Finally!

The drawback of giving crafted goods as gifts is that you can't show pictures (or shout from the rooftops) when the gift is done.  I'm not known as a patient person.  But this time I was very good and waited for the giftee to open her quilt before showing pics.  And, she opened the mail today, so I open my blogger account :)

Here it is, the Mommy Love quilt:

You will note that the quilt has no binding in that photo.  There is a good reason for that and it all starts more than two and a half years ago.  When I was pregnant with Henry, I joined the Knocked Up Knitters forum on ravelry.

(If you knit and you haven't joined ravelry, you must.  Now.  Seriously, don't read the rest of this post.  shoo.)  

(If you don't knit, go ask someone patient to teach you.  Knitters love converting non-knitters.)   

On that group I met a bunch of wonderful women that were due the same month.  Once the little ones were born, we started a moms group on ravelry.  Since then, we've shared the frustrations and delights of newborns, babies and now toddlers.  I love these women and their children as much as any close friend that I've met in person.  Last year I talked some of them into joining a quilting bee with me and I've converted a few of them into becoming some great sewists, too.  And, when we heard that one mom was having baby #2, we had to plan something.

The blocks of this quilt were made by seven women and sent to my friend, R.  She pieced the top and border and sent it to me.  I pieced the back and quilted it and sent it to J.  J bound the quilt and sent it to our giftee.  (That's why my photos have no binding.)

My favorite part about this quilt is the all of the love tucked in every stitch.  So, when I took it to use the longarm machine, I put our names in.  This is the first time I tried to write words in my quilting, but I think I'll be doing it again. 

Who needs a printed label?  

The rest of the quilting is just a swirly loop-di-loop that I like. 

I think the curves balance the square-ness of the quilt design.

Oh! The quilt design is from a Moda Bakeshop pattern, here.

And, now I feel better.  I have so many old projects that never end, so I have to take the 

finishes and holler out--"See? I can finish something!"

Now just imagine the brown binding around the edges, okay? 

And cultivate your friendships wherever you find them.  :)