A Quilt for Miles....

My niece, Mary, welcomed a baby boy into the world last week...

Of course, I knew the due date was closing in, but I thought I might have another week to put together a baby quilt.  But babies have their own time tables and Miles has been in the arms of his  loving family for nearly a week now!

I pieced his name - MILES - using Denyse Schmidt's Proverbial Quilt Pattern.  Like most of Denyse Schmidt's patterns, I have used this one more than once...it's that good!  And makes a fantastic (personalized) quick quilt!

All of the letters for the name are from the same black and white gingham...the background fabric is Essex Yarn Dyed in Steel...with a little text fabric and ticking stitched in.

BUT...for the first time I used wool batting.  This is a Pellon wool batting and I have to tell you....I may never use anything else.  It is absolutely amazing!  This batting quilted like a dream!  I have never felt such a difference!  

    

I quilted with large 3" loops [with Aurifil thread].  Using the seam for the name strip as my bottom edge guide, I placed a piece of masking tape 3 inches above that seam.  My loopy quilting was contained between the seam and the tape.  Always a good idea to contain your loopy-ness ;)  hehe!  The wool made the quilting so much easier!  So fluid and fast!  I finished the quilting in just 3 hours!  Amazing!

I do prefer to hand quilt, but when I machine quilt I like a simple pattern.  So these big loops fill the bill.  Simple, not perfect, but yet add a nice texture...I am kind of smitten.

After I finish a line of quilting, I simple move my tape 3 more inches above the loops of the previous line.  It keeps my loops fairly straight and similar in height.  

      

I used the same black and white gingham for the back of the quilt as well as the binding.

His birth date is fussy cut from a fabulous number fabric from Kokka  [more on where you can find that later ;-) ]

 

 It just wouldn't feel right to call it finished without adding some hand stitching...and a little perle cotton....

so I added some red stitches with Valdani perle cotton to the binding and to the numbers!  

I love the stitching on the binding....yes indeed!

   

And in case you were wondering about washing with the wool batting...it has been washed in cold water with a color catcher thrown in for good measure.  And dried on low.  PERFECT!!!!

 This one will be wrapped up with lots of love!

happy monday!

xo mary

 

 

Rachel

I am sure every quilter loves making baby quilts!  I know I do!  

When I discover someone special in my life is having a baby, the wheels start spinning!

    

Rachel is a friend, fellow blogger {Family Ever After} and a neighbor!  Well, she doesn't exactly live in my neighborhood, but just around the corner.  Less than 5 minutes away... I consider that close enough to borrow a cup of sugar!

Her children attend the same elementary my kids attended...I love seeing pictures of them walking in front of the building.  Brings back sweet memories!

Rachel is just a wonderful person!  I mean, she really is wonderful! There are numerous adjectives to describe Rachel....

beautiful

happy

good

faithful

talented

I could go on and on....

Rachel has 3 adorable children and is expecting her 4th. in June.  I should add 'patient' to the list of adjectives!  Actually, she is the perfect person to have a large family.  She is also very resourceful.  And I know she has a reliable support network of family and friends.

So I had to make her a quilt for the new baby.  She is having a boy.   I didn't ask her about nursery colors...I thought this quilt should be used and used.  No need to match colors.

 

 I began with these two fabrics.  The sweet little fabric on top is a Japanese from Superbuzzy and the gingham is also a Japanese from Purl.  

 

 I added some additional fabrics from my stash...and pieced together using the technique I outlined a couple of posts ago.  I stitch the rows together on the diagonal and then true up the sides. 

I quilted with a combination of machine quilting and pick stitching.

I used Aurifil thread for the piecing and machine quilting straight lines. And hand quilted with Valdani perle cotton....every other row of triangles.

The binding is the same sweet Japanese print with a little of the gingham thrown in!

 

    The backing is a large check gingham...also from Purl.

And, finally, a label to mark the year of his happy birth!

What a lucky baby!  Born into a family that is so excited to see him!  A mom and dad who put faith and family first!  It just doesn't get any better than that.

xo mary

  

A New Baby!

This afternoon I attended a baby shower for a dear friend...she took a class with me about a year and half ago.  Then she took a few more classes :)  I loved her sense of humor and her energy and we soon became friends.  Most of my classes are at least 4 weeks long so I do get very well acquainted with the quilters and they become well acquainted with each other. All of them are fabulous!  I truly adore them!

I have been waiting to make this baby quilt for someone....and the style was perfect for Christine and her new little one ;)  And I know Christine's color palette so it was quite fun!

This is the Denyse Schmidt 'Sleep' quilt...the pattern was found in a quilting magazine....

The pattern calls for a solid piece of fabric for the top 2/3rds of the quilt and the word and another section on the bottom....

I broke it up a bit by adding some linen and a little swatch of fabric on the top section....

The back was Kona in Ash with a little log cabin detail....it is machine quilted and bound with Amy Butler's orange dot....a great fabric!

It was a lovely day....and I feel blessed to have met so many wonderful women who share a passion for sewing....I am truly blessed....

mary