You may have seen it on the sidebar already, but I wanted to post about Quilts, Baby!, a new baby quilts book from Lark, edited by Linda Kopp. I've contributed a pattern to this book, but before I get into those details, I want to say how much I like the other patterns in the book. Lark really did a great job in putting this together. They wanted us to focus on fresh quilt ideas that a beginner can handle, and I think the book really hits that nail on the head.

I am in very good craft blog company in the book. if you have a minute, check out the sites of these other great quilt makers:

• Aimee at www.dreamfollow.com
• Laura at www.lkdDesigns.etsy.com
• Julie at www.julieknoblock.com
• Carly at neststudio.typepad.com
• Laurraine at www.patchworkpottery.com
• Glynis at www.dandelionquilts.com
• Kajsa at syko.typepad.com/syko/
• Erin at houseonhillroad.com
• Victoria at thesillyboodilly.blogspot.com
• Jude at judestuecker.com/
• Marne at www.heylucy.net/
• Malka at stitchindye.blogspot.com/
• Christina at jamtartbaby.etsy.com (not up at the moment)

For my quilt I did a traditional bricks quilt (easiest one in the book!), and then turned the "bricks" into the idea of stairs, because playing on the stairs is really fun. Then I made little redwork kitties who galavant up and down the stairs—they march, they slide, they jump... The cartoon-ish kitty shapes are easy to adjust, if you want to customize one. Or, if you hate cats, you could change the ear shape and make a dog/mouse/bear/etc. It was a lot of fun to make.

It's been a week since my little girl headed out for some time on her own with her grandparents. From what I hear, they are having a lovely time with continued plans for fun.

The photo was taken before she left. She was playing the role of the bored model—being made to try clothes on repeatedly for fit, sick of it but acquiescent. The flower patch pocket is the same one that I used in this apron a year ago. (Still a favorite apron for me.) It looks so cheery and kid-like in these pinks and cutsy prints. There is a bit of fabric from my most recent shirt in the petals, so yes we could do coordinating mother-daughter outfits if we wanted to. Scared of that. The flower is that little bit of quilting that I was working on during the plane ride from San Francisco. I really liked having that work to do on the plane, and since I'm taking off again tomorrow, I think I'd better get some pieces cut.

So, I'm happy to share that the dress above will be featured in a book published by Lark. Absolutely A-line (the title) takes a simple a-line dress pattern (Simplicity 5284) and shows you different ways to change it up with embellishments, shortened bits, added ruffles, etc. My contribution is the patchwork pocket. The book is due out in about a year—I think it will be a pretty cute book!