Baby Quilts for Cool Babies

Ok, you can't leave a blog to die with the last post being a dead cat post.

So here is a new one.

I recently made a baby quilt. I have made quilts before. I have made baby quilts before too. So I almost, almost know what I am doing...kinda.

baby quilt by blacklilypie

So I had a bunch of fabrics already, and I kind of wanted to do something not too cutesy...I thought lightning bolts would be a good idea. I searched Pinterest to see if there was anything that would catch my eye and right away I saw a pattern that I liked. Why try and figure out something if someone (who actually knows how to quilt) has already done it...

 

Go here to buy the pattern from SLOstudio on etsy

Soo much easier than figuring it out myself. Instant download and I am on my way. Please buy it if you decide to make a quilt like this. Be cool.

I decided to only do one big lightning bolt block, then add some kinda modified triangles without the lightning bolt around it. The rest is just solid black quilting cotton pieces. It was pretty easy, the only thing that was challenging was keeping the patchwork patterns from touching each other.

I had originally thought I would add more red to other parts of the quilt, but I liked just the pop of colour in the centre. I can never stray too far from my black and white lifestyle! I ended up just using a black and white fabric for the binding.

Its backed in a pretty bad-arse (for a baby) flannelette with drum kits and skulls and stuff. I know from experience that having a back that has a busy pattern can hide a LOT of flaws and generally make your life a billion times easier and better.  I just bought all these fabrics at my local Fabricland.

I did some quilting with red thread around the outside. I had intended to do a bolder, fatter red, but didn't have a needle to fit it for my sewing machine. Oh well.

Oh and here is a pic for scale.

See, its baby size. I think this is after washing it, which I always do to make it all rumpled up and vintage-y looking. I also took pics of it in case it got lost in the mail, which I had nightmares about.

The only major fail I had with this quilt is using Warm and Natural quilt batting, which is nice and all but fibres from it started coming through the quilt top. Its called "bearding" and you can't really fix it unless you take the quilt apart. I usually avoid this problem on my toys and dolls by adding a layer of thin interfacing on the back of the fabric. Fixes it perfectly, but I didn't think of it. UGH.

So yay a non-cutesy little wild-child baby quilt.

Big Project!

OhmygodIforgottoupdatemyblog!

Ok, not "forgot" so much as "was super busy." October is so full for me, both with things I control and things I don't.

The BIG project I hinted at is safe to show now. Its a quilt! I made this for two really good friends that got married. They have been together for like 9 years so its not like they need toasters and muffin tins. I thought something more traditional would be better for them as a keepsake. And the bride's favorite colour is orange... Its a pretty relaxed pattern with black and white prints. I hand tied all those teeny ties, which I think makes it look more traditional, and makes it warmer. I really like the backs of quilts. I really am winging it making this thing, I sew with only basic knowledge and luck. But the backs of quilts just "happen" and its so neat! I also added their names and the date of their wedding. They are a Halloweeny couple, so orange and black is just too perfect. :-)

It was a lot of work, mostly because it takes up so much space. But not difficult work, just A LOT! I told them they can never get married again , as I am only making baby sized ones from now on.

Now I have two weeks of feverish work before Halloween comes (yayayayaa!) and then November which is my "sell everything you got" month. I am like a big rolling snowball, if everyone stays out of my way no one will get hurt!

*coming soon to the shop*
-wool felted baby bats
-wool felted cats
-printed scarves
-mounted prints
-stockings

*phew*