If the drink is separating into ice and liquid layers, you need fewer ice cubes and/or to blend for a shorter period of time.

Lofted Bed Curtains (aka, under the bed tent)

For a long time now, I've had this idea in mind to make a cute curtain to hang under my son's bed when we finally lofted it.  Initially, I thought I'd make a tent to resemble the trolly on Mister Rodgers' Neighborhood/Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.  After my son outgrew that phase more, and started seriously loving cars, I shifted the idea to be a curtain that resembled a garage.  I thought a concrete wall with some applique windows, tires, perhaps an oil drum and toolbox would do the trick.  This was also a new chance to develop more sewing skills!  I took my son to the fabric store with me so he could pick out the colors for all his garage goodies, and talk about what items he wanted to be displayed on the garage.  He chose the red fabric for the garage, and I came up with the idea of painting on the white mortar so it looked like a brick garage.  We really had a lot of fun thinking it out together, and my son loved watching me cut out the different objects and sew them onto the curtains.  They're now up in his room, and hide a little hot wheel track world under his bed.  It's definitely a hit, and can be as easy or as complicated as suits you and your skill set.  Have fun!

Supplies (for a twin size bed)

• 2 1/2 yards base curtain fabric to cover one side of the bed; additional if continuing curtain to cover more of the exposed area under the bed
• White paint and paint supplies (brush, drop cloth, etc.)
• Rectangular container or cutout as brick guide
• Fabric scraps, fat quarters, or 1/4 yards for each of the detail pieces
• 2 yards velcro made for sewing

Directions

1. Lay out base curtain fabric, and paint on brick mortar (white paint), using a cutout, tupperware, or other guide to get a brick shape.  Let dry.
2. Measure opening under the bed when lofted.  This will help you know just how wide and tall your curtains should be.  The curtains should be tall enough to cover the opening under bed without dragging on the floor and wide enough without flopping past the edges of the bed.  Add 1" to the width, so you can have 1/4" seams on each end, and 1/4" seam on each side of the middle opening to the curtains.  Add 1/2" to the height for 1/4" top and bottom seams.
3. Cut straight edges, preferably using cutter and clear ruler guide, for the top and bottom sides.  Cut the curtain in half vertically to provide an easy opening in the middle during playtime.
4. Fold over edges, pin, and sew to keep curtain edges from unraveling during use.
5. Cut out applique pieces such as tires, toolbox, and windows.  Try to be proportionate with your items, but some goofy mismatches can be cute.
6. Pin pieces and sew in place.  I sewed 1/4" in from the edges, because I wasn't yet skilled at doing the applique stitches that go back and forth over the edge.  That means the outer edges of my pieces are a bit floppy, but as I said, you can make this as easy or complicated as you want to suit your skill set.  Don't sweat the imperfections, because this is MEANT to look whimsical and imperfect.
7. Cut the velcro in half.  Sew on the fuzzy part of the velcro along the top edge of each half of the curtain, according to manufacturer instructions.  I sewed mine AFTER removing the paper backing, and I don't know if that made the difference in why my sewing needle got all gunked up and jammed on me, but I definitely recommend doing things as intended here.  Winging it is unwise, as I learned.
8. Stick the prickly side of the velcro to the back or underside of the bed frame, as desired.  Press firmly and hold in place.  You want that velcro side to STICK to the bed and not peel off at the first tug or two at the curtain.
9. Attach the curtains to the bed and PLAY!

My little helper getting ready to paint some bricks!

Tracing around the tupperware container.  4-year-old helpers mean you quickly let go of perfection.  :)

Laid out to dry.  Some of the paint smudged and made splatters when I put it in place, and they created a great random and authentic look that I could not have possibly done intentionally.

This project taught me to looove my clear guide ruler/cutter!

Oil drum and toolbox sewn on.

My son wanted to name his garage Joey Cl[a]wson.  I have no idea who "Jowe" (Joey) is, or why his garage's name looks like graffiti, but this goes in my son's room not mine, so he gets his way.

Big ole tires all stacked up!

This is a HAPPY little guy!  Note the camping lantern providing under bed light.  Perfect for a little mechanic!

