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Friday, July 31, 2015

Fit for a Princess


 My stories end up being my quilts (and vice versa). This one is no different. I made this quilt for someone that loves following Kate Middleton, so it started out being kind of an inside joke. I grabbed handfuls of scraps and fat quarters in blue, pink and low volume and packed it out to my mom's house so I could work on it while we were visiting. Once we were there and I started cutting, I realized that I hadn't brought enough low volume fabrics with me. On our way to a swimming pool one afternoon, I ran into a local quilt shop and grabbed some fat quarters. One of them was a print that looked like vintage feed labels from Sweetwater Fabrics.


 I had half the quilt pieced when I noticed what had happened. I gasped. I groaned. Then I laughed and laughed and laughed. I heard my brother yell, "What's so funny?" from the couch, so I brought the quilt out and waited for him to notice it. When he did, he laughed and laughed and laughed.


I checked the uncut fabric and found the label advertising MOLASSES and knew I'd found the culprit. I contemplated ripping the square out, but I decided not to. I also didn't mention it to the prospective parents when I mailed it yesterday. I figured the quilt would be two gifts for them. The first would be when they opened the shipping package, but the second would be someday when they were holding the new baby on the couch, fall-down exhausted with sandpaper eyes and one of them said....

"Wait a minute...." (peering closer)

"Does that say....?"

Yes. Yes it does. And when they look at each other and laugh, that quilt will become a story for them and I will be satisfied. That is why I didn't rip it out.

Here's another gem. CLOVERSEED turned into...


I went back to the store and bought yardage of that fabric. After all, serendipity happens to the prepared quilter!

The quilt finished at 44" x 54." It is based on a sketch I made of the Union Jack on some graph paper. The whole thing is constructed from squares and half square triangles. It ended up being a massive amount of seams, but I divided the piecing into quadrants and did a single line at a time assembly-line style. That way I could make sure I was pressing the seams in opposite directions so they'd nest when I joined the rows. I used up a massive amount of scraps.

The block in the pieced backing is called Hearth and Home. I figured that would be fitting for a baby quilt.


 I quilted this in a stipple pattern using Aurifil thread. I used a pale pink, dusty blue and off-white.


All the jokes aside, I really do hope they find this quilt is fit for their little princess!




Back in May I was nominated for a One Lovely Blog Award from Kaja at Sew Slowly. I am sorry that it's taken me so long to pass it along on my blog! I really appreciate the nomination.

I am supposed to tell you 7 things about myself and pass along a nomination for other blogs. Here goes.

1. I despise liverwurst. My husband loves it and I will buy it for him, but if he puts any of that stuff on a sandwich I need at least a six foot buffer zone. Gross.
2. I am six feet tall.
3.  I grew up in Idaho/Utah, but I usually just say Idaho because it's a complicated story and that's where my mom lives. I live in Iowa now.
4. I love spicy food. I put crunchy jalapeno bits on my salad, salsa on my eggs and when I'm in denial about sugar I love to eat chocolate covered cinnamon bears.
5. 3 kids, 2 cats, 1 husband.
6. Pretty much every piece of jewelry I wear has a piece of turquoise on it. I especially love turquoise and pearls together.
7. My kids love to sing and one of my favorite things to do is listen to them murder lyrics. My younger son came home from preschool this year singing, "Oh Who-Sana, oh don't you cry for me! Well I come from Ala-banjo with a [something, something, trail off.....] knee.

I nominate:
Kelly at Pinkadot Quilts
Sarah at Smiles Too Loudly
Kate at Thread Everywhere


And if we're talking about recommendations for great resources, I would check out this page from Michele Bilyeu at With Heart and Hands.  It is an index of liberated/improv piecing tutorials and ideas. I dare you to take a look and not be inspired to try something new.

Linking up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.

31 comments:

  1. I love the quilt and that Kate Middleton was your inspiration. :0)

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    1. Kate Middleton is an inspiration in many ways. One day I'd love to have a baby and come out of the hospital looking like a million bucks. Forget the heels, manicure and perfect hair. I'd just settle for NOT puffy. :-)

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  2. excellent story! beautiful little quilt, lucky little princess and mom and dad :-)

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    1. Thanks, Jodi! I really do hope they like it. Nothing says 'Congratulations' like 42,000 seams!

