Jigsaw Scrap Quilt

I just finished my first scrap quilt. It is a jigsaw baby quilt and I love it! I knew that scrap quilts were nice because they use up some scraps in the stash, what I didn't realise is how great it is to see the fabrics again that I had used in other quilts. It really surprised me how happy I was to see the peas again, and the blue gingham, etc. I look forward to making more scrap quilts in the future. As for the jigsaw quilt pattern, I think it is really neat. I don't have a felt board so I did have to lay it out and then finish piecing it in one go. Being a small quilt, however, that wasn't really a problem.


I made the quilt for another cousin's baby boy who is due in October. Seeing as they live in Chicago, I wanted to make a nice warm blanket for the baby so I backed it using polar fleece. I debated whether or not I should put batting in it and decided I should. After I was done I did regret the decision because the quilt is very thick now. But I'm sure it will find its purpose - perhaps as playmat for on the floor.
Nice and soft backing!
A close up of some of the fabrics.

Handkerchief Quilt

For another friend who is expecting a baby I made a girly girl blanket. The blocks are actually handkerchiefs I found at a store and thought would make a nice quilt. I happened to have the most perfect blue fabric to go along with it and - voila! The top was finished in no time, but finishing it was a little bit more work. For the backing I decided to use an extra soft velour blanket material, which is a lot harder to deal with than regular cotton. But with a lot of help from my mom, it got finished. It's a very soft blankie that will sure be a favorite for years to come!
I didn't realise it was that wrinkly until I saw the photo!
The oh-so-soft backing!

Farm Quilt - FINISHED!

The farm quilt is finally done and finished!!! I arranged the blocks in four sets of two and four singles and used three different homespun plaids to frame them. I wanted to give it a really country look. I am very, very pleased with the finished product. It cost a lot of hours, but it was well worth it! I would do it again, for sure. I might as well as I still have a lot of fabric left over!

Farm Quilt - Trailer

I have now finished the last square for the farm quilt!!! The last one was the trailer for the tractor. I really did NOT enjoy making the dirt. The paper piecing pattern was lacking the separate piece to make it and I had to wing it, which was not really working for me. But it got finished in the end.

Now the tractor can have a trailer. They will be together in the finished quilt top.

Farm Quilt - Pig

At first I didn't really like this square, but now I do, even though the pig is not pink. It's hard to see on the picture, but the nose, ears, and tail are a pretty pink fabric.

Baby Quilt

One of my son's teachers at the creche is expecting a baby this fall. They asked all the parents if they could buy a little present to put in a big basket of presents for her. Instead of just picking out something at the store, I decided to bang out a little baby quilt. In one afternoon session of a little over two hours I got the quilt top finished, and a week later I finished the quilt by tying and binding it.
The pattern is one I got from my mother. She calls it a Triple Pinwheel. I've also seen it called a whirlwind or just pinwheel.
I combined a bright and colorful juvenile print with a deep blue and bright orange. The teacher is expecting a boy, but the quilt is still pretty neutral.
When I signed the quilt I decided to include the washing instructions as well. I used the international symbols (found in clothing, among other things) to show what temperature the quilt can be washed, dryed, and ironed. The symbols are somewhat subtle, but they are there. They won't have to question themselves when the baby soils the blanket and it needs a good washing.

Farm Quilt - Chick

I thought I had bought all the fabrics I needed, but it turns out I was missing a nice light yellow for the chick. I found a fat quarter with just the right color tone, and returned home to use just an tiny little bit of it. This is another square that I think would benefit from an embroidered eye. Only two more squares to go!

Farm Quilt - Fence

I'm pretty sure this is the quilt square with the most pieces. Besides the many pieces, it was a pretty straight forward square.

Farm Quilt - Barn

I was planning on making the barn the same color oas the farm house, but at the last minute I decided it would look better if I made the barn out of the wood fabric. It's still all in the same color theme as the rest of the quilt, but it's just a little bit more different from the other building.

