A Baby Quilts Catch-Up

Since I took a break from blogging during the Pandemic, I missed sharing some of my finishes with you, so I decided to have a little Baby Quilts Show and Tell.

In 2018 I started making a few baby quilts to put back for the great-grands, and only got two finished.  

You can read about them here and here.

In 2019 I finished three more to put back.  I used a Zen Chic charm pack for this one and had a little fun with the border.

These two were made from a Hushabye Hollow layer cake from Moda.

Last year I had two new great-nephews to make quilts for.  

For Karsyn, I chose a simple windmill type block and used a cute print from my stash and a coordinating batik.

I used another print from my stash along with some brights to make this one for Dayshon.  It's the "Grand Stand" pattern by Kari Nichols.  I love the little Lego construction workers! 

Earlier this year I made my first quilt for a great-great-nephew!  His name is Everett.  I used a panel for this one because the theme for his nursery is "I Love You to the Moon and Back", and when I saw this panel at my Local Quilt Shop I knew I had to use it.  Then I played with border ideas until I came up with this .....

.....and I love it.  There's nothing like loving the quilt you finish and then gifting it to someone you love.  I smile just thinking about it.

Another Great-Grand Finish

Not only did I just finish another quilt to put back for the great-grands, I also got something checked off my UFO list. That's two things to be excited about!

I started this quilt at a retreat in April of 2016, but I just barely started it.  That made it officially a UFO, and now that list is down to only five. The pattern is called "Framed" from the book "Simply Retro" by Camille Roskelley.  The fabric line is "Bright Sun" by Sherri and Chelsi of a Quilting Life for Moda.   Cute, right?

This one is hand quilted with echo quilting and a square-in-a-square design in the largest pieces.

A simple design with simple quilting still makes for a special quilt to put back for future babies.

That's the third baby quilt I've made to put back for the grands .....

..... and my 14th finish this year.  I'd say this has already been a very good year. 

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
Linking up with Tish's Adventures in Wonderland.

A Yummy Prize

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict has posted the Hands 2 Help Challenge results HERE.

It turns out I was one of 150 quilters participating this year donating 416 quilts around the globe.  

Because of all the wonderful sponsors of the event everyone's a winner.  My prize is .....

..... this beautiful Layer Cake by Moda.  That's 42 (10" x 10") fabric squares from the Hushabye Hollow collection by Lydia Nelson.  You can see the entire collection in this image. 

So, what does a quilty girl like me do when she receives a gift of 2.5 yards of gorgeous fabric? She orders more, of course!   I mean, no matter what I decide to make from my prize I'll probably need borders and backing, right?

Seriously, though, I think this collection will be perfect to make a couple of "put back for the grands" quilts.

Thank you Sarah for organizing such a great charity quilt drive, and thank you Moda and the rest of the sponsors for providing such wonderful prizes.  I'm already looking forward to next year's challenge. 

Hawaiian Shirts and a Stash Report

Josh's box of T-shirts had two Hawaiian shirts his grandmother had made for him, and I really wanted to use them in his quilt because they're pretty special.  Originally, I wanted to figure out a way to use the actual shirt fronts, but it just wasn't going to work without taking up too much space.   I didn't have any room to spare because I was already using 25 shirts, and for 10 of those I need to use both the fronts and the backs.  

Thinking it would be easier to use the fabric from the shirts to make Hawaiian shirt quilt blocks instead, and knowing that I had seen a quilt like that somewhere, I began the search.   It turns out Moda has a free pattern that looks pretty simple and fairly straightforward. Well, it's not.  I did more ripping out than I did sewing. (Wait.  That can't be right.  I wouldn't have any finished blocks, would I?)  The first block took three hours to make! The second one took only two hours.  And, by the time I realized the trouble was entirely my fault and figured out that I needed to read the pattern more carefully, the third block really was "pretty simple and fairly straightforward".  

Isn't the 3-D collar cute?

