BABY QUILT LABEL...

I've never made a baby quilt before, but I knew I wanted the label to be something a little "more" than the plain Jane embroidered letters on my previous quilts.  I was pretty sure I could find something adorable, flowery and girlish at Embroidery Library. 

My heart flipped when this little cutie popped up on the screen.  Be still my heart!  I couldn't put my payment information in quickly enough.  While some of the flowers mimic-ed the flowers in the fabric, the colors weren't all a match.  A little swapping out of threads and I was ready to go.  

I would love to tell you that the process went smoothly and quickly.  Oh no.  The flower border was done in less than 30 minutes and it was time to begin filling in the middle.  On the first line of baby stat's the thread broke!  I will admit to yelling out a very un-lady-like expletive.  Over and over I tried to get back to the point in the lettering program where the thread had broken.  Over and over again the embroidery began with the wrong letter.  I was bathed in sweat, just about in tears from frustration when J's wonderful fiance walked into the room.  In a wisdom older than her years she said, "Walk away, Mom.  Let's go outside and get some air."   

After some girl time and a cooling breeze I was able to approach the problem with a clear head.  Shortly thereafter the label was finished...and it looked just like I had envisioned. 

I laid a piece of fabric over the baby's name for privacy...but isn't it the cutest thing you have ever seen?  While I am writing this post today, I will not publish it until the gift has been given to our dear friends.  This is one surprise I really wouldn't want to ruin!

Toodles...

MY FIRST BABY QUILT IS FINISHED...

...well, except for the label.  I need to go to JoAnn's and pick up some embroidery thread in the colors above so I can machine embroider the label.  I hope to do that EARLY tomorrow morning and get it sewn on in the off chance that our friends may be around this weekend to give them their gift.  I am SO anxious to give it to them!

I absolutely LOVE this fabric.  It is Garden Girl sold by Riley Blake Designs.  I still may buy another charm pack just in case I am someday Grandma to a little girl.  If not, I could always make a charity quilt with it! 

Toodles...

MAKING PROGRESS...

I am making progress on the baby gift for friends of ours.  The blocks are not in any particular order yet, just placed up on my board to make sure I had at least one block of each fabric pattern going vertically and one horizontally.  Oops, I guess that is placing them up there in "order"!  What I should have said is that the blocks are not arranged according to any design yet. 

Once I had "paired up" all of the pink and green blocks accordingly, I began making blocks with the remaining fabric "singles".  I have to tell you, I found it really hard to place those lone blocks up on the wall! Maybe my love for Hercule Poirot has left too much of an imprint on my psyche?  Or maybe I'm just a wee bit compulsive, ;o).  Which ever it is, in order for the quilt to reach the dimensions I want I will need to use up ALL of the charm squares in the pack...whether they have partners or not!  Deep breath...really deep breath!

After dinner I had planned to begin working with the the last group of charm squares, those having a white background.  Planned, mind you.  Unfortunately, that is not going to happen.  Sundown and horrible lighting in my sewing room have conspired to stop me in my tracks!  Sigh...I was really on a roll!  I guess I am going to have to move "lighting for my sewing room" higher on the ToDo list.  During the summer I was able to "manage" with the poor lighting, but the darkness of winter is impossible to overcome.

Oh well, I think I will join Dear Hubby in the family room while he watches the Super Bowl.  I'm not the least bit interested in this game so I will take one of my new Block magazines to read.  I used a Christmas gift card from Missouri Star Quilt Co. to purchase the 2015 and 2016 boxed sets.  Beautiful quilts, a cup of tea and a bit of relaxation sound good right about now!  Hope you are having a wonderful Super Bowl Sunday!

Toodles...