The baby quilt I was working on is done. I’m very happy. I have not made a project like this for many years, and I was rusty.
I started with some cute fabric I’ve had for years and made the baby picture fabric the center of the stars. I had to buy a few pieces of fabric that went with what I had, but a lot of the little squares were from cloth I had collected in the past. That made me happy, as one of my goals this year is to use some things I have, and also to finish some projects. I was also able to use my rulers, rotary cutter, mats, and some acrylic templates I’ve had for years and years.
I had some trouble matching all the corners, but with some major ripping out and re-sewing, I got it done to my satisfaction. Then, I wanted it bigger, so I made a row of squares on the bottom and one on the top, and added borders. The squares were from leftover pieces of fabric used elsewhere in the quilt.
I went to the quilt shop and got some backing and batting. It’s hard to see in this picture, but there are some greens and whites along with the pale blue to pull it together. We don’t know if this baby is a girl or a boy, or I probably would have chosen pink or some flowered fabric I saw. But, they were really girly, so…
I machine quilted to entire thing in rows. It was difficult, and there were a couple of places that I wasn’t happy with and fixed. For the most part, though, I’m very satisfied. I sewed the binding on the front with the machine, rolled it over, and hand sewed it down on the back.
I’m very excited that I got it done before the baby was born and am already moving ahead on my next project. I expect things won’t take quite as long, as I get back in practice, which is good. After all, creating is way more fun than ripping!
It turned out beautifully! What a treasure!
Thank you. I want them to use it and use it, so hopefully they won’t save it:)
Very nice! You did a great job.
Thank you very much.
Love the quilt. And that you did the quilting yourself!So creative.
Snow is melting here. There is still some on the ground on the lawns but I’m guessing it will be gone by tonight. We lots of rain yesterday which melted off a lot. Staying close to home today. It was a lot of energy to deal with the snow.
Thank you. The machine quilting is kind of hard for me, so I’m hoping to get better at that part.
Snow is a lot of work. I’ve thought time and time again that I would not deal very well with a place where it snowed a lot. I guess it’s all what you are used to.
We usually only get one or two snow storms a year in the city limits and it’s usually gone in a few days. This snow lasted longer. Not bad and certainly not as much as in Seattle.
I heard Seattle was hit very hard. I’m glad it wasn’t that bad for you.
What a lovely gift for someone! I’ve made two quilts with a great deal of guidance, both made with squares someone else had started. This week, I bought a large sewing kit at a thrift store, and didn’t notice until I got home that there were 20 finished quilt squares in it. Guess I’ll be making another one!
That’s amazing! What a head start you will have on making another quilt. I hope they are colors you like, and that the person did a good job:). In any case, it’s good practice for you without a lot of outlay of time, effort and money. And, you will probably get a wonderful quilt from it.
it came out great. That is one lucky and loved baby.
Thank you! Since it’s a first baby, I’m glad I could do something extra special.
That quilt is one beautiful piece of art! I am lucky if I can sew a straight line so I am awestruck.
Thank you. Actually, it is all straight lines. No curves at all! (Now you know all my secrets) :). So, you probably could do it. I did have to rip out a lot, where I didn’t match the seams correctly, but it worked out in the end!
It looks lovely!
What a special gift, made with love.
Thank you. I had fun making it. It’s fun to get back into something I used to enjoy a long time ago.
It’s Lovely. I wish I could quilt. One of these days I am going to learn. Good job.
Years and years ago, I took some classes at various quilt shops. Some of them were way better than others. The good ones were absolutely invaluable, and I’m hoping to find another class I can take around here one of these days so I can improve my skills. I sew a lot on clothing and projects, but quilting is a little different, at least for me. So, I still have a lot to learn in every area. That’s the fun of it:)
I LOVE it!!! That fabric is adorable! I’m sure that lucky baby will have many happy years cuddling up in that beautiful quilt! You did an excellent job! I hope you find the time to make another one soon!
Thank you! I already have so many more projects I’d like to either finish up or start:). This weekend, I was too busy to do anything like that, but I’ll get back to it very soon.
I am impressed with the quilt. It will become a valuable family heirloom so be sure to sign and date it. Don’t make the people 100 years from now wonder who made it.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
What would you sign and date it with? I wouldn’t want to ruin all my hard work:)
Now, if it’s like the one my mother made for Jake, it is already in tatters and she has re-sewn it once, and I’ve re-backed it another time! Right now, it’s in strings in places. He really, really loves it. That’s how I hope this quilt gets used and loved:).
Becky, you can use a piece of fabric and write on it with an indelible marker and then handstitch it onto the back of the quilt. I have done that for my grandsons, and included a scripture verse on it as well as my name and the date and who it was for. There is also fabric you can use in a printer and make a label on the computer and print it out onto the fabric. This would be handstitched onto the back as well.
Ann
Thank you, Ann!
The best way is to embroidery, second best (but does cost money) is to order printed labels, the other option is to buy a pen at a quilting store which can be used. The last choice is to use a permanent ink pen. When using a permanent pen, it is best to write your name on the fabric, wash it to be sure it doesn’t run, then sew it into the quilt. Always put your name, the date and the city or area you live in. That really helps historians. There are websites (don’t know where just know I have seen them) where they keep track of pictures of quilts in hopes someone can identify them.
Every quilt is a work of art and deserves to be valued.
Embroidery is a great idea! I’ll have to check at the quilt stores and see what they have, too. It will be great to have another excuse to go in to stores:)
The one thing about a baby quilt is that I hope it doesn’t last forever, if you know what I mean. I hope the baby learns to love it and turns it into a tattered piece of scrap fabric by the time he or she is a teen-ager:).
Quilts made to be used and worn out are called “draggin'” quilts since they are made to be drug around. They are not intended to be put on the bed in the guest room and only viewed by company.
Jeannie
Amen!!! I want all my quilts for kids to be “draggin” quilts!
You did a great job! So fun to see it finished. While I was in California my aunt gave me some quilt blocks done by my Great Grandma and asked me to do something with them. I guess I’m going to have to get serious about starting and not just accumulating fabric. š
Aww, collecting fabric is just as fun as making quilts:). I’m glad you got your Great Grandma’s blocks. That will be a super special quilt when you get done with it. You can buy retro fabric in some of the quilt stores, if you need something like that. I’m glad you are going on another project.
I am really rusty, since I haven’t been quilting for quite a few years, but can already feel myself improving. I’ve been working on sewing up the blocks I collected on the partial shop hop I completed recently. I’ve got 7 done. I will likely make up a few more that match the ones I collected, since I didn’t collect enough to make an entire quilt, and they are 6″ blocks, which aren’t very big. Then, I’ll put on lots of borders to make it bigger, and I should have something nice in the end. I’m aiming for a lap blanket, not a big quilt.
Your quilt is lovely and I am sure will be treasured and well used!
Thank you. Rob has whisked it away to his mother, who will deliver it to the happy couple! It’s on it’s way:)