Zach's Kindergarten Nap Blankie

Zachary starts school tomorrow morning. Mrs. Gillmore, Kindergarten Teacher, has no clue as to what she is in for. I told her last week when we went to see his classroom that if she called me crying I would not come and get him. She laughed. She won't be laughing by Friday!!! Yes I am stretching reality a bit.....but he is the most determined child I've ever met in my life. I honestly am looking forward both of them getting on the bus tomorrow. Can anyone relate? I think I just heard a loud Amen from the back row....guess others have had the same experience ay? I'll be thrilled at 3:50 to see those little faces getting off the bus too.

The school says to bring in a beach towel. Well you know as well as I do that a quilter can not send their baby to school with a towel. So this is what I made for him:

The fish fabric is what I won in a gave away earlier this week. I used it as the back of the blanket and folded it up so you could see the back too. I love fish and these bright colors were just perfect.
You know there is a story here....there is ALWAYS a story. I found the little frog at a garage sale for 50cents. It was a little purse but I just loved the frog. So when I was looking through my fabrics to see what I was going to make I came across this frog. Bingo! / Loteria! So I cut off the little black cord (no I did not throw the strap away....I knew you would ask me that) and gave him some eyes.

Zach's is attached to his "illow casey." I took the top of one intact "illow casey" and sewed it into the frogs mouth. When you unzip the frog's mouth....it's tongue is "illow casey." During quiet time he can have a little security if he wants it.

The Process and Lesson I Learned:

To make the letters I typed them out on my computer and held a blank piece of paper up to the screen. I then copied them onto freezer paper. If I were smarter I would have held up freezer paper to the computer screen. Hindsight is 20/20. I pressed the freezer paper onto fabric and Rick was kind enough to cut them out for me.

I pressed the letters onto the blue fabric and began to zig zag around the letters. I could not believe how nice the zig zag was coming out. I've never had it come out this good, ever!! I was wondering why this time are the stitches so nice. I know it was not the setting because I've used the same setting before.

Then I looked down and saw I was wearing my Grab-A-Roos. I guess it was an accident that I learned what I was doing differently. The fabric was thick and difficult to move while I was stitching.

I put on my Grab-A-Roos because they have rubber nubs on them and that made it easier to hold my fabric. I did not realize this before but I must have been pulling my fabric through the machine and not letting the machine move the fabric. With the Grab-A-Roos I did not have to hold the fabric so tightly. I did not pull it through....I just guided it. How cool is that? Nice even stitches. Well don't I just feel like a smartie pants tonight? Your darn toot'n I do!!! I figured out something all by myself...wait until I tell MJ and Lois. I can see them rolling their eyes now.

Smarty Pant Smiles,
Kelly