a step in the right direction

A peek into my son's "room" (really just an alcove in our hallway with curtains strung across). This space, along with just about every other square inch of our house is in the (long) process of being remodeled. Another view here. We'll add wainscot and paint soon. Now that the weather's nice I'll take the twin iron bed  I bought years ago outside for some sanding and painting. For now he sleeps on a mattress on the floor (so do Jack and I until we find the perfect bed frame that fits our own tiny room), but with a brand spanking new duvet cover. I was feeling pangs of guilt when I saw what Hillary had done with the scraps that I sent her last fall when I first cut the pieces for this project, so I got my act together and finished it this weekend.

It was originally going to be the transportation fabric on the top (Is it vintage? an import? I don't know; I found it at the thrift store) with natural linen on the bottom, but I was stalled as it needed a little something else.

The patchwork strip was the answer. It's simple enough to suit my minimalist tastes, but with a little extra color (and a few flowers and dots to balance all those cars and trucks). The backing is a striped sheet, and it closes with measuring tape ribbon.

Now, I just need my sister to send me those instructions she's been writing for her log cabin pillows, so I can make one to coordinate.

Comments

[joleen]

wow! this turned out so beautifully! i need to go fabric shopping with you- you have all the good stuff! hee :)

[Blair]

This is really really pretty (or should I say cool, since its for Miles). You nailed the added color needed and added it so tastefully. I love that transportation fabric, I remember when you first showed it. I am frantically trying to finish our king sized quilt. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now, but trying to pace myself. Never enough hours in the day, and I should probably should stop everything I'm trying to do and go find a time management class somewhere.

[Creative Kismet]

What a gorgeous blanket! The patchwork strip is genius! It adds so much to the blanket!!

[Toni]

I really LOVE this! The patchwork border was the perfect touch, good thinking!! His little space will be so great when your done.

[carol]

I love this idea for a bed cover...really manageable for me and just the right amount of patterns and color. Wonderful work!

[vegasandvenice]

I think it is so funny that a hall you are remodeling has so much appeal that it looks like it belongs in a magazine! Incredible!!

[Kelly]

i love it! especially the fabric in the divider band with the numbers.

[mandy]

Great idea! My four year old and me just switched rooms because his new bed wouldnt fit in his tiny room, and hes looking for some new decor and ive found some inspiration! I love that fabric.

[lisa]

i was just going to offer to make one for him myself. send me the fabrics and i will make one!!

[sally]

His "room" looks quite cozy. Love the duvet cover.

[Anna]

Very cute duvet cover! I would also love some instructions on making log cabin pillows.

I know your remodeling, but wanted to let you know I really like the texture of the wall in your son's room/hallway.

[Robyn]

The measuringg tape tie and the patchwork strip are great touches. I enjoy your creativity.

[melissa f.]

I'm going to post pictures of exposed insulation next week-- you should be so lucky.

The quilt is great. I'm drawn to the "subway tile" look these days. This has given me some tasty fodder to mull. (what does that even mean?!).

[Michelle]

Such a fantastic duvet cover. Myles will enjoy it for many years to come.

[kerstin]

beautiful. the strip of patches is perfect.

[Allison]

Hello Lisa,
That really is very good. I think it would be much harder to think of ideas for these sorts of things when you are doing it for a boy rather than a girl. There are so many "pretty" options, but not so any good looking young lad ones.
Although your photography makes the process of remodelling look glamourous, I bet you find it quite tedious. Isn't it amazing that with just a few pieces of fabric and a little creativity (which you obviously have in bucket loads) you can give your eyes a little bit of joy with so much chaos around you. Well done.

[Alison]

I love the simplicity and graphic qualities of this quilt - perfect boy quilt :) It's got a lovely lived in feel that will only grow as it gets used and snuggled against. I have to get on and do matching cushions for Max as well....

[traci]

this looks so great!! wonderful combinations of colors with those strips. lovely lovely.

[Ellen]

Very creative, the quilt. The first pic - wainscoting will look very nice. The second pic - (the one with the dresser) - it sort of looks a Tuscan or Provence old plaster wall with lots of character (at least through my browser it does).

[susan]

super super cute. the measuring tape closure is a stroke of pure genius.

[di]

So simple and so beautiful!

[Nicole]

Excellent Stephanie! Just lovely and that ribbon AAK! :)

[hillary]

ahh, so cute! that fabric was such a wonderful find. thank you so much for sharing with me. it's rare to find a car/truck fabric that isn't just horrible.

[Alicia P.]

I would've been sheerly overjoyed to have a little hideout like that as a kid. The walls remind me of what my dad said his walls looked like when he was a boy -- he drew animals from the Lascaux caves all over them, which I always thought was such a super cool idea.
http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/

[Courtney]

That is really great. I am in the process of re-thinking our nursery now that my son is a toddler, and this is great inspiration. Like someone else said, I'm sure it is stressful to live through a remodel, but there is really something lovely about it. My Mom and Stepdad gutted an old house 10 or so years ago, and there was a charming cabin-like feel to it with exposed lathe and sub-floors. Those are some of my fondest Christmas memories.