Quilt for 2

For my boy's 2nd birthday, I made him this quilt. I had a hard time picking out the right fabric and quilt pattern because most quilting stuff looks girly. But I finally decided on this sort of random looking pattern.
Things I learned making this quilt:

• Sheets make great quilt backs- especially when you buy them at Goodwill for $6! Cheapest quilt back I ever hear of and there are no seems!
• When you have extra backing fabric, fold it over to look like edging-- so much easier. I actually sewed it over once on the back and once on the front and you really can't tell that it is just the backing.
• Quilting with 2 colors (yellow and orange) is fun.
• piecing together the batting is really easy and make it cheaper!

baby james

I love Baby James. He was born the day before my birthday. I got this great idea from my friend Emily to make banners. She created one that said "Celebrate" for any holiday... But I decided it would be a totally cute way to put a baby's name above the crib. I made this one with the left over fabric that I bought for his baby quilt.
This quilt pattern had ducks on it originally but I thought that was too girly for James. Sail boats were the perfect substitute since his dad likes to sail.

Things I learned while making this quilt:

• Bias tape edging is easy but expensive
• tucked under edging applique without freezer paper and following directions is pretty hard... but totally doable.
• piecing together a striped pattern fabric for the back is hardly noticeable
• flannel fabric shrinks A LOT in the wash. Buy way more of it than you would cotton fabric

cabin quilt

I started this quilt when I was in college in 2002. I lived in Sierra Condos and shared a room with my best friend Allison. Somewhere in between all of my activities I fit in time to start this quilt--keyword: START. Long ago I gave the quilt top to my mom thinking that she could finish it. But she didn't. Then she gave it back to me with fabric for the back. So, I finally finished it this January and gave it to my parents for a late Christmas present. It turned out pretty good. I think they are going to put it at the cabin.

Some things that I learned with this quilt:

• quilting on the diagonal is so much easier than vertical and horizontal (I quilt with my feeder still intact- I should invest in a quilting foot or whatever they use to do free hand quilting).
• When quilting vertically and horizontally one way is easier than the other because the fabric has some stretch in one direction but not the other. When stitching on the not stretchy direction it helped me to pull my fabric to the sides as I pulled it through my sewing machine (it also helped to pin a lot so that it doesn't bunch at the end). When stitching in the stretchy direction, it helped me to pull the fabric towards me and towards the back. (hmmm... maybe I should demonstrate that someday... not today)
• Using scraps for the binding worked pretty well and it was easier on my checkbook than buying binding or buying fabric just for the binding.
• I also pieces together a strip on the back of the quilt because I did not have enough fabric for the back. It looks artsy and it was also cheap!