Here's my latest quilt. I made it for my friend Teri's baby boy- Brendan. I've been on a little bit of a circle kick lately, because I think they're cute and fun to make! I used the same method to make the circles as I did for my other circle quilt. Then I used a water-soluble pen to draw grid lines onto the big white piece of fabric, and placed the circles evenly inside the squares. I ironed them on 3 rows at a time and pinned the centers with a safety pin (just in case) and then sewed them on using a blanket stitch.
The animal print is Alexander Henry's 2D Zoo in Pool...I just love this print--and I only have it in one more colorway (it's the brown one) and as soon as i make a quilt out of that one, then I think I can give it a rest! All the circle prints are from various Riley Blake lines, and I don't know why, but I just love them too.
I wasn't planning on putting the 2D zoo on the back because when I first bought it, I only got a little bit and didn't want to buy more because it was a little pricey. But one day I was at Joanns and they were having a big sale so the cut line was really long. As I was waiting in the line, I happened to notice a bolt of this fabric in another girls cart! I thought she must have brought it in with her to match fabrics or something, but I watched, and sure enough, she got some of it cut! It was in the nursery prints section for $10/yard - they had called it something else on the label, but it was the real deal Alex Henry stuff-so I snatched it from the pile of fabrics that were waiting to be put away --and bought a few yards at 50% off! Score!
I debated (for at least 2 days) how to quilt this. I drew tons of little sketches and looked at lots of pictures of circle quilts online, but I couldn't come up with a good plan that wasn't going to take me forever! So in the end I just outlined each circle, and then did a smaller circle in the middle - so it sort of echos the rings that are on most of the fabrics. Then I did something I truly regret! I used stippling around all the circles. WHAT? I know, I know! I strongly dislike stippling. I always have! But I have never tried it on a quilt before, and I was reading this book on quilting backgrounds, and it says that every quilter should have stippling in their bag of tricks (or "in their repertoire" was the wording I think she used). So I decided to try it...and I learned two things: One, I am not very good at stippling, and Two--if I don't like it on other people's quilts, I probably won't like it on one of mine. Momentary lapse in judgment. Well at least now I can say I have tried it!
I debated (for at least 2 days) how to quilt this. I drew tons of little sketches and looked at lots of pictures of circle quilts online, but I couldn't come up with a good plan that wasn't going to take me forever! So in the end I just outlined each circle, and then did a smaller circle in the middle - so it sort of echos the rings that are on most of the fabrics. Then I did something I truly regret! I used stippling around all the circles. WHAT? I know, I know! I strongly dislike stippling. I always have! But I have never tried it on a quilt before, and I was reading this book on quilting backgrounds, and it says that every quilter should have stippling in their bag of tricks (or "in their repertoire" was the wording I think she used). So I decided to try it...and I learned two things: One, I am not very good at stippling, and Two--if I don't like it on other people's quilts, I probably won't like it on one of mine. Momentary lapse in judgment. Well at least now I can say I have tried it!
I bound it in the darkest blue from the animal print, and I can't decide if I like it or not, but it's too late now! Overall I think it turned out pretty well!
Ahhh...baby quilts are fun!
Ahhh...baby quilts are fun!
Cynthia i LOVE this one!!! can i send you fabric so you can make me one for Max??!! it's SO cute.
ReplyDeleteI think it looks great. The blue binding works for me. I'm also not a huge fan of stippling but the circles within the circles balance it out nicely in this case. I think you have a beautiful little boy quilt there.
ReplyDeleteThat print is great! You can find some pretty cool stuff at JoAnn's from time to time. A lady at a quilt shop told me (as I was sure she was trying to keep business in her shop and not at JoAnn's) that the name brand stuff you find at JoAnn's is "second rate", misprints if you may, and not to "standard" to what comes into the quilt shop. I dismissed the prejudice, and went to JoAnn's anyway. I've never had a problem with it.
ReplyDeleteAnd the blue binding is perfect in my opinion.
She will love it!!!!!
Happy Quilting!!
K...looking at your quilts is cool...and reading all your narrative detail is cooler. Makes me miss you lots, though.
ReplyDeleteBaby quilts are fun! They give you a chance to try things out without having to commit to a big project. I love the circles. They look so cool. I think the stippling looks really nice and gives the quilt some wonderful texture. :)
ReplyDeleteI do like this circle baby quilt, the fabrics are fun and colourful. I do like the stippling because I think it makes the circles stand out more. I think the more you practice the better the stippling becomes.
ReplyDeleteI really like the quilt but agree with you on the stippling. I tried it once and once was enough for me.
ReplyDeleteYou do some really beautiful quilting!
ReplyDeleteI love your quilt...the fabrics are fun! This is such a happy baby quilt.
ReplyDeleteSoooo cute! I loooooove this quilt:-)
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. My daughter wants a quilt with large circles. I was regretting hand appliqué. Fusible interfacing appliqué! AWESOME!!!!!
ReplyDelete