Puppy Love

This week, my focus has been on our dogs!

They have a cute dog bed, actually, an entire room to themselves.  Last year, I made them a cute cover for the dog bed, but lately it has been looking a little rough and I really would like to have spares so I can wash them really well.  Dogs are gross and dirty and sometimes washing their bedding twice a week can mess up my laundry schedule.

I found two fat quarter bundles at Joann's a few months ago and knew it was meant to be!  Sometimes you can find some really great finds in their bundle area!  Two bundles for two sets!

I did the same style cover for the circle, like the original dog bed.  And also more of the boys' old denim duvet cover scraps.  There is barely any left after making two more.

However, the "bumper" has been the death of me.  At first, I tried to make it a removable cover, but it was quite a bear to get back on all the time.  Then I just threw it in the wash without removing it, but it would get all twisted up inside and eventually all the batting was at one end of the bumper.

This time I decided to just do layers of batting scraps I have. I often have long strips that are 6-8 inches wide from the extra I need when I longarm quilts.  It worked out perfectly for this project.  I layered, quilted, and then did a binding.

Yes, corduroy binding!!  I am so happy with it.  It is QUITE thick, but I like it for this particular project because it almost looks like piping.   I plan on using corduroy again on a future projects, but would make sure that it was a much thinner one for binding.  I also loved the binding idea so much that I am reconstructing the original bed also.

The only thing that I am not super happy about is that the bumpers aren't as thick, but that's okay.  They like their bone throw pillows to rest their heads on, or each other. New bone pillows are in order.  The old ones are pretty beat up!  Hope I can share them with you soon!

All that matters is that Prancer gave me her approval!

 Buttons said, "how could you not?"  He loves it as much as they do. 

 I always catch him in their bed!

For The Dogs...

Is there ever a project that you feel completely satisfied with?  

It is very rare for me, but this one I can honestly say has me thrilled!

I covered my dog's bed with a quilted, very washable cover!

But first, I promised some friends...the location of said dog bed?  Why in our in our dog room, of course!  

What is a dog room?  

It is a small room off our laundry room.

We had the builder bump out a small room into the garage so our precious little family members could have a special place.  They actually love it so much that we just have to say "bedtime" and they run to their room.  And I took this picture of them just waking up...at around 11 am.  They seriously love it in there!

This is the BEFORE look of the bed. 

A rather nice black on off white pattern, but not washable whatsoever! 

I have had a bundle of fat quarters that I picked up from Hobby Lobby.  I actually planned to use them for something else.

But Sunday, we realized that the blue sheet that I had tucked in on the bed until I could decide on a proper cover for them, was just not cutting it.

So I came up with a plan.

Cut my fabrics and laid them out on the foam circle.  I had no particular rhyme or reason of the patch sizes.  I just knew that I wanted to have it look non-uniform!

I was pretty pleased that my drawings were panning out and went ahead and pieced it.

Button played with his new Fisher Price toys as I laid out the square.  I don't have pictures because he kept climbing on top of me when I was sketching out the circle.  I broke any and all quilting rules and used a sharpie as I laid the foam circle on top of my square. 

 I was excited when I remembered that I had some denim fabric from the boys duvets old bedroom decoration.

I sprayed the layers with basting spray and went back to my Symphony.  

I decided to do loops again. It was a little rough going since I felt strange working in a circle instead of a linear rectangle or square!  It sounds strange, but I kept getting lost!  Ever so often, I doodled a dog bone or a paw-print.

When it was all quilted, I took the top to the cutting table and trimmed.

I grabbed some more of that old duvet denim to make the sides.  This was the moment I had an epiphany of sorts and am REALLY excited to share with you.  I was dreading this moment at first.  I had originally planned to make sides and then either a zippered bottom, buttoned bottom, or just a pocket bottom.

But then I thought I would extend the sides an extra 5 inches for a total of 7 inches.

I folded one side to make a channel about .5 inch wide.

Pinned the strip the circumference of my 31 inch diameter circle and stitched a 1/4 inch seam, right sides together.

I placed the foam circle inside making sure I had it nice and snug.

