Tuesday, September 27, 2011

doubleplusgood - top complete!

Well, it only took me two months, but the last 2 rows of the doubleplusgood quilt are done and attached and I can officially call this top complete!

Doubleplusgood Quilt

I can't remember exactly, but I think it's roughly 70" square. A generous lap quilt. While at Ikea on a massive fabric binge (more on that later) I found a fabulous blue and orange fabric that will eventually become the backing for this baby. Now I just need to get around to finishing it up.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Blue Diamond Baby Quilt - Complete!

After a long silence around these parts I am back and I've got some fun stuff to share! I'll start with what I consider to be the most exciting. A new baby quilt for a sweet new baby!

Nope. Not my baby. But really, this little man is the next best thing. One of the two families that I nanny for welcomed a brand new member of their little family last week. I got to meet him at just 7 days old and we snuggled for quite awhile!

In honor of the little man's arrival I whipped up a quilt. I had been playing with a little stack of fabric for some time trying to perfect it, and it wasn't until the new baby appeared (10 days earlier than expected!) that inspiration hit.

I used this incredible tutorial by the lovely Jess of Urban Patchwork to create what I have named the "Blue Diamond Baby Quilt." Original, I know.

Blue Diamond Baby Quilt

Here's the stats:
Fabrics: 4 pieces of Katie Jump Rope by Denyse Schmidt, 3 men's dress shirts (thank you brother!), grey Bubbles and Blooms, and a bit of white (somewhat like Kona Snow) from Ikea. Backing has pieced strips from the fabrics on the top and some blue, also from Ikea. Bound in Bubbles and Blooms with a small piece of Big Dot Little Dot from the KJR line.
Dimensions: 36 x 52.
Quilting: Straight lines 1/4" on either side of all the seams.

Blue Diamond Baby Quilt

What is left over of my stash of Katie Jump Rope has been really hard to part with. The only other place I have used a significant piece is in the little denim jacket I made for a baby shower gift. The fabrics are near impossible to find anymore, and I truly love the entire line, so it's been difficult to find the right project to use them in. When the new baby was born I knew they were destined for him. Not only because they fit in his nursery, but also because I know without a doubt that this quilt will be treasured. I am a big supporter of using beloved fabrics and not hoarding, but I want to be careful to use them in projects I know will be cherished and not ones that I plan to sell.

Blue Diamond Baby Quilt

When it was all finished, I decided to use the button placket from one of the shirts I cannibalized for the project to wrap it up. Super easy! All I did was take a button and add it to the placket where the ends overlapped. I thought it was a cute way to present it to the new mommy.

Blue Diamond Baby Quilt

I am beyond excited to have met this newest addition to the family and am looking forward to seeing him grow up. Welcome to the world Baby M!