Happy Baby Day

Is there any way better to beat the gray and blustery Monday blahs than to see a picture of a happy baby? Possibly. If one were holding and snuggling a happy baby, that would probably do it.

Meet Cecelia, aka CeCe to her close, personal friends. She is the little darling who received a (very late) quilt to honor her birth. Her momma Erin sent this picture last week. Mother, baby and big sister Nora are in town this week visiting Gramma Vickie, my good friend and book club cohort.

Click back here to see some details on the quilt CeCe is adorning. I am planning to get a chance to see this little darling this week; hopefully I can schedule a visit around Canter's Cave quilt retreat, which is an hour in the opposite direction.

Happy Monday, Friends!

Another January Finish

I will be more than happy to count this quilt among the projects finished for this first month of 2016. I just don't need to be reminded that the quilt top was made all the way back in early August 2015, and the darling baby girl was born in early October. Further proof that I am a world-class procrastinator, as I have mentioned here many times. I wanted to finish it, but the longer I procrastinated, the larger it loomed over me. I am my own worst enemy, for sure.

I have referred to this quilt as Three Charms Quilt, but in actuality, I used 2 charm packs and some additonal matching yardage. And from here on out, it shall be referred to as Cece's Quilt, short for Cecelia, the new babe.

It took me just 2-3 hours to make the quilt top. Then every time I decided that I would get busy with the finishing, I ran into roadblocks. First, I needed to piece the back.

Then I didn't have enough fusible batting, which is what I wanted to use since I planned to machine quilt this myself on the Bernina. But these were just excuses; I was reluctant to test my quilting skills on a quilt that was intended to be a gift. Finally, I decided to just bite the bullet.

The thought of allowing the whole first month of the new year get past me with this quilt still unfinished moved me into gear. I was determined to cross it off my list before February arrived.

The quilting may be less than perfect, but a finished quilt is better than the imperfections. The binding is even finished. I pieced the two fabrics from the backing into long strips. It keeps the playfulness in the quilt, I suppose. After a run through the washer and dryer, this will look fluffy and crinkly and baby-ready.

Grammy Vickie will soon be off to visit her daughter and baby granddaughters - Nora of the Kissing Fishes quilt is Cece's big sister - and this quilt is ready to make the trip. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!