I also made a couple of cute swaddling blankets using this as a guide.
Finally, I'm sewing the binding on a wall-hanging quilt to welcome home a very sweet baby boy adopted from the Congo. This one was a long-time coming and, like many projects had it share of grumbling (mostly, "what was I thinking" and "oh no, it's not working!!) and payoffs (as in, "this actually looks like a quilt!"). You know how that goes, right? 
My biggest realization from making these last projects is how much I love the soft, reassuring feeling of a hand-made blanket spreading out around me. Or wrapping one around one of my sweet children. This is a heritage passed down from my great-grandmother. As a child, we had almost no "store bought" blankets in our home or on our beds. My great-grandma would hand cut and hand piece quilts all winter long, tie or hand quilt them, and give them to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Their beauty was not in their preciseness or perfect color coordination, but in their quirkiness, and their slight imperfections. I loved them more and felt more at home wrapped in their soft honesty.
Making this most recent quilt for a friend revealed my many flaws as a quilt-maker. It's far from square and precise and I thought that was a downfall, but it certainly makes the quilt unique. It is no less filled with love, for sure!
More on this idea soon, but in the mean time, here is a lovely flickr group with quilts in the spirit of a quilt artist named Denyse Schmidt who makes me smile and gives me hope I might be able to create art with fabric and bring a smile to someone else.
4 comments:
You always inspire me with what you're up to! Its so funny that your posting about getting into quilting, cause that's what I've been doing lately... small world, no?
Andrea-so true. i often feel like we're on parallel tracks! thanks for your encouragement, as always!
The baby blanket is BEAUTIFUL. Truly amazing...we are blessed people. I can't wait to wrap it around Campbell and tell her how much love and prayer for her went into it. And the quilt is great! You did an amazing job, and though there was grumbling, know that it will be something that the Brileys will treasure for years to come. :) Can't wait to see you again! peace.
I am so impressed with your efforts, Christin! That baby blanket is incredibly beautiful. I love quilts, too! I am completely intimidated by quilting. Good for you, for diving in and learning how! Maybe someday you can teach me! For now my sewing machine isn't even in one piece - I took some parts out to get rid of a big knot and now can't get it back together....sad!
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