The new teapot

I have found a basic, everyday teapot to replace "Old Splatters." I do not usually name my tea ware, but in a way I'll miss "Old Splatters" so I think I'll name this one "Gertrude." She looks like a very proper but friendly teapot, and she does not splash or dribble.

Old Splatters

I bought this teapot on sale for $5.00 at a local grocery store.
Upon use, I discovered it has a crooked spout, which soon chipped, and it splashes and drips while pouring out.
The Pleasant Times' field editors have taken to calling it "Old Splatters" when it appears on the tea table.
I wrapped it up in a towel, pinning it close with a clothes pin, to catch the dribbles. It looks like a bandit from the wild west, with a bandanna around its nose.

Another Busy Bitty Baby Blanket

Here's another busy blanket. This time I found that knotting some of the ribbon at the middle made a more interesting texture. I also found some shoelace to add to this one, which I hope will be good and chewy.

Quick Sew Busy Baby Bitty Blanket Tutorial

Here is a fun sewing project to make for older babies that can hold something on their own, and it uses up those little leftover bits of trim in your sewing stash! This little blanket would make a nice baby gift, or a quick project for mother's moment off to do something creative and make something for her own baby. It is so easy, I do not think it will end up in the unfinished project pile!


The Busy Baby Bitty Blanket (or should it be the bitty baby busy blanket? Or the bitty busy baby blanket?) has a lot of texture for baby to grab and nibble on. It is small enough so that the baby can carry it on his own.

I for one dislike throwing away that last 6-8 inches of trim from a project. It usually ends up in a box for doll clothing that never gets made. I used some of these leftover trims, but for color coordination's sake I did dig into some newer trim:)

I was careful to choose only trims that would not harm baby, nothing with ravel-y edges or bits that could have threads pulled out, small pieces or plastic-y stuff. I decided against using elastic-- that extra 6"  of waistband elastic will have to go into another project someday.

Each trim was cut to about 4-6" long.
The fabric is two 10" squares of soft flannel. I rounded the corners a bit on each one.

Taking the trims, loop each one and put the raw edges on the raw edge of one of the flannel squares. The flannel square should be right-side-up. I basted the trims about an inch or more apart from each other. If you want to go over each trim again with a zig-zag, or back-stitch for extra security, go ahead-- the blanket will be stitched 2 more times so I didn't worry too much about it.

Here is what it looks like basted.

Trim up the edges, and put the other square down over it all, right sides together, making sure the trims are safely inside!

Stitch around, leaving an opening for turning. Turn, press, and stitch the opening closed.

Top-stitch around the edges to keep them flat and secure. You do not have to quilt it, but I had a little bit of contrasting color thread left on a spool, so I did a few rows of quilting on the inside of the blanket to use it up. 

One of the "trims" was home-made using a scrap of the flannel, by folding it and top-stitching with a decorative stitch. I thought maybe it would be textured and "tasty."

Fingerloop braiding made an appearance next to the ric-rac. 

Besides ribbons, bias tape, twill tape, seam tape, and even piping were utilized!

Since I did not pre-wash the trims, I washed the blanket in warm water. Caution: do not absent-mindedly throw in anything with Velcro when you wash this. Trims to not like Velcro. Ribbon especially gets into fights with velcro.

I am happy to report that this blanket has now been baby-tested and approved. Maybe it should be called the Bitty Busy Baby Bitey Blanket. Or the Busy Baby Bitty Bitey Bloggy Blanket!
(actually I'm not sure what they are called...)

A Chicken Shower

One of my neighbors became the "grandmother" of a baby chick. One of her hens turned out to be an excellent mother, sitting on her egg faithfully and lo and behold, 20-some days later, it hatched! My neighbor was so excited!

I thought it would be fun to throw a shower for her, to mark the occasion.

I have had this farm print fabric in my stash for years. I matched it up with some scraps of this and that, and made an apron for my neighbor. 

The apron has big pockets to gather eggs with, or carry chicks as the case may be:)

The gifts were: a Chicken magazine, the apron, a few empty egg cartons, and a little bag of corn scratch for the new mother hen. Here's hoping the chick will be a hen (not a rooster) and lay lots of eggs someday!