Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Baby quilt


I went to a quilt store and bought fabric and a package of batting today for the first time in a very long time. Wow. Quilting cottons have gotten expensive. Wow.

I don't really make bed quilts, but for very special people I do make baby quilts. One of my oldest friends (we met in 4th grade--my family is sick of the story, but it is really kind of sweet*) is going to be a grandmother for the first time. Her daughter is expecting a little boy, so I am going to make a quilt for him.

I have my own rules for baby quilts.

1. Traditional pattern and not too complicated. I am partial to 9-patches, though have been known to make pinwheels.

2. All regular cotton broadcloth. Flannel always seems like it would be nice on the back, but really, flannel tends to get pilly and look kind of worn out after a few washings. Broadcloth just gets softer.

3. While I shun pastels in all other areas of life, I still go for the softer colors for babies. Not a fan of the wild and crazy baby quilt. Who wants to be distracted by the rainbow-colored frogs and dogs when you are looking at that sweet baby? No batiks or hand-dyes either.

4. Tough and durable. Machine quilting, flame retardant batting, good sturdy binding. Washable. Very washable. I want the kid dragging that thing around. I do NOT want to see my baby quilt hanging on the wall over the changing table. Baby quilts are not art.

So, I only have a couple of weeks before the shower to get this thing done. I'd better get busy.

* Oh yes, and how I met my friend. To make it short, we were rivals for the attention of one Michael John Langely. Harsh words were spoken and a nasty poem written. Our teachers punished us by making us eat lunch together for a week. We've been the best of friends ever since--more than 50 years. We have no idea what ever happened to young Master Langley.

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:00 AM

    That reminds me of Disney's The Parent Trap when they made the sisters spend a week together in a cabin. LOL

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  2. Anonymous6:09 PM

    Terry, what a nice assortment! Which store did you patronize?

    I think it is a great exercise for us art quilters to revisit our roots and make usable, lovable, personal-history-making quilts once in awhile. There is no shame in this. The medium from which our art has grown should be celebrated....!

    By the way, I have put you on my "Favorites" link list...that's why you hear from me so often! I admire your work, you see.. ;-)...

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  3. I'm in the midst of a baby quilt right now. I haven't pieced in a long long time. It's a nice refresher. (But I'm making it out of brights in wonky rail fence blocks. Can we still be friends?)

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  4. Deborah, we can absolutely be friends! My baby quilt "rules" apply only to me--you make your own rules.

    Allison, I was going to e-mail you to tell you that I bought the fabrics at A Common Thread, just off I-5 in Lake Oswego. I went to your blog and your web site and couldn't find an email address, so I hope you check back here.

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  5. Thanks for the info, Terry.
    And as for not being able to find my email address, that's not good! I will post it more prominently.
    You can email me next time at
    Allison@allisonaller.com

    I live across the metro area from Lake Oswego...but I am sure A Common Thread is a wonderful quilt shop. Mostly I go to Fabric Depot... ;-)

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