Summer Crafts

June and July might have been the most fruitful craft months I can remember since COVID.  I set some aggressive goals to get some things completed before our big trip to Acadia and here we are, 3 days out from leaving and I'm super proud of what I've accomplished.

(May 31)

First up, these Acadia hats - four hats that'll be gifted in just a few weeks to some the wonderful women who are coming with us.  I can't wait to share these with them.

(June 5)

My first ever Project Linus knit blanket is complete!  This will be headed toward the Project Linus chapter in McHenry County later this year and will be gifted to a baby or child who needs some extra special love.  Thanks again to Purl Soho for the yarn to make this project possible!

(June 10)

As soon as I finished the color blocked knit blanket I cast on another Project Linus blanket and got to work!  This one was a much faster knit with larger needles and larger gauge.  I finished this one in just over a month which you'll see in the progress pics below.

(June 18)

(June 24)

(June 27)

And then there's the quilt projects - these were the real push these last few weeks.  I set a goal for myself that I wanted to get three quilts out the door before we left on vacation and I'm happy to report I mailed FOUR quilts (not three) out this past Saturday - headed to the quilter who always has a 2-3 month lead time for her work.  That means I'll get these back this fall with plenty of time to bind and label them for Christmas/early 2025 gifting.  

(July 8)

I can't tell you who these are for, because it might just be you :)  I don't want to ruin the surprise.  They'll make another appearance here though once I get them quilted, bound and labeled.  But, the hardest part is done!

(July 17)

This quilt - was both super fast and also the biggest kink in my quilting plans.  It's also the way I ended up with four finishes, not three.  I love this fabric, it is adorable and perfect for a little boy.  Sometimes boy quilts are hard for me because I want to be inspired by the fabric and the pattern.  Anyways - this pattern was the free pattern the designer released with the fabric bundle when it came out.  I thought this fabric was adorable, and a free pattern is a bonus so I ordered up the fabric they outlined and got started.  

The pattern cut up quickly and came together really fast.  That is until I realized the cut sheet and the picture differed.  It's hard to explain unless you see the patterns, but the cut list hand you cut a TON more light blue squares than you really needed because the layout differed and included a lot more of the white fabric than you actually pruchased or cut.  Long story short, heading into the 4th of July weekend, where I had four days planned of quilting, I realized I was short on fabric and needed to order more.  While I was at it, I ordered up enough to make a full second quilt and called it a day.  I had to start another project to keep my momentum going and then came back to this one once I had the fabric I needed all at the house.  Not ideal, but in the end, I'll have an extra boy quilt ready and waiting for the next little cuzzie or friend that comes along.  I love having a quilt or two nearly ready to go becuase these things are a labor of love and take a lot of time!  Takes the pressure off to know I've got a backup if needed.

(July 21)

Last night I cast off this blanket and it's drying on the drying rack as we speak.  I'll grab one final picture of it and toss it here in this summer round up before I hit post.  It's smaller than I expected - only 34x38 but it's the perfect size for Project Linus and will be perfect for small baby.  I like my baby quilts much bigger because I feel like they are useful for much longer than, but if you're looking to actually cover a baby for warmth, this is really the right size for a stroller or a carseat etc.  

Just needs a "Handmade by Sadie" label and this one is headed to the finish pile!