Sunday 15 July 2012

Three in One (and on a sunday too)

I've been hinting and not showing these for months, but they are now in the recipients hands so I can brag share them with you now...  introducing the quilts for bestie, baby and hubby too.  Just a shame that the sun never made an appearance whilst I actually had access to a garden and washing line to hang them on....


triplewhammy2




The baby's Polaroid Quilt


babys Polaroid Quilt


babys Polaroid Quilt back



Measures 52" x 58"
Japanese charm squares as polaroids, shot cotton background.
Back, more polaroids on Alexander Henry Rolling Hills.
Fabrics 100% cotton (and some 50% cotton/50% linen blend) and batting 100% cotton.
Based on this beautiful block by Little Miss Shabby.
Quilting free-motion stars on the shot cotton, and hand stitching in white perle cotton on the white, including baby's name and other doodles on the bottom strip.
I've wanted to use my Japanese charms since I got them but no project was special enough til my best friend had a wee girl.  And they were doubly perfect as the new mum in question spent a few years in Japan so I knew the fabrics would appeal to her. I used the shot cotton as background for its warmth and I thought it was nicer than just having a flat colour.  When I saw how square the top was,  I decided to put a border on it and use that border to make the whole quilt one big polaroid.  


babys Polaroid Quilt hand stitching


babys Polaroid Quilt hand stitching doodles









The hubby's City Quilt.  




City Quilt



City Quilt quilting


City Quilt back
City Quilt sittin pretty



Based on the amazing Cherie House Quilts City Lots.
Measures  51" x 66"
Solids only quilt, 100% cotton fabrics and batting.
Quilting is straight line grid 1/4" inside seams with variegated thread.
In doing a quilt for best friends new baby, then finding myself making one for her too, I couldn't very well leave her husband out now could I.  I've wanted to make a City Quilt for ages now, and this seemed the right time to give it a go!
I had to do a border on hubby and besties quilts as I found I'd gotten carried away on babies quilt and it had ended up bigger than the two for the grown ups... couldn't have new dad sitting with cold feet...I went with the same plan as babies, to use the border to make the whole quilt like a large block.


The bestie's Circa City Quilt

Circa City Quilt


Circa City Quilt, quilting


To keep a family theme I decided to stick with the design layout of the City Lots, but this time on a larger scale to show off the prints of the Circa 1934 by Cosmo Cricket.  Also includes patches from the panel and border print.  The first time I saw this line it just made me think of my bestie.  Its maybe the typewriter keys, she is a brilliant writer and storyteller.  Or maybe its the retro 30's look or the print names, Garbo, Astaire, Hayworth...  Or maybe its just that I really love it and I thought she might too.  Or maybe I'm just getting far too soft in my old age...
Measures 53" x 67"  
100% cotton fabrics and batting. 
Back 100% cotton flannel, supersoft and cosy.  
Quilting is horizontal straight lines spaced 1.5" apart.


The two tops for Bestie and her hubby were made aeons ago when mum was visiting.  Once I  had the plan, the sizes and the fabrics mum helped out loads with the cutting and pressing as I did the stitching.  I'm glad I was able to bring the finished quilts to mum to see before they went on to their new home.   When I say finished, I need to point out that Hubbys City Quilt still needed the binding done, and as I became a little under the weather mum was able to step in again and do the hand stitching of the binding for me.  Isnt she a star?  Even bestie herself had to get stuck in and assist in the photoshoot - the quilts needed gripped tightly as the rotton wind was was determined to ruin play and I would have but someone had to play with hold on to the baby...


Best news of all, for me anyway I dunno about proper quilters, is that they are being used and abused already!  I swear I'm not being sarcastic, I honestly was thrilled to see them on the floor being rolled up in, hidden in, played with and crawled over, and when babys Polaroid Quilt got spewed on, well, that's just the perfect christening!  But the less said about spew the better right now.....  Suffice to say, I couldn't be happier they're being used and loved right away.  As I told bestie, they're only going to get softer and cosier and comfier the more they're washed.

37 comments:

  1. Lovely! I particularly like the baby's quilt - what a great idea to showcase some special fabrics. And I love the pink swirl you used on the back.

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  2. These are wonderful! I love how you made the polaroid into a single polaroid and the other two into a block - brilliant! And I agree, when they are used that is the best. I tell people if the quilt needs patching, repairing, replacing, just let me know, I do patchwork after all.

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  3. Oh wow, the three of these are lovely!

    I particularly love the Polaroid quilt. I've been wondering what to do with my Japanese fabric charm pack from fluffy sheep quilting's charm swap a while back and I think something like this quilt would be perfect for that.

    Thanks for the inspiration.

    Kat x

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  4. Wow what lovely makes you dazzle us with today.
    I love the polaroid quilt so much.
    Gorgeous.

