l-o-v-e | a quilt for Baby Figuereo

Emily and Steve are our dear friends and when they told us Emily was expecting I knew I had to make a really special quilt. I wasn't sure what I wanted to make for a while but one day when I was texting with Emily and I realized what the perfect quilt would be - the kinfolk baby love quilt by Wren Collective. I had bought the pattern a year or two ago because I loved it but hadn't made it yet. I knew Emily likes neutrals and after pulling lots of creams and tans from my stash I decided to add some green because she's a nature girl and I knew green would give the quilt an outdoorsy feel. I fussy cut a cute mouse family to include and did some stellar pattern matching on a little frog swimming hole party which I'm extremely proud of. I lined it up perfectly on the first try which has never happened before and will likely never happen again! I had so much fun choosing fabric combinations for this quilt and it came together really quickly which was a nice bonus. I finished it off with some smiling moons, jumping frogs, and a simple plaid on the back, and the binding is a scrappy mix of fabrics from the front. If I know Emily then Miles is probably already spending lots of time outside, lying on his back staring up at the clouds so he can wonder and dream, and I hope he's lying on this quilt. 

P.S. Here's the quilt I made for Emily and Steve when they were first married. 

little library | a quilt for Linnea

I’ve wanted to make a quilt using @katebasti’s tall tales quilt block for years and recently I had the perfect opportunity because I learned our favorite local librarian was pregnant with a baby girl. I had so much fun selecting fabrics to feature on the covers of the books, and while I made quite a few mistakes while piecing that I had to rip out and do again (for so many reasons - my paper piecing skills were rusty, I was interrupted because the kids were fighting, I was too absorbed watching @sexeducation on Netflix, I was sewing too late at night to see properly, etc.), this was still a really enjoyable quilt to make. But it will be the only time I make this quilt. I think. I don’t do well with really skinny pieces. I’m really happy with how it turned out, even the back, which I misjudged on one side and ended up having to cover a big piece of selvage that clashed with the rest of the back with a cute star print that matched the binding (photo). I hope Linnea dreams sweet dreams under this quilt, makes forts with it, has picnics on it, and that it keeps her warm and cozy for years to come  Also, big thanks to my friend Steph for taking these photos when I volunteered at her middle school library one day this past school year!

Rey and BB-8 | a quilt for Raelyn

Making this quilt was a little out of the norm for me but recently a little girl in our circle was diagnosed with cancer so things don’t feel normal. I did what I always do - I made her a quilt, but then I made another identical quilt to raffle for donations to the gofundme that’s been set up to help pay for her two year treatment program. It’s not much, but when I cut and press and sew the fabric I pray. This raffle is one small way to extend that a bit, to help relieve the financial burden on her parents. The quilts both measure about 42” by 52” and they're backed with a super soft cuddle fabric, perfect for a little one or as a lap quilt on the couch. The pattern is by Sam at Hunter's Design Studio, and the mistakes in the quilts (there are a couple, don't look to closely!) are entirely my fault, not hers. The raffle quilt has a gray back and simple straight line quilting, and Rae's quilt has a hot pink back with custom quilting to highlight Rae's clothing and BB-8's shape as well as a swirly star background. Together we raised $1500 for Rae and I couldn't be more thrilled. I never imagined how much support Rey and BB-8 would find in my little online community. It's been truly heartwarming, especially in the midst of so much global tragedy, to hear from people from so many different circles in my life who all want to help ease the burden on Rae's family right now. Thank you so much for helping to make this donation possible. And finally, congratulations to an old friend, Cecelia Murgo who won the raffle quilt and is gifting it to her brand new great-nephew whose dad  loves Star Wars! 🧡 

sea and sky | a quilt for Silas

When an old college friend of mine commissioned me to make a quilt for her son when he graduated from a toddler to a twin bed I was simultaneously excited and nervous. I loved her ideas for the quilt but I'm always nervous about executing a project for someone else. Kristin sent me photos of the wall decor and rug in the room and sent screenshots from my blog and pinterest boards to show me the style of quilt she had in mind. We texted back and forth a lot as a I chose fabric and worked on the layout. We ended up deciding on a two sided quilt because we liked too many fabrics to rule any out! Both sides are pretty simple. My favorite side of the rectangle strips. I loved using special fabrics to feature little details like the candles, whales, and smiley suns. 

The reverse side (which Kristin prefers) is supposed to look vaguely like a mountain with the sky overhead and sea below. I created an ombre look with the blues to give it a deep ocean vibe and used a white constellation print for the sky. I quilted it with lots of random straight lines to keep the quilt soft and finished it off with scrappy binding using fabric I trimmed from the top. I brought it to the Jamestown Library for a little photo shoot the day before Kristin picked it up. My friend Ari and her daughter Sage were the perfect quilt holders - I love Sage's little gloved hand peeking out from the side of the quilt! 

 

tiny tiles V | a quilt for Luca

When friends from the gym I go to announced their pregnancy I didn't initially think of making a quilt for the baby because we're not that close and I thought it might be weird of me. Then I remembered that every baby needs a quilt and started sewing! I also remembered how much I valued everything people did for me when I had my babies, especially other moms. So I made the quilt and after Liz, Dante, and Luca were home recovering I texted her to ask what I could pick up at Seven Stars for them. Then I made a special delivery of lactation energy bites, cranberry nut loaf, and some pastries plus a quilt! Purl Soho's tiny tiles quilt pattern has never let me down!