I’ve been wanting to make a scrap bag for Edna Elizabeth. Ever since we were booted off the dining room table I’ve been struggling for a spot for scraps and trash that accumulates while sewing. I made this organizer from the tutorial by Elizabeth Harman on Sew Mama Sew. I made a few changes to make it fit my style better, but wish I’d added a border to the top of the pockets on the organizer for a little more color.
The tutorial was very well organized and written. I’m not sure if I did something wrong or need more rice or maybe my tables are just too slippery (I added 1.5 cups of rice to be safe–the tutorial called for 1.25 for the weight), but it won’t stay on the table with the scrap bag attached or anything heavy in the pockets (like the 15-91 user manual or a rotary cutter). It’s great on the sofa, but on a desk it slides off. I’ll probably try something else for the sewing desk and use this one for handwork on the sofa. It’s not a fantastic idea for me to leave scissors hanging at a low level anyway, so it’s not a huge loss. 😛
The scrap bag looks very cute with my pin cushion jars!
Ellie’s birthday is tomorrow, and as her gift to me, Ellie slept from 6:45-4:15 last night. It was amazing!
Sleep and babies is so so hard. And although we got off to a fantastic start with great habits, it was all ruined first by my surgery and again by Ellie’s skinny weight. But with Ellie reaching the 15th percentile earlier this month (which I attribute to her cream cheese sandwiches and starting her on formula) and watching her barely drink some of her nighttime bottles, we moved her to a new plan: a bottle at bedtime and a bottle at her midnight wake-up, nursing or rocking for the rest (my milk production has pretty much called it quits). For the first part of the month I was bringing her into bed with us after her second wake-up out of exhaustion and a serious loathing for getting out of bed in January when the thermostat is set to 59 degrees, but after this weekend when she randomly just had a giant fit for no reason Saturday night (crying, but didn’t want a bottle, didn’t want to nurse, didn’t want to be in bed with us, didn’t want to be rocked) I decided that she was ready for some tough love and I would deal with the consequences of a week or two of less comfort for a lifetime of more comfort. After all, she goes to sleep great on her own without crying, so she can do this! And funnily enough, that night was as much crying as we ever got—she’s been pretty awesome to ‘ferberize’—I think because she already has the skills to put herself to sleep and because she catches on to new rules pretty quick.
The rule this week has been ‘you get a bottle at midnight, then you go back in your crib and after that, if you wake up you just get checked on and your music turned on.’ The first night was great—she woke up at 12:00 on the dot, got her bottle. Then she woke up at 2:00. I visited her and left. She cried. For all of 5 minutes. And then she didn’t wake up until 7:00. JUST the kind of result I needed to know this would work and work quickly! Monday and Tuesday night we repeated the formula—12:00 wakeup, bottle, then back in the crib. Wakeup at 2 or 3, visit from me, music turned on. Crying stopped by the time I made it back to my bed. She’s a smart girl—she got the new rules.
I told Nic that I was trying to teach her that one wake-up is worth it if she needs that bottle to get through the night, but the rest she shouldn’t even bother.
And last night she skipped the midnight feeding! She gulped that bottle at 4am, so I’m not sure we can stretch her out to 6 or 7 without a feeding, but 9 uninterrupted hours of sleep is certainly a record for Miss Eloise! (And makes me wish I’d gone to bed at 6:45 when she did!)
I’m participating in the Urban Home Goods and Spice up the Kitchen swaps (though I refuse to write them out with all of their extra symbols–it makes me feel a gang member). I played with the stash this morning and came up with a stack for my Urban Home Goods partner that I like so much that the color scheme leaked into my kitchen partner’s fabrics, too. (And I like the first stack so much it will probably find its way into my Single Girl Quilt-Along quilt, too!) I think it’s my need for spring–I just was peeking at my google reader and saw that there’s a similar color scheme on Stitched in Color!
I couldn’t resist this little pot for my partner!
And here’s a look at my table right now–I’m playing with some it’s a hoot!
When Willie woke up he came into bed with me (Nic was getting ready for work) and just laid next to me while I slept for half an hour. Then Ellie woke up and he went into her room and played with her while I slept—and didn’t come get me until she pooped and got too smelly for playing. 😛
They have been all smiles and hugs and snuggles this morning—the perfect baby monkeys.
Ellie’s party is over, and we are returning to normal around here. That means a project to share!