Making the Most of a Small Nursery

My family is now two months in with baby #2, my sweet and poop-laden little girl.  I finally caught her nursery in a moment where the planets had aligned- my favorite sheets on the crib, everything clean and tidy, nice afternoon lighting, and both kids asleep and out of my hair for a while.  I took my chance to nab some pics to show off the nursery and to use as a bit of documentation for my nursery organization tips.  Both my son and daughter have pretty small rooms- perhaps 9' x 10'?- in our townhouse.  This really isn't a problem during the baby/toddler years as there is no need or expectation for these to be places for the kids to really run around and play in.  However, for taking care of a baby, you need to jam pack that space in a functional way so that you can change, feed, and soothe that screaming baby at any moment of the day, on any scrap of sleep (or lack thereof) you may have claim to.  Most of the things I've done are carryovers from lessons learned with kid #1, so they've stood the test of time and if anything got a bit honed with experience.

But first, the ooh and aah pics:

Oh dresser, your remodel was so fun!

Psst- quilt!

Reupholstered ottoman- check.

Love it.  Mossy monogram and mobile skills- yay!  As my husband said, a bit surprised, everything goes together so well.  It's like I had a plan in mind or something.  ;)

Before we knew the sex of the baby, I already had my heart set on a forest theme.  I wanted blues, greens, and browns for the color scheme, all because I fell in love with a picture from Pinterest.  Once we knew we were having a girl, I made the theme feminine with the patterns, textures, and details.  Birds became a recurring theme, white elements with curls and spirals were introduced by way of the floor lamp and the little bunny potpourri holder, and I chose that great floral crib sheet.  I think it all came together in a great way, not in a traditional girly theme but still feminine.  To me, it's Mod Cloth meets Etsy.

Anyway, on to the organization tips!  

1. Double Duty Furniture. First up is my furniture find with the two-in-one crib and changing table.  I simply placed a changing pad on my son's dresser with our first rodeo, but that did mean I needed a nearby stand to hold all the diapers and wipes.  It worked, but I knew there could be better options.  I liked the idea of the corner changing tables as another space-saving approach, but fell in love with the crib I found on Wayfair.  Everything is close and easy at hand, but takes up less space than having separate pieces to accomplish the same goal.

2. Double Duty Decorations.  That bird cage with the twinkle lights?  It's both adorable AND serves as a dim light for middle of the night wake ups, diaper changes, feedings, etc.  Why have a separate table lamp when we can combine needs and style this way?  I also wanted a cute bird house for the room, and realized I needed a hook to hang wet laundry.  Screw a hook into the bottom of a $1 birdhouse from Michaels that I painted white, and we're in the double duty decoration business.  It really is that easy!

3.  Store Like Items Together.  This may seem intuitive but really, it needs to be said.  Each type of thing does not need its own storage space.  You do not need separate drawer space or storage bins (as cute as they may be) for swaddle blankets, burp cloths, crib sheets, pack and play sheets, bassinet sheets, etc.  Think about the function of the item, and group like that.  Here's how the changing table shelves are organized, as an example:

Now, diapers and hair bows may not seem like they go together, but when I'm doing quick work on the changing pad, they're things I like to have right at hand and don't have to fuss around with.  I'm not gazing adoringly over hair accessories all laid out nicely in some display- I'm grabbing one from a stash that isn't taking up valuable drawer space.  Because of the size of my basket, I can fit 3 rows of diapers but have an extra couple inches of otherwise wasted space.  I thought of what else would fit in that area and also be necessary to grab with ease, and that's when the bows came to mind.

Take a look at the next container for medical items- I needed something with a low side so I could easily pump some hand sanitizer without picking it up out of the bin, and where I could arrange things like diaper rash cream where they wouldn't be in a jumble.  Lesser-used items like q-tips, baby tylenol, baby oil, and lotion are further back.  I even have a few spare pacifiers tossed in there.

I have a pack of wipes on top of the changing pad, and the refills are in the big basket at the back, as well as nursing items like extra pump parts, creams, etc.  This is my stock basket if you will- things not in the daily rotation.  It's my baby supply pantry I guess.

