Baby #2's first quilt top

I finished (minus trimming up the sides) baby #2's "Hospital" quilt while we were on vacation this week.

And since it's been so quiet around here, I decided to show you now rather than wait for it to be all the way finished.

This was the stack of fabric I started with:


A bunch of equilateral triangles later (cut at 60 degree angle on 4 1/2" wide strips),
and this is my quilt for baby number two... whether there is a little he or she growing in there.

I'll give you more beach pictures soon, but we sure did enjoy our family time and cool weather.

And we've passed 29 weeks... if this baby comes when Steiger came, that means I've got just under 9 to go...

(For inquiring minds -- 29 weeks with Steiger)

WIP Wednesday - accessorizing

It's been busy around here!

First off, I finished my niece's big girl bed quilt.  It was a chore for sure!  I have to give a special thanks to my friend Amanda for all the help letting me use her machine to quilt it.

I won't show the whole thing yet, because my sister-in-law (and brother and nieces) are coming this Friday... and I want her to be a little bit surprised. :)

But I've been working on accessorizing the quilt.

So far, I've got a pillow case (think I'll do another, but with some white fabric and a pretty band), some scallops for bunting (need to crank out a few more), and a little throw pillow.

The pillow cover I made last night.

Steiger really likes the quilt, and tells me to take his picture whenever it's on the ground.

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I've made some progress on my "Hospital" quilt.  

And I still need a design wall.

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Finally, I'm working on accessorizing myself a little. 

I'm cursing cutting interfacing for this Birdie Sling bag currently.

I just love that Joel Dewberry Damask.

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Report: 

Finished: "If it's a girl quilt"

- Niece's big girl quilt

Others in progress - 

- Triangle "Hospital" quilt ( more piecing done)

- "If it's a boy" quilt for baby and coordinating one for Steiger (piecing blocks) - nothing new, must prioritize (Steiger carries around the fabric and tells me to make him his quilt often)

- Pickledish  (6 of 20 blocks done - hoping to make it King-sized) - stalled

- Chubby Stars (1/5 of the top is done; many of the blocks are made - I'm taking this one with me on vacation to work on!) - still going to take it on vacation!

- French General Schnibbles (needs borders - it's bigger than in that link) - stalled

- Nicey Jane squares (needs backing, quilting, and binding) - might pull this one out this week, but I need to buy batting, so we'll see

- Divas quilt (debating whether to make this any bigger) - stalled

- Breakfast at Tiffany's Rob Peter (already basted!) - will undoubtedly quilt soon

- Christmas quilt (debating a border, and needs backing)

- Boy version of Libby's quilt for Bake Shop - top is pieced!

Linking to Lee's!

Dear baby... if you're a girl...

...then this will be your quilt.

And if you are a girl, I will love watching you work to hold your head up, and look at those stars...

And I will love seeing you snuggle in all its softness.

And drag it all around the house (your big brother is getting a head start - you might have to fight him off).

I loved making this for you little one... if it is yours 

(and if you're a boy, I'm keeping it, because I love it). 

Your daddy is sure you're a boy... just as sure as I was about your brother...

We've made it to the final trimester!  And even though it's still not really real to me that there will actually be another kiddo in our house, you are showing proof of yourself. :)  

(Here's what your brother looked like at week 26)

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Specs for my bloggy friends - 

Pattern: Swoon by Thimble Blossoms (love this pattern)

Fabric: Modern Meadow with City Weekend, Farmdale with Hideaway, Katie Jump Rope with DS quilts, and Meadowsweet 2 with Sunkissed.  

Binding: DS quilts tile

Quilting (my favorite I've done so far) - a cross hatch at one inch intervals.  I didn't plan it, but it makes an almost perfect grid all over the whole quilt -- evenly dividing the blocks and the quadrants... that was a happy, unplanned coincidence.

WIP Wednesday - so sweet...

 ... it'll make your teeth hurt. :)

(SHARON - DON'T READ!)

I'm posting this early, because I can never seem to get my act together ON Wednesday to post (at least, not as often as I'd like).

Here we go -

Biggest project right now is my niece Molly's big girl bed quilt.  I showed a little preview before, and I apologize for the poor lighting for these (it was too late in the day), but here is the completed quilt top.
  I made it for a double bed, and the plan was to have the blocks sit on the bed top, with the white frame on the edge, and border for the drop.  Trouble is -- it's a high drop, and I added a couple inches all around to account for shrinkage (I never pre-wash)... this quilt top currently measures 89" x 106" !!  I lost my JoAnn's coupon which I need to pick up batting, but I'm got a plan for the backing in place, and a coupon ready for the 10th.  This needs to be done by the 15th (and I'll be seeing the midnight Harry Potter, so really, it has to be done on the 14th).

After completing this top, I needed something more size manageable. 

I pulled out my "If it's a girl quilt top," 

Pieced the backing, and got the quilting done yesterday and this morning (I was declaring my independence from big quilts)...

Here's a little preview of the quilting... I just need to pick out my binding fabric.

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Others in progress - 

- Triangle "Hospital" quilt (piecing)

- "If it's a boy" quilt for baby and coordinating one for Steiger (piecing blocks)

- Pickledish  (6 of 20 blocks done - hoping to make it King-sized)

- Chubby Stars (1/5 of the top is done; many of the blocks are made - I'm taking this one with me on vacation to work on!)

