It is August, the eighth month, and I have eight humidicrib quilts finished – one for each month this year. Hurrah!
In an earlier post, I wrote about finishing the castle and panda quilt tops. Since then, I have quilted and bound those two and made a third.
The castle quilt was made using the castle pattern by Blossom Heart Quilts. I simply reduced the pattern to 90 per cent to fit the set size of the humidicribs. The pattern is foundation paper pieced, and straightforward for anyone who knows how to foundation paper piece.
I ended up using grey binding as it had fairy-tale text, which seemed appropriate.
The panda quilt uses the Fat Quarter Shop’s free panda pattern, with a bit of extra bamboo for good measure.
I quilted in the ditch around the panda and bamboo, and then filled in the background with swirls.
As promised, here is a picture of Big Ted, my childhood teddy bear, posing with the quilt he resembles. Big Ted is no longer really black and white. His white bits are a bit grey and grimy, and his black bits have faded with age. I have had to sew up his groin seam on more than one occasion. I was given him the day of my birth, so he is as ancient as I am. Given his age, he is holding up well.
Poor Big Ted is showing his age a bit. We are both getting a bit grey.
The third quilt top was made using the Fat Quarter Shop’s Snapshots quilt-along pattern for a balloon, released in July.
The polka-dot print is too directional and shows the joins more than I like, but I am happy with the other fabrics I chose.
I quilted and bound all three in a production line, stitching in the ditch around the main part of each design and filling in the backgrounds with swirls. I thought about quilting a cloud design behind the balloon, but in the end went for windy swirls. I do not think ballooning is safe when it is that windy, but we will attribute this to artistic licence.
My favourite part is the cloud print in the background. It is subtle, but it is perfect for the balloon.
I mentioned in my last humidicrib post that I was not able to use a cloud or rain print behind the castle because the fabric I had lacked contrast – the castle would have blended into the sky. After finishing that quilt top, I spotted a bolt of Sarah Jane’s Out to Sea range in a local fabric shop, and it told me I had to buy it for the next humidicrib quilt. It was perfect to add subtle clouds to the background of the balloon. I try to make these quilts from stash, but I am not against buying fabrics that suit baby quilts to add to my stash.
Close up, you can see the subtle clouds and birds of the Sarah Jane print.
My enthusiasm for baby quilts never ceases to amaze me. Why is this? I have never had a baby myself, but I have such fun making for other people’s babies.
I have eight tiny quilts finished and ready to donate at the end of the year.
You put me to shame! I am still wondering where I’m going to find time to finish the third block for F2F this month, finish my niece’s quilt AND start one I’d promised last year for a birthday in mid October… Where does the time go? I do love the attention to detail and thought you bring to creating the humidicribs.
I too don’t know where the time goes. How can it be late August already?
Hi Carla
I love what you manage to create with so many fabrics and so many different ideas. I made your peg bag quite a while ago and as I am naughty and leave it in the garden I had to make another. I have also made a few for friends.
Thank you for all your inspiration
Kate
My husband leaves ours in the garden on the rare occasions he hangs out washing. I have to follow him about and rescue it. Few fabrics stand up to the sunshine and weather, right?
Beautiful creations for social little people. They are a lovely gesture.
Thanks, Susan. They are a little selfish too as I have such fun making them.
All so lovely Carla! There is something very satisfying about making baby quilts!
I know! There is. Why is that so? The cuteness?
These are all wonderful but I especially love the castle. Thanks for sharing, with us and with the babies and their families.
Didn’t Alyce do a great job with the castle pattern? I am so happy I had a chance to play with it.
wow, you do excellent work!! I really love the castle – I’m going to check out that FPP pattern. Thanks!
I hope you have fun with the pattern, Sharon.
I had to chuckle at your nickname – artistic Sharon. A local comedienne is called Famous Sharron (http://www.famoussharron.com/). I see possibilities for all sorts of other talented Sharons/Sharrons!
ha, that’s pretty cool! 😉
I know what you mean about having a lot of enthusiasm for making baby quilts; they are very satisfying to put together because they come together so quickly (I think). I really like the birds and clouds under the hot air balloon. Have you delivered any of the quilts or will you drop off all 12 from the year at once?
I confess I am hoarding them with the plan to deliver all twelve at once. At least this way, I cannot lose count. 🙂
How fun it is to make a small quilt with special details. 12 large quilts wouldn’t be nearly as sweet. Those little quilts each hold a snuggle story for a tiny baby to hear. I have also enjoyed making little quilts for other people’s babies. I think I’ll try the castle. Your blog is always a treat to read. Thanks, Carla!
A dozen large quilts would be such a big task that I might get frightened and not finish! At least I feel like I have set myself an achievable goal.
Do try the castle, Jane. You will have fun choosing fussy-cut prints to feature in the windows.
I think they all look great, but that castle is simply wonderful. I’m sure it will be loved by whomever receives it.
I hope the child grows up to be a reader like the girls in the windows. I cannot imagine my childhood without books.
They’re all lovely Carla. I love the quilting you’ve done. I didn’t realise you could do that. You’re braver than me, I haven’t even tried FMQ yet, though I am loving straight line quilting with my new machine. There’s going to be some very happy babies in Perth soon.
The tiny quilts are easy to push under a sewing machine throat and are great FMQ practice. I am still hesitant to FMQ a large one, simply because of the need to push and wrestle with the weight.
Those are so cute!
Thanks, Heather!
The cloud fabric is a perfect and wise purchase 🙂 You don’t have to have had a baby to want to make things for them. The innocence of a babe is to be adored, cherished and celebrated … especially when all the hard work that goes along with it is someone else’s jobs lol 🙂 These humidicrib quilts are going to be so appreciated!
I think I am trying to make for the parents as much as anything. The hard work they do is amazing. If a little colour cheers up the premmie ward, it might help their spirits a bit.
Such a wonderful stack! And wonderful generosity! So sweet to see Big Ted….
Big Ted is still holding together! Not bad for mumble, mumble years.
I love the hot air balloon… I too feel that ballooning under those wind conditions would likely be reckless. And baby quilts are such fun to make. Babies never complain about the colours, the complexity of the design, whether it matches the couch… nothing. The parents and kiddos who receive these will love them!
Very reckless ballooning! The parents are able to choose which they like from the quilts people have donated to the hospital, so I am sure even the parents can find one that suits them and their easy-going babies.
Eight little quilts. How precious. Nice touch with the extra bamboo ; )
What can I say? I had a gap to fill so … bamboo! 🙂
Such perfect choices for baby quilts. Your fmq swirls match really nicely cloud print nicely…I”m sure they’ll make some kiddos and parents very happy!
I think my original cloud plan was beyond me, but I am really happy with the windy swirls.
I love that spiral quilting – its perfect for the balloon and Ted looks really well – so cute. Love that you still have him!
The stuff we keep, right? I hope my ancient teddy bear doesn’t qualify me for an episode of Hoarders.
These are all pretty! And you have nice pile already, well done for keeping up!
I will slip behind this month because of all my travel plans, but I know I can catch up and be on target at the end of the year.
These are all adorable and Big Ted is so cute! Sorry, I’m a bit behind in reading my blogs.
That poor old bear was well loved in my childhood and is showing signs of all that love.
No need to apologise – I am always behind!
Oh I love that hot air balloon, my mom is obsessed with them! Your bear looks very loved, not a speck of grime, just lots of snuggles 🙂 My bear is still at my parents house on my bookcase, he’s in equal condition!
My bear’s tummy is a bit grimy, I think. I suspect he is too fragile, however, for anything but the gentlest wash. He is a very old bear!
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