Baby Hughes' baby LEXI

          In early June, I was able to start on a baby quilt at my quilt retreat.  I had decided to make some quilts using GE Designs' LEXI pattern.  One quilt was intended for a niece's second child, and I decided to use some of the same fabrics or similar fabrics that I used for the quilt for her first baby. I have a stash of 30s children's prints, and chose a palette of bright reds, yellows, blues and greens for this quilt.   I generally like to design my own quilts, but I have been enjoying making the quilts designed by Gundrun Erla.  They are not difficult, and are quite eye-catching!  

       We had an ersatz design wall set up, and I used it often to play with the color combinations.

 When I got home, the panel joined others on my own design wall! 

     When possible, I like to make my baby quilts a good size so the kids can use a nap blankets when they are bigger.   I decided to add a pieced border of the fabrics to finish this off.   I forgot to measure before I sent off to baby Hughes, but I think this is about  42 x 48.                

The quilt in the lake breeze.  Please ignore my trusty quilt holder's sock choice!

     Here is the quilt I made for Hughes' big sister, Pippa.  My blog about this quilt can be found here.  

I still had enough of the backing to use the same fabric for the backs, and I realize I used the same Kona red for the binding, too! This picture is from the Union Jack quilt, but the one for the Lexi quilt is identical! 

Welcome, Baby Hughes!  I hope the kids have fun matching fabrics in their quilts!

Take care,

Gretchen

Ring Around the Rosie

     Two of my college friends recently had a little girl.  (These are clearly art school friends -  a baby born to any of the women I went to college with in the 1970s would be well, miraculous!) 

     I wanted to make a quilt for this little pumpkin and decided that a panel I had already made would be perfect.  I had made two similar panels, and had turned one into a bigger quilt for a toddler who joined my extended family.  My blog about that quilt is here,   For this baby, a smaller one was perfectly sized and is colorful, bold and painterly, like her mom!  I forgot to measure it (!) but I think it is about 36 inches square.

     I haven't done concentric circle quilting in a long time, but felt that worked for this project! 

     I did have a few problems with the back for some reason, but spent some quality time with my seam ripper and got it fixed! 

In the middle of repairs! 

     I love both the front and back fabrics of this quilt!  All the colors and forms are so happy!

      I had a chance to meet the baby today, and she is a total cutie!  Welcome to the world, little Anais Rosemarie!  

 

     I can't believe that summer is winding down.   I'll soon share some pictures from the Fiberart International exhibit I recently visited in Pittsburgh, PA.  Wonderful, creative works!  So glad I had the chance to visit.  

Take care,
Gretchen 

'On Ringo Lake' on Lake Erie

     It has been some time since I have been able to sit down and post to the blog.  In addition to taking on an on-line summer course towards my art degree, I have had some family transitions which not only take up time, but also leave me emotionally exhausted! 
     I was grateful for the few days at the quilt retreat in June, and have been able to finish up three quilts, but didn't have the energy to write about them until now! 
     First up - the biggest and oldest quilt, the Bonnie Hunter "On Ringo Lake" quilt, which was the mystery quilt she released after Thanksgiving of 2017.   This was my first Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.  I enjoyed the process, and learned lots along the way.  I switched up the colors to use fabric from my stash. using yellow/golds, reds, blacks, and light neutrals.

I finished the top in September of 2018.       My post about the top is here.   Then my steady progress slowed!  In early 2019 I got the top pinned, but didn't get to quilting it until a few weeks ago!   My guild's biennial quilt show is coming up, and I needed this quilt done in order to enter something!  
     Part of the reason for the delay was trying to settle on a quilting pattern.  I didn't want the quilting to distract from the detailed piecing.  I ended up decided to do a medium size stipple in the squares, and to just stitch along the seams of the sashing.   I used a red Aurifil for the quilting, which seems to blend well.

     I also had to decide about the binding.  I had considered a black and white stripe, but again, didn't want it to fight with the piecing.  I ended up using remaining yellow pieces to create the binding.

     This quilt got the cat approval!  

     The finished quilt is 87 inches by 71.5 inches, after washing and drying to get the nice crinkly feel I prefer.   I am looking forward to finding the right place to use the quilt!  
    That is all I have time for today!  I'll soon post about the two baby quilts I finished, but they haven't yet been delivered.  
     I do post more frequently to my Instagram account because it is much easier to just take a picture than to write!  Please look me up and follow me @snugharborquilts!

Take care,
Gretchen