Next row down, at the front we have swaddle blankets (both small and large, cotton and muslin, as well as those velcro kind) and burp cloths.  The thinking again is- what do I need frequently, and needs to be easy to grab?  Well, we go through swaddlers and burp cloths all day every day at this stage, so they get pride of place at the front of the shelf where they can be grabbed the moment that Mount Vesuvius of spit up starts to bubble in my daughter's mouth.

At the back are the backup items again, this time for all things fabric- sheets, covers, towels, etc. that are not necessarily daily use.  That basket is stacked to the brim.  I don't mind digging through the assorted treasures in there for what I need because I'm not doing it often.  And that's the big trade off you make with the small space- use prominent space for the essentials needed all day every day.  Use tucked away spaces for the infrequent items, lumped together (though still organized).

Underneath the shelves I have the humidifier tucked away, as well as my memory box for odds and ends during baby's 1st year.  When she outgrows favorite outfits, gets special cards from family, a growth chart or two from the pediatrician, those things will get put away in the box along with our hospital bracelets and her crib card.  I may or may not turn some things into a scrapbook, but I like having a set place to toss these little items without having to think about what I may or may not do with them down the road.  The important thing is that there IS a designated box for them, instead of having them squirreled around the nursery, my room, the attic, etc. and that it is easy to get to so those special items don't pile up in a "to be organized" stack.

This is the same mantra for baby toys stored in the ottoman, and stuffed animals and blankies in the basket next to the crib.  Need something soft and snuggly, or something fun?  To me, those are different purposes, and are needed with different degrees of urgency.  Soft comfort item- NOW! means instant access with a basket.

Even the dresser is organized this way.  Daily clothes in the top drawer (grabbed most often).  Pajamas and socks in the 2nd drawer, typically only used once a day.  Larger clothes baby girl can't wear yet are in the 3rd and 4th drawers.

4. A Nursery can Store Other Things, Too.  Before this room was an adorable nursery, it was a guest room, office, gift wrap central, and storage room for more frequently used things.  We gave the daybed to a friend, shifted some of the storage to other areas in the house, moved a bookshelf to the living room, and donated end tables to Goodwill.  That pretty much cleared out the main space of the room, but the whole closet was still full and more than that, still in use.  This was needed space that was working well for us, and at a certain point I realized that didn't need to change.  Now, I will need to baby proof that space with time, but for now I realized that my family can still use the closet space in exactly the same way.  Just because this is the baby's room doesn't mean that all other things must be banned.  So here is the dirty secret behind those cute closet curtains:

The closet still houses important documents, ribbons, fabric, gift wrap, and office supplies.  It now has the pleasure to keep a baby gate for future use and boxes of diapers.  Eventually the little girl clothes will take over this space, but for now we're good, and I think that is my biggest motto of parenting: do what works for today.  When it doesn't work anymore, find a new way, but figure it out when the time comes.  :)

Rainforest Craft Day

My son's preschool spent a week this summer learning about the rainforest.  The teachers cut out leaves, vines, rain drops, and animals to decorate the ceiling and hallway around the classroom.  It was adorable and my son loved it.  He wanted to make a rainforest at home, too, and I was happy to dive into this cute craft with him.  We left it hanging in the living room for a couple weeks, and it was actually sweet to see my baby girl fascinated by the unintentional mobile, too!

A picture for posterity.  :)

My First Quilt!

Last night, I finished my very first quilt.  BIG sense of accomplishment here!  I had been thinking about trying a quilt for my daughter's nursery, and within days of that thought was given some fabric for just that purpose.  That was all the nudge I needed!  A month and lots of lessons learned later, I have this gem to show off:

I used the great tutorials from Lella Botique as well as a few other Pinterest pins, the Googles, etc. with bits of advice I picked up over time.  "Stitch the ditch" for example is a choice phrase I loved before I even knew what it meant, let alone got to do it in practice, singing "stitch the ditch!" in my head as I worked.
I'm not going to walk through how I got all this done, as the tutorials do that quite well and I didn't take pics along the way, but I will share some things I learned from experience (and jot them down to jog my memory later).

