Another finish!

I have been working on 4 baby quilts in order to have a stash ready for the 3 babies that are due in the next couple of months.

At the beginning of the week we received the news that New Zealand friends Anna and Tony became grandparents on 14th August when Libby Rose made her way into the world.  Always lovely news to receive!

Initially we didn't know whether the baby was going to be a boy or girl but one of the 4 quilts I was making was very pink and girly and I had earmarked it for this NZ baby should she be a girl.  I had already quilted it up to the space I had left at the top for the appliqued name.  So this week I have added both names - Libby Rose - and also another border of the candy striped border fabric.  I realised once the letters were in place that it needed another border to look balanced.  Fortunately I had plenty of fabric left and more than enough batting and backing at the top for another border to be added. Phew!!!

The quilt is loosely based on a quilt called "Flowery Applique Quilt", a Lynne Edwards' design from her book called 'Making Scrap Quilts to Use it Up!".  However I have substituted my favourite Sun Bonnet Sues for the flower clusters and also put a simplified flower in some of the appliqued blocks, alternating with Nine Patch blocks.

I think this quilt will be well received by baby's Mum and Dad as it's a very traditional design and Shelley and Anthony appear to be a traditional couple.  We had an emailed photo of the baby all dressed in knitted garments made by Nana Anna. Gorgeous!

Now it is bound and finished and I have embroidered the label for the back of the quilt.
On Monday I will take it to the Post Office and send it on its way to NZ.  I could have posted it today but didn't fancy the idea of it being held in some Sorting Office waiting for Monday. I am always nervous until I know my quilts have arrived safely.

In view of the candy striped border fabrics I have called this quilt "Sugar Candy", just right for a sweet little baby girl.

 

And a couple of close-ups:

 

 

Everything used in this quilt came from stash including the pretty backing fabric which has been in my backings drawer for years. Every time I have tried to use it the fabric just didn't seem quite right but this time it was.  :

 

I love the cute little red cat faces dotted around the fabric:

And I have a small piece left to include in patches in future girly baby quilts.
Happy sewing!

 

 

In the pipeline

I have had a busy week sewing - really enjoyable and productive.

I know of three babies due: one in August, one in September and one in October. None of the mums-to-be want to find out whether the baby will be a boy or girl so I am hedging my bets by building up a stash of baby quilts!  I have two "Boy" quilts already stashed away so I am in the process of making three "Girl" quilts and another "Boy" one if I have time.

I was recently given a copy of the Lynne Edward's Book "Scrap quilts to use it up" and a pattern in there prompted me to make this baby girl quilt.

I have given the top a deep top border as I will applique the name of the baby on there, like I did with my last finished quilt for Harry.

I also have two more quilts in the process of being made. One is ready to sandwich and the other has 34 out of 48 Wonky Wishes stars made.

On Thursday a few of my Patchwork Group delivered the 2 Group quilts to our friend Win who is now in a nursing home.  She was so delighted, she was absolutely speechless and almost in tears! 

Here's a close up of part of the appliqued quilt we made for Win's daughter who is also in an nursing home.

 

Everyone in the group made at least two of the blocks, each one is different. It is such a colourful quilt and we know it will brighten up Eileen's room.  Both quilts were hand quilted, each of us doing some of the quilting.

 

So lovely to know quilts you have made are appreciated. This morning I had a free pedicure from Jo (I made Harry's quilt for her to gift to her friend's baby) as an extra Thank you.  Jo really was delighted with the quilt so it was smiles all round.

Poppies for Remembrance

Yesterday was a very important day in our country's calendar. 
6th June 2014 was the 70th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings, also known as D-Day, when the Allied invasion of Normandy during WWII began.  This eventually lead to the end of the war and meant that my generation was able to grow up in a peaceful Britain.  We owe everything we hold dear to those gallant men who fought and, in many cases, died that we could be free.

 

My newly planted pot by our front porch was appropriately flowering yesterday, in time for those celebrations.

 

On the sewing front there has been a little hand blanket stitching taking place during our few days away in Kent.  Whilst we were resting before dinner I managed to do a few more stitches and completed almost three of the seventeen Sunbonnet Sue blocks I need for the baby quilt I am currently making.

 

Here they are:

 

I love hand sewing so this is not a chore, although I do need to get a move on with these blocks now and start to put the top together.  I will be hand quilting it too so lots to do and the baby this is intended for is due this month. No pressure there then!

I have been continuing to admire Alison's QAYG quilts for her Soy Amado Project.
Each one is completely different and she has now finished 35 quilts!  Alison turns these quilts out so rapidly it just amazes me.  If you haven't seen her quilts, do take a look at her blog: littleislandquilting.blogspot.co.uk

I have 5 blocks ready to send and one more I want to complete before I post them to Alison.

Off to do more blanket stitching!