Baby Quilt Re-think

So, erm, that scrappy Potluck quilt that I was making for my cousin's expected new arrival?

Well, I stitched it together and it just didn't work for me as a baby quilt.  Maybe the colours were wrong and, I know I was a bit disappointed that the low volume diamond pattern in the squares layout wasn't as obvious as I'd hoped.  Whatever it was exactly, it just didn't float my baby gifting boat.

So, I found this pattern on my Pinterest feed for a one block quilt.  It's the Moda Love Layer Cake pattern if you're interested.  Be sure to google or search Pinterest for images of colour placements - lots of lovely ones out there. While the original is made up from a layer cake, I made mine up as 5" finished squares since it's just a wee one I needed.

I was so much happier with this fresh, lively colour mix for a new born!

I added a 2.5" border to finish the quilt at 44" square which is a very useful size for a newborn crib or floor play quilt.

I know you will be shocked that there is no wavy line quilting this time ;-)  Instead, I took the basted pretty away with me a few weekends ago and ruled some lovely chevrons all pointing to the centre.  I even managed to make and stitch on some bright yellow polka dot binding and make a label in preparation for adding when baby arrives and has a name!  Between now and then, I will try to get the binding handsewn in place on the back and just slip the label in to finish at the last minute.

My goodness, I almost feel like my old stitchy self being this prepared! ;-)

And yes, I have added a full sized quilt in this pattern to my "One Day" list!  (As if!)

Scrappy Plans for Potluck Quilt

This is my box of 3.5" scrap squares.  The lid only just about goes on that tub now so it's time to put these pretties to use.  With another cousin expecting a baby this year and time at a premium around here I'm keeping it simple and small.  My plan is to stitch together a scrappy quilt something similar to this one I found on Pinterest a long time ago.  It's called a Potluck quilt but I think that's more to do with the random fabrics and their placement than an actual pattern name.

I have edited my fabric scraps a little since I don't know if the baby is a boy or girl and I want to avoid anything too girly.

I'm hoping this works, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the low volume pattern in the squares layout becomes a little more evident when the top is properly pieced.  In this picture it's not really as obvious as I had been hoping.  Anyway, let's carry on regardless ...

Quilt for a New Little Star

I've been snatching little bits of time late on weekend nights to progress the scrappy wonky stars quilt for my cousin's new arrival and thought I was on target to make a finish before his mid-March due date, but he beat me to it by putting in an appearance last weekend!  Thankfully, by then, I had the top together and quilted with my go-to and much loved wavy lines.

So, some scrappy binding and a label was all it took to finish it off.

I'm looking forward to meeting this new little bundle of energy and gifting him his quilt soon. Of course, I'm also happy to be able to call this a second finish for my FAL Quarter 1 list.


Just to show you how hard it is to get quilt pics around here these days, here are the outtakes from my attempt to lay a quilt flat and snap a picture -

Um, yeah, this is the trade off for daylight pictures!! Lol!

Baby Beginnings

One of the new makes I referred to in my 2017 plans post is a quilt for my cousin's expected baby.

I mulled over lots of ideas and fabrics for a few months actually, but my mind kept coming back to scrappy.  (I think I found it hard to get a 'feel' for what my cousin might like, without asking directly, and I'd like it to be a surprise - sort of).  Scrappy wonky stars on a scrappy low volume background sort of forced their way to the forefront of my thoughts and before long I had raided my scraps and stash for fabrics, ready to make a start in the New Year.

I love how wonky stars make up so quickly, though these ones are only made up on the horizontal sections so far the upper and lower points have now yet been stitched in.  There's still a lot of piecing to go, but it's good to have made fair progress already.  Wonky stars never fail to disappoint me, just hope my cousin will feel the same when/if it's ready to gift to her.

Scraptastic Tuesday - Wonky Star Baby Quilt

Are you joining Nicky and Leanne for Scraptastic Tuesday today?    I missed the first link up last month so I'm sharing my scrap related musings today.  The question of what constitutes a 'scrap' is one I think (and write) about quite often.  My time reading other people's blogs has convinced me that everybody has their own ideas on this. Nicky has a useful little list of what she considers scraps here, but I'm sure you all are already thinking of one or two other definitions to add to her list.  Leanne's thoughts on the subject are interesting too.

