First row and then some

On the quilt-as-you-go baby quilt I have completed the first row. Actually, it was completed more than a month ago, I just have found no time to write for the blog. I was trying to take a trip to Michigan to visit family in early June, but life happens and the trip had to be put off. One great thing about preparing for the trip is that I could use my mother’s sewing machine for this project. It is just about the most portable baby quilt project I have done. I started cutting the pieces I would need for it.

The dimensions would be 8 blocks wide by 10 blocks long. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but then I started cutting. I would need 80 back pieces, 5×5 inches. Forty in color, and forty in white. Then I cut 80 pieces of white for the center of each block. Now I would need 80 blocks of batting cut from the pieces in my stash. I’m still not even halfway done with cutting the batting pieces. I also need to cut binding tape in white for connecting the blocks and rows, unless I only plan to make more blocks while away from home.

I gathered many scraps to use for the blocks into a tub. I love tubs with lids, where I can accumulate pieces for a project, or scraps for future projects. I don’t need a mat and rotary cutter for piecing this one, just sew on scraps and trim with scissors. I can square up the blocks when I’m back home.

I had a tentative week that I would be gone for the visit. My animals would be taken care of, gardens doing well, lawn was mowed. Then I had to put off the visit due to family stuff happening here in Missouri. Then another tentative week was planned for later in June, but had to be put off again. I think I will be able to visit for a week later this month.

first row front

back side

So, the first row looks like this. Not much, so far. The curve isn’t permanent, it will be straight once I sew rows together.

joining blocks front view

joining blocks back view

These pictures show the joining of the blocks, both front and back. In a future post I will show pictures along the way as I join more blocks together. The steps will be the same for joining one row to the next.

Now the surprise – it’s no longer for a potential grandchild, but a real one. There is a bundle of joy coming in October. I’ve known this for a while, but not until after I had started this quilt. I’ll need to get busy on this to allow plenty of time for shipping. My unwritten goal is by the end of September, but the earlier the better. I’m glad this is a quick quilt to make. Once it is shipped off, I’ll start the next.

Quilting in small bits

I am loving one aspect of this project – that I can make a little progress in short bursts of time.

Earlier this month I worked a bit on the quilt blocks. I cut blocks for backing, and also the white centers of the blocks. I’ve decided to lay out the backings alternating a color print with the white backed blocks, in a sort of checkerboard design.

I put a few of the completed blocks together using the binding. Single fold binding gives finished edges where I sew it down. Here are some progress photos.

I’ll do a row at a time until I get the width I like, then begin the second row.