- French General Schnibbles (needs borders - it's bigger than in that link)

- Nicey Jane squares (needs backing, quilting, and binding)

- Divas quilt (debating whether to make this any bigger)

- Breakfast at Tiffany's Rob Peter (already basted!)

- Christmas quilt (debating a border, and needs backing)

- Boy version of Libby's quilt for Bake Shop

Linking to Lee's WIP Wednesday (as soon as tomorrow comes). :)

I think I've got enough to keep me busy for a while! 

Hi Friends! :)

A little update, in bullet form, for my friends.

• I finished a quilt for my cousin's soon to be born baby boy -- Jax

• She loved it, and it goes perfectly with their Red Sox theme.

• I made a little bunting to go with it with the other leftover triangles.
• My good friend Kelly correctly surmised that I quilted it with vertical lines to give it the pin stripe look of a baseball uniform (and to keep things from getting too complicated). ;)
• It is my husband's Spray Season (I capitalized it for good reason - the thing deserves its own capital letters).  He leaves by 5 am, and gets home between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.  He is working ridiculously hard.
• I tend to lose it a little bit during this time of year, along with swearing off all aspects of country living, so I've been taking naps during the babe's nap-time... thus the quiet blog for the last couple weeks.
• He'll be done some time in the middle of July; days off only happen if it's windy.
• I had the most wonderful appointment with my midwife last week.  She specializes in home-births, but because we live so far from the hospital, she will be working as my doula and giving me concurrent care on my VBAC journey.  She (TMI) told me I have a great, roomy pelvis, and I've been glowing ever since.
• Grandma watched Steiger for that appointment, as well as for my appointment for the two hour glucose test.  Not a fun test, and not the best way to test pregnant women for gestational diabetes in my opinion, but since I am declining major surgery, I am picking my battles, and I did the test.  I passed (*phew*  One less thing to worry about!)
• My older brother and sister-in-law and nieces are coming in July.  I will get to meet my new niece Libby, and give her her quilt.
• My SIL has asked me to make my niece Molly her big girl bed quilt.  I'm working on it, and need to finish it up in the next couple weeks!

• The fabric is Riley Blake (Sweet Divinity and Quite Contrary), pattern is Thimble Blossoms Marmalade, and it's taking me quite a while because each petal and piece has to be planned in conjunction with all the pieces around it.  
• But it's cute. :)

• I got my Goodie Bag Swap bag from Linda!

• She spoiled me... (bag is Anna Maria's Sidewalk Satchel, and the goodies are just fun!)

• Here's a link to the bag I sent.
• I drank the Kool-Aid and ordered my book.  
• I got to have a girlie day with Amanda a couple weeks ago, and hope to have a sew date soon. :)  She's even cuter and more genuine in person than on her blog... we went to two quilt shops, a shoe store, wandered the farmer's market, a cosmetics salon, and a yummy salad place for lunch... oh! and frozen yogurt.  It was a good day. :)
• I've got an apricot pie in the oven that I am going to photograph before I post this. I hope it looks (and tastes) as good as E's pies. 

• Re: the bun in the oven -- I'm at 24 1/2 weeks.

• The belly's feeling big, and making me a little nervous for where it'll be in another three months... but the baby's super wiggly, which always makes me happy. 

With ♥ from farm country!

-Tracey

P.S. The winner from my giveaway forever ago, is The One & Only... I will email you. :)

All the pretty triangles...

Steiger wants to live outside.

Other than gardening, that means Mommy doesn't get much done...

So today, we compromised. And I accomplished this:

Yes, that is right... While Steiger rode his four-wheeler, 

Mommy got her extension cord, portable table, pretty triangles (from this fabric) and set up shop.

The deal was that when we had sunshine on the table, we moved to the back (where he played with the hose, and the sewing machine did not follow...neither did the camera).

These are in no particular layout whatsoever yet, just sewn together however... but I am going to love this Bringing Baby Home quilt.

In my opinion, gender neutral is difficult to achieve, but by-golly, I think I've done it.

♥

WIP Wednesday - 6.8.11

Thank you for all the name suggestions!  There are some to run by the hubs later! :)  (Though I just wish he would agree to Dane Allen already... but maybe it will be a girl!). :)

I had some finishes this week (in part thanks to y'all's encouragement)

If you haven't seen it -- Scroll down or click here to see my niece Libby's diamond quilt.  It was my own design, and though it gave me some trouble, I am quite proud of it. :)

I also finished the bag for my Goodie Bag Swap, and got it in the mail!



The pattern is Amy Butler's Cosmo bag from Style Stitches, and holy interfacing batman!!  I think each piece is interfaced, but it did turn out nicely.

The outside is a Michael Miller damask and dot, and I lined it with some Riley Blake Sugar and Spice.



I hope my partner is as much of an aqua and red fan as I think she is. :)
And I hope she likes big bags too... this one's almost as big as a two year old.

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Laugh at with me if you'd like, but I started a new project. 

Inspired by the Honey Palette in Tula's new Prince Charming...

This little montage, Adrianne's baby mish-mash quilt, and this gorgeous quilt

I pulled some fabric for my "take to the hospital" quilt... plan is to make it perfect whether we have a boy or a girl...

If Steiger goes to bed at a decent time, I'll have a shot of progress for this one soon!

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I need to finish a quilt for my older niece and cousin's baby by the end of this month... so I hope to have plenty to show you soon! :)

Oh!  I almost forgot -- I'll get the giveaway winner posted ASAP (probably tonight), and I got a hair-cut today.  

22 weeks here...

Linking up with Lee!