By Lisa Gutierrez on 03/19/2014 
How come no one told me there was such a thing as granny square quilts? Like, the legit sewn kind! I really wanted a Craftsy t-shirt the week before my birthday, so I naturally ended up in their sale section. I found the shirt and I found some mini-charm packs for two bucks. I snagged a few packs (ok, it was seven) and then I realized I had no idea what sort of quilt I could make with them. I turned to Google and the first that caught my eye was this granny square quilt block tutorial. Isn’t it lovely?!
My birthday date with my husband included a stop at JoAnn where I procured the solid fabric I would need to complete my granny squares. I spent the weekend cutting 260 (!!!) little squares. Tedious, yes, but I was (am) so excited about this quilt, I didn’t mind! I also took some time out of my weekend to start planning the blocks.
I counted up my squares by color and figured out how many blocks I would be able to get. 260 solid squares will fill my 20 blocks, but I have enough leftover from my mini charm packs to get to over 25. I’ll asses whether I need those once I get these 20 made. I want a decent sized quilt, so I just may need to cut up the rest of my gray fabric (Kona cotton in coal).
When I make a square, I put it in a little cubby I have next to my desk, so it was nice to bring them all out to photograph. I have 11 made already! I haven’t sewn since Sunday, so I hope I can finish up these 20 by the end of the week. Then I’ll get to the hard part of making sure they’re all exactly the same size and figuring out how to sash them. Let’s not even talk about how I plan to actually QUILT this baby. I have been researching this in my free time. I could send it off? Quilt by hand? Figure out how to quilt with my machine? Ah! so many options.
I love this machine.
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By Lisa Gutierrez on 03/07/2014 
So, my husband just won the “best birthday present ever” award. Once I got it out and set up, my first thought was, “I should blog this.” REALLY. I have been so bad at blogging, it isn’t even funny. I still knit and crochet and make stuff, but I don’t reach for my camera like I used to. I don’t know if I’ve fallen out of love with blogging or photography or both. I want to get back into regularly sharing, though. I wrote 7 posts for the Craftsy blog, last month! 7! I will make a massive Craftsy link-up in a bit. Today, I just want to sigh and ooooogle at this baby.
WHAT A BEAST!! I am in love. I sew a few times a year on a second-hand machine my aunt gave me 7 years ago. I’ve made a few sock monkeys and bibs and blankets, but I never got to experience opening my own brand new machine. The one my aunt gave me just up and broke in the middle of a project (I troubleshooted and tried to fix it myself, but I think it needs a pro to look at it), so my husband told me not to worry about it and a week later, this was sitting on my door step. Kind of funny that it was sent with just a shipping label on the box, so there was no way it could be a true surprise for my birthday. ha! My mom gave me the desk it’s sitting on. A totally crafty birthday! I’m hitting up the fabric store, this evening, for some bits to make a quilt.
I hope a lot of you have stuck around to hear my crafty adventures. I love sharing and hopefully you can keep me accountable and I won’t end up with a half-made quilt that sits on my desk for a year.
By Lisa Gutierrez on 01/31/2013 
When thinking of a little something-something for my kids to gift to their teachers on Valentine’s Day, I only knew I wanted to incorporate a granny square in there. I don’t know why, I guess they were on my mind!
I scoured Ravelry for a granny square HEART (there are a lot, by the way) and fell in love with THIS pattern. It’s super easy and I made 2 in less than half an hour. I used Sugar & Cream cotton and a 6mm (J) hook. I omitted the picot edge and instead made a solid crochet round. I whip-stitched two hearts together from about the third DC-group from the corner to the exact spot on the opposite side. You’re leaving a space to put the rice pack in.
I waited until I got the hearts sewn to make the rice packs. I found something circular that was about the right size (a CD?) to use as my pattern and then I just traced it on the back of some pretty fabric. Sew two layers together, leaving an inch open, funnel in some rice, then whip-stitch the hole.
I’m going to include a little card with some general rice pack instructions.
Are you getting your Valentine craft on? It’s one of my favorite times to be crafty. I love hearts!
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By Lisa Gutierrez on 09/08/2011 
This morning, the big boy was at school, the little boy was still asleep, the husband had just rode off to work, and I was drafting up some knitting patterns. I got the sudden urge to sew. For some reason, I really wanted a Texas to squeeze.
So.
I made one.
I just drew it on the back of some fabric (folded over), pinned it and sewed on the line. It took forever to stuff, but in the end it’s a sweet huggy shape and I can’t wait for my kiddo to get home from school. He kind of loves the shape of Texas. Who doesn’t?! No matter what you think of the actual state, it’s a bad ass shape.
And oh so squeezeable.
By Lisa Gutierrez on 05/23/2011 
I put up a curtain rod over one of the windows in my breakfast room, about 9 months ago. It took me that long to make curtains. That’s about how long it takes to make a baby! After putting it up, I had to decide on a fabric. I chose one and then hated it. Fast forward a few months and I win a Waverly Fabric giveaway on sfgirlbybay!
When I received the fabric, I was in awe. My creative mind kind of just froze and the box sat next to my knitting basket since then. I would sneak peeks and wonder if I should make a pillow, an apron, or perhaps some sort of magical quilt. It wasn’t until a few days ago, when I was standing in this room thinking about how I “wished I had made those curtains before the birthday party” (this Saturday), that I realized this fabric would be PERFECT!
View from the kitchen.
I sewed them up, yesterday evening. The boys went to Grandma’s for a day of fun in the sun (and crawfish. ick) and I stayed behind to clean their room (it was HORRIBLE but now is LOVELY). I made 2 simple rectangles out of one yard of this print and hung them up with a rod and clips from Ikea. They came out the perfect cafe-style length.
I think I might pick up some bamboo valances for the top and get rid of the blinds.
Boy, oh, boy. This is some beautiful fabric. I am in love with this room, now. I just need to score the perfect chairs and I’d be all set! Next up in my sewing queue: a valance for my kitchen to replace the ugly dingy one that came with the house. Can you guess what fabric I’ll be using for that??
It starts with a Wave and ends with an -erly. :)
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