8/6/09

Forcing Summer



We've had unusually cool and rainy weather in Missouri. Between that, being pregnant and unwilling to get in a swimsuit, and lots of time needing to be spent at home to get work done, this Mama is itching for something to make things feel like summer time around here. Mosquito bites don't count.

'

I was cleaning out my fabric shelf when these three fabrics kind of fell together and told me to make them into something pretty. I won't go into too much detail about how I explained to Brett the strength of the urge to stop everything I was doing in that moment to make them into a blanket but it was a comparison he understood quite well being a man. A red-blooded, American man with a good looking wife. One of those feelings that kind of blocks out all other thoughts, needs, etc. until it is satisfied. You get the picture?



The green is a thickly woven cotton vintage tablecloth that I cut down from a circular shape. It was picked up at a garage sale last weekend for a steal. The orange vintage sheet came from my MIL three days ago and is such a lovely print and SO soft. The aqua binding came from my Great Aunt Lizzie's house earlier this summer. The only batting I had was high loft and too small for the size I was hoping so I pulled out a boring, white sheet from my pile to add an extra layer for weight. I cut them all down to the biggest size I could manage, pinned them together, stitched really wonky lines horizontally to keep them all together, and made some binding from the aqua. All in all it took about two hours with breaks to get S ready for bed.

It's created another reason to make some time this week to go to the park and bring dinner along or hit up the water fountains and wrap up in it when we're ready to change soaking wet clothes for dry ones. I'm hoping a trip to the fair might help, too. Gotta get some summer time in before summer runs out.

xoxo,
Rachel

16 comments:

slantsixblues said...

Let's use the blanket, honey!

miss teacups said...

so pretty! i love the colours. and i am feeling you on the 'where is summer?' thing...i'm in ontario, canada and we've been having good weather lately...but before that it was usually gloomy days and sometimes rain. hmph! august and september better be good :)

Anonymous said...

Summer's mainly missing in se PA too. This is lovely. Thanks for sharing.

Jari said...

this is so lovely rachel! i want to make one too! how do you make the bindings?

Vivianna said...

I really wish that I could sew. I think it would be my all time best love

Anonymous said...

love the colours! and i agree with carly...no summer here in ontario :(

Anne Esquibel said...

Awesome project. Love it.
I'm totally ready for fall.
I'ts been raining here all day (surprise for England right? haha)

xxxxxxx

Brittany Christine said...

No summer in OHIO either...maybe a couple nice days but nothing too great! :(

pretty blankie though!

Unknown said...

mild summer here in Minn. too. Love your new creation. so cozy looking:)

Brittany Christine said...

omg so i just realized something!
a couple days ago I found the link to ur blog on another blog, i followed the link and was like wow that girl looks really familiar and these names sound it too; but was like whatever I look at so many blogs i was prolly just confused. I used to have this blog that I frequented alot and it was just a random thing, for a while i have been so busy and had forgotten about it. Then while sitting here with the google homepage in front of me I was like o yea bling on my sewing maching :), typed it in, went to the site and they had moved so I followed it and this is where it brings me =) okay you might not find this as amuzing as I did but now I have you saved on my site so no more forgetting.

Sarah M said...

lol, love the comparison.

Although, it seems I make a LOT less craft items than I Should... If. You. Get. My. Drift. :P!!

Sarah

Rubyellen said...

this is gorgeous!!! I love all the blankets you make. It sounded simple when you explained it, but this quilt/blanket making thing really intimidates me! I really should try it, but i am nervous. i don't think i could do straight lines and keep all the pieces together correctly.

jenny said...

I love it! Those happy colors are perfect for brightening up a dreary summer!

But I have to suggest you get into a swimsuit and flaunt that belly! I loved being pregnant in the summer time... a nice, round, firm belly instead of the current flab! =)

Our Green Nest said...

Love the blanket but I must know about the little tote...we would use ones like that when we were little as our beach bags - my mom would load them up w/ goodies for the trip and we each had our own! It brought back such great memories! Is it thrifted/vintage or bought new?

RachelDenbow said...

Our Green Nest,

I found the bag at a local flea market. It used to house our newspaper recycling but it's much too pretty for that.

Urban Outfitters used to have similar ones in pink and orange. Maybe still in stores.

Our Green Nest said...

TU RACHEL!! I looked at UO and they didn't have anything like that anymore...but I'll keep looking. Please let me know if you ever post any on Pony Party! :)