A Quilt Consultation Book
One of our friends is expecting a baby, so of course I would like to make her a quilt! I want it to reflect her taste, not mine, though, so I prepared a little notebook of samples for her to choose from.
Each sample is pieced and quilted differently, and uses a different type of batting. Two have bindings, one machine-sewn and one hand-sewn, and one has facings.
Baby quilt samples in different styles — my take on traditional, modern, and improvisational. Your interpretation may vary!
“Traditional” – A Nine Patch block with Orange Peel quilting and hand-stitched binding.
“Modern” – lots of solid fabrics, gray, asymmetrical placement of pieces.
“Improvisational” – Unpredictable placement of scrappy fabrics.
The sample backs, showing three different edge techniques.
One thing that surprised me, after years of struggling to get big quilts through a domestic sewing machine, is that these little samples weren’t so easy to maneuver either — it was hard to get enough fabric to grab them by. But I made it clear in my supporting literature that these are just samples and that the real thing will have absolutely no different quality issues.
And of course all of these were made with scraps, which qualifies them for March ScrapHappy Day!
I used a little photo album with clear pockets to hold the samples, and I filled the other pages with photos of other baby quilts I have made in the past, to give her some further choices.
Two of the photo pages.
I look forward to hearing her ideas at our consultation. But, just in case this is all too overwhelming for a new mom, I told her she was welcome to rely on the phrase that my diplomatic daughters use whenever I ask their input on a project — “I trust your artistic judgment implicitly.” 🙂
ScrapHappy Day is the 15th of each month. Thank you to Kate and Gun for coming up with this concept, and for hosting, and for encouraging all of us! Drop by and see how the other participants are using scraps this month:
Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Hayley, Johanna, Joanne, Jon and Dawn
How very sensible of you to refine your design so carefully according to the mother’s taste! It’s a clever idea, a great use of scraps, and something extremely useful besides.
Thank you, I was happy that the idea came to me. 🙂
She’s going to say, “I trust your artistic judgment implicitly”–I just know she is! This is a wonderful idea . . . but she’ll be overwhelmed! Or maybe not–let us know!
I’m thinking of it sort of like a menu — you go into a new restaurant thinking, “Do I want beef, chicken, pasta? and what to go with it? Let’s see what they have on offer.” So I hope the samples help her pick the major category, and then the photos help refine her choices. She is a woman who likes options, and I hope this provides her with a visual vocabulary to translate that ideal quilt in her head into reality. We’ll see! 🙂
Brilliant! I would want at least 5 of them – one for each week day and using 2 of them a second time for the weekend.
And you could use the little samples for hot pads on the counter, too!
Goodness, but you are thoughtful. Maybe offer two choices – the traditional one with lambs, and either the mod or improv one. I think the distinction between the last two may not come across to a non-quilter.
Yes, I think you are right, the modern and the improv have a lot in common. But to my mind, modern is more structured and restrained, a little more refined, and improv is more scrappy and splashy. It’s just a starting point for a conversation, and I will be able to tell her, “Traditional is like Dallas, Modern is like Austin, and Improv is like Houston,” and she will know what I mean. 🙂 (And I predict she will pick modern.)
Late to this but i like the Improvisational one. It was the Milk weed type seed pods that caught my eye. Nice colours.
Yes, that is one of my favorite fabrics! I should see if it comes in different color ways and then go stock up. 🙂
Well, that is impressive! I have asked people to choose their own quilts from those I had made, but never even thought of providing samples ahead of time! I’m sure it will be interesting to hear what she thinks!
I have asked people to choose from ones I have already made too, but in this case the ones I have are brighter colors than what she wants. So I thought it was easier to make little samples rather than guessing and making a whole quilt. I am looking forward to hearing her thoughts too!
Great idea–I hope these samples help her find her way to the quilt she loves. You are very generous to give her such leeway!
She is a great person and I want her to have exactly what she wants — that is within my capabilities and time allowance, anyway! 🙂
Oooohhhh…how do you say….all of the above?
That is what I was thinking too — I like them all together. But then I am an improv sort of girl, the more patterns, the merrier!
This was very thoughtful of you. I ope the Mum chooses something that you will enjoy making 🙂
I love that grey one with the asymmetric blocks. Do please share when you get a decision!
She said she and her husband had different views — I reminded her that quilts had two sides so I would find a way to make their individual choices work! 🙂 We will see!
of course, reversible (wouldn’t that be an awful lot more work though?!)
I don’t think so — I do think the quilting lines would only complement one of the sides though, they might even look a little off with the other side. Probably I would match them to the wife’s choice, because I am not sure the husband would notice such a thing. 🙂
🙂
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lucky Mom to be – to get such a clever choice. Don’t think I could choose a favorite, they are all charming. And the samples are useful!
I really loved making the samples in different styles, and also, getting to a finish quickly. 🙂
That was brilliant! I LOVE that egg yolk yellow fabric with the milkweed pod print on it.
That is one of my favorites too. It is in the Zen Chic collection by Brigitte Heitland, for Moda. I love how it is so minimal and natural at the same time.