This quilt was made for my hubby's best friend and wife - for their new baby Dennis.
Born Friday, August 19th, 2011.
He's a cutie and looks just like his big sister did when she was born.
Mom loves elephants, so when I found this pattern, I knew what I was doing. I just had to wait to find out if it would be a boy or a girl.
I heard it was a boy, so I knew pinks and purples were out, but found the backing fabric and knew it was perfect, so the colors came from there. Turns out it wouldn't have mattered boy or girl because this fabric had me sold as soon as I saw it!
But to tell the truth, when I was looking for a focus fabric, I was thinking more along the lines of something I could use for background - behind the elephants. This was too big, so it's on the back instead, which is just fine with me. (I'm sure you all know how plans change once you're in the store looking at fabric.)
I gave the quilt to mom at the wedding (when I could be inconspicuous - I don't want to steal their show!) and she laughed because they've decorated Dennis's room with these colors and jungle animals! Seems we were on the same wavelength. And the blanket they bought for in the crib is too small...so guess what? Yep, he'll be sleeping under this! (Well, as much as babies sleep under blankets...)
Big sister tried to appropriate the quilt as soon as mom had it in her hands (she'll be 3 soon), but I told her she already had two, so she'd better stick with those and let her brother have one!
And now for a few quilty updates. I've been working a little every day and have a chunk to show!
I've had a little trouble with those pinwheels. The book directions were not compatible with my scrappy method and I ended up doing bad math and making them too large, which meant trimming, which didn't go so well. (Lost a point or two.) But that's better than too small, right? (Because I didn't have any more red or enough cow print!)
And then sewing that skinny yellow strip, I neglected the points for an even strip (a 1" strip is much more obvious if you sew a little wonky to get that one point just right...) and did pretty well. I didn't study it too closely, but I think there's only one point that looks terrible and I'm not ripping it out for that one. It was probably one of the points I whacked off in the trimming anyways.
It just needs yellow all around and then green borders around that and the top will be done! I can't believe it - it just all of a sudden came together. I'd been trying to get into my sewing room for those pinwheels for what felt like ever, so I'm glad to have it this far. But next will be the "uh oh...how should I quilt this?" dilemma!
I work on this a little every afternoon. At noon I stop studying and eat lunch, but the hubby got me started watching his soap opera, so I watch that too and sew and listen.
But I think I have a problem with those letters...I cut the tags as directed and the original does have them overlapping a little and there will be seam allowance tucked under, but I'm not convinced they'll all fit.
And I think something needs to go over the middle pumpkin. The original had acorns up there (and leaves), but I think the acorns looked misshapen and goofy, so no acorns. Any ideas? Or leave it as it is?
The Whig Rose - same as you saw it last time. The pumpkins need to be done sooner (it's a fall wall-hanging!), so they get the attention.
The job hunt: nothing. I think as soon as I finish this exam, I'm going to apply at Wal-Mart. It may not be the best job out there, but it's a job. :)
Happy quilting,
Katie
