Dress-up clothes, Quilting, Oh-me-oh-my

My first projects of the year (I like to work on things simultaneously) have been very exciting!

I'm making lovely dress-up clothes for a very special soon-to-be four-year-old's birthday. She loves anything purple, soft, and sparkly. Here is a sneak peek of the fabric:

 

The gift also includes some necklaces and a pink, purple, and white feather boa! I'll post photos of the complete pieces and tips for dress-up clothes when I have it all done. This child will look like a princess if I have anything to say about it!

Now for my quilt!! Thanks to some very inspiring and creative women at Quilt Story and Fresh Poppy Design, I am using a tutorial for the pattern. You can see the style of the quilt here. 

I have been very inspired to get into quilting for a lot of reasons, but Heather and Megan at Quilt Story pushed me to do it. It also helps to have a very talented mother and grandmother(s) who have created some amazing quilts as I've grown up, and I feel like I just have it in my heart to follow in their footsteps! Thanks Momma, Granny Peg, and Alee for providing me with beautiful exposure to the quilting/sewing world.

I got giftcards to JoAnn's and Michael's for Christmas from Chad and Mom-R and Dad, so I spent those on starting my quilting tool collection. Then I blew my Saturday night babysitting money on fabric. SO FUN!!! Here are the fabrics- I decided to leave yellow out and add more brown. The fabric on the bottom will be the backing. I'm almost done cutting my squares, so next I'll begin sewing triangles. A LOT OF TRIANGLES!

Part of my birthday gift from my mom is a very special pin cushion- an heirloom that I will treasure for as long as I live.

It may not look like much to you... but inside of this is my grandmother (Alee's) hair! She made it herself many years ago, and says it keeps the pins from rusting. She was a home-ec teacher, so I'm sure she knows what she's talking about. It's kind of strange, I know, but I think it's neat (and makes for a cool story.) So I can't use a pin without thinking of her. She will be 90!!! in March. She is the one who first introduced me to the sewing machine as a kid and was incredibly patient with me as I made doll and Barbie clothes.

So there it is! My fun fabric for my current projects. I'll keep you updated on my progress!

Best,
Sarah