Starting Small

This week's inspiration: Cookie Monster's Pillowcase Collection by who else but her Momma.

Feverishly longing to sew pillowcases was not truly on my "list of things to do someday", however once i found the kit for the Halloween case at my favorite local quilt shoppe, Country Carriage Quilts, i knew i'd be hooked. Their charm is undeniable, and they are insanely easy to sew (AKA "leaving one unskilled beginning sewing gal/seamstress-wanna be feeling completely victorious" type of project!)

Next was the St. Valentine's Day case. After the first case, the ideas were flowing like the raging rivers in Western WA after a November rainstorm! :o) I made the St. Val case for C.m. and filled it with a couple holiday books as a gift to her.

Then, who could resist the charm of the doggies and cats on the Happy Birthday case? Not me! To compound matters, i was bound and determined to sew not 1, but 6 of them for the friends my daughter would be inviting to her birthday party in '07. Our tradition is to give storybooks related to the party's theme as guest favors, and with that year's theme being the "Come in your Jammies" birthday party, a pillowcase seemed to fit along with the book. :o) This year, C.m. was very excited counting down the days until Momma would be able to put her birthday pillowcase on as November drew near.

Well...needless to say, i've been planning cases and collecting fabric for a year now and i need to get some of these projects done! Today i've gathered them up and that is the first step towards getting this project underway.

Here is a list of pillowcase projects i hope to finish over the next two weeks (giving myself plenty of time to get sidetracked with working in C.m.'s classroom or having another coffee date or two with my friends):

The St. Valentine's Day cases for hubbie and my bedroom.

The St. Valentine Penny Rug-esque candle mats i'd like to give to C.m.'s teachers &

the Robot/Marble case and the Paperdoll case for C.m.'s room for a little "Celebrate the Every Ordinary Days" surprise someday.

The Easter case for C.m.

The Cat cases for hubbie and me or our guest room.

Then i need to find an appropriate striped material for this Happy 4th case.

What do you think? Should i use red "star" fabric and blue/white stripes, or should i stick with tradition and use blue star fabric and red/white stripes?

And is all goes speedily, maybe i can finish the Thanksgiving cases too?

But why i'm in such a hurry with these is because i'd truely like to be working on this...

The plan is to make the jumper with this polar bear fabric and a complimentary snowflake fabric for the border before C.m. needs a new dress (or before she outgrows a size 6.) :o) One accessory still left to purchase is some large black rick rack for an embellishment around the hem.

Wish me luck! I'm gonna need it! :o)