Friday, April 9, 2021

Sweetness and Light: A Fine, Fast Finish

I call this a fast finish because from first stitch to last it took 3 months, which is really fast for me.

scrap quilt, baby quilt

Just to say, I love this quilt!  I love everything about it--the colors, the fabrics, the quilting, all of it.  It is a quilt I wish I had had to wrap up my own babies when they were little.  I hope my daughter likes it.  (We probably all know the mom and dad have to like the baby's gift or it never gets used.)

None of these photos are particularly wonderful but the first and last photos are probably the most accurate as far as colors, though maybe still just a little too creamy.  Some of the photos were taken with flash and some without.
scrap quilt, baby quilt
Above and below show the whole quilt, bound, washed, and dried.  It measures 41" x 49".  It lost 3" in width and 4" in length between top to a washed and dried quilt.
scrap quilt, baby quilt
I used Quilters Dream Cotton Select batting.  Quilters on the Facebook Celebrate Hand Quilting page recommended it.  After I purchased and layered the quilt I learned that Quilters Dream comes in different thicknesses.  The batting was thick enough that I was a little concerned the quilt would be more like a mat than a soft, pliable, cuddly quilt, but it's just perfect.

A few close-up photos.
scrap quilt, baby quilt
scrap quilt, baby quilt
scrap quilt, baby quilt
Definitely taken without a flash, below, but you can see the quilting better.  As I was quilting I kept thinking of Xs and Os we use as symbols for hugs and kisses.  There are plenty of both in this quilt, if one wants to think of it that way.  I'm still thinking of this quilt as "Sweetness and Light."
scrap quilt, baby quilt
scrap quilt, baby quilt
Perhaps sometime I will get the lighting just perfect when taking photos of my quilts.  Even in natural light these photos look "shady."

This is the backing I used.  It is from Michael Miller called Best of Sarah Jane Flannel Dolls Soft.  When I bought it online I guess I wasn't paying attention to the length of the repeat and bought just barely enough to cover the back if I placed the figures upright going across the quilt instead of  the length of the quilt.  Maybe next time I'll avoid a directional fabric for backing.
This was a bear to quilt.  I don't know if it was the thickness of the batting, or the flannel, or all the seams in the top, or a combination of two or all three.  I used regular quilting thread but the stitches are longer than I'd like.  Even so, all three layers are fastened together and I don't think they will come apart except possibly after very hearty use.

I used Prismacolor colored pencils to mark the circles as I did on a previous, similar quilt.  Much of the marking was gone by the time I finished quilting, but not all.  I washed the quilt just once and most of the rest of color is gone.  What's left will wash out when my daughter washes the quilt the next time or two.
scrap quilt, baby quilt, using Prismacolor pencils to mark a quilt
Do you keep notes about quilts you make?  I use a Cambridge notebook with quad ruled heavyweight bond paper.  Each quilt gets a page, both front and back if needed.  I like having this information for reference. 
I keep track of sizes, cutting measurements, dates I started and finished parts of the quilt, details about batting, fabrics, thread, binding, etc.   It's very useful to me.

A last look.
scrap quilt, baby quilt

I'm linking this post to
> Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
> Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
> TGIFF at Devoted Quilter
> Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More
> Beauties Pageant at From Bolt to Beauty
> Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
> Let's Make Baby Quilts at Michelle's Romantic Tangle
Thanks for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.

24 comments:

  1. Sweetness and light is a perfect name, Nancy. It describes this quilt perfectly! Love the whole thing, from the soft, pretty colors, to the "hugs and kisses" quilting. Excellent job.
    I used to keep a similar record of my quilts, but not in such a nice notebook. I'll admit that my record keeping started sliding when I started blogging. I admire that you have stuck with it so well. It is a great reference and record.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comments about this little quilt, Janet.  I appreciate them.
      The notebook I use is just a spiral-bound with grid lines.  Nothing fancy.  I'm not always great about recording but I've noticed that I sometimes go back to see how I did something or measurements for a quilt, etc.  Blogging is a good way to record so much while, at the same time, sharing. 

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  2. that is such a perfect baby quilt....isn't it great when everything meshes and such a lovely quilt is created....anyone would love it...

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    1. Thank you, Grace. It is great when everything works perfectly in a quilt. It doesn't happen often for me but I'm grateful when it does!

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  3. Super sweet quilt. Love the thin striped sashing and soft colours.

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    1. Thank you, Karen.  I don't know what it is about striped sashing that I love, but I do love them. 

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  4. Gorgeous finish on this one--I also love the low key colors in this--great title--it is "Sweetness and Light" for sure...I don't keep a reference for the quilts I've made--but wish I had actually. Perhaps it's time to begin taking notes....Hope your weekend is great hugs, Julierose

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your kind comments about this quilt, Julierose. 
      I admire people who don't have to keep notes about quilts.  Especially if I have to take a break from a quilt, I need the notes to remind me what I was doing!

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  5. This quilt is so pretty in pink. I think the quilting looks lovely. It's just so lovely and sweet overall! I do keep a notebook, or series of notebooks, but they are messy as can be, less reference and more working process notes.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your kind comments about this quilt, Cynthia. 

      Oh, I remember your wonderful notebooks!  Mine often contain process notes with lots of drawings and cross-outs, too.  It's just that this quilt I finished was almost just like another I'd made a few years ago, so fewer details to work out. 

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  6. This is about the sweetest, prettiest baby girl quilt I can imagine! I love everything about it, and your circle quilting is just the frosting on the cake. I wish I were organized enough to keep a notebook like yours instead of little scraps of paper and backs of envelopes.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your sweet comments about the quilt, Pat. 

      Well, about that notebook....  Not everything gets into the notebook.  I'm also like you with little scraps of paper here and there.  I'm getting better but I still have plenty of room for improvement as far as organization of paper goes.

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  7. LOVE it!!! I feel certain that your sweet granddaughter will love it, too.

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  8. Nancy, I'm so glad you gave this quilt its due with all the lovely photos. It is so sweet and I'm positive it will be well used and loved. Thanks also for including your information which I especially enjoy reading and learning from.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jocelyn.  It was probably an overload of photos but I couldn't decide on just a few. 

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  9. Fabulous finish!! and perfect for baby - I am sure they will love it ( tell them no Christmas presents if they dont haha!!) its a beauty!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Alycia.  You're so funny about no Christmas gifts.  If they lived closer I could keep a good eye on the use of the quilt....

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  10. Oh my days, this is so sweet.

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  11. What a sweet quilt! I hope it gets lots and lots of use wrapping a sweet little one :)

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I appreciate your comments and look forward to reading what you have to say. Thanks for stopping by.

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