I made these mason jar pincushions from the tutorial in the Martha Stewart’s Sewing and Crafts book and some It’s a Hoot scraps. I think they are perfect for Edna Elizabeth!
I am glad to have found the perfect place to show off Miss Elizabeth’s sewing notions, too!
And here’s a peek at Ellie’s party! I borrowed some of my favorite wedding ideas–we had a hot chocolate bar, a cereal bar, mimosas, and LOTS of food–cereal, blueberry buckle, an egg dish, and homemade cinnamon rolls (the pioneer woman’s recipe). We had a baby clothesline theme, so I strung clothes in various sizes (though all shades of pink–her colors were blush and bashful 😛 ) in two places in addition to streamers. I love how the tulips brought the pinks together! The party was at 10am, so we were scrambling a little in the last moments and I didn’t get as great of pictures as I wanted, but at least you can get the idea! The birthday girl had a great time and loved her cake appropriately…even picking up the plate and licking it to get more frosting!
And, finally, a winner of the scraps! The winner is #29, H2O Girl!
So I know you’re here for the fabric pictures not gratuitous stories about my wee ones, but seriously, this has to be blogged. I had totally forgotten about it, but was downloading a memory card today and found these pictures and my heart went all melty.
As we were putting away Christmas ornaments the day after New Year’s, I broke the gingerbread man ornament Will had made me in preschool two years ago. (Okay, I seriously doubt one-month-shy-of-three year old Will made this, so let’s just say ‘his preschool teachers made it and wrote his name on it.’) Still, it was precious, and I was bummed.
About ten minutes later Will asked me for his scissors. I got them for him. And then a few more minutes later he brought me this and said “you don’t have to be sad. I made you a new ornament!” Check it out–he even put the ’08 on there and stabbed it through the head with an extra ornament hook!!!!
And here’s the prize for listening to my gushing momma story: a giveaway of my scraps bag from the Sherbet Pips quilt. It would be the perfect thing to get you started on a string quilt or pillowcase or potholders. If you’re hoping to fussy cut some girls in a tree swing out of it, I’ll warn you now: I pillaged those layer cake pieces, so you can get the girl, and you can get the tree, but you won’t find them on the same scrap. You will find plenty of puppies and skiers, though! To enter this ever so glamorous ‘win my sloppy seconds’ giveaway, just leave a comment below. (Preference will of course be given to comments that gush appropriately over my most precious boy.) 😛 Just kidding. (Fine print–sorry international folks, I’m cheap and hate the Post Office, so this is a US only giveaway.)
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Kelly - Did you use minute rice? I did in my first one that I made and it is MUCH lighter than regular rice… 🙁 Bummer. If that’s not it then I have no clue…
Melissa - What if you put a little piece of that puffy contact paper-like stuff…do you know what I mean? I put that under all kinds of things that I don’t want to shift! Let me know if you need a smidge and I’ll get it to you.
Meagan - Have you thought about using beans? I’ve used dried beans for crafting before and they’ve worked very well. Or if you don’t mind getting Edna Elizabeth a little sticky you could put a piece of sticky Velcro on the table and then another piece (maybe sewn on so it stays better) on the scrap bag.
Charise Randell - This little set is so cute. I’m so inspired by your projects and can’t wait to make this sent and the mason jar pin cushions!
Jessica - I love, love, love the little patches on the scrap bag! Too cute!
Susie - That’s really really cute, Traci. I love this idea, I”m having a problem with thread every which way when I get done, it’s beginning to drive my nutso. I’m going to take a look at that tutorial, thanks for the link 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Kait - I made one of those a while back and I really like yours (I’m a sucker for linen). Maybe you could use puff fabric paint for some traction? Or, darn, you could make another one 🙂
Kristi - Just found your blog through Blue Elephant Stitches and I love all of your beautiful photos and quilt projects. The pin cushion jars are adorable. Great stuff!
elaine - i put a bit of that none slip tray liner you can buy a roll from wilkinsons for a couple of pounds, just sew or stick it to the bottom.
Norma Dent - I bought something like this years ago to keep my bobbin lace bits and pieces in. It is much smaller than yours because the bag is only intended for something light. The pincushion is made in two layers, the bottom filled with silica sand and the top emery powder, to keep all the lace pins razor sharp. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the tutorial, I am inspired to make one similar for my sewing bibs and bobs.