When I was little I remember my grandma spending hours sewing at her sewing machine. Always humming as she sewed. She had the sweetest singing voice. Every once in a while she would ask me to “help” sort through her scraps by size and that was the thrilling task I was waiting for. She would cut those scraps into squares or rectangles, sometimes pausing and chuckling. She would tell me how this piece was from a dress she had sewn for one of us grandkids, or how some other piece was part of a vintage pillowcase she had saved because it was too pretty to throw away. I was fascinated.
Before I knew it, she would have an adorable quilt top ready to be finished and gifted to a new baby. When my son was born, she wrapped him in a bright, soft quilt she had specially made for him. I knew that there was so much love and so many memories wrapped in that little blanket. By the time my daughter was born, we had relocated and my grandma was too frail to sit for long periods at the sewing machine. She busied herself instead with handwork. She sent me the cutest little linen dress that she had hand sewn for my newborn with little rosettes embroidered at the neck. She was an incredible woman, my grandma! I wanted to be just a little like her 🙂
I bought a couple of charm packs when Bonnie and Camille released their Scrumptious fabric line for Moda. I knew I wanted to make a quilt with it. Since this was going to be my first actual quilt (you know, something larger than 24 inches square!!) I wanted something super simple and easy! So, what did I do? I sliced into those charm packs fearlessly with no pattern in mind 😀 Yeah, living on the wild side at all that!!
Fortunately, it all worked out
I pieced each block trying to keep within the same color family. I used Kona White for the background and boom, I had a quilt top done!
I used a vintage sheet for the backing and it is Oh. So. Soft.
The quilting is as “free motion” as I dared to do, a.k.a squiggly lines using my walking foot. I really want to learn free motion quilting soon but it looks so complicated. Any tips for where a newbie could begin?
I wanted a stripey binding and when I found this bias candy stripe, my heart just sang!!
Way before it was done, my daughter called dibs on this quilt. It’s the perfect size for her bed even though I didn’t measure or plan anything. Accidental win, yay! I basically just sewed blocks until I ran out of charm squares!
This quilt has been finished ages ago, the picture taking was what slowed me down.
#husbandsholdingquilts… yup, that’s really a thing!!
I’m going to wash this quilt this weekend since the white is beginning to take on a dullish grey with all the love!! Crinkle city… so excited!
Throughout the making of this quilt, I thought of my grandma so much. I thoroughly enjoyed the process, although, nothing compares to the joy I felt when my daughter wrapped herself in it and said, “Thank you Mama, thank you!!”
As a fellow maker, I now know why my grandma loved doing what she did ♡
** Linking up :: Finish It Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday **
Super Mom - No Cape!
Your first quilt turned out beautiful! My maternal grandmother could sew anything and I feel connected to her when I sit down at the sewing machine. Sometimes when I look down at my hands now that I’m in my fifties, I see her hands as they were all those years ago.
susie
I Adore your quilt!! And I can’t believe it is your first “regular” size quilt!
You hit it out of the park!! I love the blocks you made, and the fabrics and colors you used! I really love B&C fabric and Kona white together!
What a great way to honor your grandmother, and to carry on the tradition in your family!
What were your charm pack cutting into strip sizes, and the rectangle block size? 2 1/2 ” x 5 ” ? This is a cute pattern for a charm pack!!!
Susie
Shannon
Wow! What an awesome job you did on your first quilt! I would wash your quilt with a color catcher just to make sure those beautiful fabrics don’t bleed onto the white. I hope you plan on making more quilts!
Kelly
Your quilt is beautiful P, love that candy stripe border!! Do you want to make a hundred quilts now?
I swear Miss. K has shot up a couple of feet since her last pics.
Laura
What a pretty quilt!
Mary at Fleur de Lis Quilts
And just like that (snap fingers) you are becoming the woman your grandmother was. She would be proud and thrilled and feel very loved that you’ve made such a beautiful quilt for your first “real” try. I’m a grandma…and I had a grandmother just like yours (except she sewed on a treadle machine). That’s what quilting does–it connects us to each other and to the past and to the future. What more can a grandma want for one of her own?
aivosolu
What a lovely story and quilt. I miss my grandma ;( for the fmq, sew fast and just go for it. Fast is easier than too slow.
Gemini Jen NZ
What a beautiful quilt! Your daughter was right on to it when she called dibs – it is gorgeous! My goal two years ago was to do more fmq and I signed up for Leah Day’s crafty class Free Motion Quilting a Sampler – you don’t necessarily need the sampler (I had already made that in a previous class) but could easily practice on fat quarter sandwiches (I do that before using a design on a project and then turn the fat quarter sandwich into a pillow). There are a tonne of fmq ideas on Pinterest too.
Karen @ Pieces of Contentment
I hadn’t realised this was a first (large) quilt for you. I just somehow thought you had been quilting for a while. It sure is Beautiful, perfectly finished with the red candy stripe binding. Seeing your daughter loving it is the ultimate satisfaction.
Nicky
For a first quilt this is AH-MAZING!!!!!!! But you’re a master crafts woman so I can’t expect less. It’s really beautiful … very inspiring.
Jen
Love your quilt! Scrumptious is the most cheery pretty fabric! I made a quilt for my Mum using the Round and Round pattern of Bonnie and Camilles’. Your daughter is a lucky girl!
lina
Oh it’s beautiful!! I’m sure your grandmother would wholeheartedly approve. And it’s always nice when your daughter loves it too. 🙂
Preeti
Oh Preeti, this quilt turned out so beautiful, springy and refreshing. Your work is so neat.
And your daughter’s happiness just tops it all. Congratulations on your first quilt.
Hugs,
Preeti.
karen
I love this.. I have been hoarding some bonnie and camille fabric to make a couple of “Swoon” quilts myself. Beautiful!
Carie @ Space for the Butterflies
Oh it’s gorgeous! Your grandmother sounds like an amazing woman, and your daughter looks beautiful all wrapped up in it!
Jenny Benton
Such and beautiful story about your grandma. She would have loved to see your first big quilt I’m sure. And your daughter looks so happy to have a quilt made by her Mum, makes your heart sing to see their happy faces, doesn’t it?
Linda Smith
I love your fearless approach. Just cut into some beautiful fabric, sew it together in a pleasing way. Voila. A quilt full of love for your daughter. What could be more perfect?
Pearlin
It’s so beautiful!.and what a lovely trip down memory lane.how many charm packs did you use ?
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Radhika
Pretty… Such a lovely quilt..loving all those vintage floral prints. Kiki looks cute all wrapped up..