Tuesday, March 18, 2008

baby quilts

It seems weird that I should start this "knitting" blog talking about quilting. But there you go. I'll talk about knitting next time.
I've actually been quilting about 10 years (which is longer than I've been knitting). Because I learned from my mother in law, who keeps my whole family supplied in the most beautiful quilts and wall hangings, and because there are only so many quilts any one person needs, early on I had to decide what my quilting niche would be. I thought it might be hand quilted items and that some day I would make a whole cloth quilt all by hand. Then I thought maybe quilted clothing, but how many patchwork vests and denim shirts do I need?

I stumbled into the baby quilt niche quite by accident. I was looking for a way to celebrate occasions that left me less than celebratory. After I made the first one, I discovered that they were quick and fun and really did help me sort out my feelings. Even now, that I'm not instantly sad when a friend tells me she's pregnant, I find baby quilts fun to make (and give away) and find quilting in general very relaxing. Something about the rat-tat-tat of the machine.

I suppose that's a really long way of saying somehow I got myself into a bit of a pickle on the baby quilts.

You see, I also come from a line of "crafty" women, most of whom invented the "UFO" (unfinished object) and when I started sewing, I told myself that I'd only ever have one project going at a time. And really, I did until last month.

I suppose it started innocently enough, my college roommate announcing her third baby, and I'd made quilts for the other two, I couldn't leave this one out. Then a co-worker announcing she was pregnant, again with her third baby, and though I hadn't made the other two babies quilts that was only because we've only worked together a year. And they were due 3 weeks apart.

Anyway, The quilt I wanted to talk about today is the one I'm making for the co-worker. It isn't done yet, but I'm well underway.
Initially, I was going to do a very simple 4 inch solid block because I had a number of 4 inch squares already cut and given to me. But that seemed boring, Then I got this idea to alternate the solid blocks with a four patch block--all done in scraps. Since figuring out the fourpatch (2.25 inch strips, sewn together, cut into 2.25 inch squares, sewn together again) I've had a blast digging through my scraps to make blocks.
The plan is to do 10 blocks by 12 rows. So far I have eight sewn together and enough four patch blocks done for another three.
I think it is coming together pretty well, and it has been fun to do.

But just when I think to myself "almost done!" I remember the pinning, quilting and binding that still need to be done.

2 comments:

Knitterella said...

Still, you are very close to being done. It looks great. Very colorful!

Glad to see you blogging. You'll love it!

Anonymous said...

Lovely colors. I love putting the colors together most of all. I do not come from a long line of crafty women (my poor daughter who is of that ilk and just doesn't get my inability) but I do quilt occasionally. I can't use a sewing machine so I pretty much do everything by hand and only do the Dresden Plate pattern because that is the one that my grandmother showed me back in the 70's (and appliqueing the pattern on squares is very forgiving.)