I just realized it has been a week since I posted. So here's a look at one item that has keep me busy. A quilt for my niece's first baby. Fell in love with this fabric in a quilt shop in Fort Bragg the last time we were there and found the backing fabric in a quilt shop here at home A little pricey but it was so soft and luxurious I couldn't pass it up, plus it was a perfect color match. It sat in my "someday" pile till the mail brought an invitation to a baby shower - a perfect time to use it :) I used two layers of Warm & Natural since she will be a September baby, and will need a warm blanket when winter gets here :) I had planned to embroider a label onto the back of the quilt, but couldn't get my sewing machine to co-operate so just added her name by hand :) Kinsleigh Paige. Wish now I had at least added the year but I can always do that another time.
Here is a close-up of one of the blocks. I did some some easy Trapunto to give it dimension. I alternated the blocks, stuffing the bodies on one and the faces on the others. Lady bugs too :)
When I finished the top I decided a few of the lambs were stuffed too full. It looked cute but thought it might feel lumpy when the baby laid on it, so opened the backs and took out about half the fill leaving them just a little puffy. I initially machine quilted around each block but that didn't look good on the back, so picked out all the quilting lines and ended up tying the quilt. Instead of yarn I used silk embroidery ribbon, tying a little bow at each point. To keep the bows from coming loose I went back and hand stitched each one down. I've never done this before and don't know how the bows will look after a few washings, but if they get ragged I can easily replace them. I've washed it a couple of times to be sure there was no sizing left in the fabrics so all that's left is to wrap it this morning, with a little lavender from my garden. I think I'll look for some flannel to match the colors in the quilt and make a few receiving blankets for her when the baby comes. It's going to be so fun to have a new baby to sew for!
Here is a close-up of one of the blocks. I did some some easy Trapunto to give it dimension. I alternated the blocks, stuffing the bodies on one and the faces on the others. Lady bugs too :)
When I finished the top I decided a few of the lambs were stuffed too full. It looked cute but thought it might feel lumpy when the baby laid on it, so opened the backs and took out about half the fill leaving them just a little puffy. I initially machine quilted around each block but that didn't look good on the back, so picked out all the quilting lines and ended up tying the quilt. Instead of yarn I used silk embroidery ribbon, tying a little bow at each point. To keep the bows from coming loose I went back and hand stitched each one down. I've never done this before and don't know how the bows will look after a few washings, but if they get ragged I can easily replace them. I've washed it a couple of times to be sure there was no sizing left in the fabrics so all that's left is to wrap it this morning, with a little lavender from my garden. I think I'll look for some flannel to match the colors in the quilt and make a few receiving blankets for her when the baby comes. It's going to be so fun to have a new baby to sew for!
