Easter Sunday on our way home from the boy’s aunt’s home we called up some college friends we hadn’t talked to in awhile. Turns out they were expecting their first child in about a month. As soon as we got off the phone the boy and I discussed what kind of fun handmade gift we would bestow upon them. The next day I sorted through all my fabrics looking for something appropriate for a baby quilt. Turns out, I am a bit selfish with my fabrics (I also figured this out at Christmas-time) and can’t easily part with fabric I purchased to make something for myself. Heh. 😀
Then I remembered I still had the fabric leftover from my brief stint with the Columbus Modern Quilt Guild and the Kauffman Solids challenge. I set to work sewing my cut squares and solids charm pack into half square triangles. Once all the squares were sewn up we played with different arrangements: pinwheels, hourglasses, zig-zags and flying geese. The boy and I decided we liked the look of the pinwheels best and I set to work piecing the top together.
Cora’s Quilt – finished!
We were headed up to Amish country to pick up some furniture and to visit Miller’s Dry Goods and Fabrics – one of my favorite quilting stores (as of this year when I found them!). We took the squares with us to find an appropriate backing fabric and the boy found this awesome polka dot flannel. After some quick fuzzy math and rounding up we had our backing fabric and were on our way.
Cora’s Quilt – with back
I spent Sunday April 29 quilting it in a grid pattern, making the binding and then sewing it on. By Sunday afternoon I had a finished a baby quilt and was quite pleased with myself. Some vanity shots, a quick trip to Target on Monday for extra gifts and the boy and I were ready to mail this package off into the world. Right as we were taping up the box on Tuesday May 1, the boy received a text that baby Cora had arrived. Looks like our timing was really good! The packaged arrived at her house a day before she did and her parents love the blanket. 🙂
Cora’s Quilt – close up of binding
Getting this done as quickly as I did has helped reinforce for me how quickly I can get a project done when I stick to it. I also did several steps without needing someone standing next to me holding my hand. This was great for me because I was able to figure out the “why” for different steps which allowed me to gain confidence in my skills. 🙂 Sometimes I psych myself out and worry that I dont know enough to make something work properly, but it turns out that’s a bunch of silliness on my part! I think this one came out pretty great! 😀
Cora’s quilt
