long lost baby quilt

I think this is a first, I was looking back through my pictures on Flickr, and I found I quilt I hadn't shared here on the blog!  No, it wasn't a super secret project or anything fun like that, according to the date stamp on the pictures I finished this quilt and photographed it a mere 3 days before giving birth to Nora!  Apparently this quilt got lost in the early newborn hazy days, but it certainly isn't because this quilt is tucked away not being used, its a favorite in our house and can often be found spread out in the middle of the living room floor covered in rattles, stuffed animals and toys that talk and sing.  And when Nora isn't using it to roll around on, the dogs find it a nice place to take a nap :-)

This quilt came to be when at the 11th hour I realized that of all the quilts I made for Nora, I didn't have one that actually matched the nursery!  So of course that situation needed remedied.  I dug through my stash and pulled out my favorite yellow and grey fabrics, and threw in a few pops of hot pink just for some added color.  I used a precious charm square I'd been hoarding of  the yellow puppy dogs print by Heather Ross and also a charm square of Heather Ross Mendocino mermaids.  I love this quilt anyways, but those two little additions made it pretty much perfect in my book.



I remember my husband looking at me a little crazily when I told him Nora needed one more quilt, he thought 3 quilts was plenty.  I disagreed and told him there was no such thing as too many quilts, and I have to say I was right!  In addition to the plethora of quilts we have strewn about the house, Nora has 4 that are her very own, and they are all in regular rotation, getting ample amounts of baby love.



I used my ultimate favorite quilt back, the numbers Ikea print (which I heard is being discontinued...whaaaaat??).  So I'm trying  to find time to squeeze in an Ikea trip soon to buy yards and yards and yards of this print to have on hand for many baby quilts to come.



These pictures have me crazy excited for spring and the good weather that is to come!  The past few days have been beautiful and we've gotten outside for a few walks around the neighborhood, Nora squints at the sun like she doesn't know what it is (and in her defense, she really hasn't seen much of it!)  Can't wait for warm summer days and dragging those quilts outside for play time, come on sunshine!

And just because its been a while since I've shared a Nora pic, I'll leave you with this one:



Check out those baby blues, this girl was made to wear aqua!

quilting guy style

I'm in the midst of tackling something that in my 4 years of quilting I've never attempted...no its not some super complicated technique or pattern...its quilting for a man.  In looking back, I feel like a bad wife or something, I've made a quilt for just about every female family member (and many friends) I can think of, yet never thought to make the hubby is own personal man quilt!  Rest assured I'm not breaking trend now, the "man quilt" I'm working on now is for my brother, hopefully the hubs won't be jealous.  

So in conversation one day, my brother happened to mention getting a new duvet cover for his bed.  After getting over the shock that my brother A. knew what a duvet even was and B. had not one, but now a second cover for it, I tuned back into the conversation of him commenting that it was very warm, and while nice in the winter, he was thinking he'd need something more lightweight for the summer months.

I am still slightly astounded that these thoughts even run through his head, because somewhere in my mind he will always be my little brother doing little brother things  like being annoying and immature, yet I am brought back to the present and reminded that he is now a 29 year old grown man with a good job, living on his own, and thinking about things like duvet covers.

Anyways, when he mentioned needing a lighter weight comforter option for summer, I immediately offered my quilting services and said I'd happily make a quilt for him.  Which I am more than happy to do, of course.  Usually after a day or two of racking my brain for quilt ideas, I quickly settle on a design and fabric selections...only this time I couldn't.  I knew my brother would likely spare my feelings and say he liked whatever I made, but I wanted something that he would be happy to display on his bed day after day, and not just feel obligated to use it because I made it for him.



I knew I wanted a simple, clean design and "manly" fabrics. That weren't hunter green and deep red that belonged in a hunting lodge.  Easier said than done.  I scoured all my favorite blogs and of course Pinterest too and just couldn't decide.  I happened upon Kati's Modern Meadow quilt she made for her bed way back when, and my mind started churning.  I checked out the tutorial she used by Oh Fransson!  And liked where it was headed.  I wanted something with more symmetry than the original, and started to play with the design in EQ7 until I was happy with what I saw.  



I really like the nice clean feel it has with lots of negative space and a very "non complicated" piecing style.  I had been racking my brain for fabric selections, and kept coming up with nothing.  I happened to stop in a new LQS on my way home from work one day, and stumbled upon Simply Style and Simply Color by V and Co. which had lots of navy, grey and deep lime prints, and thought "hey, this could work!" I started digging further and found the entire line of Pearl Bracelets and picked out the Navy, Verbena and Mustard-y yellow colors, and finished off my fabric pull with a random green comma print, and this quilt top was born!  I knew I wanted the grey Timeless Treasures sketch print as the main background fabric, which they didn't carry, so I ordered a whole bunch and got to cutting and piecing!  I have to say this was probably the easiest quilt top I've ever pieced, and the largest also, measuring 90" x 102"!



I tried out a new (to me) basting method, which I'm crossing all my crossables that it works out and I don't regret it when it comes time for quilting!  I'm hoping to get this big guy quilted soon, as the weather is finally getting nicer, and I want my brother to be able to use it!  I'll report back on how the basting method works out when the quilt is completed!