I finished the top of my April humidicrib quilt in April, but I had a bit of a setback when I started to quilt it. I sewed about four straight lines before deciding that straight-line quilting was not working. I then shoved it in a drawer and waited for the mood to unpick to strike me. I do not know about you, but the mood to unpick rarely strikes here!
When I finally unpicked the quilting I hated and started again, I looked on Pinterest and found a paw design, which I mixed in with some filler swirls.
The dog is a mustardy yellow. Does that make it a golden retriever puppy?
April’s quilt is made using one of the Fat Quarter Shop’s Snapshots Quilt-Along patterns. I added the bone and the bowl from a block by Kumiko Fujita.
For May, I felt inspired to set myself another scrap box challenge. I decided to transform the offcuts from the border I made for Rebecca into a tiny quilt to donate. Because of the size and shape of the offcuts, mostly triangles cut from 2½-inch strips, half-square triangles seemed to be the natural fit.
I started sewing together the scraps and making little triangles, adding a piece of leftover backing fabric, a text print. If I were to make this sort of design again, I probably would not use the text print as I feel everything is lost in its busyness, but it was in my scrap box and so I used it.
After piecing and trimming a few triangles, the following thoughts started to cross my mind:
- Oh my goodness. How many will I need? I am going to have to square all of these up!
- What was I thinking? These are tiny!
- Who thought using up scraps to make a mini could take so long?
- Am I saving fabric or wasting time?
- I do not think I like half-square triangles any longer.
But I worked my way past that and survived. In total, I have 336 half-square triangles and eight squares, all in a baby quilt that is 16 x 24 inches.
Can you see the pattern or are you just going cross-eyed?
If nothing else, it did use up all those scraps!
This project seemed like the perfect opportunity to practise free-motion quilting. It is so very busy, no one will notice my mistakes. I tried a random Baptist fan design: something with curves to balance all those triangles and points. I am quite happy with it. My stitch length needs work, but I am getting more confident about free-motion quilting small things. Free-motion quilting a big quilt still scares the living daylights out of me.
I am so happy that I do not have to label or name the little quilts that go to the hospital. What would I call this quilt: the one that make your eyes cross?
I am a little behind on my goal of one humidicrib quilt each month, but only a little, and I know I can and will catch up.
I made a quilt once which I called a Dog’s Breakfast! Yours is at least pretty! And that’s a lot of HST for such a little quilt! Good for you!
That would be a perfect name for both of them!
You’d call it Confetti, because it looks like a blizzard of confetti. It’s very pretty, ate the scraps, and now you can say you’ve done it and move on!
Yes, it did eat a pile of scraps, and I am justifiably proud of how controlled my scraps are.
That is one cute golden retriever pup! I can see the pattern in the other baby quilt and my eyes quite like it! They say to use a lot of graphic pattern to stimulate bubs – apparently that good for them, although most new mums just want the bubs to sleep so they can too! Lol 🙂
I hope it is kept well away from babies at risk of photosensitive epilepsy! I am sure the hospital staff will have that under control. 🙂
The paw print quilting is such a perfect touch, and I love the bowl and bone, too. And holy cow, that is a lot of HSTs for a tiny quilt!! I love HSTs, but I tend to make them big and use many less than that in a quilt (as you may have noticed for my bee block this month… so thanks for making me a few HSTs!!!).
Yes, once again I failed to think about counting how many blocks/bits/triangles I might need before I started sewing.
So cute!
Love the paw printing and the bone and bowl are a great touch. This turned our really well – I’m going to have to make one of these!
You are going to have to make a humidicrib quilt or a pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop’s quilt-along?
Your tiny HST: Some parent of a tiny baby will have lots of time to pour over the details close up. In a photo the pattern is evident and charming. It is busy, true, but also nicely done. I am amazed that you go through the same doubts that I do mid project. Good job persevering. Your work and your writing are a delight.
I hope not too much of that time is while the baby is in the humidicrib. Let them be well and out in the real world asap.
cute, cute cute, Carla
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hahaha! I have had every one of those thoughts while making HST scrap quilts. Seriously, why do they take SO LONG to trim and piece?!
It starts to make sense why so many people try to invent tools and clever techniques to make HSTs easier.
Such nice work!!
Looks like you have been scrap productive, and I laughed so hard at the I don’t think I like HST anymore …. so true. Nice job tackling more FMQ 🙂
I am sure I will forget my dislike before I next have to make HSTs. They are such a versatile shape, I will have to persevere.
Wow! I am so impressed by your patience, and both of these are really cute!
Thankfully, not too much patience is required on these mini quilts. A large version of the same, however … It doesn’t bear thinking about!
Good grief. That is a LOT of HSTs. And ripping out all the stitching on a quilt that isn’t even going to stay in your home and taunt you? You are dedicated. I like that you’re not just banging out 12 easy quilts for your humidicrib efforts. Each one is a tiny, time-consuming work of art. The parents of those littles will be able to feel the time and love you’ve sewn in. I’m sure of it.
If you are going to do something, do it right, don’t you think? It might not be perfect, but it will always be my very best effort.
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