And ran .5 inch wide elastic in the channel to make a gathered fitted cover!  Like a fitted sheet, I can take this cover off and throw it in the wash with ease!

No zipper...no buttons!!!

After that, I covered the bumper piece very much the way you make a bumper for a crib!  I decided to piece some remaining pieces that were all the same height of  7 inches.  I treated the bumper the same way as the cushion and used batting to quilt the patchwork side.

I then grabbed some more of that denim duvet (I LOVE it when I utilize scraps!!) and cut a long strip the same length of the pieced portion.  I also added 9 inch ties to the denim side before seaming together like a long tube.  Then I stuffed the bumper in there!  I did hand sew the end closed with a ladder stitch.  I did not make it removable because the bumper can fit in the washer well...the foam circle cannot!

 I wish I had taken pictures of the process...but I was at that point in a project where I was getting eager to get the project finished and it was getting close to their bedtime!

I am so pleased how well it turned out!  I really wanted to use this fabric for such a long time, and this seemed to be the perfect use!

And, again, I apologize, but I am so excited about the elastic! I just think it could be useful to anyone who wants to make a simple dog cushion.  This technique would even work on a rectangle/square foam bed too!

Now I have to figure out what to do with their toy basket...because that was what I originally had intended the fabric for!

The room still needs a little something.  I am partial to the photo collage I made when I had the three boy pugs together. 

But now it is just Prancer and Biggio. I don't have a picture of her in there!

The boys picked out this poster a long time ago, so it is a keeper.

But my corner rack needs some cleaning up!!  Especially the dog food bin at the bottom!

I am thinking some paint treatment, or bead-board and maybe new curtains.  But Button babbled that he liked the bed, so we will just enjoy it for now!

Isn't he a great model...

WIP: Wednesday...already?

First off, I love having my kids and husband home on holidays.  But, man, I pay for it the rest of the week!

This week, I am actually surprised that I have a FINISH despite Baby Button's Birthday and Party!  However, to many WIPs and UFOs I could cry...

Finished:

I only have a sneak peek because I haven't edited all the pictures yet.  It was a really fun, easy Sunday project.  Especially because I could delay laundry until Monday!!

A special project for my pugs! 

Stay tuned...I have the pictures on HERE!!

In Progress:

Butterfly Kisses

I  finished the one elaborate blanket last week and am almost finished with the second.  Unfortunately, My basket filled with THREE more this week!

Rainbow Layer Cake Swap

I finally made a decision on my layer cake assignments for my Distant Pickles swap.  Purple and Red-Purple.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find the fabric I really wanted that was there before..and I can't order any online now because I have very little time since I need to mail it out.  The one thing I have learned, is that I really need to check out some of the other local quilt fabrics.  My shop doesn't have the most modern of fabric choices!

  Button was insistent on the stripe.  He kept yelling at me in baby talk and grabbing it from the shelf.  The quilt shop ladies said he was trying to tell me something!  Hopefully, everyone will like my choices?

No Progress:

Christmas quilt.  Hasn't budged.  This one makes me cry.  I think I will force myself to work on it tonight or tomorrow.
Thank you quilt. Fabrics still not cut.
Donation quilt (from Christmas time) Fabrics still not cut.
Baby Button's twin bed quilt.  Design finally decided on.  Fabrics not cut.  I am not even sure the fabrics are going to even work...


New Projects: 

Special baby girl quilt

I was commissioned to make a special quilt so I could include the embroidery prints I do over on Butterfly Kisses. 

I found a quilt on Tracey's blog again.  Hopefully she won't mind!  It just seemed to be the right quilt for this mom that wanted a "girly quilt.

 

The circle will be for the baby's name and feet prints!

 My fabric arrived last week.

Not all of it is for the quilt...I may have gone over my head in regards to my first foray into online fabric buying....

8th Grade Auction T-shirt quilt

Ever wonder what 72 middle school t-shirts look like in a pile?

This HAS to be done by the April.   I already have a plan in mind.  But first I want to scan each t-shirt into my EQ7 to see if my plan is actually a good one!!  Right now?  It looks like it will be AT LEAST a queen size.  Thank goodness for Ole Betsy!