And Little Lambs Eat Ivy

I'm a quilter!  Betcha didn't really know that.  Well, I'm a quilter if stashing fabrics, buying patterns, reading quilt blogs and going to the occasional quilt show makes a quilter.  I have made a few quilts and I have great confidence in my ability.  Heh.  I have great confidence in my ability if making a lot of errors, but seeing them and taking as much to fix them as it took to make them counts for ability.  But whatever.  I made a quilt.  Well, I made a quilt if putting the top and back together and then dropping it off with a long-arm machine quilter to be quilted counts as making a quilt.  So, now that I have established that I am a shopper, a reader, a voyeur, a mistake fixer and a seamer, look at what I made!

 

Kind of a crappy photo, but you get the idea.  I'll take better shots when I get it back.

I found this pattern right at the same time that Cheryl found out she was going to be adding to the fold.  I was so excited and I had months to plan and execute!  I really wish I had blogged the process, but then again, you'd all be laughing your rear ends off at what I put myself through.  Kim knows (and yes she laughed and laughed!).  It was worth every second.  Had I blogged it you would have read about my first machine applique adventure, the mistake with square size, agonizing over fabrics, making up my mind and then finding better fabrics, finishing the squares and being totally unhappy with the fabric for the sashing and borders, a quick trip to Keepsake Quilting, "I'll just shoot up and back!"  Fast forward, I return nine hours later after spending three hours at KQ, finding that sashing fabric (I had a fat quarter and really wanted that) in the last few seconds and then heading to Quilted Threads on the way home to find the border and binding fabric.  Thank goodness they were open until eight on a Thursday.  Onward:  putting the borders on, seeing that they sucked, wrapping it up and gifting it as is only to take it back, remove the borders, replace them in a better way (I'll really blog that sometime), squaring it up and dropping it off.  I was a little sad to see it off, but now I can move on to my next quilting adventure.  I may even try to machine quilt that myself. We'll see.

I made some practice squares before committing myself to the machine applique and I used them for the back.  It's almost as cute as the front!

 

I found some great fabrics for the quilt going to the baby of a spinner and knitter.

This cable knit look fabric is repeated in pink and green, I practically flipped when I found it.

I found this fabric in blue and thought it so perfect that I went on one of those obsessive internet searches to find it in pink and purple, all used in the front and back of the quilt.

Kim and I both loved this fabric, doesn't it look like curly fleece?

Eighty-six.  Jeez!  First cross-stitch and now quilting.  I may have to change the name of this blog from Knitting the Blues to Anything with a Needle the Blues.

Comments

[Renee]

It's gorgeous! Definitely that qualifies you as a quilter. Addictive, ain't it??

Would love to hear more about your adventures in quilting while assembling this top and back.

[Norma]

That's the sweetest danged THING!!!!!

[Carole]

It's wonderful. I like the swirly fabric the best, too. Can't wait to see it quilted.

[Lynn]

Hmm, maybe I should send my quilting fabric stash to live at YOUR house...

Adorable quilt, simply adorable.

[Kim]

Yay!!! I am so glad you went with the green fabric in between the sheep....love it!

Well done!!!

[pumpkinmama]

That quilt is just so perfect! Great work.

[Manise]

Nice job and what a labor of love! The swirly fabric fleece was my favorite too! It would make a cool bag too.

[CyndiG]

I love the quilt; it turned out so well!

[Vicki]

I love it!! That cable knit fabric is so cool -- I've never seen anything like it!

I love quilt patterns and have translated them in some way shape or form to all my other crafty endeavors, having actually "quilted" only a pillow top. I'm wondering if it isn't the angst over fabric selection that keeps me away from anything larger. It just seems like an impossible task!

[Manise]

Oh and the title was not lost on me. It was my older kids favorite song and sung by Joanie Bartels.

[Teresa C.]

The version that pops into my heads was by Sharon, Lois and Bram. But, my kids are a little older than yours. Perhaps S,L and B were on the way out by then. I know Erin does not have the same memories of the Elephant Show that Meg and Gillian do.

:)
T

On Sep 4, 2009, at 8:57 AM, typepad@sixapart.com wrote:

[susan]

That quilt is beyond gorgeous. What a work of art!

[Marcia]

It's just darling...and couldn't be more perfect for Cheryl! Send her my best wishes!

[claudia]

So. darn. cute.

[Cheryl]

I love that quilt so much! I can't wait to put my baby on it. She will love it too.

[lindsey]

Love it! So wonderful!

[Kathy]

It's precious. The attention to detail was worth it!!

[CintiSusan-Susan Voegtly]

Yippee - another knitter/quilter!!!!!
It's just darling!! Lovely little ewes!
Keep going!!!

[Gail H.]

It is absolutely wonderful! You are such a perfectionist - and your work always reflects that. My mother sang that song. It was originally done by Bing Crosby I think.

[Cookie]

Love!

[Geri]

The curly sheep is my favorite! Love all the sweet ewes1

[Jennifer]

OMG - that is so cute! Is there anything you can't do? I'm in awe. I've also noticed that many knitters have taken to sewing and quilting lately. I think it's kinda cute that it's happening and more. Maybe we're all reaching out and extending our talents, no?

What a lucky baby to receive such a creative and adorable gift. Can't wait to see more quilts.

[Judy]

OMG- That is adorable! I haven't seen anything lie it. Perfect for a spinner / knitter's baby. Love your choices and knowing you, it IS perfect.

[Mary]

The lambs are very cute! I don't know what it is about lambs but they make such sweet baby quilts. Mom has made 3 different quilts with lambs now including this one and I love all 3 of the them.