Friday 4 May 2012

My first quilt

Ta-dah! Here is the Tiny One's birthday quilt...


This is a first quilt in two senses: the first one I've properly made and his first quilt on his first birthday. There are lots of things I've learnt and will improve on, but I'm so proud of it, and myself. I really love it so.

There's a bit of a zoo animal theme in his room, hence the Noah's Ark fabric (from John Lewis). I bound it in yellow and backed it with a lovely, rich orange. I machine-quilted in straight lines either side of the squared rows, giving a striped look on the back (I love the back). All the fabrics are new except the blue stripes which came from a dress I wore as a child.

It is a pretty basic design, perfect for a first quilt. I loved making it. I can't wait to make another! I wonder if there's much of a market in quilts? I'd gladly be a quilter for hire. The next quilt I make will be a strip quilt, trying the 'quilt as you go' method (see here for a tutorial) and using a spray-baster to hold it all together, since it will be a full single size. Oh I wish I had a rotary cutter!

There's something really special about making a quilt for your child. It will wrap them, warm them, comfort them through the years. They will still have it when they grow out of it. It will soften and crease with time (it's already got a few). If you're lucky, and you made it well, you'll see it wrap, warm and comfort your grandchildren one day. I know, I'm a little odd to be thinking about my grandchildren already, and a little young. But I do. And I hope I'll be quilting for them too.

6 comments:

  1. It's lovely - well done, I'm sure it will be a well received first birthday gift. My advice? go get yourself a rotary cutter - you will never regret it (unless you slice yourself), they make quilt making so much quicker and more accurate, I wouldn't be without mine!

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    1. Thank you! That rotary cutter is definitely on my birthday list but I've got quite a long time to wait!

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  2. Oh wow, well done you. It's perfect!

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    1. Thank you! Though I wish you hadn't taken the time to comment as now I've been over to your blog and am insanely jealous of your island house living room!

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