Fabric Travel Baby Chair

With the time I can devote to crafting being limited after the arrival of my daughter last August, I recently decided that instead of committing to long-term, complicated sewing projects, I would try to find some patterns that I could work through relatively quickly. I wanted some instant gratification, and I also wanted to use up some of my fabric stash.

As much as I loved sewing my quilts, and crocheting the granny square blanket, time-consuming projects such as these can get discouraging in the long run. I tend to put them down for long stretches at a time to work on other things because I want to change simply for change's sake. Mind you, I'm still taking on projects that I realize I won't be able complete over the coming months, even the coming year: exhibit A, the Illinois quilt; exhibit B, the log cabin baby blanket -- at this point I'm not sure I could even find where I stashed this WIP if I wanted to...

This fabric baby travel chair is exactly the type of project that I was looking for -- it's quick and practical and combines both sewing and quilting. We are going on vacation in one month's time and will need something to help Bon Bon stay in her seat, whether it be in restaurants or at the place where we'll be staying. Of course, most places have high chairs, but some don't, and I think this will be a far more comfortable option for her.

I found the tutorial for this travel chair on This Mama Makes Stuff. I've been working on it a little at a time over the last few weeks, but I think it could be doable in one (uninterrupted) afternoon, especially if your fabric is pre-quilted. I quilted the fabric myself using leftovers and the same quilting style as for the Friendship Bag I made over one year ago. It seems a little roomy to me now, but hopefully by next month it will be perfect.

Friendship Bag

First off, I would like to give credit where credit is due. I found the tutorial for this very simple (and quick) sewing project on p.s. i quilt. It's a perfect way to pass a weekend afternoon.

I made this bag for my young niece for Christmas and filled it with a small notebook, pen, lipgloss, Hello Kitty coinpurse...all the essentials! I lined it with pink because it's her favorite color. For the outer layer of the bag, I decided to machine quilt a grid pattern using 4 different thread colors -- pink, blue, lime and purple. The handles are embellished with purple grosgrain ribbon.

I really love this fabric -- it's from the Cosmo Chic" collection by Material Girls Studio and, for those of you who watch Mad Men, reminds me of the Drapers' couch. I'm already thinking about how to best used the leftovers.

Out of sight

Much of the sewing I've done recently has been purely practical in nature. Most of it has been to hide "stuff" or things I'd rather not see from eyesight, such as...

...cat accoutrements...    

...a water heater...

...neighbors' stares (hems only and, yes, they are meant to skim the floor)...  

There is a certain satisfaction in completing projects like these. They're relatively quick, and they definitely leave your living space looking better than when you started. That being said, I'm ready to move onto something a little more fun!