Blogger's Quilt Festival, Spring 2014 #2

As I've mentioned before, we live in a military town.  So, there's lots of moving in and moving out.  Glass half empty - all your friends eventually move :( Glass half full - but there are always new ones moving in! :)

One of my favorite friends ever moved away last year.  I had every intention of making her a quilt before she left, but I was a little busy growing a baby.  And trying my best not to kill to help my older three children survive the summer with a terminally pregnant mom.  It was a long summer.  With a super cute reward at the end.

Anyway, I got a little behind on my sewing and didn't finish it until earlier this year.  Amy came down to visit last month, so I got to give it to her in person.

Last year, before Amy moved, we made a baby quilt together for a mutual friend.  We pretty much copied this quilt.  Bonnie and Camille's Ruby line plus aqua = awesomeness.  Plus, the baby's name was Ruby.  Of all the baby quilts we have made together (at least fourteen!), this was Amy's favorite one. 

So when it came time to make Amy's quilt, I remade it one more time, this time using half of a layer cake (left over from my daughter's quilt).  And once again, Ruby plus aqua = awesomeness.  Seriously.

For the quilting, I mixed things up a little (for me, anyway).  I went with a traditional 1/4" on either side of the seams in the pieced portions. 

But on the aqua sections, I quilted an orange peel design.  I love how it turned out!

For the backing, I used two of my favorite prints from the line, with a pieced portion using extra pieces from the front. 

Have I mentioned how much I love Ruby???

You can't go wrong with a good sundae scallop for the binding.

Everything about this quilt makes me happy - the recipient, the fabric, the simple layout that does such a great job of showing off the fabric, you get the idea.  Now I just need to make myself a quilt with all the Ruby I've hoarded stashed.

Thanks for stopping by, and go enjoy all the other lovely quilts at the Blogger's Quilt Festival!

Blogger's Quilt Festival, Spring 2014

As I've mentioned before, we live in a military town.  While this gives us opportunities to meet lots of new people and make a number of good friends, this also means that those new people and good friends all eventually move.  Summer, the moving season, can be rough that way.

This year, three of our closest friends and their families are moving.  It's a doozy of a year.  So, my sewing machine has been busy making them a little something to let them know just how much they meant to us. 

First up is Teri.  We used to live down the street from each other and worked together for two years in our church's youth Sunday School program (Primary).  She also has four kids, and she and her family have been such good friends to us while they've been here.  A few years ago, we co-hosted a baby shower for another friend, and I pulled some fabric in the chosen colors to help with decorations.  She loved the combination, so when it was time to start her quilt, I knew where to go.

The pattern is by Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations, called Chevron and On.  It was super simple, but a great way to show off some favorite fabrics and some fun, spunky colors.  Just like Teri :)

And oh, are there some favorite fabrics.  Kate Spain's Central Park and Verna, Bonnie and Camille's Ruby and Happy Go Lucky, Amy Butler's Lark, lots of good Riley Blake polka dots and chevrons, V and Co's Simply Color and Simply Style, Lizzie House's Red Letter Day and Happy Pilgrim, and even some Neptune.  I'm smiling just thinking about it all :)

I kept the quilting simple - just 1/4" on either side of the diagonal seam lines.  Not only did I like the simplicity of it, but I also discovered her movers were coming a full month earlier than I had been thinking, so time was not my friend.

Some Happy Pilgrim stripes to bind it off - stripes make for such great bindings!

Later this summer, this quilt (and Teri and her family) will be setting off for lots of new adventures in Singapore.  And while I'll miss Teri a lot, at least a little piece of me will be coming along for it all.

Now go see all the other lovely quilts, and thanks for stopping by!