Fabric for Baby Quilt

Sorry, Jacqueline, I think this is far too much to plan (and I am a planner!) You can hit snags even with simple quilts. A schedule of one per month is extremely tight - if not impossible. Having had a year of pressured work, I would suggest that you pick the three you most want to do, don't give yourself any deadline at all (unless it is for a birthday or something), and enjoy the ride. Over the past five years, I have worked to deadlines of one sort or another the whole time, and I can assure you that the pressure removes all the enjoyment. As you are so early in your P&Q 'career', there is time to plan to go more easy on yourself >g< . In message , JacquelinefromKY@?.?.invalid writes

Patti, I figured it was too much but I guess I just wanted someone to tell me so. I would love to do them all but then what would I do next year, make a quilt for every child in the children's home? Oh, Don't I wish.

Well, do you think I can do the baby quilt by hand and do it with flannels?

Jacquel>Sorry, Jacqueline, I think this is far too much to plan (and I am a >planner!)

I'm not sure that I would plan on handpiecing a flannel quilt; but if you do, be sure to use deeper seams, more like 1/2 inch. because the seams really do pull and ravel. A flannel backing might be more practical if you are going to hand piece a top.

And I agree that your plan-to-do-list is too long for 1 year -- make it your

5 year plan!

Elizabeth in Spring, Texas

Elizabeth has given you good advice about sewing and using flannel for the quilt.

*However*, flannel = shrinkage, and quite a lot of it. I don't use it myself, but some users have washed it twice and still had shrinkage the second time. Washing in hot water should mean you only need to do it once.

By the way, crazy is good! (in this context!).

In message , JacquelinefromKY@?.?.invalid writes

Jacqueline - privately email me, please. Nancycog in MD

If you need to get the quilt done quickly, do one where the rows are offset and that way you don't have to match seams. By this I mean have the first row made of whole blocks -- say all 6" square. The second row should have a half block at the beginning and the end and full blocks in-between. If you do this, just remember that you have to cut those half blocks separately so that they have the proper seam allowance. If the full blocks are CUT at 6.5" then the half blocks need to be cut at

3.5" to get everything to come out properly. This makes a VERY quick and easy quilt and is even better (IMNSHO) if it is scrappy. I but the full blocks out of a bunch of totally different fabrics and toss them into a paper sack. Then I do the same with the half blocks. To make the rows, I just reach into the proper bag and use whichever block I happen to grab. I only worry about color when I happen to pull the same block out of the bag one right after the other.. Once you get the quilt finished, be sure to take a photo and post it so we can have a look see, OK? Good Luck and CiaoMeow >^;;^< PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

When is the shower? I am going to be a wet blanket and suggest that you not try to make a quilt for her if the shower is relatively soon. You have never completed a quilt, is that correct? So, you would be putting a lot of pressure on yourself to try to get this done quickly, especially if you have other deadlines looming.

My suggestion is to just start with something. At a certain point, stop planning and just do it. I believe you have a lot of 4.5" squares. Just put them together, sandwich, baste, and quilt. You need to have at least ONE quilt completed, then look back at all the mistakes and then try to fix them on the second quilt.

My first three quilts had mismatched seams, seams that went every which way, uneven bindings, puckering, rhomboids (not squares), almost every possible mistake one could make. But, if I had waited until I had it all figured out, I would never have gotten started.

Stop planning and just do it. THEN, you can try to do the rest of your list.

-- Anita --

I've used flannel for baby quilts, and I'd strongly suggest machine sewing it. I hand stitched the bindings and learned my lesson; baby quilts take a *beating* and flannel isn't as "stable" as some other fabrics. Sewing it by machine would probably mean a longer life for that baby's quilt.

You knew Patti was right, and just needed confirmation? Good lass! :)

For your stray lamb, why not make a minky 'quilt' with a single layer of minky and a flannel back? Bag it (sew into a bag, 3/4 of the way round, turn through and slip stitch the hole closed), and tie it. baby will never know the difference, and little mum will love that you cared where her own folk didn't.

Whatever the rights and wrongs if the situation, it certainly isn't the baby's fault it got to happen this way: you do what you can for it, but don't tangle yourself in madly impossible deadlines! Better simple and finished in time that bogged down in deadlines.

Well since I was told not to try to hand stitch it I won't be doing it until after my surgery :( and I have no idea how long that will take to recover from.

Jacquel>Jacquel>

We don't really know yet when the shower will be but it will be after the first of the year but at the same time, I will not be able to machine quilt or much of anything until after I have my surgery on the

10th and recover from that which is also probably going to be at least two months of PT.

Jacqueline

The prayer technique is very thoughtful of you. I wouldn't have thought of a pre-printed panel. That is a good idea. For a quick quilt, I tend to make the rail fence pattern. Lately I have been tailoring the quilt to the size of the backing I have or the batting. It's a great way to use left over pieces (Since I tend to work in queen or twin, I have so many odd size pieces). DD attended a summer bible camp and they requested clothing or blankets for children to place in the holiday baskets. I made two quilts, one for a boy and one for a girl. I also do not reveal my full name. I also do not make a label. However, I will sign the back - first name only.