THE HUSBAND QUILT!

I got an email newsletter from my local quilt store about a new six month class, meeting once a month in the evenings making this quilt, Amish with a Twist 2

I have been looking for a quilt design to make for my husband. If you remember, while him and I were on vacation in Sedona, AZ a few years ago, he picked out some fabrics for a quilt he wanted me to make him. He likes complicated quilts and quilts that draw you in with the design. The modern simple quilting that I am drawn to, he is not a fan of. So - I saw this and thought it would be a great challenge for me. Plus it meets at night so this working Momma can actuially make it!

The above is what he choose. The tan flannel is for the back and all of the prints are kind of men's tie inspired. I ran to the quilt store and asked if they thought I could modify the color pallet to use his fabrics and they were equally excited about my idea. I signed up, bought a bunch of solids (as Amish quilts are supposed to be all solids) and started working on a plan.

The above shows the color pallete it was designed for (Thanks to PASSING DOWN CRAZY) (I am stealing your picture because I forgot to take a picuture of all of the colors together and your stack looks so lovely!). Here is how I changed it.

I categorized the fabrics into Light, Medium, Dark. Then removed what I didn't think would work.

Leaving me with these after I removed all of the below.

I am hoping all of the fabrics I removed I can use on a future quilt. They just weren't MANLY enough for my hubby.

So I added a bunch and here is what I now have. Sorry for all of the bad pictures. It is only at midnight after the baby is asleep, I have washed dishes, did a load of laundry, cleaned up dinner, said hey to my husband, etc, that I have any time to think of quilting fabric anymore. I should have laid them out on a plain surface, but.... well... I just didn't.

Anyway, you get the idea. I have now taken on more then I can handle and have six months of class to learn this quilt, make all of the squares for a KING sized quilt, finish it, quilt the sandwich, and give to my amazing husband for Christmas. All of this and I've had a total of three hours to quilt since my baby was born. So... not sure how it will happen - but I'm committed now. Wish me luck!!

Little Brother Quilt Finished

I got it done! The night before my new nephew was born, I finished his quilt. Nothing like a deadline to kick me into gear, huh. I am really happy with it and even was able to bring it with me to the hospital to give to him the first time we met. He is such a beautiful child and I hope he loves his little quilt for many years to come.

It does seem to have a happy feel to it I think. So simple, but a classic quilt layout. It can sort of be an "eye spy" quilt for him and Mommy and Daddy to explore together.

The bugs on the back are kind of busy, but I am a sucker for funny unexpected prints and it looks like he likes what I chose anyway (this kid gets me already, we are sure to be lifelong buddies):

Simple Baby Boy Little Brother Quilt

I made an elaborate quilt for my first nephew a few years ago, I agonized over every color, each fabric and the meaning it had at great length. It was a learning quilt with animals of the world on the back, Noah's ark images, ABC's in a barnyard style, etc. It was a lovely quilt and one that I spent many, many hours working on. To this day he sleeps with it every night.

Well my nephew is now going to be a big brother as my sister-in-law is expecting a little boy in five weeks. So in a rush, I wanted to make a simple quilt that had just as much love in it, but with a fraction of the time to make it.

My office was quickly turned into my sewing room. I brushed the dust off my boxes marked "for the quilting room" that have not been touched since the day we packed up our house and moved when I was nine months pregnant. With a Moda charm pack I decided to whip together the quickest quilt I know how to make one afternoon while my daughter played with my husband. 

 I have never made a charm pack quilt, but it was fun. The fabric's all go together perfectly as they are from the same designer and family, all cut perfectly, and ready to go! So In two hours time, I made a satisfying amount of progress.

 I like a lot of busy prints offset by some white on a cheerful baby quilt. I always try to make baby quilts that will get used well into the toddler stage or even older.

 I did my best at random placement but evenly spaced out similar prints. The general theme is barnyard with three or four extra squares that are out of place, but work I think.

 The white rows starting to take shape, I really like where this one is headed.

 So one morning this week I was without my laptop but on a two hour conference call so I put it on MUTE and SPEAKERPHONE and zipped through finishing up the top while listening to some new product training for work from my home office / sewing studio.

 I took these outside and the twig was the only way to keep the wind from whipping my quilt down the street. It was a chilly morning and I didn't want to be out long enough to find a cute way to take this picture, you get the idea.

