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
