Baby quilts - Fun Projects

Want a fun project with consequences?  Try a baby quilt.  The consequences are all good.

1.  You can try something new both in piecing and quilting
2.   You can practice or develop quilting stitches
3.   The quilt can be donated to the obstetrics ward of a hospital to brighten an NICU, hug a preemie, take a baby home.

Yesterday I did a couple of baby quilts.  I used some pastel batik strips.  I tried to stitch them all in one length but they twisted and turned and right became wrong.  So I just zipped my rotary cutter through the strip near a join that was wrong sides out and then joined again.  It made for some unexpected changes in the strips and a bit of interest.  Like a road to travel,  a few twists and turns in a quilt provide interest.

Then I quilted them yesterday.  I love hearts in part because they express the emotions when a newborn is being cuddled and also no matter the size or shape they look good.  They are easy to do. I generally put a heart somewhere in my quilting. I also love a stitch I call ribbons which is to return over a meandering  line creating loops and turns like ribbon abandoned to do its thing.  But to join the hearts with a ribbon stitch would mean back tracking so I added a 3rd tracking between the hearts.  It worked.  This is something easy for a beginner as there is no back tracking and shapes are easy.  Here is that quilt.

Is this perfect?  No. Fun and useful, Yes.  Did I learn, Yes.

On thing is knowing how to fairly evenly fill in the available space.  When you get caught in a tight spot, stop, assess and continue.  Back track or travel as necessary but do not let it stop you or get you flustered.  You do this to relax or at least I hope you do.

The second quilt I did with a design I call Squash Blossom.  During the winter and when recovering from some surgery I sat and drew or doodled some quilting designs.  Plain meandering is not my thing nor is stippling.  I use them but not a whole quilt unless asked by a client.  Quilting is the embroidery of a quilter and that means interest, texture and purpose.  You have probably seen something like this elsewhere but for me this is Squash Blossoms.  One advantage of it is that you only need to travel over the outer curve of the middle petal.   Good for a beginner.  Learn travelling in bits and snatches.  It is less intimidating.

Now, if I have perked your interest, given you something you can use or sparked a desire to contribute to the local hospital this post has been worth it.  Go and have fun.  This was done on a long arm but is not restricted to one.   I enjoy using Hortense, my long arm, but quilting is quilting and for a baby a warm cuddly quilt is just that.  The care and love put into it remains the same.  

GIVING IS RECEIVING

Desperate for spring

What is spring?  It seems so long now that it is hard to remember.  But leafing through my mind to a year ago, it means yellow in sun and flowers; golden light on chrome in the kitchen; yellow and pink in easter fabrics among the things I long to see.

Reality is cold and white.  The white is getting a bit tattered around the edges and some crazy magnolia tree buds are swelling but it is not spring.

Next best thing, work with spring colours.  Spring is also a time to make quilts for children in hospital and I was quilting one yesterday. I got to try out a design I had drawn while under the thumb of recovery from surgery.  Well the quilt had pink and a lovely yellow back as well as lots of colour in the strips out of which it was made. In spite of the weather outside, inside on the quilting frame was spring and it was fun to take something from paper to the quilt and to enjoy the doodling and the colours.

Here is a small dose of yellow.

In bits and snatches I am conquering EQ7.  It is really nifty and a great thing for quilters whose minds run in inspiration mode.  It is also great to test out colours on blocks.  I used to use Excel but that had it limits.   I love paper piecing so here is my first block designed, sewn and cut sheet made; a crazy, scrappy block.  Thanks to Carol Doak for teaching how to do the cut sheet in her latest book 'Creative Combinations' where she shares so many tips. That is one of the great qualities of quilters. They share knowledge willingly and with great generosity.  They are sunshine.