Gingham Quilt Finish

 I saw this pink floral fabric in a little quilt shop in Amarillo a few years ago and simply couldn't leave without some.

                                

 A sweet friend was having her sewing machine serviced and I had tagged along. We always get into trouble when we're together. I knew immediately that I wanted to make a gingham quilt with it and I knew I had some coordinating fabric in my stash that would be a good fit...

I love the classic, simplicity of a gingham quilt - it's a fun way to showcase a special print and it doesn't get much faster to put together when you need a gift in a hurry

Sandy quilted a pretty little floral pattern across it that shows nicely on the soft pink Minky I used on the back. I've used it quite a few times and I'm surprised at how often this shade coordinates with what I'm working on

I needed binding for two different quilts and this Grunge worked for both

                                   

and  you might want to sit down, but I actually machine bound this. 😲 I know! And it turned out pretty darn good, but honestly, I'm still not a fan, but it's good to know that I CAN do it. 

It finishes at 46"x56". The Bird of Paradise out in the chicken yard continues to amaze me each year. Not a drop of rain since October and this tropical wonder puts on a show year after year in this parched desert country.

I don't even think this quilt was on my list of projects I made in January, but it's a finish now and ready for little girl snuggles. 

Project Progress

 I've been enjoying some time in my sewing room over the past week, but after working on 3 blue-green quilts, I found myself left with a colossal, jumbled mess and I needed to set things to rights before I could move forward.

After making 3 pretty good-sized quilts, you would think there would be a noticeable space in my bins, but I have yet to find it. I will admit to adding a few new pieces - not enough to offset what I used, but a quilter ought not to complain about having an abundance of fabric. I hope the quilts I make bring people joy and one can never have too much of that!

So, the projects continue! I pieced another gingham quilt

Made the bindings, pressed the tops and backings for 2 of the blue-green quilts

Pulled fabric and made the scrappy binding for my Americana Hourglass quilt

And pulled out my potholder bin

I've got to get some made for gifts. Some were already partially made, but I need to finish those and make more. The original idea came from Deanna over at Wedding Dress Blue years ago and I'm betting I've made more than 50 sets of these through the years. I'll include the link to her tutorial below:

                                                            String Potholders

I'm keeping them somewhat categorized into floral, safari, chickens, western, wine and coffee. That pretty much covers everyone in my circle. LOL

So a new mess is about to transpire - let the fun begin!

Gingham Baby Quilt Finish

 A few years ago I made these 2 little quilts for a friend's sweet set of twin granddaughters:

Gingham Baby Quilts

And while I was at it, I also pieced one in purple:

I think I found these prints at Hobby Lobby years ago and often they have the same prints forever, but I never did see see these again. They came in these three colorways and I thought they were very sweet. I love the simplicity of gingham and I think these prints were just right for this pattern:

I had a little extra of the purple so I added another couple of rows to this one, making it 40" x 48":

I pieced the back with the last of the paisley and added some gingham to finish things up 

before handing it off to Jackie to let her do what she does so well - bring my quilt tops to life:

                                             

I pulled a solid purple from my stash for the binding

Then I waited for my lilac bush to bloom because I thought it would make a pretty picture, but we're in desperate need of rain and although I water it, I think it's waiting for rain  so no lilacs this year. Even the little apricot tree didn't want to bloom:

Another sweet baby quilt 

waiting in the wings for the arrival of a little girl this summer:

Gingham Baby Quilts Finished

I am completely smitten with these little baby quilts:

There is just something very simple and sweet and utterly charming about gingham:

I love it for binding and backing and it's even better as a quilt:

It just wouldn't be New Mexico if the wind wasn't blowing. We're praying that it'll blow in some rain. I know so many of ya'll have had more than enough wet weather and I continue to keep those in the path of flooding and tornadoes in my prayers, but out here, we're ready for a good soak.

These little quilts both measure 42 x 42 and I cut my squares 5", but you can cut them any size you like. Jackie quilted a pretty flower pantograph across the pink one - backed with a soft pink

And a sweet swirl across the teal quilt that I backed with a light teal

These are both headed to Missouri to welcome a sweet set of twin girls and I am digging through my stash for the next gingham quilt!

Gingham Baby Quilts

For some reason, I've fallen hard for the simple gingham baby quilts I've seen lately and in the middle of binding one quilt and piecing another, I decided I needed to make one NOW.

I wanted to use this fabric:

and tried several other fabrics that I thought would coordinate. I tried every blue under the sun, but nothing really worked, so I settled on this:

Then, in the middle of another project, I remembered another fabric that has been lingering in my stash for many years so I pulled and cut

                               

and sewed and asked Jackie to work her magic on two of them

YES. And it just so happens I need a couple of sweet little quilts for a precious set of twins that have recently arrived and if I'm making 2, I might as well make 3 because I can't get enough gingham right now.