Not that I wouldn't put in any amount of work for my darling granddaughter. It's just that when there already is a quilt in the works, and two babies coming, you have to get clever.
So, while I wish I could take credit for piecing a great top, I will just admit that I went ahead and bought this panel (I actually got two, so maybe Finnabee will score one as well when I find out the sex).
You saw a little peek of it in Rosie's “Virtual Shower” post, and I think you would like to know more, right?
I'm here with Deirdre, waiting for Finnabee, as you know. I have been thinking about all the things we talked about at the Crazy Meet-Up, and all the things that have been mentioned in the comments, and in general, so many things to continue to go over with you!
Meanwhile, Bridget sent me the photos from home so that you could see a little more of this quilt.
I had carefully refrained from showing you before, because as you can see, it's got PINK quilting, and then you would have known!
Now that Rosie has told you she's having a girl, I will go ahead and tell you. (I may actually have other photos of the process, but alas, they are not accessible by me at the moment.)
The panel is Riley Blake Designs Woodland Tails in green, because I bought them back when I didn't know anything about anything, pink- or blue-wise.
Best just to pounce when you see fabulous fabric. I think now some of this is discontinued, although you can get panels on Etsy and maybe elsewhere as well.
The way I made it is as follows. Since it has a cute orange edging, I didn't want to bind it.
That border would have been lost. I sewed the panel to the backing (with the quilt batting) like a big pillowcase. Right sides together, leaving an opening for turning.
Isn't the backing darling? I got it at Joann's. I thought that, along with the pink stitching, it would be girlish enough, and it just seems so very vintage and sweet that I had to get it. Fabric to me is like that. I just HAVE TO GET IT.
I topstitched the whole thing with orange thread. That catches the batting in there properly. (You do need to safety pin the batting onto one of the sides to keep it in place while you are sewing.)
It's small enough (crib size) so that you can smooth things out with your hands and use a few safety pins once it's sewn up to keep the layers from wrinkling. I wouldn't fret too much about basting and worrying with such a small quilt.
Quilting is a lot easier if you don't stress too much about everything being perfect.
I then used cotton pearl thread to quilt around the shapes. I talk about this way of quilting in various posts, but the main thing you need to know is that your needle needs a biggish eye (an embroidery needle), and yes, you do work a little to pop the knot through the top layer. Try to cut a long enough piece to get around each shape (or some good starting and stopping point, depending on how you are quilting), so that you don't have to do much “popping” in the midst of things.
Anna Maria Horner has a good tip about taking your pearl skein (if you are using that kind — some comes in balls) and cutting one end to provision yourself with pre-cut lengths.
I washed it all up so it would be clean and crinkly. I do love when a quilt is washed and gets a texture to it.
Besides wedding quilts, which we won't talk about right now, as I am quite behind, and the one like this (which is really fast, so no biggie) for Finnabee, I need to make Francis his big-boy quilt. Pippo has a zoo quilt which he only got recently, so hopefully Francis will be patient with his Habibti.
Sara says
Adorable quilt! We can't wait to meet Finnabee. Maybe while Deirdre is waiting, she can read this article on due dates: http://www.everythingbirthblog.com/2011/07/the-du…
Ngofamilyfarm says
That really is a darling quilt! Such a treasure. Wishing Deirdre a happy delivery when the time is right.
-Jaime
Kelsey says
What a darling quilt – I love it! I feel for Deirdre – my due date was the same as hers, and we're also still waiting. Throughout my whole pregnancy I thought this little one would come “late,” but I never expected to be so impatient when that happened! I have to keep reminding myself that no one stays pregnant forever. 🙂
ayearinskirts says
very nice! Just wanted to chime in with some “getting labor started” encouragement. My neighbor across the street had her father in town from Lebanon and he was set to leave in a week and a half. She was 39 weeks pregnant and really wanted her father to meet the baby. Anyways, she went walking. Like I-cannot-believe-how-far-you-walked-because-I-don't-walk-that-far-even-when-I'm-not-pregnant walking. Was she going 6 miles a day maybe? 10? Not sure. Anyways, I was very impressed. She did this for two days and then on the third day she rested and labor started the fourth day. Don't know if the walking did it or not. We all know babies come when they're ready. But she had a fast labor for a first baby and I wonder if it's all related. She also ate 3 dates a day in her final weeks and (as you probably know) that is a common Muslim practice that has begun getting scientific confirmation as being helpful http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21280989
g2-1e1ff72c52f978b6561073dccbb2420a says
How adorable! I love using panels for quick quilts – it really is possible to add your own touches.
