This year I set a goal to finish FOUR crib quilts.
I'd made quilts for a granddaughter and a grandson, but then arthritis made it difficult to quilt (I'm a hand-quilter) so the next grandson didn't get one. I felt bad that his brother had one and he didn't, but...
And then we had a great-grandson. And the news that we are expecting another grandson and a granddaughter before the end of the year. Suddenly I was four quilts behind. And if I had any hope of catching up, I needed to get busy. I vowed that I would learn how to machine quilt since my hands won't cooperate with me anymore.
Our great-great-grandmothers used fabric scraps to make their quilts, stretching the life of garments that were outgrown or had worn-out spots. I found the perfect fabrics for this themed quilt by visiting fabric stores while I was visiting out-of-state relatives, but I've added the leftover bits of fabric to my stash for future projects.
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The first of the four crib quilts, "Starry Night," is finished and in our grandson's possession. I did hand-quilt that one, and it took two months to finish it. It certainly isn't done as nicely as the ones I've done in the past, but it's acceptable. After all, it's the love it's made with that counts, right? And I pray while I stitch, so the time is well-spent in my opinion.
This week I finished the second of the four quilts. And it isn't awful. My machine quilting certainly isn't perfect, but one quilting blogger says she uses the "galloping horse" rule: if you can't notice the flaws while galloping past on a horse, they don't need to be fixed. Another quilting blogger said to stand back and look at your quilt from at least three feet away, no closer. Using both of those rules, I think I did a pretty good job after all. There are mistakes, but I'm not going to point them out.
I love this fabric! Doesn't it remind you of the ocean?
The pattern is the same as others I've made, although the squares are in a different sequence. I quilted it with simple straight lines using my machine's walking foot, about 1/4" from the seams, and then sewed curvy lines in the border to suggest rippling waves. There's a little hand-quilted heart in the corner, as always.
The binding is made with three different fabrics and I love, love, love it. I don't think it would look great on every quilt, but it's perfect on this one. It was done from necessity, the same way our ancestors made quilts.
The rest of the quilts:
(no post; click to ![]() | "In the Jungle" | "Starry Night" ![]() |
"Tide Pool" ![]() | "Foggy Morning" ![]() | "Cherry Blossom"![]() |
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Your quilts are beautiful. I hope your "grands" save them for their children. I used to hand quilt. But no more. Now I machine sew 'em. I miss the soothing rhythm (sp) of hand quilting. Happy sewing, Sandy
ReplyDeleteThank you, Saundra. Did you change to machine quilting because of hand issues or time? I miss that rhythm too, and the quiet time it gave me, but my life is different now and we all have to adapt, right?
DeleteAbsolutely beautiful! I believe this one is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cindy. I'm so thankful for the woman at the quilt store who suggested the "rock" fabrics, they're perfect in this quilt.
DeleteLove your quilts. My hands too are not the same as they once were. I have always wanted to learn to quilt. Your quilt give me the inspiration to try! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh Deborah, I do hope you'll give it a try! Don't let the stiffness in your hands hold you back! Choose an easy pattern and have a good time with it. You can do it.
DeleteThese are BEAUTIFUL! I LOVE the Starry Night and Tide Pool especially. You are an inspiration Kathy!!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI adore this quilt.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteLooks good! Glad you got brave enough to try machine quilting :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Danielle. :-)
DeleteCongratulations on figuring out a way to get back to your quilting! Looks great! Nancy
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nancy. It's different, but it's still quilting. :-)
DeleteYour crib quilts are stunning and you do such beautiful work. A person of many talents.
ReplyDeleteI envy those that do quilting.
Thank you, Colleen. I envy those who can paint and draw and sing. :-)
DeleteIt's a beautiful quilt!! I'm a hand quilter too, although I haven't done any hand quilting in a few years now. I had to get used to machine quilting and even now it's not something I'm comfortable with. You did a great job on the quilting.
ReplyDeleteThis quilt is going to be well loved.
It IS a different skill, isn't it? Even though the end result is similar, it's a completely different process. I hope I can be more comfortable with it in time. I'm glad you've tried it too, and hope that you grow to enjoy it.
DeleteOh Kathi, your quilts are so beautiful, and made with such love! I love that you pray while you stitch, that makes them extra special too. All the quilts are gorgeous - I do love the Tide Pool one as I'm so partial to blue. Sharing this post on the Hearth and Soul Facebook page. Thank you so much for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Community. I really appreciate your support! Have a lovely week ahead.
ReplyDeleteAwww, thank you, April! And thank you for sharing the post too.
DeleteThe quilting looks great, and I LOVE the colors. It really does capture the look of a tidepool
ReplyDeleteThank you, Michelle.
DeleteThis is absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing it with us at the Homestead Blog Hop!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ann!
Delete