Just Ducky Quilt Gone to Texas

I added the last stitch last night; washed and dried the little ducks and packed them up for their trip to Texas:

Along with a book:

because every new baby gets a book from me. I am known as the book Aunt, and family or not, if a child gets a gift from me, it will include a book.

I am really enjoying making these little labels:

This quilt measures 40x50 and should be snuggling up with a sweet little boy in a couple of days:

I also bought this to add to the package for the new grandma:

Yes, I know. It is NOT something you would ever think I would even THINK of buying. But Teri is a lover of all things sparkly and all things shoes.  This actually fell into my cart as I walked past so I took it as a sign that God wanted her to have it. :) She is a principal (super lucky kids and teachers in that school!) , and this will be right at home on her desk and before the day is out, she will have pictures of her darling grandson peeking at her over piles of papers.

Darling friend, you are a treasure to all of your past students and all of those who have the blessing of crossing paths with you in life. I know that you and Jimmy will be the most amazing grandparents. Congratulations and don't forget to send me pictures!

I'm linking up with Michelle over at Michelle's Romantic Tangle. She's making 50 baby quilts this year and every Friday she has a linky to share the baby quilts everyone has made. So if you've got one to share, hop over there and add yours to the list. I'll have another one to share in a couple of days!

Just Ducky Top Complete

The ducks have been embroidered and the top is ready for quilting:

I am smitten.
It's going to be hard to give this one away, but it's going to a special baby boy who has made a dear couple first time grandparents.

It was awfully scary adding black thread to those little yellow ducks, but as I worked, they just kept cheering me on. :) I like the way they have a childlike, feel to them, and this was a good way for me to take on applique and not stress over it being perfect. I think I'll be appliqueing like this a lot because I don't do perfect.

Getting my Ducks in a Row and Adventures in Applique

Until now, I have only made one project with applique. It was this Pony Tails Quilt that thus far, has only been pieced:

I added the applique by hand and didn't have a clue what I was doing. I took it in to Jackie for quilting. She is learning to custom machine quilt and said she will soon be ready to tackle customer quilts. I told her she was more than welcome to practice on mine. I don't need perfection. My applique is certainly no where near it, but I still think this is an adorable quilt and I will have no problem making more like this. The pony's are too cute, and even though there are no pony tails in the quilt, the name stays.

So now, that I have fallen in love with Cheri's baby quilt patterns, I am attempting to tackle them. Barbara over at Cat Patches was my mentor when she shared this detailed post about fusible applique. I am on a quest to learn all the methods, but this is the first one I need to master.

First lesson: follow the instructions. I know. It's obvious, but I guess I just seem to learn things better the hard way.

Do not cut out the middle of your applique piece while it is ironed onto the fabric. Cut it out before! Barbara did mention to engage our brain. I must have omitted that part. Thus I had to wait for my next trip into town in order to resupply my fusible.

Lesson #2: Buy more than one yard or you will run out in the middle of your project, and you will have to wait for your next trip to town...again :)

So now I have beakless ducks:

These beaks are awfully tiny and I am intimidated by them. I'm not intimidated by the ducks. Just the beaks. How in the heck am I going to applique those teensy little things?

Another quandary I found myself in was that the ducks are yellow and the blue water shows through their little tummies. I tried putting the ducks under the water, but they looked funny.

I raced to Barbara and asked her advice and she steered me down the right path. I have a horrible sense of direction so steering me is often required. I got lost out here on these ranch roads the other day and I imagine it'll be a very long time until I live it down. I came out a different gate than he did and he said, "Why are you coming out of THAT gate?" "Still, it made DH's eyes twinkle so I'm fine with it. :) And in my defense, it was horribly overcast and I could not see a thing.

But Barbara suggested I add another layer behind the ducks. Thanks Girl!

I think I will sew around everything three times to make it look like a child traced it. Barbara shared that in her tutorial and I have seen Erin use that for her adorable birdie projects and I am smitten with those little birds!

Should I use black thread to give it a sketchy look or matching thread? Today I am leaning towards black. I think it will help give detail to the ducks and their little wings will show up better.

Baby Quilt Crazy

While I was in Texas last year...and at the quilt shop...

You know very well  what happened next. There is no use in me denying it...

I bought something. OK - more than one something. Gee, this fessing up thing is rough.

I could not resist these darling little ducks.

Nor these super darling owls! Oh, Judyyyy! I thought of you when I saw these owls.

Last year, when I was in this same shop in San Antonio, one of the girls that worked there, Cheri, was just beginning to release her first pattern. She had 3 that would be ready in a few days and when I saw this one:

I fell in love right then and there and made arrangements for her to send me all three patterns the second they were hot off the press.

The ducks and the dresses are super cute and super simple, but I am always drawn to simple patchwork and the touch of applique makes it extra special. And these frogs!

I gushed over her frogs so much that I am fairly certain she was becoming concerned...and then thrilled when she heard that I lived in a different state. I am completely smitten with these frogs!

This time she had 6 more patterns out and she told me that Martingale was publishing her book and it is due out next year. I began to do cartwheels...internally so as not to alarm them anymore than I already had.

We had a lengthy conversation about publishing and let me just say that I take my hat off to those of you who are published. Sheesh! It is not for the faint of heart.

Just since the first of the year, I have learned of 3 babies set to arrive this summer.

I cut out and started piecing the little duck quilt the other day:

My goal is to make the 4 patterns I currently have before the book comes out. You're laughing aren't you? I hear snickers...