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  3. I love the shades of blue and pink you used for this. What a nice story, it will be fun for the recipient.

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    1. Thank you, Judy. I had a lot of slate blue scraps because I use that color so often. Most everything works with blue jeans, right?

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    1. That fabric is a gift that just keeps on giving! I am glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's hysterical!

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  5. I loved your Union Jack at first glance, and love it more after reading about it. A lucky new family will really enjoy this.

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    1. I really, really hope so. When I give quilts my secret wish is to know that they are used and loved, not briefly admired and stored.

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  6. That is funny, and that will be a great surprise for the parents one day when they realize it! Makes me want to check out my quilts with text fabric to see if I've got any gems like that :)
    Thanks for the nomination too!

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    1. I know I'll be looking at text fabrics with a whole new eye! Who knew that 'molasses' could go so, so wrong!

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  7. What a gorgeous quilt and a good laugh for early in the morning here in New Zealand. I wonder how long it will take the new parents to find the 'hidden' word.

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    1. Thanks Marlene! I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thinks it's funny! Maybe we are all 10 years old at heart? I have wondered when/if they'll notice and when/if they'll tell me!

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  8. Oh my goodness, I love the silly accidents that happen like that... The lover is so sweet and the other should be a great silly find for them. I love murdering a lyric myself. My favorite right now is a Chevelle lyric that sounds like screaming turtles never make it through...

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    1. I let my older son watch the 80s version of Transformers last week. He came upstairs singing, "Transformers...one more beastly eye." That's just the teensiest bit different from the way I remember it!

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  9. Oh my goodness this was priceless! I love your sense of humor and adore this quilt! It will be just what the new parents need! Thanks for telling this story!

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    1. Thank you, Tami. It was a fun quilt to make and a fun blog post to write. I am glad you enjoyed both.

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  10. I enjoyed your post. And glad you gave the link for liberated quilts.

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    1. Thank you, Nancy. I hope you find the list useful. I loved looking through everything and seeing everything that could be made using an improvisational or liberated method helped me think that I could do it too!

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  11. Oh that made me laugh - what a wonderful treat for the parents when they notice! I love it, long may unintended words keep turning up in your quilts! And yay for being tall - I'm 6'0" too!

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    1. Thanks, Carie. I never checked for words before, but I sure will now!! I posted a picture of this on Facebook and someone said #accidentalispy. I thought that was funny. I am glad to meet another tall girl!

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  12. Too funny:) Your finish is beautiful!

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    1. Thank you, Heidi. The quilt beat the baby there and the mama liked it. I am happy.

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  13. Your quilts are stunning and your sense of humor is spot on! Your blog is my absolute favorite!!!!!

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    1. Thank you so much for that lovely compliment! I really appreciate it!

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  14. Chocolate covered cinnamon bears rule! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I knew I shouldn't have written anything about the chocolate covered cinnamon bears! The last time I went to the store three packages just fell into my cart! ;-)

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  15. I love reading the stories that go along with your quilts! That is one of the best reasons to read your blog (besides your stunning quilts). Love this story! Those new parents will have a hearty laugh over your "hidden" gem. What a great quilt for a little princess, too.

    I just learned (via Dictionary.com) that misunderstood lyrics are called "mondegreen"s. That's a story in itself, and also a mondegreen. My granddaughters thought that a certain AC/DC song (that I don't know the name of) was about Spongebob. They seem to be shouting Spongebob in the chorus. Once you hear that in the song, that's what you'll always hear! Kids are funny!

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    1. Well Sharon, my husband and I have just spent an enjoyable few minutes listening to AC/DC songs and I think we've found your culprit. It is "Thunderstuck." The intro is the awesome electric guitar riff with the word "thunder" chanted in the background. It totally could sound like "Spongebob," especially if you were of a certain age. Your granddaughters are vindicated! Thanks for a fun comment.

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