Well, first of all I wanted to share some exciting news with you..... I’ve had my 1000th visit! I know that’s a tiddly small amount really. But, for me, it’s loads!!! So, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for stopping by to see me from time to time. I love having visitors! And receiving comments from you REALLY makes my day!
I’ve been waiting to share this with you for AGES..... it’s my first ever quilt! I made it for my lovely friend Jana, who’s going to be having a little baby boy very soon. She worked at school with me before going on maternity leave. Some months ago, other work friends suggested that I should make something that we could all give to Jana at a baby shower. So, I did!!!
I decided to make a cot quilt from some super-cute robot and cog fabric I bought from the amazing Fabric Rehab (who ship overseas for a very reasonable fee). I made the quilt really thick, so that it could also/alternatively be used as a play mat. Here it is:
I LOVED the process of choosing fabrics, cutting out the squares, arranging them (and rearranging them and rearranging them again) in a way that I thought looked nice, and sewing the squares together! Sewing the squares together was really relaxing and lots of fun!!!
THEN came the layering bit and the fixing-it-all-together bit. I did my own thing when it came to the actual ‘quilting’ and ‘binding’ bits. I stacked my three layers, sewed them together all the way round (apart from a small gap at the bottom). Then I turned everything the right way out and sewed up the little gap. To do the ‘quilting’ (and stop the batting from bunching up inside the quilt), I sewed through each corner where 4 squares met with several strands of red cotton, tying knots at the back and leaving the strands dangling. I liked how this gave added interest to the otherwise plain underside of the quilt. I know I cheated a bit here, though. And I WILL have a go at ‘proper’ quilting sometime soon!
I’d love to hear your (honest) comments on my quilt. AND I’d love to hear from you if you can offer me any tips for future quilting projects. I recently bought two charm packs from Fabric Rehab – ‘Just Wing It’ and ‘Sherbet Pips’, and I’m just wondering what to make with them..... Another quilt, maybe? Or some cushions? I’d hugely appreciate suggestions on what I could make with my charm packs, or links to cool (but simple) quilting projects.....
I’m off to have a little drink, to celebrate my 1000th visitor! Prost!!!
Carly
x
very nice,have a good weekend from Tenerife!!!!
ReplyDeleteWOW, really lovely quilt! Congrats on the 1000th! And on the 11.11.11! Very cool
ReplyDeleteAdorable!! I love the squares, patterns and colors! Once I get over my fabric cutting and sewing machine anxieties, I need to learn how to quilt!
ReplyDeleteHi Claudia,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for stopping by to have a little look at my blog. I'm glad you like the blanket! :-)
Tenerife? Wow - it would be nice to be where you are right now! This has been our first really wintery week here in Duesseldorf (Germany), and it's absolutely FREEZING!
Have a great weekend.....
Carly
x
Hi Bea,
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking a look! Glad you like the quilt (even though I did my own thing when it came to putting it all together)!
Now I'm working towards 2000 for the 11.11. 2111! ;-)
Have a great weekend.....
Carly
x
:-)
ReplyDeleteAaaah! Thank you, Kate!!! I love the colours too. I think I'm going to have to make a similar quilt (just bigger and minus the robots) for myself some day.
Cutting fabric is great - very therapeutic. And I used to be TERRIFIED of sewing machines. When I first got mine (as a Christmas present), I thought I'd NEVER learn to thread it (let alone MAKE anything with it). And it's only a very simple one. Just give it a try!!!
Have a fantastic weekend.....
Carly
x
Hia Carly,
ReplyDeleteI am not normally a fan of quilts, but I LOVE this!!! WOW! You really have brought this craft up to date with your fabric choices, and even better that it has a dual purpose. Good work buddie!
p.s glad to have been a part of the 1000!!
Have a good week X
Hi Shelly,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely comment - it really made me smile! :)
Carly
x
Hi Carly, it's Victoria. What a gorgeous and personal gift. I am sure it will be much appreciated and love the idea of it being a playmat too... very handy!!! I made a simple quilt recently and was worried abou the "quilting" bit but chose just to stitch in the ditch and it worked out fine, you just have to try and keep in a straight line, which I'm not great at!! Keep up the good work with the blogging!!! I'm loving it!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteYou can't start a blog post titled 'Baby boys quilt' with the words '...i wanted to share some exciting news with you....'. I thought....well, you can guess what I thought ;)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though - that quilt is gorgeous! I LOVE the fabrics (which is NOT good because I keep changing my mind when it comes to the fabrics for my son's quilt for when he gets his 'big boy bed'!). Your friend will be soooooo over the moon with this!
Carly, Your quilt looks FABULOUS! I love it! Your binding looks perfect too. I love the way you did it by turning. And those green squares at the corners are darling. Oh, and your tags, I've been meaning to tell you, are adorable. What a great idea! :)
ReplyDeleteThe quilt is so beautiful! The colors and patterns are great and you put it together so well:) Love your tag, too. xo K.
ReplyDeleteHello all you lovely, lovely ladies,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments - I'm so lucky to have you all as my super-fantastic blogging pals!!!
Have a brilliant week.....
Carly
xxx
That quilt is gorgeous! Such lovely bright colours and those robots are adorable!
ReplyDeleteThe first quilt I ever made I tied in a similar way - I love the way it looks and it gives a nice detail on the back. I don't think it's cheating at all. What I do do though which probably IS cheating is I always use basting spray! It saves a lot of crawling around on hands and knees faffing with pins...
Looking forward to seeing your next quilt!
Hi Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like the quilt - and I'm glad you don't think I was cheating! :)
I don't think basting spray is cheating either! I think I may have to give it a try! Anything to avoid pins!
Carly
x
Love the quilt. I am in awe of anyone who can make such a beautiful thing!
ReplyDeleteMy sewing skills are hugely inadequate - but I will practise more- and blogs like yours inspire me to do so!
Have a great week.
Xxxx
What a lucky baby boy he's going to be, having this quilt. The thing I like about it most is that he will have pictures to look at, whether he's lying on it on the floor, or looking at it in his pram, and the bright colours are perfect for a baby! Wonderful! Vanessa xxx
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, hi Vanessa,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your lovely comments about my quilt! It's so special receiving praise from people whose crafting I admire as much as yours, ladies!!! :)
Carly
xxx