Tuesday, February 19, 2013

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.

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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.)

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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)

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

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

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

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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?

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(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’)

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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.

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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. ;)

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9 comments:

  1. Ooh, I like it! I like the asymmetry of the top, too. I'm sure Baby No Name will love it.

    (and I saw what you did there...you gots some 'splainin' to do....)

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  2. I think it turned out very nice. And actually, lots of quilters are using Minky on the backs of baby and kid quilts these days. So you're okay there.

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  3. I like that whale quilting! And it looks so cozy with the minky backing. =)

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  4. This is beautiful!! I love it. I've been leaning towards nautical with my 4th boy, unfortunately I settled on that after grandma started his quilt. I have 5 kids and only the last 2 have blankets with minky and let me tell you minky wins with them. You're a good friend for quilting the whales! What a treasure. Btw I just found you on IG. Love your girls' dresses

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  5. I always, always, always make plans to over quilt. I go for fussy patterns and fussy quilting and then I get discouraged and take forever. Then I see those contemporary quilts and I get so upset with myself for over thinking. I have a very simple contemporary quilt in mind, but too many projects on my table to think about it yet.

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  6. The whale quilting is fabulous. Just Fab. My machine embroidering husband gets his crack...I mean supplies and machines from a sewing shop that specializes in quilting. Complete with the quilter that you control with two hands like you're landing a plane....I'd be lying if I didn't say I have always dreamed of learning to quilt but it looks so fussy on PBS with the piecing and pattern piecing, and paper piecing....I don't want to sew, flip, sew, twist, sew, etc and only have one itty bitty chunk done. But the contemporary, simplistic quilts seem approachable...

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  8. She's due in less than two weeks and my gift for the nameless baby isn't done yet. My only excuse is that what I'm making won't fit a newborn, so it's okay if I'm late. Right?

    Your quanket rocks, and every quilt/blanket should be made with minky.

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  9. Simply adorable

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drop me a line. please? don't make me beg...it's not pretty.

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