A loved up quilt.

Is there any other, really.  To spend that long planning, buying fabric, cutting out and sewing up again.  There has to be a certain amount of love there.  This was for my tiniest of nieces who, due to the last year, I’ve not really got to know first hand.  I planned and bought the fabric when she was in the expected mode.  Then, due to one or two complications I held back a bit.  Then life just took over.  But, I figured now she’s 2 and I have time due to nothing much happening. I should turn my eye to getting this quilt made.  After all I didn’t want her to be a teenager before it happened.

Making a start

The working out had already been started.  Just how many squares I’d need and which colours to work with to get to a small quilt when I’d gathered together my fabrics a couple of years back.  I’d had a thing for half square triangle quilts for some time and what better way to quench that thirst than make one.  I used a technique where you placed two squares together and stitched diagonally and then cut to create two different squares. Loads of tutorials on pintrest or you tube if you want to see in more detail.  It took a  couple of days to cut and stitch up the blocks and then I spent an afternoon trimming to make sure they were square and the same size.  This was made less boring by watching an old film. It made me think though.  There are parts of all projects that are less than interesting.  Some we really relish and others can make a project drag on because we put it off.

What’s your favorite part of a project?

• I really enjoy the planning bit.  Working it all out, choosing the fabrics and colours.
• Sewing bits back together to make blocks and patterns can be feel like an achievement.
• Squaring off.  I don’t enjoy the trimming. Though essential if you want things to match up or come out the right size.  I can’t not do that.
• Putting the layers together I find quite satisfying.  I know this is controversial because I’ve seen many experienced quilters express what a chore this can be.  I’ve not done a large quilt for some time so this could change.
• I really enjoy the quilting bit, hand more than machining but that’s probably down to having to clear space and wrestling with the bulk of fabric.  I think that’s where a long arm would change things for me.  I do love a bit of free machining and can see how it would become more fun.  I don’t do enough to warrant that though so I’ll continue to wrangle.
• The binding.  The finish line.  I always machine on and hand finish.  ok, I enjoy a bit of hand sewing.

Imagine if I got held up at the trimming bit.  Sometimes you have to power through.

A suprise bonus

When I was putting the layers together I looked up from my pinning and realised that the rhino I’d crocheted, this time last year was the exact right colour to go with the quilt.  It was meant to be.  My subconscious must have known and I knew that it was right.  I adore this Rhino and I’ve enjoyed making many of the Toft animals.  I have a list for more.  Dinosaurs and sheep are up next I think.

Party in the quilt back

Well not so much a party but an extra bit of Love.  A while back I’d bought a foundation quilting pattern from Kirsty of Quiet Play. I knew then it was going on the back of this quilt.  It was to raise funds for those in danger from the bush fires in Australia.  She has many other lovely patterns but I’m not sure if foundation piecing is fully for me. It took me a full day to do this and I found it a tad fiddly.   I’ll continue to admire them and maybe by the time I need another love square I’ll be ready to tackle it again.  This was applied after I’d quilted the main fabrics but before I’d bound.  I decided that I wanted to add a little hand quilting to a few of the triangles so using a variegated thread I chose my three and spent a happy evening stitching in front of the telly.

Snuggle up

I’m hoping this quilt gets lots of use and has many a snuggle on the sofa.  Quilts are made with love and to be used.  I think anyone that makes quilts wants to feel they are part of daily life.  Either for watching telly, on the bed or the wall.  Yes, we want them to be looked after but what better way to feel the love but wrap yourself in a quilt. After all, if it needs mending in the future I’ll still have some scraps left or a little of that fabric floating around.  Or is that just me…