L is for Lila

Hey there friend!

This post is brought to you by the letter - L

L is for Lila

This quilt was a work of love.

And lots and lots of hearts!

Here is the math:

220 rectangles + 220 squares + 440 smaller squares = 880 pieces 

And 880 pieces = 110 hearts

Whew!

I totally "heart" this quilt and tote set I made for sweet baby Lila. Well, I actually made it for my mom to give to Lila's mommy.  {Mom is still my best customer and I really "heart" her, too}

I don't know if I've ever had a quilt come out as close to the vision in my head as this one.

When I saw this quilt pattern I imagined hearts in pastel colors and delicate patterns. The white to set each one off was a must. Do you see how by sewing one row with the hearts facing up and the next with them facing down I got a chevron pattern in-between every other row? Pretty cool huh!?

I decided to carry over the chevron pattern with the fabric I chose for the backing. The binding, in a deeper purple with a little flower design, looks great on both the front and back of the quilt.

Adding a lining to the tote always makes it extra special and pretty.

I hope sweet Lila enjoys being snuggled in this quilt and feels the love coming out of all those hearts!

 Love ya,

A is for Annalisa

Hey there friend!

This post is brought to you by the letter - A

 

A is for Annalisa

 What a pretty name for a little girl!

 

 

 One day while browsing online for baby print fabrics,  

I found the cutest fabric panel with a butterfly & flowers in purple & green.

Love it!!

One day I would have to make a quilt from this.
It's absolutely perfect for a sweet baby girl's quilt.
And by using a panel of fabric it would be easy peasy. 


However, when I found it at the store I wasn't so in love with the way it was made.
Bummer.
I had my heart set on this ever since I first saw it.
And especially, after finding out that Annalisa's mommy was going to have a little girl.

Oh well, gotta keep looking.

Happily, I found fabric that would work just as nicely made from flannel and minky
 that coordinated with the fabric panel's design.
It has four inch squares already sewn together - time saver.
And there was even matching flannel yardage available for the backing.
Sweet!


 Oh my! Be still my quilt and fabric lovin' heart.  Isn't this adorable for a girl?!

 Quick and easy since it's "ready made" in a cute patchwork design.

 

 

 

 The only problem is that the blocks are not lined up as well as I'd like them to be.

When I sew my quilt blocks together, my rule is -

If it's more than 1/4" off  - let a bit of the seam out and try to adjust it.

And if that doesn't work - out comes the seam ripper and it's a "do over" 

 

 

Hopefully, the squiggly lines I sewed over each seam
 to quilt it all together somewhat hides and disguises the unevenness.

The back is soft flannel and the pattern matches one of the patterns on the front.

 

 

And of course a large canvas tote for sweet Miss Annalisa. 

I hand drew the flower myself

and used scraps from the quilt's front to piece it together.

{Who knew that drawing block letters and flowers on book covers

in high school sure comes in handy later in life?}

 And added a bit of girly flair by sewing a scrolling leaf pattern

 along the tote's top and each handle in a variegated green thread.

 

 

Always line the totes is another of "my rules".

It finishes them off nicely and hides the stitching

from the front's applique stitches.

This one I lined in cotton fabric in white with little purple dots.

Oh so girly!

 

 

 

When I purchased the fabric the lady at the cutting table asked what I was going to make. When I told her a baby quilt, she asked if this was the mom's color theme for the baby's room.

 

My reply - "Ummm..... I don't know. *nervous giggle* I sure hope so

because I really like it and think it's perfect for a baby girl."

 

I'm happy to report that these actually are the color's for Annalisa. Whew!

 

Praying blessings for Annalisa and her sweet mommy. Can't wait to meet her!

 



 Love ya,

H is for Harrison

Hey there friend!


My last post was brought to you by the letter C -  for baby Caiden. 
I sure don't want baby Harrison to feel left out. Especially with the two of them being cousins and all. 

Sooooo ........

This post is brought to you by the letter - H

H is for Harrison.
~ Harrison Scott Larson ~

I've known his daddy, Seth, since he was a toddler.
And just like the whole Larson family,
Seth has a special place in my heart.

