Friday 18 October 2013

A baby quilt, with thanks to Auntie Dora

I'm so pleased to have a real finish! A quilt for a baby girl, born on Friday night, who I will get to meet next week. My friend has been waiting a long time for her to arrive, and this quilt has also taken a while, not nine months, but not far off. My time to quilt is so limited !
I collected lots of kids prints over a little while and then decided to put them all in together.

 Another view. The quilting is an easy, loose meander to keep it nice and soft.
 My first attempt at a patchwork panel on the back - I really like it. The backing is an IKEA fabric,one of their few colourful quilting weight cottons - and so much cheaper than 'proper' quilt fabrics!

 I bound it with an orange solid - jolly and bright. I love pink and orange together, it is one of my favourite colour combinations. My wedding flowers were orange and pink.
And finally a snapshot of Auntie Dora's legacy. Auntie Dora was my mother-in-law's godmother. I never met her, but according to my dear m-i-l, Dora was hard work, demanding, cantankerous, and managed to alienate almost everyone in her family, except my saintly m-i-l who never gave up on her. When I put a sewing machine on my Christmas list one year, my m-i-l suggested Dora might no longer need her machine, and sure enough, soon this 1970s Brother came my way. So her legacy has enabled me to receive a lot of joy, and to pass some on in the quilts I have made so far. The sewing box also was Dora's, I was given it the other week - I plan to recover it with something patchworky but will keep that fabulous satin lining. And Auntie Dora's most lasting legacy, for which I will always be grateful, is an actual legacy, left to my m-i-l, who gave some of it to my husband, which helped us achieve the family we dreamed of. So thank you Auntie Dora!

Linking up to Kelly - if it's not too late, and Amanda Jean too - thank you to you for your brilliant linky parties, they make my week!

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

11 comments:

  1. I love the fun colors in this quilt, and love how the squares are offset! I'm sure that your friend and her sweet baby girl will love it for years and years!

    Thanks so much for linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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    1. Thank you Kelly! My next project is going to be a Purse Strings quilt, a new adventure in 45 degree angles- can't wait!

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  2. Gorgeous quilt! love the colors and the pattern!

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  3. Gorgeous colours! It looks great, well done!

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  4. Love the bright quilt. Cool story on the machine and box!

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  5. Congratulations on the finish! It is very pretty!!!
    You story about aunt Dora is wonderful, thank you for sharing!
    Esther
    esthersipatchandquilt at yahoo dot com
    ipatchandquilt dot wordpress dot com

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    1. Thank you Esther, I love the fact that this woman I never knew, who was such a tough cookie, has had such a positive impact on my life, and I love a sewing machine with a story behind it!

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  6. What a fun, bright quilt! The offset squares makes it so playful.

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  7. This is so cute! So bright and cheerful! And what an amazing legacy! My sewing machine was my husband's grandmother's, and every time I use it, I think of her. It's really lovely to sew on a machine with history.

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  8. This quilt is adorable. That is one lucky baby! I'm sure it will be cherished for many years to come.

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