Baby Quilt

A very dear friend had a baby in August and I made him a wee quilt in September/October/November 2015. As ever, choosing the fabrics was the most time consuming part.

I used this pattern from the Moda Bake Shop.  In hind sight, I could have saved on fabric by reading the pattern through to the end before cutting, as the pattern uses charms but I was cutting from yardage.

I quilted it using straight lines along the zig zags.  

I used a spool of thread from a box of old bobbins my Mum gave me last year (therefore, irreplaceable) and ended up dangerously close to the end of the spool.

I used different colour threads on each stripe which made the back look great and really blended in nicely on the front.  I have never done this before but will certainly be trying it again.

 Welcome to the world little guy!

Linking up with TGIFF

Dark Star Quilt - DONE!

Another baby boy, another chance to make a fun baby quilt!  The brilliant news that our friends' baby had arrived came about three weeks ago so I set about making him a quilt.

My copy of the latest Quilt Now magazine arrived on the very day I sat down to make it, with no idea of pattern or inspiration, and the very first quilt was the Dark Star.  I loved it and knew it was the one.

I set about pulling out suitable blues.  Blue is well represented in my stash, having made the Ginger Jar Quilt 18 months ago.  I also have quite a lot from my very first quilt, which was a baby quilt for another wee boy and for which I bought these birds.

I cut out all the squares and laid everything out on the floor...

....before chain piecing everything together.  I added pins to remind me which square was the top square, having let everything spin and getting myself rather muddled when making Sister's Choice.

Finally, everything was all sewn together and I laid it out on the floor, ready to share my success with the Instagramming public with the caption "Done! Dark Star tick!".

Would you believe it was only at that point I noticed the glaring error in the second row - I'd omitted two HSTs.  They were of course sitting on my desk and I looked at them thinking how silly I'd been managing to make two extra!

At that point I stepped away from the sewing, and watched the Great British Sewing Bee on the sofa in a huff.

I sorted it out the next evening.  Sometimes you need to walk away.

 Problem solved, it was onwards and upwards to the basting....

And quilting!

And here it is - DONE!  All ready to be sent off to our friends and their new wee guy.

Linking up with Lynne at Lily's Quilts for Fresh Sewing Day - what did you make in February?

Ugly Bug Ball - DONE!

I've finished the Ugly Bug Ball quilt, just in time to gift to my friends this weekend.

The quilting is a square spiral over each of the blocks which I did with the walking foot and a lot of patience.

Can't wait to meet the little one and hand this critter over.

Linking up with TGIFF

Ugly Bug Ball - WIP

I've been making progress on the Ugly Bug Ball.  The quilting is done..

and I've moved on to the binding.

This binding looks like sweeties!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday

And Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday

Ugly Bug Ball

Months back I found a little bit of Hungry Caterpillar fabric in the John Lewis off cuts bin.  I don't think I've ever mentioned that bin before and now that's two posts in a row.  Anyway, I digress....

I found a bright fat quarter bundle in Hobbycraft, along with another Hungry Caterpillar print.

I've been saving them all to make a baby quilt and my dear pals have just created a new wee human.

I spent the weekend piecing the top

basting and starting on the quilting.

I don't want to jinx myself but I think I might be on a bit of a roll!  Bet now I have said that, the baby will be at university before I finish this....

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday and Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday.