The Big Reveal

I have a friend who was pregnant and they didn't find out gender.  I wanted to make the baby a quilt, but turns out I don't do gender neutral.  So I made two quilts; one for each possibility.  And it was really fun.
The baby was a boy and this is what we gave him; we call it the monster quilt.  The lighting's a bit weird, it's not really that wrinkled.

my take on Kellie's monsters

 

 The quilt is a bunch of circles that I appliqued and did a blanket stitch around.  I used high loft batting so that it has a really good poof.
There are three different monsters in the mix.
Blue with googly eyes,

 cute little green guy,

 and my favorite, the cyclops.  I think he just looks silly.

 But what if they had a girl?  Here's what she would have gotten.  The safety pins are just holding it until someone has a girl and it becomes completely finished; you'll see in a second.

 I used a fancy ribbon ruffle on the edging.  As a former ribbonaholic, I thought it was a nice touch.
This blanket used more scraps from Lily's blanket, especially one that the Mom in question had pointed out as liking.  And, my first ever fussy cutting.  (meaning cutting to get a specific part of the fabric and not just space efficiently)  I cut out little houses, one for each side in blue and pink.

 Eventually, this quilt will go to a baby girl.  The middle is blank until she has an actual name.  The general idea is below, but seeing as I did that on my computer and not in fabric it's only the general idea, for visual people.  In reality the letters will take up more of the center block and likely be made from the same fabric as the little squares for continuity.  It will looks lots better. 

Now all I need is a little girl to give it to.

(and Mom of B2, we are totally planning on making a quilt for him.  We were thinking monsters or the equivalent of robots in squares.  Or something traditional, we're letting you dictate.  Think of it as a commission.  But don't worry, if we don't hear from you we'll just use his room's paint color as inspiration and go from there.)

Vanity Quilting

I've decided that I'm calling this method my vanity quilting.  Seriously, each and every stitch is highly visible.  I've done more since taking the pictures and the quilting, while being incredibly noticeable, I think draws more attention to the quilt than the quilting.  I'm also really liking the dimension it gives the quilt.  I am a big fan of poofiness, but for a general use quilt I use low loft.  The little channels really look good.  I'm liking the quilt right now.

Owen's Planet Quilt

 It's basted and ready to go.  I even managed to quilt around a square and a half-ish.  I'm not quilting along seams this time.  I'm stitching about 1/2 inch or so in.  The yellow rectangle isn't finished, but that planet square is.  Of course you can only see it across the planet.  I made a baby blanket this way and really liked the end result.  I quilted that with coordinating thread, this quilt I'm quilting in all black thread.  I'm hoping it will turn out nice. 

Coming Along

The fabrics aren't my usual, but I'm liking it as a whole.  The fabric is a little less jarring when they are together.  There's another half still to be assembled, but this gives the idea.  Owen loves it.  It's gonna be a hit.
Not sure whether to use my stars fabric (just like the planet fabric but without the planets) as sashing around the whole thing or not.  We'll see what I think and if I want a couple more inches for sizing.  I may just use the stars for binding.  Owen's backing is going to be blue and Luke's will be green; so we can all tell them apart readily.

Really, Every Time

Every quilt has a point where I really don't particularly like it.  Even Secret Quilt #1, which is a favorite.  Right now I am so there with Owen's quilt.  I'm about half way done with Step Three and I'm not feeling it.  I'm hoping that this is just my standard antiquilt phase and I'll like it better soon, but I really think it's the fabric.  Owen loves it and that's really the important part.  It's just not my color scheme.  I'm having another sewing day today while Gma plays with the kiddos, we'll see if I end up with pics and you can see what I mean.  Start thinking up reassuring comments in the meantime.


update: No worries.  I laid it out to determine block placement and discovered that I do like it.  It really happens every time.  I should just go with it by now.  I am afraid though, that one of these days I'll make a quilt that I end up hating.

Coming Soon

Grandma Cindy is with us for awhile and she's key in my goal.  I want to have Owen's quilt ready for him this winter.  I hand quilt, which takes some time, so I need to get his quilt top ready.  My goal is to have his quilt top finished before Gma leaves us for California.  I got a little done on it already while Luke napped and Gma played with the others.  I got step one blue and green done.  The quilt pattern is pretty simple, but it's a multi step process.  See?

Step Four isn't really a step, it's pretty much just the result of Step Three, but about seventy or so Step Fours sewn together make the quilt top.
My square in step one is the planet fabric that matches the drapes I made in the boys' room.  The rectangles and small square (step two's square) are solids in colors from the planet print. 
The little I've done is looking good.  I don't think I've ever sewn anything with so much dark fabric, but it's for a boy and I it totally goes with the planet scheme of the room.  (The planet scheme being the glow in the dark planets hanging from the ceiling.  The pic's old, but the planets are still there.  Luke has since moved in and they have a new big dresser.)

As I know a certain youngest is concerned for my youngest, don't worry, Luke's quilt has not been forgotten, it's just lower priority as he is over a year away from sleeping on the bunk bed.  He will have his own planet quilt, it's fabric is even already mostly cut.
So here's hoping I have a quilt top to show you soon.