Baby Quilt

I made a quilt!

It's a small baby quilt, just 36" x 44" or something like that. I could get used to making quilts this size.

The design was based off this Around the World quilt.  Colors were chosen to go with baby boy's room and simply because I like the way they look together.

I have never been much one for baby-ish things so I love how graphic and modern this looks. Not a pastel duckie in sight!

Construction was pretty simple. I cut 2.5" strips width of the fabric and worked from the center piece out, log cabin style. I used my 1/4" foot for the first time and glory hallelujah it is a gift straight from Heaven.

I played around a little bit with some quilting options but in the end I used my walking foot to stitch in the ditch (or close to the ditch--it's a skill I could use practice on). I usually love the look of heavy, very obvious quilting but for this graphic quilt top, I didn't want anything marring the impact of the simple lines of color.

I used a fusible bamboo batting in between. I love bamboo batting and fusible rocks my world because I am no good with quilt basting.  The photo here is the quilt unwashed so those weird ripply wrinkles should go away after a wash or two.

Binding is lovingly hand sewn.  I thought at first that I'd leave a bit of the binding showing on the front of the quilt but I ended up preferring it turned back to the back completely.

I do enjoy a good hand sewing project every now and then. I did this during an episode of The Following or maybe it was Blacklist... I don't remember, but the point is, small quilt=hand sewn binding in one hour. Happy seamstress.

Fabrics used are all Kona Cotton Solids purchased site unseen from fabric.com. I live on the edge like that you know?

I'm quite pleased with the graphic impact of this.  I learned a lot and tried some new things that I'm excited to try when I finally finish a certain housewarming quilt now three years in the making...

Welcome Baby Bennett!!

May you feel wrapped up in love and prayers when you use this little quilt.  You are a gift.

~Lindsay

Proof That I am Insane and Have Been for a long time. . .

This here is the first real quilt I ever made.

I hand dyed the fabric for every last square.

Someday I would love to have a workshop/sewing room where I could dye again.

Look at how gorgeous those colors are.

I really had no idea how to make a quilt.

But my sister was graduating from high school and I thought she should have a really cool and unique quilt for her bed when she left for college.

And how hard can it be? It's just cutting up fabric and sewing it back together, right?

I had visions of her wrapping up in it when she was away and feeling warm and loved and not so far away from us.

Which is really a beautiful sentiment.

Had she gotten the quilt before she left for college.

You see, this was my first quilt. And aside from hand dying the fabric, I hand quilted the entire thing.

It's not just a throw, it's twin sized.

Can you see the detail there?

It's really insane.

I can't even begin to imagine the amount of time it must have taken me.

Obviously this was done in the days pre-Bug.

Michelle received this a year or so after she graduated. It's how I operate when I quilt. I bite off more than I can chew and then I can't deliver by the promised date. It's me. But I hope the end product is worth the wait.

I made this quilt ten years ago.

Ten years.

I just came across these photos tonight and had some good time reminiscing. I haven't seen this quilt in a while. It was fun to remember those days. And I thought you might like to see too.

I've been nuts for a long, long time. . .

~Lindsay

Make Life Quilt Complete!

It's DONE!

. . . and before baby girl was born this time!

Mrs. Angie is being induced tomorrow (so remember her, Daddy Ryan and Baby Girl in your prayers!) and Baby Girl will have a nice warm quilt waiting for her.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  This one was 100% machine pieced and quilted. I even machine stitched on the binding. I like the way it looks on this quilt.

The quilting is just simple lines. Right now that's the best I can do machine quilting. But I like the way it works with the very linear front side. 

The back is this sweet little paisley, Angie's favorite print of the bunch. Very cute.

We're looking forward to your arrival Baby Girl! Can't wait to meet you!

Make Life Baby Quilt

Well here it is, the latest baby quilt, for new Momma-to-be and The Bug's favorite babysitter, Angie.

She picked the fabric and I thought this brick path inspired design was a great way to showcase it.

The more quilting blogs I read, the more I realize that I really don't have a clue about appropriate piecing.  I probably should have made blocks instead of strips? I don't know. My approach to quilting is based on my knowledge of garment sewing and one semester long class in "Fiber Arts".  

I am having fun learning by doing though. And I am trying to improve my technical knowledge.  I am really enjoying the quilting month features over at Sew Mama Sew, especially this series on quilting basics! So helpful! I can't promise I'll ever be a technically accurate or meticulous piecer but it's good to have the knowledge of how things are supposed to be done.

My primary fear with this sweet little baby quilt is that Ms. Angie's Amish relatives are going to see it. Yikes! I'm not sure I can handle that kind of pressure!!

So as a celebration of the end of tax season for Michelle and the near end of Spring Into Art planning for me we are going to the International Quilt Festival in Chicago next weekend! I am so excited! It can't get here fast enough!!

~Lindsay

Easter Sewing

I opted out of making the Bug's Easter dress this year.  Things are crazy at work right now planning  Spring Into Art .  There's lots and lots of behind the scenes planning going on here during the work day and not a lot of creativity or motivation left for sewing projects in the evenings.

But I did manage a few small projects for the Bug's Easter basket.

A new puzzle requires a new puzzle bag, of course.

And a princess puzzle bag requires a bit of fancy embellishment.  A little bit of ruffle (left over from the Can Can skirts!) and a vintage button from grandma's stash add just the right ammount of "fancy". 

And I finally got around to making a crayon roll.

I made a few errors in measuring so it doesn't lay as flat as I would like but it functions and it's cute and right now that's good enough.

So far, the Bug likes it so much that she actually puts her crayons away.

And to whomever invented these twistable crayons--THANK YOU!!  I am loving them.

Work on the Make Life baby quilt continues. Baby girl is due in May so you should see some pictures of the nearly completed project soon!! I'm not hand quilting this time though. Perhaps if I had until next May I might consider it.

Oh, and tax season is almost over! Can we get a collective sigh of releif? Michelle should be back sewing again soon. I miss you sis!

~Lindsay

Blue Bird Quilt in Pictures

There were moments that I never thought I'd see the day.

The Blue Bird quilt is finished!

I love the way the fabric shrunk up in the wash and made it look all crinkly, comfy and old.

I couldn't be more pleased with my decision to hand quilt this--even though it delayed the completion of the project two months. I love the juxtaposition of the spirals against the lines of all the squares and rows. I just don't think I could have done that on my machine.

I had some extra squares left so I used them to sew a casing for a hanging rod on the back.

Can I tell you how nervous it makes me to know that this is going to be hanging on the wall like a piece of art? Yikes!  Don't look too close guys!

I think I like the back almost as much as I like the front. This print is my favorite in the whole line. I wish I could have bought a bolt.

I can't wait for baby Blue Bird to cuddle up with her new quilt just in time for her baptism next weekend.  God Bless you sweet girl. Much love from "Auntie" Lindsay!