    I love it when a quilt is really used and loved too. The best quilts are the ones that no one is scared to touch.
    xxxx

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  5. Wow these are amazing - fabulous!!!

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  6. Three very beautiful quilts! LIke you I really enjoy that people use the quilts I make - I hate to see them being protected and preserved all folded in a corner. Besides, if they use them that'll give me an excuse to make another in years to come, right?

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  7. such gorgeous quilts! I especially love the giant polaroid - such a great idea!

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  8. Sarah these are fabulous quilts: your bestie is very lucky to have such an amazing bestie herself!

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  9. Gorgeous! you are so right about them being used straight away! Makes all that work worthwhile :) x. Missed you today x

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  10. They all look fab, I especially love the baby polaroids (sans sick!)

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  11. That's one big baby quilt that she will be able to grow into and love as she gets older. How generous to make a whole family a quilt each!

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  12. They are brilliant. I love the bestie one best. It is so good to know things you have made and being used and loved, and maybe a little abused too (but baby sick is a lot better than big person sick!). Juliex

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  13. All very nice. I especially like the Circa quilt.

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  14. Sarah they are all gorgeous!! Go you and your mum - what a team!

    Oh and I would love a quilt with Henry Rollins on the back, or wrapped up in! (Sorry that fabric name always makes me think that!) xxx

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  15. Oh Sarah - I don't know which I like best. I love the idea of the polaroid quilt but love the city quilts to bits, especially the Circa 1934, one of my favourite lines. Well done you. And yes, it's brilliant seeing your quilts being used.x

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  16. Three quilts. THREE QUILTS!!! And all of them just fabulous! Circa 1934 is my Favourite:-) but only just :-)

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  17. Oh wow I saw the first quilt and thought that's going to be my favourite - I thought the same thing when I saw the second and the third! They're all wonderful and yeah it's great to see stuff you make in use and not hidden away!

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  18. Wow what fantastic quilts! The recipients are some awfully lucky people! The Polaroid quilt is my favourite =D

    Also I've added some new fabrics into my swap shop, as well as a new one via Flickr. If you're interested feel free to check them out =D
    http://ibescheraldine.blogspot.co.uk/p/cheraldines-swap-shop.html
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibescheraldine/sets/72157630591128322/

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  19. Not one, but three amazing quilts! What a lucky family. You have done a simply stellar job once again.

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  20. Oh Sarah they're all fantastic! You have a very lucky bestie, baby and husband! And a lovely Mum ;) I really love the quilting on the baby one. So pretty!
    I'm with you on the getting used thing. They're meant to be dragged round the floor, and a bit of sick always washes out :)

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  21. what a great friend you are and a lucky bestie! wonderful quilts :) I love it when my quilts are used too. and haha about the spew. One time I was basting a quilt for Abbie and actually contemplating listing it in my shop instead. well no joke but literally as I was basting it Abbie crawled over and spat up milk all over it as if just to claim it as hers. So yes, needless to say that one didn't make it to the shop LOL

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  22. what a great friend you are and a lucky bestie! wonderful quilts :) I love it when my quilts are used too. and haha about the spew. One time I was basting a quilt for Abbie and actually contemplating listing it in my shop instead. well no joke but literally as I was basting it Abbie crawled over and spat up milk all over it as if just to claim it as hers. So yes, needless to say that one didn't make it to the shop LOL

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  23. wow, wow, and wow! they're all beautiful! I love the polaroid one and the stitching you did is to die for!! what lucky recipients! So beautiful. I agree too. I love making things to be used, and dragged around, and hey, that's what the washing machine is for, right! I'm sure they will get loved to bits!!!

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  24. Those are awesome! i love that you used charm squares for the polaroids - why didn't I think of that?

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  25. Wow, Sarah, they are just so great! I love that you based the two big quilts on the same pattern and yet gave each of them such a different look. And the baby's polaroid is so cute. And I also feel that being used and abused is what quilts are made for :)

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  26. Fab quilts Sarah!hope your feelIng better now :-)

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  27. Three stunning quilts - well done you (and your mam!). I hope you've recovered from whatever it was that laid you low xx

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  28. Damn girl! Those look great! I love the way you did the Circa one.

    I love quilts gettin used and loved. Especially baby ones. What's the point of going them if you don't want them touched.

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  29. Lovely, you have been working hard! x

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  30. um, i want you to be my best friend! xoxo ;)

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  31. Finally have wifi and can comment. Yes, am very, very, very lucky and very, very smug!! Thank you, thank you so so so much!! Slept on couch under city lights earl this morning with baby (other two quilts spread on floor under pile of toys) and was very cosy. Xxxxx ("contented sigh")

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  32. Sarah they are all fabulous, well done to you and your mum :)

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  33. you did it! you quilty genius, you x

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  34. Wow! I love all of them Sarah, but especially the baby quilt - so gorgeous, and such a great I-spy quilt :o)

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