Friday 18 March 2016

Baby blanket - Ho Ho Ho and on We Sew

Welcome to Ho Ho Ho and on We Sew in March! Fiona at Celtic Thistle Stitches hosts a monthly link party to help people get prepared for Christmas and there are always some great ideas and inspiration to be found. If like me you often end up a week before Christmas with a long list of handmade gifts that have not come to fruition, then fear no more. Starting to plan in March might seem odd but how smug will you feel come December! 

I am very excited about my make for this month as it is a first for me in more ways than one. It's a quilt and it's for a baby! I am getting to the age where my friends are settling down and this year one of my oldest friends who I have known since I was 9 is having a baby. This will be the first time that one of my close group of friends from school is pregnant and so I finally have the excuse to make cute baby things!

I had some beautiful rabbit print material (I have a lot of rabbit material!) and I decided that I would like to try to make a patchwork quilt. My mother-in-law is an expert quilt maker and has made all sorts of elaborate quilt patterns, but I decided to play it safe. I used just two materials to create a patchwork design and then did a basic vertical line to secure the materials and to add texture.


Firstly I cut 20cm squares of the constrasting materials and pinned and sewed them together.

I then measured and cut a rectangle of wadding material and backing material the same size as my completed patchwork and pinned these three materials together.

I sewed vertical lines down the length of the quilt at regular intervals to secure and add texture.


For the bias binding I found a turquoise fleece material which is so soft and makes a lovely edge for a baby blanket.

And here is the finished quilt. I think it will work well for a boy or a girl so I have all bases covered for Christmas!



This month for the Ho Ho Ho giveaway we have these beautiful sewing-themed charms from Nicole de Bruin which will be spilt between two winners.


To be in with a chance of winning just link up your Christmas and Holiday makes below. Two lucky winners will be randomly drawn when the link party closes at midnight on March 31st.


Thanks to these generous sponsors who make the monthly giveaways possible.



https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/nicoledebruin
  

http://www.needcraft.co.uk/
http://www.elephantinmyhandbag.com/http://www.tikkilondon.com/http://www.japancrafts.co.uk/http://www.rylandpeters.com/
 
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/summersville
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AngieAttwoodTextiles

http://simplysolids.co.uk/
http://sewsweetness.com/

 
http://www.tina-francis-tapestry.co.uk/

10 comments:

  1. I love it Danielle, congratulations on your first quilt! I like the idea of using the fleece for the binding I must remember that for the future :)

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  3. Hi Danielle, I'm visiting from Fiona's! So glad you are starting simple (I'm sure it's the way Fiona started too, don't be intimidated!!!!) that's a fab quilt and I'm sure your friend, and her baby will love it!

    A tip from a lazy patch worker .... If you use a non directional fabric next time, you can cheat and not cut any squares at all! Cut strips width-of-fabric (wof) X 20cm and see them together alternating the two fabrics. Press seams. Then cross- cut at 20cm intervals and TaDa you have the same result as cutting and sewing squares in much less time!

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    1. Hi Benta, great tip thank you! I will definitely try that next time. Thanks for reading! Danielle

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  4. A beautiful baby quilt, Danielle. Congrats on your first quilt. It doesn't take long to become hooked. Love the idea of fleece for the binding.

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    1. Thanks Pam. The fleece is so soft, would love a blanket like it for myself!

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  5. Starting this early is THE best way to be prepared - and less stressed - at Christmas - I'm glad to have the proverbial kick in the butt to get cracking on a project each moth - I'll be especially glad come December! ;)

    That's a beautiful quilt - perfect for a boy or a girl, and a wonderful gift for a sweet wee baby - that bunny print is adorable!

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    1. It seems so far off but always comes along so quickly! Definitely good to have a push this early in the year :-) Thanks for reading

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  6. Congratulations on your first quilt! Hope it will be the first of many. It looks very cute, I especially love your rabbit fabric, perfect for a baby.

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    1. Thank you! Think I may have got the quilting bug. The fabric is gorgeous. I love a bunny print - sorting my fabric out last week I realised I have at least 4 different types! Thanks for reading.

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