This morning I stopped at my LQS and found the bugs. I love them for the back of this quilt. This quilt is about the earth and either what lives in it, on it, or grows out of it. You never know, maybe this new nephew of mine will be a farmer. Maybe a landscape architect, maybe a horticulturist. Maybe the silly bright bugs will make him smile and his Momma can ask "where is the pig", "where is a tractor"...

Now, with five weeks to her due date, I certainly hope I can find a few more hours to baste, quilt, and bind this so I can surprise her and her husband at the hospital on my new nephews birth day. Here goes nothing!

Exciting!

I dusted off my boxes of quilting things this week and STARTED QUILTING AGAIN!!!! Wow that felt amazing! My husband watched our baby for two hours while I started working in a very simple charm pack (precut 5" square fabric) quilt with sashing. It is intended to be a gift I bring to the hospital the day my new nephew is born. He is due at the end of march but knowing my sister-in-law, it will be sooner then that! So I really need to get in gear. I am making it big enough for his eventual convertible crib, so very large for a newborn but now that I have a six month old (how time flies!) of my own, I am aware how much time is spent on the floor on top of a quilt with a pile of toys and the bigger the better really. Just hope I can get it done in time.

I really really really really really missed quilting and am so excited to hear my machine go again! This quilt isn't my typical style but I envisioned a simple fast project and I think this fits the bill. Plus it is colorful, fun, and will be loved by this child, or so I hope! Pictures to come soon.

I have quilting in the brain! How I missed this!

Being a new mom

Being a new Mom is such a blast. The daily smiles and coo's...daily changes watching her grow and experience everything for the first time.... my entire world has been wrapped up in this little angel 24 hours a day seven days a week. Pure bliss.

Today, sadly, I return to work (eight weeks later) and although this is challenging I think it is time for me to return to being a productive member of the world. For eight weeks, I think, eat, breathe, sleep - all baby. Being a working Mom will have its own challenges but maybe some new order in my day will make me more productive. Maybe I'll start cooking again (my husband would be thrilled as I think he is a bit sick of me asking to throw hot dogs on the grill and calling that a meal), maybe I'll finally unpack our new house and get us settled, and maybe I'll get to quilt again someday soon.

For now though, I am happy to just admire my quilts with a chubby cheeked little lady on top of them :) Here is hoping that I can "do it all and have it all" by successfully running my company again, being a great mom, a great wife, and great friend all at once. ...   ...... ummm............... I think I'll need a nap :)

It's a GIRL!

We were blessed with a beautiful, healthy, and happy baby girl last week. We are in heaven. Of all the things I have ever made in my life, she is hands down the most amazing. If you don't hear from me for a while it is because I am having too much fun enjoying this baby. It seems time stopped the moment she arrived and little else matters in my world right now. I know I brag about my husband a lot - but he is the most terrific and dedicated father. I never thought it was possible, but I love him even more now that he is a Dad to our lovely daughter.

I could go on and on. God has blessed our family with this child.

Happily, Sarah

Twins Baby Quilts

No - I have not had the baby yet. I am nine days from my due date and feel pretty good all things considered. We are successfully moved into the farmhouse and have not unpacked much yet - including my sewing machine - but we are so happy to be in our new (old) home. It is a miracle that the baby waited for us to get moved in, I am so thankful! Now he or she is welcome whenever it feels like joining us here on earth. 

So - in the mean time I thought I'd share two quilts I made for some precious little girls about a year or two ago... My oldest cousin and his wife had twins and I couldn't resist making them a pink and a purple baby blanket to give them at the baby shower.

When I made my nephew his quilt I had purchased some extra panels of the alphabet squares mostly just in case I messed anything up - but also because good alphabet squares are not easy to come by and I really like "learning" quilts. I love how just putting pink or purple around the blue and green squares makes them very girly!

They were excited, and I think I was the only one who made them handmade quilts for their girls so it was special.

The back of each one was a soft flannel (different prints but both soft flannel)

Then they were sweet enough to take pictures of their dear children with my quilts. This is my favorite part - seeing the chubby faced babies USING the quilts I make. There is nothing MORE fun!

I can't stand it they are so cute!

Even just draped above them on their crib I love! That my quilts could add to a peaceful nights rest - or couple of hours rest - is nice to think about.

Even the back of the quilts were picture worthy. I used a SUPER soft binding so it would be gentle on their little fingers. That is always frustrating to sew the slippery bindings on - but the cozy fluffy fabrics always are nicest to the touch (and worth some aggravation.)

I hope these two little girls are still enjoying the quilts I made them. They are a little bit older now then in these pictures - but they sure get cuttier every single day.