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:

front with sun


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. 

even more names

more names

names

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.


detail


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.  :)

front with sun

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful! I love the idea of each member contributing a piece and then passing it on. I also love the name "Knocked Up Knitters!"

Amy Friend said...

It's beautiful! I wish you were close by so you could be my patient knitting helper. I like the idea of knitting but as soon as I make a mistake, I have such a hard time backing it out!

Lindsey said...

Oh Melinda that is so awesome I got all teary!
the quilt is beautiful but the story of your friendship is even better.
You suggested i find a moms group on Rav when I was pregnant and I can't thank you enough. I love my June mamas (yeah, I crashed the party because there was no may group but they accepted a party crasher).

Rebecca said...

How sweet! And what a great idea to find fellow crafty moms. Wish I could but the horse has left the barn so to speak!

I too love quilted words.

Kleep said...

I just finished a sort of similar quilt with fandango, but I guess it's more so in concept than final product. But I do love that line and that quilt looks great!! Excellent team work.

http://asometimesquilter.blogspot.com/2011/09/fantabulous-fandango.html

Not that you have to look. I just feel it's serendipitous.

Kleep said...

Okay, well at the risk of sounding like a highschool girl, and because I don't know how to email you because I don't have outlook email or anything like that, I just want to say THANKS because you are the first person to post on my blog!
I don't really expect it to happen, but it was a truly pleasant surprise. I didn't know where else to put this, luckily I assume most people have more important things on their mind than my little comment.

Thank you :-)

Lucy | Charm About You said...

So pretty and I love the names you quilted, I'd love to try but think it would be an epic fail!! :) I bet the giftee loved it!

Lily Boot said...

Gorgeous! It is so pretty - you can't beat beautiful fabrics cut into squares and sashed with white. Your knitty friend is very blessed.

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

Gorgeous - I love the quilted names! Knocked up knitters is a fabulous name!

Anna said...

super beautiful! i love the names in the quilting! I though about that for my last quilt, but it's a wee bit intimidating! :) great job

Carmen said...

Beautiful! It's so nice to make and receive presents made with love, isn't it?

Christin said...

Very impressed by the writing in the quilting.

melissa said...

amazing. simply amazing.

Tania said...

You holler LOUDLY, lady! A fabulous team effort. The quilty naming business is nothing but sheer genius.

Amanda Jean said...

I love it! The cursive writing (wow! So pretty!), the rest of the quilting, the pattern, the fabric, the white sashing...the story behind it! It's great all around!!!

I agree, it's hard to not be able to blog about gifts until after they are finished and gifted. So very difficult sometimes!

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