My friend Fran's son and his wife just had their first child, a son they named Neil. They didn't tell anyone that the baby was going to be a boy before he was born. Fran was going to make him a baby blanket similar to the ones she had made her other grandchildren. They were made before she got involved with the quilting groups. Knowing her talent I convinced her that she could make the baby a quilt blanket. She agreed as long as I would help her along the way.
The end result was more than just a baby quilt....it is a masterpiece. We think it should be used as a wall hanging in Neil's room, but then that will be up to his parents.
The primary fabrics are Charlie Harper prints. Fran's son and his wife had sent her suggestions and these are the prints Fran chose.
Since the bird print was not going to be cut into squares very well and still be able to appreciate the birds, we decided to use the fat quarter as a panel square for the center. It ended up being a finished 15 inch square block (cut 15-1/2 inches).
The fox print and the feather print we decided to cut and use in half square triangles with a neutral print. The half square triangles were finished 7-1/4 inch blocks. (I have a tutorial that shows different ways to cut and make half square triangles.)
The narrow black sashing was a finished 1 inch (cut 1-1/2 inches.
The outer border was a finished 3-1/2 inches (cut 4 inches)
The finished quilt was 39 inches square.
Fran was able to use a piece for the backing that was seamless.
Here is an enlarged picture to show the details in the machine quilting.
On the center block, Fran stitched along the lines using matching thread. She stopped and started at the birds on the nests instead of sewing through them. The other machine quilting is easy to see in the picture.
Fran cut her strips 2-1/4 inches wide for the binding. You can see a nifty way of doing the binding here that I shared a few years ago. Binding was never any easier until now.
I can't wait to hear what Neil's parents say when they see his grandmother's masterpiece when she goes to visit him for the first time soon.
The end result was more than just a baby quilt....it is a masterpiece. We think it should be used as a wall hanging in Neil's room, but then that will be up to his parents.
The primary fabrics are Charlie Harper prints. Fran's son and his wife had sent her suggestions and these are the prints Fran chose.
Since the bird print was not going to be cut into squares very well and still be able to appreciate the birds, we decided to use the fat quarter as a panel square for the center. It ended up being a finished 15 inch square block (cut 15-1/2 inches).
The fox print and the feather print we decided to cut and use in half square triangles with a neutral print. The half square triangles were finished 7-1/4 inch blocks. (I have a tutorial that shows different ways to cut and make half square triangles.)
The narrow black sashing was a finished 1 inch (cut 1-1/2 inches.
The outer border was a finished 3-1/2 inches (cut 4 inches)
The finished quilt was 39 inches square.
Fran was able to use a piece for the backing that was seamless.
Here is an enlarged picture to show the details in the machine quilting.
Fran cut her strips 2-1/4 inches wide for the binding. You can see a nifty way of doing the binding here that I shared a few years ago. Binding was never any easier until now.
I can't wait to hear what Neil's parents say when they see his grandmother's masterpiece when she goes to visit him for the first time soon.
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