Finn's Quilt

My sweet co-worker, Sharon, recently became a grandmother for the second time. The first time was over twenty years ago, so this sweet baby boy (first grandson) is like the first all over again. All I really knew about Sharon's daughter and the new baby's theme was giraffes. I had a hard time finding giraffes that I really liked. The first collection was pretty dark. Then I discovered the fabric by Michael Miller and made a sweet four patch baby quilt for Finn.

Finn is now five weeks old and the quilt has been delivered. I am getting better with my timing. Maybe the next one will be ready before the baby is born. The fabric is Zoo Littles Mini Giraffes by Michael Miller by AppleBlossomFabrics. It is such sweet fabric. And it's bright and cherry for a little boy.

The quilt was machine pieced and quilted. I am still conscious of my wrists, but I did let myself handstitch the binding down. I just like that so much. The quilt measures 30 1/2 x 36 inches.

Gemma's Quilt

This sweet little quilt is for now six month old Gemma. Sadie's precious little daughter. Sadie is the middle of the Leder children that I babysat so long ago. She's the oldest of the two girls and always the little mother. She was the one who wanted to play store and house and help all the time. Such sweet memories.

The fabric is Lily and Will Revisited by Bunny Hill Designs for Moda. I purchased the layer cake (10 inch squares) and cut them to 5x5s. There was a mixture of pink, blue, and gray. I pulled out all the pink and gray I wanted to use and happily have the leftovers to make a baby boy quilt for someone one day. Due to some worsening carpal tunnel at the time, I had to teach myself how to machine quilt. There is quite a learning curve there. This quilt is finished by stitching in the ditch and then meandering all across the quilt in a stipple pattern. It was challenging at times, but a great learning the technique.

I usually machine stitch the binding on and then handstitch it down, but for this quilt I machine stitched it in place as well to allow my wrists to continue to heal. It's not my favorite method, but I learned a lot while doing it. I have misplaced the dimensions but it is about 31" x 35".

I think the quilt is soft and pretty. Perfect for a sweet baby girl. 

Layal's Quilt

Rhonda and David became friends in middle school. By the time they were in the high school, she was like a member of the family. Such a great teen and we all thought the world of her. She moved away in high school, but thanks to the magic of social media, we were able to stay in touch as she finished high school, started and finished college and got married along the way. Nine months ago, Runda (as she goes by now) had a beautiful little girl. This is Layal's quilt.

The fabric in this precious quilt is Hoo's in the Forest Fabric by Doohickey Designs for Riley Blake. It measures 31 x 35 inches. It is machine pieced and quilted. I stepped outside my comfort zone and machine quilted this little one with a regular foot. The binding is handsewn. 

Runda grew up to be a teacher....so of course I had to include a book with her quilt. 💜

Rich's Quilt

Rich's baby quilt was, like his cousin Ella's, quite late. I couldn't bring myself to scrap the idea of making him a quilt even though he was pushing two years old. These children don't know me. It's been two decades since I have even seen their parents in person, but they were such a part of my life once and it was important to me for the little ones to have these quilts. So I continued working on Rich's little quilt eventually finishing it about the same time as Ella's and coincidentally about the same time his Aunt Sadie had her baby girl.

The fabric is Sweet Dreams Little One by Pink Chandelier for Wilmington Prints. The quilt measures 30 x 33 1/2. It is machine pieced and hand quilted. I once again used charm packs. 

When you are two it's probably not much fun to just get a quilt in the mail, so I put a couple of extra goodies in there as well. 

Ella's Quilt

Many years ago, my friend Kim and I were walking around a new neighborhood that we had 'discovered'. I believe it was summer when a little boy with blond curls and big brown eyes called to us from his yard. He was saying Hello to us girls....not sure at the time if the toddler was saying 'Hello you girls', 'Hello two girls', or 'Hello new girls'. I was around eleven years old and became fast friends with this little guy named Larry. His family became my family and I was his babysitter (and babysitter for his sisters) for several years. Those years will always be near and dear to me. A little more than two years ago Larry welcomed a precious daughter with the same golden curls. This is Ella's quilt.

The quilt measures about 30x34 inches. It is machine pieced and hand quilted. The fabric is Little Ruby by Bonnie and Camille from Moda. I love using these little charm packs.

I was way late sending the little quilt. Life has a way of interrupting your best intentions. But when I did send it, I sent a couple of other goodies as well....including Larry's little General Lee matchbox car he gave me to remember him by. I am not likely to forget him and wanted Ella to have the sweet little heirloom.

Larger Hello Kitty Quilt

Since Hello Kitty is so popular and I sold the two little quilts, I thought I would try one a bit larger.  This one is 38"x45".  It has white sashing between the squares.  I love how the white sets off the bright pink.  The binding is the same bright pink and is machine sewn on and handstitched down.  This quilt is machine pieced and quilted, but I tried quilting straight lines instead of diagonals.  I like the look!

Small Hello Kitty Quilt

These little quilts came about because Hello Kitty usually sells and I had not found many HK quilts out there. I wanted to try to sell a couple of little lap quilts. They were also practice quilts. The first one I attempted to machine quilt diagonal lines. Only those quilts were done on a different machine.  An old Brother. The machine I used (also a Brother) is several years old but never the machine its similar priced  predecessor (of 20 years) was.  It was not a great experience.  Lots of puckers....I always hand baste and for handquilting (and those few quick machine quilted quilts of the past) my hand basting was fine.  Between the bad machine and my basting, the little quilt had its fair share of puckers. And then the machine broke. Not a bad break, but the plastic that held the mechanism that allows you to back stitch literally fell apart in pieces on my fabric. So...I scraped up enough money bought a new machine. Not a pricey one. And another Brother.  But I am not wary of the Brother brand...I really think my second machine was a dud.  It never did measure up to my first one.  My new machine is a Brother SQ 9050.  It was made for quilting and has a little table, a walking foot, and a free motion foot, plus all the regular attachments.  And it is computerized.  It has been wonderful fun learning to use it!  However...that comes with a learning curve.  The second quilt is no better than the first and I used the walking foot.  I am still hoping to sell them as they are well made and once washed, the puckers mingle with the crinkles. I learned a lot. I need a lot of practice and have discovered spray basting. I am looking forward to doing more quilts with this machine if time permits.

I do not know which of the photos are with which machine.  They look basically the same from a distance. Could definitely tell when I was making them.

Before washing

Before washing.

                                                                    After washing.

Avie's Quilt

Back in the late 70's, I started babysitting for a family who would become very dear to me and see me through not only the turbulent teen years, but through some traumatic home events as well.  This family became my safety.  My go to place for security and to see how a family is supposed to work.  They unknowingly gave me the stability and love I needed.  I wound up babysitting for them for about ten years.  The oldest, Larry, was maybe two and a half when I joined their family.  The youngest (then), Sadie, only a year.  I was a mother's helper.  I think just ten years old.  No older than eleven.  My mother knew the father when he was just a little boy.  Interesting connections.  Timelines are fuzzy now, but I believe I was in high school by the time Ashley Jo was born.  And as time has a way of catching up with and passing us....the little girl in red 'scoot' pajamas had her own precious little girl in July.  This quilt is in honor of Avie and for the memories of Ashley as a little girl who gave this babysitter a run for her money.  I loved every minute of it.

Quilt is 39 x 30 1/2 inches.  Machine pieced.  Hand quilted.