i dub thee, the “quanket”.

so i knew i was lying, even when i said it. i even entitled my post “promises i don’t intend to keep”, because i could feel it in my bones—like crochet and sewing clothing and ::coughcoughmakingbabiescoughcough:: quilting was something i was going to return to.

but (and it’s a big but) in my head i’ve broken quilting into two vaguely defined categories: the traditional types of quilts, and a more modern or contemporary quilt. i’ve been lurking on quilting blogs and quilt pinterest boards, and i’m starting to see a pattern to the types of quilts that catch my eye.

it’s that second type i’m digging. that blend of the traditional art of quilting and the more simplified color schemes and patterns. i’m down.

so, another quilt it is. was.

a gift for a friend’s soon-to-arrive baby boy. the room’s design is beachy—but not babyish beachy, more soothing vintage nautical—like how you’d decorate your actual beach house. you know, if you were awesome and had a beach house. (that i’m certain you’d invite me to, cause we’re cool like that. right? right.)

i was stressed beyond all get out choosing the fabrics for this thing. the momma and her hubs have a very clean, minimalist vibe that i wanted to honor in my choices for the blanket. something youthful and appropriate for a baby’s room, but not too juvenile.

i even made the momma’s sister come with me on one shopping trip to help gather the initial fabrics. (sidenote: hey meg—guess where the last $8 of your gift went? that’s right…you kind of paid for some of your own blanket)

in the end, with a simple scheme of grey, navy and white, i think it all came together.

i kept it super simple: straight horizontal bands of fabric broken by a solid white vertical stripe and blocks on one side.

and then i’m pretty sure i broke some kind of Quilting Rule, because i did the back in minky.

and now this is where i get lost. because my simple little straight stripes and minky backing bear little if any resemblance to some of the quilted works of art i’ve seen. quite honestly i just don’t feel right calling this a “quilt”. but, well, it’s more than just a “blanket”, right?

(sidenote: hey meg--this spot with a little whale on the back? this is where HIS NAME WOULD HAVE BEEN. IF THE POOR CHILD HAD A NAME. ahem. i was forced to pursue an alternative course.)

either way—it’s got a top and a bottom and organic cotton batting in the middle, and i quilted it in a whale pattern (UGH!) because i said to guinevere hey, i can quilt this in straight lines, or crazy lines, orrrr i could trace a whale shape all over and do that and she was like THE WHALE DO IT DO IT DOIT!!!

cut to me 3 hours later with soooorrrrre shoulders and hands permanently in a claw-like position. (sidenote: hey meg--shannon is technically a unisex name. THREE HOURS OF WHALE STITCHING. just sayin’)

so yeah, i kind of blame guinevere for that. but i think she was right because the whale quilting is subtle but fun. it kind of looks like paisley at first but nope. i remembered it’s not the 80’s.

slap a tag on it, it’s done and done. the googiemomma quilts. again.

the shower was delayed a couple weeks due to family sicknesses, so this guy ended up sitting on the back of the couch for a while. i’d be lying (again) if i said i didn’t curl up under it once. or twice. and consider keeping it. it’s pretty much perfect for snuggling under and reading in the corner of the couch.

but i don’t have a nautical theme in my living room, so it went off to it’s new intended owner.

and just so i don’t leave you with the wrong impression—yes, the quanket was technically “done” a couple of weeks before the shower, but you know i was putting the last few stitches in a couple of spots on the binding the day of the shower. just keepin’ it real.

sidenote: hey meg—just kidding. name him whatever you want. but i’ve totally already named him sailor in my head. ;)