Handmade Ring Bearer Pillows

I just realized today that I forgot to post the cute ring bearer pillows I made. So, I'm sorry, but here is yet another wedding post. I actually got started on the quilt from my wedding napkins today, but there is some debate about the design going on around here, so I'm not ready to post it yet.

I had the design of these pillows in mind long before the wedding, and I was absolutely set on the idea of combining knitting with fabric, but it wasn't until a few weeks before the wedding that I convinced my mom to knit the little lace squares I needed for the middle. For some reason she just smiled and did as she was told, and I finished making these two days before the wedding. They turned out just as I had imagined, which was pretty much a complete shock to me. I had done a prototype that I liked well enough, but I never did a second prototype with the changes I wanted to make to the original, I just dove in (it was down to a time crunch) and I thought they turned out just lovely. The knitted lace part was out of the most luxurious Ella Rae bamboo silk yarn, and it is really hard to resist just petting these little pillows and rubbing them against your face. Here's one in action, I wish I had a good shot of the younger child with hers, she was so serious about holding it up just right.

Perfect Day

Yesterday was wonderful. My only complaint is that it went too fast (I know, all brides say that, but there were so many moments I wanted to freeze time and just breathe it all in). Two of my best friends helped me get ready and drank champagne out of the bottle with me to calm my nerves. The ceremony was rich with detail and deeply meaningful to us both. The party in the vineyard was time spent with almost every person I love.

We laughed a lot. We cried a little. It sprinkled just enough for luck. We hula hooped. We ran through the grass. There was casual knitting with wine and conversation. There were quilts spread under the oak trees. My daughters were so beautiful my heart hurts to think about it. I married my best friend. Perfect.

I will link to a flickr album once I finish rounding up pictures from family and friends (for some reason we didn't take many ourselves). I do love these that Jay took as we ran around after almost all the guests were gone, with the shawl that was finished thanks to my mother dragging it out of my hands two days before the wedding.

Quilt Camp!

Quilt camp was so much fun that we have already scheduled two more for later this year. I only got to go a couple of days, but my mom, aunt and friend Audrey were at it for a week and got lots completed considering camp includes lots of vodka tonics and the occasional nap. My aunt finished her first two quilts, baby quilts for coworkers:

Audrey came with a suitcase full of uncut fabric and left with a quilt top! She had plenty of help deciding exactly how the blocks should be laid out and Rillion was there to help with pictures:

My mom made all the blocks for a quilt she started, and also put in some time on the neverending wedding shawl.

I finished the aforementioned napkins and put in some time on the shawl too, I really look forward to working on a non-wedding related project at the next quilt camp. Of course, I will probably be working on the quilt made from the napkins, so I guess that is still wedding related. We really did have a great time, and the beasts definitely did not want us to leave. Look at these pitiful pup faces trying to go home in the car with us!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

I think it is very important to point out to everyone that the wedding napkins have been done for a whole week, that's two weeks before the wedding people! I really thought I would be still sewing these the night before the wedding, but thanks to the help of many people, some of them complete strangers, they were done in plenty of time. My mom sewed a very large stack, and my friend Audrey flew through a stack of them last weekend at quilt camp (she would tell you it was thousands, but really it was about 15). And then about a week and a half ago I had one of the best mail days ever because all of the ones below arrived!

A fabulous box of napkins from Mary in Virginia, including wine charms in our wedding colors and a little kit to make fabric flowers, sooooo stinkin' cute!

And, her friend Sandy apparently joined the festivities too and included these lovelies:

And also Chris, from my neck of the woods, sent these along:

I really just kind of walk around with a goofey smile on my face whenever I think of these napkins and these ladies, they are like 19 little hugs and best wishes from the blogosphere, just awesome. Thank you all so much!

And here is what 70 finished cocktail napkins looks like... seems like that stack should look a lot taller, huh? But they are all there, I've counted several times.

I'm super excited to see them in use next weekend. Eek! Next weekend!