The love bugs and peace signs are pretty groovy, too.

His favorite Gramma-made shirt wasn't there, but for some reason there was a piece of leftover fabric. I remember that shirt so well.  I have at least two photos of Josh wearing it.  I absolutely had to work it in somehow.  
  

At first, I was thinking that I would only be able to use it to make a label. When I pulled it out to have a look I realized there was more fabric than I had originally thought, enough for an entire shirt block.  I wanted to use a medium to dark grey for the background, but I didn't have any at all in my stash.  Aha!  The old "use-the-wrong-side-of-the-fabric" trick worked!

And it looks great!

I've arranged and rearranged (and rearranged some more), and have the final, final layout on my design wall.

It's time to start getting it sewn together.  Can't wait!

It's also time for my February stash report. It's not as bad as I thought it would be considering what kind of month it was!

Fabric Added in February  -   1 yard

Fabric Used in February  -   9.45 yards 

Fabric Added Year to Date  -  4 yards

Fabric Used Year to Date  -   23.56 yards

Net Fabric Used in 2018  -  19.23 yards 

                                      

Jelly Roll Baby Quilt

One of the goals I set for myself for this year was to make a baby quilt using this Zen Chic jelly roll.  I love this entire collection by Brigitte Heiltand for Moda.

I decided on this pattern I found online.  The tutorial is available as a free download HERE.  

It took a while to lay out the strips in an order I liked. Naturally, once I started sewing I rearranged (and rearranged!) and then ripped out seams and rearranged again!  (Ummm, this wasn't the first time I've ever done that.)

  

There is nothing more boring than sewing long strips together .....

..... unless it's ironing those seams open!

And there is nothing more frustrating than running out of bobbin thread and sewing for 40 inches without being aware of it .....

..... unless it's wearing a sweater that day and being covered with lint from those pinked edges on your pre-cuts!

I appliquéd the flower petals too far apart so I just added another smaller row.  I actually like the double row of petals better.

Now, it's basted and ready to quilt.  We've had some pretty cold weather lately so I'm happy to have some hand-quilting to do in front of the fire (and the TV....)

This will be the first of several quilts I plan to make and set aside for future great-nieces/nephews. I have lots of nieces and nephews ranging in age from 45 all the way down to 16, and the youngest six don't have little ones yet.  That's not even including future great-grands!

It looks like I have some serious quilting to get done.

I'm linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Can I get a Whoop Whoop?

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Another UFO Finished

When I broke my arm earlier this year my goals were definitely set aside, and I wondered if I would get much done for the rest of 2015.  I am happy to report that I am definitely back on track.  That's thanks to Hubby, I must confess, who "talked me into" keeping the cleaning ladies we hired when I was unable to do much of anything, being one-handed and all.  

I just completed my fifth UFO for this year, bringing my total number left to finish down to seven.  I know, right?  There IS light at the end of the tunnel.

Using this Moda jellyroll I started a quilt in April of 2013 at a retreat and shared it in this blog post.  I made 13 blocks and then I lost interest in it.  That usually only happens if the project is not intended for a specific someone.  That's how it becomes a UFO!

I was motivated to finish it because I wanted to give the quilt to my sister-in-law, April, for her 40th birthday.  The blocks went together fairly quickly.  Deciding on a layout seemed to take longer!  I'm sure I rearranged the blocks at least a half-dozen times. 

My friend, Shirley (Custom Quilting by Shirley Jackson) did a beautiful job quilting it for me, using the "Willow"pantograph.

I wanted April's name in the title so with the help of friends (in other words, people who are actually good at naming quilts) I called it "Under the April Stars." 

I am so happy with the way it turned out.  It's one of my favorite quilts!

It was definitely a surprise for April when she received it in the mail last week.  (Partly because her birthday was three weeks ago!)  She was pretty excited when she called me.  Knowing someone really loves a quilt you made for them is so encouraging.  It makes me want to get the next one finished and delivered!