Oliver's Quilt

Now I can tell you about the most recent baby quilt I made.  The last time I posted I was getting ready to mail it to our newest great-nephew, Oliver.  I had actually started this one in plenty of time instead of waiting until the last minute, I just couldn't post about it until now.  I wanted to make his quilt with black and white and brights because I had given this quilt to Oliver's mama, Nikki, when she was a teenager.

I decided to appliqué stars onto a black and white print marked off in 5" squares.

Then I found a great black and brights print to use for the alternate blocks. 

Love the green I used for a little accent border!

Hand-quilting is one of my favorite ways to relax in the evening.

I wanted to use another shade of green for the binding, but after I made it and started sewing it on, I decided I really didn't like it .....

..... so I tried out a red and a yellow and didn't like them either.

Do you ever find large pieces of yardage in your stash and you can't remember why you bought it?  I didn't think so.  Anyway, I found five yards of this in my stash, and it looked perfect.

I really love this quilt.  Hubby smiles when I say that.  I say that after every quilt.

The backing is pieced with a few bright strips to make it wide enough.

I think little Oliver likes his quilt.  I know his mama does.  

That makes this quilter really happy!

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework and WIP's Be Gone at A Quilting Reader's Garden. 

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I Spy Another Finish

I think I have my mojo back because I just finished another quilt, the I Spy quilt I started at retreat in June.  Wait -- that means I made this quilt from start to finish in less than a month?  That sounds like the old me!  I found this really fun fabric in my stash for the backing.  It's called "Crazy Stripe" by Cynthia Rowley for Michael Miller Fabrics.  

To make the backing wide enough I inserted a 10" strip, but turned it first which gave it am interesting look.  I may need to buy more of this print.  I just love the effect.

I wanted to use another black and white print for the binding so I looked through my black and whites and found a floral that was perfect.  I had just this much left over!

The quilt finished at 49" square, the perfect size for a toddler to use for a while.

I got it mailed a few days ago so in no time it will be wrapped around a little guy with all the love I stitched into it!

  

Retreat Report

In spite of the issues I had prepping my projects for retreat, I got a lot of sewing done while I was there.  The I-Spy quilt went together well, and turned out so much better with the black corners than it would have the way I originally planned it when I cut it out.

 

Just look at some of these fun prints!

 

 

Half the fun of making an I-Spy quilt is working with such cute fabrics.  I have so many from a swap I was in a while back that I think I can make at least two more.    

Almost forgot the pigs on surfboards!

I was able to finish two other tops that week.  One is a kids' quilt for charity.  Someone else had made the blocks and I just put them together.  I think it's a pattern I might use again sometime. 

It's a basic block that looks really easy, but creates an interesting pattern. You could lay out the blocks several other ways to get different looks.    

I worked on two other projects.  One was a quilt I need to finish for a birthday coming up so I can only give you a peek for now.

The other one I'll write more about as soon as I gift it, but I'll give you a peek of that one too.

This was probably one of the most productive retreats I've ever been to, even with all the talking, laughing, and shopping.  I'm so glad I have such good quilty friends to spend time with at retreats.  I come home motivated and inspired.  I think I might get some sewing done this month!