Baby H's Quilt {finished!}

My sneak peek post left you with a pieced quilt top pin / spray basted to the batting and backing.  I was *so close* to finishing Baby H.'s quilt!

I decided to use some simple straight-line quilting that followed the chevron pattern of the quilt.  Following the "bottom" {keeping in mind, it's a quilt that could be turned either way.... but in my mind I saw it oriented with the orange stripe closer to the top than the bottom} of each grey stripe, I stitched three zig-zags about 3/8" apart.  

Then I added some horizontal stitching between points of the zig-zags to create a bit more texture / dimension to the large quilted chevrons you'd see on the back.  I used a light grey thread for the quilt top and a darker grey thread for the bobbin (to blend in with the grey-on-grey chevron flannel I backed the quilt with).

Once the quilting was done, I bound the blanket with the medium blue / white polka dot fabric.  I knew I wanted to use a blue fabric (so that the back of the quilt would be grey / blue), and I wanted to use the one that wasn't the first or last blue chevron.... I was glad it was the blue / white dot - I think it was the perfect binding fabric!

This fluffy, adorable bundle shipped off to Dana in NC as my last finished order of 2013.  But don't you worry - - - I already have a nice long sewing list to start 2014! 

Baby H's Quilt {sneak peek!}

My very first Eggo in the Oven sale was to my friend Dana - she ordered a patchwork blanket for her son Aydan (who is Colby's age) and various other items.  Was I scared?!  YES!  At that point I still wasn't convinced I was good enough to be paid to sew! {truth be told, I still sometimes think this!}

So when Dana messaged me SO excited that another baby was on the way {eeeek!  I think I was one of the first to know... because of COURSE Aydan needed a custom shirt to announce this big news!} I was hopeful that Dana would want to order another blanket for this baby.

Sure enough..... I am SO excited to be working on Baby H.'s quilt!

Baby H's nursery will be blue & grey chevron, so Dana and I thought it would be fun to echo the chevron design in the patchwork style.  I pulled various fabric ideas and she gave me a general idea of which ones she liked - then I made the final call on the fabrics which makes this a fun little surprise for her, too!

Here are a few sneak peeks at the process / progress!

Ironing.... I seriously can't believe I've chosen a profession where I iron all.the.time.  I severely dislike ironing - but it's a necessary evil! :)

Lining up the fabrics and determining the order I want to use them in the quilt

Quilt pattern (on the left..... yes, I used Excel and crayons!) - this is a smaller version of a big quilt I made for my sister-in-law recently.  Stack of squares on the right is all paired up and ready to be sewn.

Making "half square triangles" - I sew diagonally twice on each square, then cut between the lines of sewing - which creates two squares from each pair that is half of the top fabric and half of the bottom fabric

Those half square triangles got sewn together according to my pattern and now have become a quilt top!  This picture is a "quilt sandwich" - the quilt top, a layer of cotton batting, and the quilt backing.  It's all ready for me to quilt, then bind, then ship it off to its new home!  More photos to come once I complete those processes!!!

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek!!!