A few months ago, while I was at Hobby Lobby some pretty adorable fabric spoke to me. Actually, since this was my first ever time at Hobby Lobby nearly everything was speaking to me. Love that place!

That day in June it happened like this -
I was minding my own business and looking for fabrics for a pillow and maybe to cover the chairs on the back porch.  As I came around a corner, all of a sudden, I looked down and there were Jungle Babies peeking at me! It was love at first sight! Baby monkeys {he's my favorite}, baby lions, baby giraffes and friends. 

I had a feeling that this was it. This was the fabric meant for Harrison's quilt.

The coordinating striped fabric was a no brainer. I had to get some of that, too. But, I wasn't too sure about which fabric for the backing. {more on that later}

I knew I already had some solid greens, in various shades, left over from other projects to add to the quilt.

For the binding I would use the same blueish/greenish fabric I had used for the binding on Caiden's quilt.

Funny thing about some fabrics is that even though C's quilt and H's quilt are such different patterns and color schemes it looks great on both. Yay!

 Here is Harrison's quilt! Cute and so boyish. 

Hopefully, he'll snuggle with it and use it for lots of nap times and many years to come. 

 Top.... bottom.... left.... right.....

....which ever way Harrison looks there are some cute faces smiling at him. 

For the actual quilting, I used a wavy stitch (instead of a straight stitch). It added a nice touch.
 

Peek-a-boo!   

I admit that I'm usually not too keen on animal prints. 

Not for my clothing or in my quilting. 

Thanks to my cuz who was with me that day -
she wanted to know, "Why not get the giraffe print, too?"
I decided to give it a try.

So glad I did. It's prefect for the quilt's back!

And of course I had to make a tote bag to match.

Those jungle babies are just too cute!

The inside is lined ...

... there they are peeking out at you!

So friend there you have it. The letter H with the cutest jungle babies ever. 

Do you know of any baby quilts and totes that need to be made? 

I still have 24 more letters to use. *wink*

Lots of love, thoughts and planning are put into the designing and making of each baby quilt. During the whole process I always pray for the baby and his/her mommy and daddy.

Best wishes to Seth and Monica! 

Praying for God's blessings on you and your sweet baby boy as you now are a family of three!

Love ya, 

C is for Caiden

Hello there friend!

I've been dying to share with you two of my favorite things to create -
a quilted baby blanket with a coordinated and monogrammed tote.

{creating and designing decorative pillows come in a close third}

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

This post is brought to you by the letter - C

 C  is for Caiden.

Caiden Jack Clark to be exact.
He is a precious newborn babe.
{I wish I had a picture of him to share with you}

The baby shower for his sweet mommy was two weeks ago.
Three days later Caiden made his appearance. Yay!
Mommy and baby (and daddy) are all doing fine.
I've know Summer Lynn (aka Caiden's Mommy) since she was in Kindergarten.

Months ago, when I heard the news from her over-the-moon thrilled mom that she was expecting, I knew I wanted to make a quilt.
Summer and her whole family are very special to us.

In fact, I knew exactly which fabric panel I wanted to use. I'd seen it a few months prior and well.... I sure was glad when I heard she was having a boy. 

Too cute! Perfect for a baby boy! But, not too babyish so that he can use it as a toddler, too.

 Vroom!!!

The quilt's back with happy polka dots.
{I always think of  polka dots as being happy}

The canvas tote (bought at Joann's) which I decorated.......

 ........ and added a lining in pretty cotton fabric.



All set for the baby shower....

.... with some tissue paper and curly ribbon it's a gift bag with the coordinating quilt inside.
Pretty clever, not to mention cute, don't ya think?

So friend, what do you think?

I love these quilt and tote combos so much that I think if I ever did find the time for my etsy shop these would be "my thing".   Sigh.... maybe some day that dream will come true.

For now I'll enjoy making them and give them as gifts. In fact, I have another quilt/tote set in the making for another sweet baby that's due to make his appearance early this fall. *wink* 

Love ya!