The BIG Finish of 2012! (...so far...)

(I hope there are more finishes in 2012!)

Even though Tucker (Kelly's son) was born on time, my baby quilt for him was not. I have loads of excuses...

But what matters most is that it. is. FINISHED!!

For the front, I used the Traveler Quilt pattern from the Oliver+S Little Things to Sew book. It is a very simple pattern, although I would like to announce to the world that I believe the fabric suggestions are grossly over estimated. With that said, though, I am making this pattern again. :)

I stepped out of my quilting cotton comfort zone, and used Essex Linen in white, because Kelly loves linen. Kelly also loves blues and greens, so I used solids and prints from my stash (actually, the abandoned "Bottled Rainbows" quilt provided most of them!). I spent a little time in limbo because I didn't order enough of the Essex Linen, and you would think I was asking for fabric made from moon dust the way the fabric stores in Colorado acted when I asked if they carried it! Sheesh!

Once I got the rest of the linen, I commenced to spending hours upon hours with my brow furrowed as I tried to figure out how to piece the back. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to use the bits and pieces to make something truly modern, and I settled on the "Confetti" pattern from Block Party. I felt like I was Alexander the Great trying to solve the Gordian Knot! (here's an in-progress picture)

Oy. Good thing I love the back so much. It would really stink if didn't! I bet I spent at least 3 times as much time on the back as I did on the front. Here's the finished back:

(I took the quilt to the park the other day to take pictures, and as my oldest was holding it up, a friend surprised us all by sliding under it. I really love this shot!)

I was inspired to quilt it in waves thanks to the early doorstep arrival of Modern Minimal, by Alissa Haight Carlton. It was perfect for a lot of reasons, and I'm so glad I did the waves!

I used variegated green thread for one wave, and variegated blue thread for the echoing wave, and finished the quilting at the Front Range MQG (fantabulously awesome) retreat in late February. Unfortunately, I had some tension issues with the quilting that caused some tension issues with my attitude, and so the quilt sat.

And it sat and it sat and it sat and it sat and it sat and it sat and it sat and it sat and it sat and it sat and it sat. (who can tell me what that's from?)  :o)

I had to rip out and redo quite a few sections of the blue quilting, and I didn't like the way I was having to bury the thread tails. Finally, oh finally, I found this YouTube video showing a stinkin' brilliant way to hide thread tails, and I do believe my life has been forever changed. Amen.

I (machine) bound it in Maude Asbury's Calypso Ovals in Cool, which I am completely in love with and want to wallpaper my whole house with. Even though it's an oval, if you cut it right, it reads, and thus binds, as a stripe.

It was really challenging for me to not share pictures as I blogged about the process of the quilt. I'm fairly sure Kelly knew the quilt was coming to her, but I didn't want her to know what it looked like until she got it in her hot little hands.

But in her hands it is, even though not-so-little Tucker Man is (oh my goodness, Kelly!) 8 weeks old already. It isn't perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but Kelly knows to apply my "friend" rule when it comes to hand-made projects.  (My "friend" rule is that a real friend doesn't notice the imperfections, and if she does, she doesn't ever mention them to anyone!)

Kelly, I'm glad you love it. That's all that matters. It was made for you. I mean Tucker. :o)

(I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts for "finish it up Friday" and I will remove it forever from my "{WiP} Wednesdays" posts! Hallelujah!)


(I'm also linking up with Canoe Ridge Creations for "Sew Modern Monday". It's nice to finish something!)