Newest quilts and a couple other treats

These are called Chicken Saddles. They are used to prevent overly amorous roosters from leaving their favorite hens with no feathers on their backs. I made them today. A lady asked me to make them for her friend and now she wants some for some hens she's getting this week, too. They alread have bad backs. The saddles are pretty popular with chickeneers.

This is a newborn size fleece diaper soaker. It is used in place of rubber or plastic pants. This is made of an outer layer of fleece with an inner centered "wet spot" protector consisting of ripstop nylon and another layer of fleece. The stretch on the legs and waist goes from side to side. It is very absorbent and helps keep the moisture in the diaper from leaking to the outside.

This is a flannel diaper. It will fit a baby from newborn size to toddler simply by folding in the tabs on the front and folding down the upper part of the back and front. You go from overlapping the folded-down back over and around the folded-in and folded-down front and pinning it with one pin to using it like a regular old-fashioned prefolded diaper. It is made with a layer of flannel on the top to start. This is followed by 8 precut layers of what is called an "insert" that is sewn together with a zigzag stitch and then straight stitch to prevent excess fluid loss through the diaper. This is placed on a bottom layer of flannel that has a layer of the same size of french terry on top of it. The diaper is pinned together all the way around and then fold-over elastic is applied with a lightning zig-zag stitch, stretching the elastic where needed like around the legs, in the front and back, and using it more like bias tape the rest of the time. It is very absorbent and soft. This, and the soaker above, was made as a requested sample from a prospective customer and mailed to her. They are in the process of deciding whether or not to invest this amount of money in something that they will then use as a constant thing. The difference between cloth diapers and disposables is significant but some people just can't commit to using cloth for their baby, and that is okay. We all have our own preferences and limits. She's sending me the samples back so I can use them to show to other people who might be interested in the diapers.

This is a freshly-made green bug-and-frog Oma Blankie. It is listed on my Etsy site in hopes of earning some extra finances. Hubby's pay grade got bumped back down when he did so it's going to be really tight this year. I can't work outside the home, but I can sew, and that is what I'm doing. I have two more quilts planned and partially assembled already.

This is the blue bug-and-frog Oma Blankie. It is also listed on my Etsy site. I am hoping this one sells as well. I've really had fun sewing this last week even in spite of people who don't show or who ask for samples and then disappear. I guess that's just gonna happen no matter what you do, isn't it? It's better to just let it slide than to get all whacked out about it.

Go here to find my Etsy store.