After 5 years of being a stay-at-home mom, I found the wonder of mothering slowly starting to get crowded out by the mundane feeling. I realized our world seems to surround people with the negative, and complaining about blessings seems totally acceptable. So I decided to fight against that "normalcy" and focus only on the positive. I look back to my first year as a mom when everything was new and keeping house was fun and I aim to have that attitude again. This blog is my outlet to showcase the daily miracles that surround me in my blessed life as a stay-at-home mom so that I will never forget the wonder of it all.



Friday, September 28, 2012

Arrow's Quilt

At the beginning of the year, I was noticing how I hadn't made a quilt in forever.  The desire just wasn't there, which was kind of odd considering quilting is what turned me on to sewing when I was in college, and quilts are all I sewed for years.  Actually, I should clarify, my "quilts" were more patchwork blankets because I never was brave enough to learn how to sandwich layers, and do the binding.  HUGE mental block!  So instead I'd sew a blanket on the back of a patchwork top and do the turn and top stitch method.  I guess that's still quilting, but a tad different.  Well, just after I noticed I hadn't made a quilt in a long time, the bug hit!  Since being pregnant, I've made four quilt tops!  I was determined that THIS was the year I was going to make a REAL quilt....batting, sandwiching, binding, free motion top quilting...the works!  Finally, I accomplished that goal last month when I completed Felicity's twin quilt, which I still need to get proper pictures of, and post on.  Just this week, I finished Arrow's quilt. 

 This quilt, along with Felicity's quilt, are the two most intricate quilts I've ever done.  Though it may not look like it, there is a lot of small piecing involved with this quilt.  A lot for me anyways!  I worked on it in small, assembly line steps, making slow progress for months.  But it was worth it!  When I saw the tutorial for this quilt online, I just couldn't pass it up!  So I'm glad I am limited enough in experience to not have known how intricate it would be just by reading through the tutorial.  By the time I figured out how much work it would entail, it was already underway, so I just kept plugging along.  :)
 

 I never really had a plan for the border, binding, or back.  The border and binding fabric came from my stash.  It had sat there for 6 years, and worked perfectly.  I thought I could maybe do the border, binding, and back with that material, but found that the binding and border took more fabric than I thought.  So I ended up just taking all the scraps, and piecing the back.  I loved how it turned out, and its kind of like two quilts in one!
 
 
My wonderful friend let me come over to her house and use her fancy machine to do the free motion quilting.  I'll tell ya, I SWEAR by my old, all metal sewing machines, and have never wanted a new fancy machine......until now.  Free motion quilting is fun!  But I guess I don't need to go out and buy a new machine since I have a friend who's so generous.  :)
 
I caved for this print.  I rarely order fabric online.  But how could I pass up retro space kids, astronaut ducks, and mice and cats floating around in balls?!
 
I have a tradition to make the kids a baby quilt before they're born.  Now that Ari's quilt is done, my nesting has slowed way down.  His quilt is ready, so he can now officially arrive whenever he pleases.  And until he does, I'll snuggle up with his quilt every night to ensure it smells like Mama.

6 comments:

  1. LOVE! The colors on this quilt are perfect for a little boy!!! I know what you mean about a "real" quilt. I have a small lap quilt that I have been hand quilting for about 8 years! I guess if I would focus on it I could get it done but it just takes sooooo long to quilt by hand. I have since discovered knitting which is so much faster and easier on the hands. Love your work I am sure the new little one will love it!

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    1. Thank you! I can't imagine hand quilting! I tried it once and it didn't last longer than an afternoon. My friend just started hand quilting a quilt. I won't tell her you've been working on yours for 8 years. LOL!

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  2. Jenny it is so good to hear from you! Arrow's quilt is beautiful - and I can definitely tell that it is more complex than the average patchwork quilt. I feel like I've missed your pregnancy and your baby is coming any day now!

    You have been one busy Mama, wow - so impressive all your nesting projects. Love the baby clothes and the diapers - adorable. You really are a good seamstress. I think it would probably take me at least twice as long to do any of your projects.

    I love the name Arrow! That was our top name for Israel, well it was my top name, and my hubby's was the french word for arrow...which to me sounded more like a dog's name....so we settled on the Hebrew word for arrow, Chets, as his second name...although we are pronouncing it sh-ay.

    Many beautiful labor and birth blessings to you Jenny!

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    1. Patty-Jean, I did not know that about Israel's name!!! Oh I'm so glad our small boys share in that name. I always thought we'd hit it off "in real life" outside this blog world........maybe we're a bit more kindred spirits than I even thought. B/c there's not many people out there who consider naming their child Arrow in any form. ;) You should see the looks we get when we tell people. :) Normally, if I have time to reference the verse, then they REALLY like the name. But if I don't have time, they just kinda give us an odd look. And no one has gotten it at first. We always have to repeat it and then they say, "oh, just like a real arrow." Yes. HA! Funny too b/c I suggested Israel but my husband wasn't feeling that. All to say, I think our little men have awesome names and I'm glad they share the Arrow part. :)

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  3. Love Arrow's quilt!! You do beautiful work.. Just wondering where I could get this pattern. Would love to make this quilt for my 1st grandson that's coming is April. My email address is: scrapinlinda@hotmail.com thanks so much.... Your children are beautiful!!

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