Quilt for Sofia

I made this quilt top a good long while back.



Read more after the jump!

Remake

I made this quilt for Isabel in 2004 just before she was born. Today I can't believe I actually got it finished. A pin wheel design isn't something for a beginner.

It's not perfect but it filled its purpose and now it's too small for her. So I've been toying with the idea to make her a new one on the same design.

I have some French General fabric at home that I had intended to make a dress or skirt for the girls from. But I'm thinking a quilt would be just as lovely.

My Creative Space 2009 Aug 20th

I'm joining Kirsty's My Creative Space again this Thursday.



This week I'm trying to get into the spirit of quilting. I bought those gorgeous prints and I'm planning on making a quilt for our sofa.

Tonight I cut the first strips to make up the side panels.

I think the top will come together fairly quickly - I'm most worried about quilting the d--ned thing.

But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. For now I have to find the time to piece the top.

Blessings Quilt

Our new cousin is due to arrive today, but so far we've heard nothing. BigBrotherCousin was 10 days late so it may be that it will be a while.

In the meantime I've started on a quilt for BabyCousin. It's made from Little Blessings by Nancy Davis-Murty in green, yellow and purple.
I love the little blessings on the green and purple fabrics... "May you grow up to enjoy the little things"

Initially I had intended to make a burpcloth as well, but I'm not sure I'll have enough fabric once the scrappy binding is done.
Maybe there is enough to make accents and I'll fill it up with other fabric scraps. I'm sure I have others that will match in colour tone.

The quilt is basted and I have the thread picked out. Now I just have to decide on how to quilt it.

Quilt top done and basted

My friends ask me how I find the time to craft as much as I do, which btw isn't as much as some craft bloggers out there.
I work full time and I have two kids, but I also have a husband who share my life and he does as much at home as I do, or maybe more - not counting laundry.



I have basted Isabel's quilt. This is the back view. I think it turned out quite nice. I wasn't gonna add the white stripe but when the scrappy stripe was added it looked too busy without the divider.

I sewed the scrappy stripe onto one of the selvage edges and tehn the white stripe to the scrappy stripe. I then folded it all down the middle and sewed the other selvage edge to the white stripe creating a tube.
After that it's quite easy to just shift the tube around and get the stripe slightly off center if you want.
Place a new crease where you want to cut the tube open and iron it down. Then place as long a ruler as you can find and cut very close to the folded edge.



Now I have to decide on how to quilt the thing. It's quite huge and I'm not sure I can manouver it very well.
I would like to do some kind of wavy lines across, but I don't think it will be good.

If I had infinite amounts of time I would hand quilt it around the flowers on the back. That would be lovely.
As it is I think I'll do some kind of diamond pattern in the blocks.

I got the same green swirly fabric as I used for Sofia's quilt, but I don't think I'll have enough, so I'm thinking I'll make a scrappy binding with the green swirls and the purple flower fabric I have left over.
I had planned on using the purple fabric for something else, so I think I'll measure the green and see if I can't make it fit.

Trouble and plans

On Monday I started work again after 5 weeks of summer vacations.

Near my office is my local pusher quilt shop and i popped in during my lunch break to buy backing for Isabel's quilt.

They have batting there as well and I bought two packs of Heirloom cotton batting.

Now that I added the white sashing to the outer edges of the quilt top the batting is too small. I'm not really sure what to do.
I could rip out the edging on the sides or I could make it narrower because it's only about 1" that's the problem.

Quilt top done?

Isabel's quilt top is finished. Or is it? I'm thinking I need to put some of the white sashing as borders around it to make the binding really pop?

The blocks were so much fun to make and when I looked at some other projects with the Disappearing 9-patch pattern I discovered lots of other ways to cut and re-sew the blocks.

I bought backing and binding and I had to get two packets of batting to make it fit the width and length of the top.
I will also have to cut and add a length of patches to the backing since it will be too narrow if I add the white sashing around the outer edges of the top.

When I cut the 5" squares for the top I accidentally cut too much a few time and had to make a pile of 4" and 4.5" squares. I'll sew these into a long line and add them to the backing.

I'm not sure on how to quilt it though. I love the meandering style, but I dont' ahve the right sewing machine for that. There is no darning foot to attach to my machine. So I'll have to make straight lines or the occasional wavy line might work.

I have a prior engagement for tonight so I can't get started on it today, it's knit night and the second to last episode of "The State Within" that I have been following.