On the “Try to cut a long enough piece to get around each shape” front, I have a trick from years of hand quilting…cut your thread REALLY long – like twice what you would normally cut. Do *not* knot the end. When you pull your first stitch through, leave about half the thread not pulled through. Quilt with what is on the needle, knot it off when you run out, then rethread the needle with the loose end of the thread (the part you didn't pull through) and quilt around the other direction. All you end up knotting are the two end points.
It works a treat if you are doing circles like this, or long lines/outlines.
Margo says
That is so pretty. I had no idea panels could be that cute. I love your perle quilting – it's all I'm doing right now!
Lisa says
Oh my! I would have treasured that quilt as a child. What a beauty!
Deirdre is blessed to have you there.
Woman of the House says
Oh, so adorable! The baby will be so blessed to have such a cute quilt from her grandma!
Dixie says
I love the quilt! Baby Turner will have so much fun looking at the animals and fingering the threads over time. Beautiful!
I wanted to share another quick-and-easy quilt idea that makes a lovely tummy-time mat for babies: http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2010/8/8/moll…
Of course, pick your own fabrics from your stash, not their beautiful but expensive store, or get them on sale at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby!
kimberlee says
What a sweet quilt! Thanks for showing how you made it. So encouraging! I recently made a quilt for my daughter's birthday and 'not stressing about everything being perfect' is definitely my m.o.
Prayers for Deirdre!
Liz says
My first baby was four days “late” (in August), so I can sympathize! With my second, my water started leaking a couple weeks early with no contractions after 24 hours, and I really wanted to avoid the hospital induction my midwife and OB would have wanted if I told them, so I got labor started (at 37.5 weeks) with a breast pump, following basically this template: http://www.givingbirthnaturally.com/natural-ways-…. I pumped on one side for 10 minutes or until I felt a contraction, then stopped for 10 minutes, then started again until another contraction, etc. I was having regular contractions within about 45 minutes of this, and had my daughter about 5 hours later – we almost didn't make it to the hospital in time for the midwife to catch her! (Compared to a 26 hour labor with my first, we didn't really believe how far along I was.) I listened to my daughter's heartbeat with my fetoscope to make sure that she seemed well throughout. Anyway, I thought I'd give my experience with encouraging the onset of labor at home – breast pumps work if the baby is ready!
Katherine says
Speaking of cute fabric: When Tasha Tudor's family came out with their “A is for Annabelle” quilt panels, I snatched it up, even though I have no babies and no grandchildren in the works. It's in my “someday stash.” I don't know if they still have it, but if anyone else is a Tasha art fan it's worth looking for on their online store.
MJROFL says
oh gosh! It's sold out online, but I have to find it!! thanks for the tip!
MJROFL says
I found it!! If anyone else is interested, they do have more of the A is for Annabella at this online store from Australia. http://www.quiltersstore.com.au/ They shipping of course is a bit more, but it's in Australia dollars, so we get 1.12 on the US dollar right now. Not too bad!
I wrote and asked; they have 20 more of the A-M and 25 of N-Z. Just in case anyone has multiple people in their lives who love this book, as I do! 🙂
Mamabearjd says
I did yard work trying to get number 4 to come, because I had been induced with the first three, and in hindsight I wish I had just rested. I've been wondering about Finnabee. Will be praying.
Spoonflower sometimes has cute panels and patterns too. With your artistic family, ya'll could start a LMLD Baby line. 🙂
Mrs. S says
What a fun and lovely quilt! Thank you for sharing it. I just picked up a quilt panel from etsy to work on this autumn, as we fill out papers for our second adoption.
Unfortunately I have nothing to offer about how to get labor started, but we are experts here at waiting. 😉 Best wishes to you all!
Lisa G. says
I'd thought for sure Finnabee had arrived since you all were so quiet – oh, well. That is such a pretty design!
Rosie says
Adorable! This totally makes me want to learn to quilt… Some day!
Tricia says
This is beautiful! I love the fabric!