It has been a while since I last posted about crafty things, but in that time my hands have not been. I take time everyday to do something, even the smallest crafty thing. It may mean a row of knitting, a sketch, sewing a hem or one or two rows of quilting. Since April of this year I have started this little daily ritual and it has made me a happier person, (thank you Kathy!)
Yesterday saw the end of five months worth of daily 10-15 minute work, in the form of a new twin sized quilt for S. We knew back in April that eventually she would move out of her toddler bed and into a twin size, so I began making a quilt for that future bed. I started by picking out lots of fabric from my favorite store and pinning it. Then I asked S which fabrics she loved the most. All of the different fabric you see in the quilt were her choice, I just made sure there was continuity in color and patterns. Then I got to work making up the pattern. It’s basically one square and two rectangles. It repeats down the column. Then the next column is two rectangles and a square. This pattern alternates back and forth all the way across. As for the quilting I did an echo stitch, that runs outside of the seam lines by 1/4 of an inch.
I am not a quilter, but there is something really beautiful about making a quilt. The amount of time that goes into planning, preparing fabric, cutting, organizing, sewing, sandwiching layers and pinning them together, quilting the whole thing and adding a binding is really mind boggling. There were many times I asked my self why the heck I was doing it? Making a baby quilt with some fat quarters is one thing, but when you step up to a twin size with different shape cuts, that’s a whole other ball game. But the reason I did it was because it felt good. It felt really good to tell S tonight as she snuggled under the blanket that I made it for her so that I could wrap her in love in the night. So that she wouldn’t have to feel lonely when I’m not with her. (She has a deep fear that I will disappear into thin air, mind you we’ve never been apart more than two hours in her whole life).
Her new mattress was purchased before I could get the quilt done. She had her little blanket I made for her on the mattress but it wasn’t covering anything. It was a bit silly really. But last night I finished it and now it sits proudly on her bed filling her room with color. She declares it a great blanket to jump on. I hope this quilt will be loved for a long time and that it gets worn thread bare. I hope we have to patch it and patch it and eventually cut it up and turn it into other things. Quilts made for people should be loved to death I think!
Just as an FYI the fabric is a mix of Lotta, Kokka, Birch Fabrics, Robert Kauffman, Moda.
I know you all are a bunch of crafty people, will you share a quilt story with me? Have you ever received a handmade quilt or made one for someone else?
Looks beautiful! I made K a quilt before he was born. I cut up an old family quilt (it was in tatters) and sewed the scraps back together to make a baby sized one. I need to make him a bigger one soon. I’ve settled on a pattern, but I need to find a little time.
Between my mom and I, we have quilts made by my mother, both my grandmothers, and my mom’s grandmother and great-grandmother. When I got married, my dad’s mom gave me a quilt that she had made when she was pregnant with my dad. She made the quilt top then and never got around to actually quilting it. So, 60+ years later, she and some women in her retirement home hand-quilted the entire thing together. It was the most beautiful and touching wedding present we received. Right now, it is on the back of a chair in our bedroom. I did have it on our bed for a while but some of the original stitches started ripping and I got nervous about it. I should probably just put it back on so it is used for its intended purpose! But at least I do get to look at it every day. I would love to make a full-sized quilt someday, to continue the tradition, but I think it will probably have to wait until I have a bit more time on my hands. Right now, I prefer knitting and other smaller crafts. I am curious how folks display quilts that aren’t used on beds? My parents had some hanging on the wall in their living room for a while (they have very high ceilings) but they’ve since rotated them out for some paintings. Great job on Sofia’s quilt, KC – it’s beautiful and I’m sure she will love snuggling under it as our nights get cooler.
What a lovely story! I’m curious too to know how people use or display them. I feel like ones like yours are so precious I wouldn’t want to ruin them…. Than you for the compliment as well!
This is beautiful and what love that went into it! I have no quilting story, the thought of making one is so overwhelming and terrifying that I just like to admire those made by others
It’s a lot of work for sure. There are a lot of errors in mine, but Sofia loves it. I bought a quilting book but I’m too lazy to do all the perfect steps they mention in there!
This is beautiful KC and she looks like she loves it. One day I will tackle a quilt, for now I will live vicariously through you
Enjoy your weekend my friend and happy first day of fall to you and your family.
Thank you! I’m impressed that I have made 4 quilts since I started this blog! None with pattern really just off the top of my head.
Have a wonderful Equinox too. We’re going to try to spend a lot of time outside! And doing some fall inspired crafts too!
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It’s awesome! Love the colors and the prints. And your girl seems to love it. She looks just like you with that smile on her face.
Thanks! With the quilt I made V I just used a pre selected fat quarter bundle. But this time I decided to really go all out!
You did such a beautiful job. I want to make a quilt sometime. Right now I happen to be illustrating a quilt pattern!
Oh illustrating a pattern? Are you a graphic designer?