Sew Chaotically!! ~ Pepto pink polka dots, PLUS pillows!!!

Bet y'all didn't think the letter "P" week...was really gonna be a WEEK, now did you???  It's been kinda' fun.  Gotta stave off boredom somehow!!!!

Anyway, these projects were planned long before my current mess!!  I purchased this cozy pink flannel from JoAnn's before I started my sabbatical with the plan that I would whip up a cute baby blanket before zipping off to Italy.  We know how that turned out!  But, earlier this week I got busy on the blanket.  Ruthie advised me in its making when she was up - warning against trying to gather such a thick, long business, recommending sewing more of a bias strip cut from a spiral to go around the edge that would achieve the same overall look, but be easier to manage, instead.  I agreed, especially now!!! But, that plan was stymied by lack of fabric and lack of spatial relation skills required to create the spiral pattern had there been enough!!!  So, I went with this, loosely based on this tutorial by Sweet Red Poppy.

I managed to wrangle all that LONG border into a folded ruffle and stitched it to one side of the blanket which measures approximately 36 in X 45 in.  (In process, above.)  Then, with the ruffle folded inward, I sandwiched it between the two layers placed right sides together and stitched the entire she-bang together, leaving about a 6 inch gap through which I pulled everything right side around.

I made little knots from cutely contrasting grosgrain ribbon, dabbing the edges with clear finger nail polish.  Should probably invest in some of that stay fray fabric glue...but, oh well!  Then stitched them in place, going through both layers of fabric, in order to anchor the layers together.

If irregular ruffles are an indication of love, this baby girl will be wrapped in heaps of it.  Still, I think it turned out pretty cute!

This project I actually finished before all the sh*! hit the fan.  A dear one moved into her new place and I wanted to do a little something to help her celebrate.  Hopefully, the print will work well with the new color palate she has chosen.  It is quite nice and came in quickly from:  Fabric.com.  I have used this company to purchase several batches of fabric and have been in receipt of good quality things.  However, on two occasions, prints were not at all what I expected.  Strangely enough they were both very LARGE even though I had paid close attention to the ruler placed under the sample on the computer screen.  BUT, no worries!!  This company is AWESOME in that they will give you a FULL REFUND on any return, no questions asked, as long as the fabric is returned to them in the condition in which it was shipped to you.  That's a great insurance policy when ordering fabric on line...just say'n!!!

I used my usual Pillow Recipe, adjusted to the size of my pillow forms.  I had a long strip of the fabric left over, so I decided to finish the edges and make a runner.  Don't know that my dear one will really wants one, HA!!  But, thought she might be able to use it on her couch back or as a table runner.  Or, she could cut it up and use it to clean her windows when needed!!!  

In regard to my stuff and such....I'm doing okay.  Plodding along.  B has helped me keep my nausea under control with low dose marinol.  It has actually improved the further out we get from the oxaliplatin infusion.  Cramping and such caused by the capecitabine is being managed with an immodium here and there as needed.  Had hoped my energy level would magically pop back to normal...but...guess that was a bit unrealistic. Still, I think I'm doing pretty well considering.

Live and sew chaotically!!! - les