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.

Throwback Thursday - A Baby Quilt Show and Tell

 I've been looking at my spreadsheet (Yes.  I'm that person ..... but only with my quilts), and I noticed there are quite a few quilts I've never blogged about.  I thought I would start sharing them with you on Throwback Thursdays, but since it's Friday I think it's going to be more of a "Throwback Any Day!" from now on.   Here we go with a Baby Quilt Show and Tell.

In 2015 Hubby asked me to make a quilt for Walt and Mary's (first) grand-baby, and I made "Grampa's Little Genius" for them.  You can read about that here.   Two years later their second grand-baby came along, and I made "We're Just Dotty About Nora".  You can read about that here.  If you don't want to go read about them here are two itty bitty pictures.

In 2019 I made two grand-baby quilts for Mary and Walt's growing family.  The first one is simply a Carpenter's Wheel blocked enlarged to a size large enough for Baby.  Aren't these fabrics beautiful?  So soft and fresh looking.

It really made a darling quilt.

For the second grand-baby that year, a boy, I found this fun puppy fabric. Too cute!

Didn't the stripes play well with the puppy fabric?

I really like the way it turned out.  I named it "Puppy Play Date".

 

2020 saw only one grand-baby, a girl.  Her quilt is a simple patchwork quilt with a white inner border. 

  

The most recent baby has arrived and it's another little girl.  I had some pretty fabric leftover from the "Love and Friendship" line by Verna Mosquera I had used in another quilt.  You can read about that here.  This time I used a simple nine-patch and alternated with a solid square .....  

..... and pieced the back.  

I usually do a simple meander, but I tried something a little different in the borders.  The variegated thread looks sweet.  I'm not much of a "pink person", but I really like this.  

Walt and Mary's daughters are fairly young, so you never know.  I may need to start stockpiling baby quilts!

Throwback Thursday (on Tuesday)

Only six weeks into the year, and I've blown two of my goals -- sewing every day and blogging more often.   I have, however, done a lot of coughing, moaning and groaning, and sleeping.  Can you say, "I think this might be the flu"?

Rather than keeping my tens of followers hanging, I decided to dig into the depths of Excel and do a little show and tell from days gone by.  Included in my Excel spreadsheet is information on each quilt I've made including whether I've posted pics of it on Flickr or blogged about it. So, I chose a few quilts I haven't yet written about and here goes.

In 2007 and 2008 my designated charity was CASA, a national association that supports and promotes court appointed advocates for abused or neglected children. People love making baby quilts for charity, but teenagers are often overlooked, so my heart goes out to them.   I love teenagers.  They can be real stinkers sometimes, but most of them are good kids.  

I made this quilt using a lot of brights. (Surprised?) A basic square-in-a-square block with black sashing and colorful cornerstones make it a fun quilt.  At 68" x 82" it's a nice size even for a pretty tall teen.  My friend, Angela (Quilted Joy) quilted this for me.  

  















This one is a smaller twin (60" x 72").  I did very simple straight-line machine quilting .....

..... and pieced the backing with leftovers from the front.

The third quilt for CASA is fun, too.  I used batiks this time and a pattern called "Spice Market" from the April 2007 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.  It's 68" x 83", another large twin.  Angela quilted this one as well.  

That's my Show and Tell for today.  Hopefully I'll have something more current to share real soon.  

Retreat Report - Part Two

Our Challenge for this year was to make a "Black and White and One Other Color" quilt.  Normally I put off this kind of thing for a long time, so I thought I was way ahead of the game when I started my project at a Nancy Odom workshop last November.  She taught her quilt "Stars are Gathering." 

If you know me at all, you know I did not do it in those colors!  I decided to add green and use it for my Challenge.  Actually it was more like Green and White with a little bit of Black Challenge!




I had all the components made and and organized waaaaay back in November, but I didn't get it out again until I got to the retreat on the first day.   I sewed like a fiend and finished the top (except for the last border) about 15 minutes before the reveal.  I could not have cut it any closer than that!

This was a popular challenge.  There were 23 entries!  I couldn't name a favorite (mainly because a lot the gals read my blog!) but Jan's was very cool.

Debra made some beautiful placemats and a table runner.

I really like the pattern Debbie used.

Faye's was Black and White with Red on one side......

.....and White and Black with Green on the other side!

Shirley made a back pack without a pattern!

And leave it to Eve to use orange!!

One afternoon we held all the challenge quilts over the balcony at the Retreat Center to take photos and it was quite a sight.

I don't want to give anyone quilt overload (like THAT'S possible!!) Next time I'll tell you about our Garden Party.

Retreat Report

It doesn't seem possible that three weeks have passed since I was packing up the car and heading to St. Louis for our annual Clara's Quilting Cottage Retreat.      It was so great to be able to spend some time with these lovely ladies, most of whom I met online over the last ten years or so. 


It's been difficult to break down the 300+ photos I took and decide which of them to share with you, but here goes!  We were asked to wear animal prints on Welcome Night as a special salute to Faye who loves all things leopard (and giraffe, and zebra, and snakeskin and............ Well, you get the idea!)  












Debbie really got into the spirit with her pedicure!

Rilla came to Retreat prepared to "deal with it!"

Julie came prepared for.......well.......I'm not sure what!

It was great to see my roommate, Faye, again.  We have been roomies since 2005 except for last year when she chose going to her daughter's wedding over quilting with us!   I know, Right?? She gave me these awesome gifts!  Don't you love the purse she made for me?

Show and Tell involved some great quilts and also some great stories.       Like Gayle's.......

.......and Eve's.

Some of the gals played "strip poker" with Julie again this year, and she won ALL the fabric strips, as usual.  They should know better by now.

In addition to all the fun and shenanigans, some did actually sew!

Faye made a great start on her "Swoon" quilt.  You can read more about it HERE.

Next time -- the Black and White and One Other Color Challenge and some of MY sewing!