Spring has sprung!

Yes it has. I know some of you are breathing a sigh of relief. I myself am usually a bit sad to see the winter go - yes I know that's weird, but we enjoy the snow sports quite a bit around here. However, I also enjoy seeing the tulips and daffs blooming in my yard about this time of year. No matter, warmer weather approaches and that always brings with it the feeling that endless outdoor possibilities await.

Meanwhile, as my mother so aptly pointed out this morning, my blog needed a springy makeover. Let it be so...

I am headed on vacation with the family for spring break - See you in a week ~ Happy sewing!

Bella Bag

I felt it was time for a new bag. I haven't made one in awhile, and correspondingly, i'm getting tired of carrying the one i have. Time for a shot of color. Here's my newest purse design made using Patty Young's Andalucia fabric and some ultrasuede. Coordinating fabric for the lining, of course. :)

Follow the bouncing baby ball

And now for something completely different. I don't usually pay alot of attention to patterns for baby toys, blankets or layette anymore because both of my "babies" are well past that stage. But as it turns out there are no less than 4 ladies expecting at work right now. And that doesn't include the other 4 that had babies last year alone. It's a veritable hot spot of fertility around work. Hmm not sure what that means exactly, I'll leave that up to you to decide. We are starting to joke about selling the water as a fertility treatment. But seriously, all these little babies and baby showers, call for some baby related sewing.

I needed a quick shower present the other day and true to form, I was trying to come up with something in the eleventh hour. I remembered that there was this cool baby ball pattern inside Anna Maria Horner's "Seams to me" book and after scanning the instructions I got to work. The best part about this project is that you can use up scraps. Most sewists have a huge collection of these. I can never bring myself to just toss them into the trash, so I have a huge bin that threatens to keep overflowing and taking over the rest of the room.

The ball consists of a series of pentagons and hexagons, pretty much soccer ball style as dear hubby pointed out ~ but way more fun than your usual soccer ball I would like to counter. Here's the result. It's soft and fun and was a hit with the new moms. Heck it's so colorful and fun I want one for myself! Well that was one shower down and 3 to go, so I guess I'ld better get busy and make some more of these guys.