My baby project

People who know me know I'm a hobby knitter.  I've knit little sweaters and hats and vests and blankies for most of the wee ones our friends have welcomed in the last few years, and I love love love doing it.  I was ready to (and actually started to) knit a little sweater dress for M too, when we did a little closet-cleanup and SB saw some of the quilts my grandmother, aunts, and great-grandmother had made for me. 

"Why don't you make a quilt for the baby?"  he asked innocently.  It was at that moment I realized he has far higher esteem for my crafting abilities than I do, and also that I am just crazy enough to believe him and embark on my first quilting project.  Just like that. 

Generally, if I can find good enough instructions, I can pretty much make anything.  It may have a few quirks and kinks, but for the most part I can get a project done if I have something to tell me step by step how to do it.  So I did some googling.

I found the Moda Bake Shop, which is at once instructive and inspiring.  There are tons and tons of sewing projects on there, and you can also find pre-cut fabric bundles through many online retailers that takes all the guess work out of choosing fabric patterns and cutting fabric pieces.  I chose a baby quilt, ordered some fabric, and away I went.

My fabric arrived like this:

Isn't it beautiful?  It's called a Jelly Roll, and mine was full of fabric from the Moda Central Park line by Kate Spain. 

Here are some of the fabric swatches while I was trying to pair them up for the quilt blocks:

Currently, I am finishing the last part of the quilting portion of this project.  This is the second to last step, people!  I have been working on it since January, when I hoped to get the bulk of it done before M's arrival (only she arrived a week early instead of like most first babies, who arrive late), but now it's almost done!  And while I pieced together the blocks using the sewing machine, I did the actual quilting by hand!  Like my grandmother used to do! 

For some reason I feel more proud of this project then any of my knitting projects.  And for some reason I feel like when it is finished I am going to experience a major let-down - this project which has been so exciting and creatively invigorating will be over.  And while there will be satisfaction in a work accomplished, and excitement over starting a new project, there will never be another first quilt, and it will never be close to complete ever again. 

Once it's done, I'll take a photo of M playing on it.  But for now I am basking in the anticipation of it being almost done.