Baby Quilts

It's the weekend and guess what I'm doing... quilting!  The baby quilt that I've been awaiting with bated breath is back from the quilter.  I finished the binding this morning and couldn't wait to post pictures.  Speaking of binding... what a pain! I machine bound this one, and I might try hand binding next time. I found it hard to keep my stitch line in the seam from the front side and the stitch on the binding and not on the quilt top. I might try hand binding next time. Any suggestions?

   Anyway... here's the finished product.  As you can tell, I'm not about traditional baby color themes (ie. baby blue and pale pink)

I had the quilting done by Susan Culley with Creekside Quilting here in Fairbanks. I love the dimension it adds to the quilt.  

This was made from the Shoeboxes pattern from a book called "Time Out Quilts" by Atkinson Designs.

Considering it was my first quilt I am quite happy with it.

I have another quilt top that is ready to be quilted and I am considering doing on my own. I bought the attachments for free-motion quilting and a walking foot for straight line quilting, but the possibility of royally screwing it up makes me nervous. I'm going to practice before attempting to do it on my own, but in the meantime here is a picture of the quilt top.

The strip of Zebra print fabric at the top is what I'm planning on binding it with. I can't wait to finish it up. We'll see if I get brave and quilt it on my own or take it to Susan.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to click the "Follow" link to the right --> and keep in touch!

-Until next time-

First post... No pressure....

So, as you can tell I have decided to start a blog based on my newly acquired skill: sewing. Calling it a skill might be pushing it, but let's just go with it for now.  Also, let me warn you I am new to blogging, new to sewing, and not an expert in photography so this might be interesting. I have started myself a little fund to buy a quality camera, so hopefully the quality of the photos I am taking will improve. All that aside I hope you enjoy what I have to share, or maybe even are able to draw some inspiration.
   

(Here is a fine example of my lacking photography skills- Morgan's Zebra and Lime Diaper bag)

The first project I have decided to share is not something I've designed, but this pattern by Studio Kat Designs.  All my pregnant friends have given me so much to create!  I made this bag as a diaper bag for my friend Morgan. We went to Joann's together and picked out the fabric. She is having a little boy, and I am very happy with how it turned out.

When I started this bag I was so anxious that I would mess something up and the end result would be disastrous. Slowly but surely that sense of impending doom at the start of every project is waning, but man, I was sure that I would hand her a wad of fabric and thread and have to tell her that I wasted money and time and she wasn't getting a babyshower gift. As things came together I got more and more excited about the bag. Granted, I did have to take the stitch ripper to it a few times but I also learned from those silly mistakes. I was also nervous that the size would be a little small for a diaper bag, but because of the bousy effect of the bag there should be plenty of room for little baby Joel's goodies.

Her baby shower was this weekend and I was so proud to be able to give her something that looked great and that was customized to her taste!  Best wishes to her and her beautiful little family.

As for my next project... I am waiting for my VERY FIRST QUILT (yay me!) to get done at the longarm quilter's.  It is a quilt for yet another pregnant friend who is having a little girl. I had so much fun with this one, but until it is back I won't have any pictures for you. Oh, but that's not all I have going... just today I started another quilt for.... you guessed it, another pregnant friend. (Can we say baby boom?)  She is having a baby sometime in July but hasn't found out the sex. That makes it a little harder to choose fabrics, but not much. Here is the color palette I decided to use:

I can't wait for the end result! I thing this is gender neutral, don't you?
That's all from me tonight! Until next time!