Perhaps scraps are simply those pieces of fabrics we don't consider 'stash'.  I'm shrugging my shoulders because I'm still not sure and my brain is always telling me that scraps are really only very small pieces.

Anyway, enough waffle. To counteract my brain's notion of a scrap and picking up on Nicky's first listed definition of a scrap - "anything left over from making a quilt" - today I am sharing this baby boy quilt top.

Cute little owls.

The wonky star / 9 patch mixed quilt top is made up of about 90% leftovers from this plus quilt which I made for my cousin's new son last year.  The "scraps" of that quilt were probably in the region of fat eighth sort of sizes, give or take a little and I have supplemented them with a few other fabric scraps in order to stretch them out to a quilt size.

I just love these teeny weeny foxes!

The original woodland themed fabrics were too nice to throw away and yet too specific really to be used in much else than a baby quilt.  Determination to raid my stash and scraps for project fabrics before resorting to purchases has impacted the quilt top somewhat in that it's not as ordered and balanced as it would have been had I chosen an all new fabric selection.  (Control freak alert!) But, therein lies the challenge and point of making scrappy quilts, right?

I treated this quilt to my wavy line quilting and think the yellow binding has really helped to re-balance some of the stronger blue tones a bit.  My same cousin has another baby due on Christmas day so if it's a boy, he can have this partner quilt to his big brother's.  If it's a girl .... well, I have something else in mind for that.

Happy scrapping!

Linking up to Scraptastic Tuesday.


Oh and before I forget, this finish qualifies for one tick off my Finish-A-Long Quarter 4 list!  Yay!

Last finish of 2013

Just squeezing this quilt to a finish on time to pass it on to my cousin at our family Boxing Day gathering.  Her adorable little son was born about 5 weeks ago and this quilt is now ready to keep him cosy!

The fabrics are from several different collections and have pretty woodland critter theme which is in keeping with the soft autumnal/woodland theme I was briefed on by my aunt (baby's granny).  I am hoping that her idea of soft autumnal and mine will be similar.

You can see the designs a little better on this in-progress pic.

I opted for a plus quilt design for two reasons. 1) I've been wanting to make one for ages and 2) though I know my cousin would love a quilt, I don't think they will want fussy or old fashioned and this is a great design for avoiding that.

I can't often splash out on special fabric for the back of my quilts but when I saw this fanfare flannel I really couldn't resist.  It's the perfect soft gold colour and with the wee foxes I really couldn't have asked for a more perfect backing!  It's so snuggly!!

To keep the quilt nice and soft I simply quilted either side of the vertical seams.  The squares are only 3.25" finished so the quilting is still quite close together.

It has been ready to bind for a week or so but between carol services and concerts and other Christmas events  we've been busier at nights than normal so I was beginning to panic that I wasn't going to find some "sitting on my bum" time to get it across the finish line. So, I am relieved to finally get the binding and label stitched down so that it's ready to deliver.  And, it marks my last sewing finish of 2013!

Finally, just thought I'd share our family gingerbread house with you.  This is the first we have ever decorated (bought in Ikea - no domestic goddess here). The three of us set ourselves up on Sunday afternoon to get creative with the royal icing and dolly mixtures.  To our surprise hubby took quite well to this task (not known for his creative patience) and we had a great afternoon's messing and burning our fingers on hot sugar glue!  I think we may have founded a new Christmas family tradition!


Fa la la la la la la la la!

Little Things

I've been fiddling about with little things over the past week or so.

Another Crazy Scrappy Block for Bee Blessed  (I am really looking forward to seeing this quilt when we get the blocks all gathered and together)

with another one "by the way" for my own collection.  A couple of little crumb blocks, too.

I've been stitching up some squares from the Bee Blessed donated stash to bring together a small baby quilt top for the group to finish.

Oh yes, and one of these little beauties has come my way too!

Shhh, don't tell!