The Eleanor Roosevelt Blanket

Here's my latest baby blanket. I was making it for a baby themed eBay listing, but I can't decide. It didn't really come out like I had wanted it to.

It's pretty, but it just looks a bit matronly to me. I was hoping for a more modern hip look. That's the think with handcut chenile, sometimes you just don't know how it's going to turn out till after you wash it.

I'm naming this blanket pattern the Eleanor Roosevelt. It's a beautiful blanket, and the texture is superb. With the chenilling on both sides it feels just amazing, and pictures just can't do it justice. When I think of Eleanor Roosevelt I think of a stately, refined, grandmotherly type. When I look at this blanket. I just think Eleanor Roosevelt.




The blanket is made of 4 layers of Flannel, and one layer of machine washable satin.

Here's how I made the blanket.

Keep in mind this is my original copyright Camille McClelland 2008 design, please do not duplicate for sale or profit.

I made the blanket by layering the flanel and satin, and then applying to the satin, flowers cut out of flannel. Some are a single layer thick, and some are up to 3 layers thick. I pinned each flower in place and then proceeded to stitch rows on my sewing machine about every 1/4 inch. After all the stiching was complete I cut the flannel between each row of stitches, including the flower pattern on the front of the blanket.

On the reverse side I cut through only 3 layers of the flannel leaving one layer of flannel and the satin uncut. This gives the blanket more stability than if I had only left the satin uncut.

After all the cutting is complete, attach the binding around the edge. I used the same blue satin.

Once the binding is secure, wash and dry the blanket. This is my favorit part because up till now you've put hours into the blanket, with no real idea on how the finished blanket is going to look. My very favorite part is taking the blanket out of the dryer for the first time.

If you have any weird loose threads, trim them and then you're finished!

In case you're wondering the last picture includes a piece of the top layer of flannel so you can see how it looked BEFORE it was cut and washed.

Pretty cool huh!

Cuteness!

My neighboor has the most darling little twin girls. They love Noah and Jennica and call for them whenever they see them. This year they are finally old enough to jump on the trampoline. My neighboor moved it over to the edge of our fence so the kids can talk over the fence. Isn't this the cutest thing ever! One is Jayden and one is Kaitlyn, but don't ask me which is which, I have no idea! Also pictured is the twins brother, Tristan, and my son, Noah.

My Cat's Fetish

We have a cat.

It's a lovely cat.

Her name is Jessica.

Jennica named her and everything Jennica names, from her imaginary friends, to the new baby, HAS to be named Jessica. It's her favorite name.

We got her from my good friend Mandy for Christmas. Well... technically, Santa got her from my good friend Mandy and brought her to our house on Christmas Eve.

Now, Mandy reads my blog, so I say this in good humor and I hope she won't feel responsable for my inability to train our cat.

Okay. The cat has a serious issue with toilet paper. We found out about it just a few days after bringing her home, and immediately moved the toilet paper and paper towels to the top shelf in the pantry.

Now she has found a way to get up there.

This is a typical roll of toilet paper if you try and use the bathroom at our house. Yeah, I know, why don't I just throw the roll away... but I'm just to darn cheap to throw it away. We do throw away the outer layers of shread, because I mean really, there's a reason we don't wipe with confetti.

Being a first time cat owner I have to ask, Is this behavior normal... In any sense of the word? Or does my cat have an unusual interest in disposable absorbent paper products?

She does look a little crazy doesn't she?

I have a cold... and I'm tired of it.

UGH! There is nothing worse than having a cold when you're pregnant. What I wouldn't give right now for a huge dose of Day Quil! I used an entire box of Kleenex yesterday. That's about enough of this. I'll do a real post when I'm feeling better.

If you know any really effective home remedies, safe for preggo's please post them. I'm dieing here!

Pete And Courtney

I finally have a picture of the happy couple!



















Aren't they cute! I am so excited. Here's the picture of the dresses for all the little nieces to wear. The nephews will wear coordinating bow ties.

The reception will be at a lovely country club with tall trumpet vases on the guest tables filled with wispy curly willow, calla lilies and bells of Ireland. The bride will carry a calla lily bouquet.

They are going to trust me with the wedding flowers. I'm excited, I haven't done a wedding in a couple years.

On COMPLETELY different topic, Andy called me this morning at 7:45 to tell me his truck had died on the freeway on his way to work. We got it towed back to our house and Andy took my van to work. Great. For every two steps we take forward we seem to slide back one. Hopefully it's nothing major.

16 weeks!

I've made it to 16 weeks! The nausea is getting so much better and I'm getting my energy back up. Here's the latest pictures of my ever expanding bump. Jennica took these for me. Aren't they lovely?

By the way,I want to take this moment to mention my favorite new maternity item. Belle Bands! They are these tubes of stretchy jersey fabric that you wear around your abdomen to keep everything smooth looking and expand your wardrobe. They make it possible to wear non maternity clothes longer, and get a better fit on those slightly big maternity pants. This skirt I'm wearing is almost completely unzipped. The belle band hold the skirt in place and looks like a layered cami. It also keeps the loose unzipped fabric in place so it doesn't look all bunchy and uneven.

After you have a baby you can also wear them pulled up to your bra line for a little more modest coverage of your torso when breastfeeding. I love them! I bought mine on ebay. No, I don't sell them, and no, I'm not getting kickbacks for mentioning them. I just love them!!