So, I started this project after getting the pink toile fabric with the Mother Goose scenes and the white birds.  I decided to cut out my two favorite scenes and some of the bird border.  The scenes were great but more traditional than my usual decorating style.  This actually worked well for the nursery, where I've been blending mod design with feminine touches.  Think geometric bedding and a shabby chic lamp.  So continuing with that, I paired the toile with a mix of mod and classic fabrics.  I thought the yellow stripes, grey bunnies, and pink/white squares did the traditional trick nicely.  Chevrons, arrows, and black fabric with birds brought out the mod.  I loved the black fabric and used that for the backing on the quilt.

Lesson 1: editing.  You know I have no problem editing, and that certainly held true with quilting.  I actually bought a couple more kinds of fabric which didn't make the team in the end.  While I loved them in the store, when everything was laid out on the table they just weren't jiving with the rest.  At first I was fighting it, but as I removed those squares and rearranged I saw just how right it was to keep them out.  While the thrifty side of me didn't like "wasting" that fabric I had just paid for, my artsy side knew this was a good move.  I saved the other squares and will keep them on hand for future projects because like I said, I did like them.  I'm not sure how I could have done that editing job in the craft store prior to purchase, but c'est la vie.  This lead to...

Lesson 2: planning.  I quickly learned that in quilting, rough estimates don't do the job.  You really do need to effectively plan out your piece before you set foot in a fabric store.  This way you'll know just how much you need in total fabric, and with some good calculations you'll be able to make simple adjustments as you change the number of fabrics you fall in love with from say, 5 kinds to 7.  Don't forget the backing fabric or the binding to do the edges.  Actually figure out how much you'll need for that.  I lucked out that my thought of "1 yard will do the job for the backing" sufficed, but didn't leave me with much to spare.  My hunch that a fat quarter would give me enough fabric to do the binding was definitely not accurate.

Lesson 3: Be comfortable making adjustments.  The instructions I had followed were all for basic quilts with 6" squares, not making any kind of patterns with the blocks.  Just fine, but I had these two larger pieces.  How did I make those work?  Logical me thought that if I just added some fabric to the larger pieces to make them total up to 12" square all would be well.  I didn't realize/think through that when the surrounding squares were sewn together, they would not in fact be 12" wide or 12" tall because I was losing bits all over to the seams.  Oops.  I had to take apart some pieces, sew together again, take apart more, sew again, etc. until I got things appropriately cut down to size and situated properly.  This meant that the text at the bottom of the scenes (Hey Diddle Diddle and Little Bo Peep) got sucked into the bottom seams, but I made my peace with that because far be it for me to flip out over this lesson.

Lesson 4: Improvise.  Now, this is similar and yet different from lesson 3.  This isn't just about making do- it's about being creative as well, and making the project your own.  I think this is key to sewing for me, and makes these things mine and better than factory made.  I quilted Xs through the fabric squares, but didn't want a big X through each of the Mother Goose scenes.  How to quilt those pieces in place, then, and keep the batting from shifting around on the inside?  Improvise by back stitching incorporated into the scenes.  In Little Bo Peep, I stitched the outline of the barn and one of the sheep.  For Hey Diddle Diddle, I sewed in with the clouds which is all but invisible, and along the dog.  I was so happy with how that turned out!

 

Lesson 5: Be patient and forgiving.  I needed some coaching from a friend when I was distraught over my imperfect lines, and avoided beating myself up for not getting things just right or having to redo portions.  This was my first try- these lessons are to be expected and in fact really good to go through.  As I stitched the binding on the back, I just had a mantra of "practice makes perfect" and kept at it, even though I felt like my initial stitches looked like the work of an earnest but clueless 5-year-old trying to sew.  By the end of the stitches, I was pretty proud of myself.  When I looked again this morning, things didn't look nearly as haggard as I had made them out to be in the moment.  So time, distance, and patience really are worthwhile here.

A bit Frankenstein-like?  Perhaps a bit clumsy, but honestly not SO bad.

Smaller stitches, more closely spaced.  Looking better now!

So there we have it.  :)  First one done, lots learned, and excited to do another!  I'm thinking of doing a herringbone quilt for the living room next.  Wish me luck!