Farm Quilt - Hay

After a little break from the farm squares, I'm back in full swing! Today I made the hay barn. I tried three times to get those bricks from the roof to be straight, but eventually I just gave up and left them like that.

Baby Boat Quilt

Encouraged by the paper piecing success of the panda bear and farm quilts, I decided to do another quilt! This one is for my cousin's baby boy due this summer. Each sailboat is paper pieced and is actually quite simple as there is just one part to it. Instead of making more boats, I stopped after six and decided to combine it with a nine patch using the same colors. Instead of tying the quilt I machine quilted around each square, which wasn't exactly a success, but it works. I am very happy with the end result.

Half of the boats have bright red sails.
The other half have green sails which is actually a print of peas in a pod.
A close up of the nine patch.
I love that green pea fabric so much, I decided to use it for the backing. Being a baby quilt, the back of the quilt ends up being seen nearly as often as the front side.

Farm Quilt - Rooster

I just love that brown so much I jumped to the other square that uses it. The rooster has turned out to be a very colorful creature. I like the way it the fabric is on his head - it looks like he is squinting.

Farm Quilt - Horse

The mother of the baby who will receive the quilt said that there couldn't be any floral prints in the quilt. But I didn't listen to her! I think the brown floral is not girly in the slightest. I am starting to consider maybe embroidering some eyes on some of these animals. First I'll finish all the squares and then rethink it a little. It could potentially make it a lot more beautiful and interesting, but it's something I've never done before, so I am a little apprehensive.

Farm Quilt - Chicken

Another square for the farm quilt. Now I'm one third of the way done! I actually made a mistake in cutting the fabric for the body of the chicken. As a result I had to make it into four pieces. But I think it looks better that way! It adds more volume and depth.

Farm Quilt - Tractor

With one building, and one animal done, I though I should work on a vehicle. Everything is again paper pieced, except for the one round wheel which I had to applique to the tire.

Farm Quilt - Cow

Instead of doing the blocks for the quilt in the "proper order" I am just picking which ever one suits my fancy. Today it was the cow that caught my eye. Very Dutch.

Farm Quilt - House

I have now started a new project for my good friend's baby boy due this fall. I am following the patterns found here for a paper pieced farm quilt. This past weekend I went and picked out all the fabrics I need, and now it's just a question of finishing each square so that I can hopefully finish the quilt before the baby comes! I started with the House. It only had two pieces, so it was pretty easy. I love the way the roof is made of a brick material.

Panda Quilt

The last two weeks my mother and I collaborated on a quilt for my sister's first baby. For the center square I experimented for the first time with paper piecing. It is a technique that I quickly fell in love with. The rest of the quilt was made from batik fabric strips. The pattern was the same as the one my mother used for my son's quilt - also made from batik prints.

Baby Quilt Accessories

To accompany the baby quilt for Marieke, I also made a hot water bottle cover (kruikzak), a music box, and a diaper stacker.
The pattern on the kruikzak is exactly the same as on the quilt. I attatched a shoestring to tie it closed.
At some toy stores and craft stores you can get the innards of a music box. This one plays a popular German lullaby. Here you see the blue and red fourpatch, while the other side is just yellow. Again I used a shoestring so it can be hung up somewhere.
I kept the diaper stacker pretty simple. Just as the one I made for myself, the blue fabric is leftover fabric from our curtains. I used a similar yellow to the yellow in the quilt for the trim.

Baby Quilt

This is a baby quilt made for Marieke's upcoming arrival. The colors come from the wallpaper that is going in the nursery. It has been on the to-do list for a few months, but with the baby shower this coming weekend, I ended up having to just bang it out. I started Sunday afternoon and finished Tuesday evening. Woohoo! I was really happy when it was time to lay it out and the quilt cover was almost exactly the size of the batting. I need to practice sewing the binding on more. I use a machine because it's easier and faster, but I've still got to work on my technique some. I don't think the baby will mind much, though. Hopefully I'll have enough time to whip up a few more baby accessories with the leftover fabrics.