Baby quilt

My sewing buddy and I used to go on quilt shop hops and take classes together that featured all types of sewing. While we really enjoyed those events, we over-bought. With the pace of our lives, juggling work and raising families, did we honestly think we had time to do it all? Apparently we did think that, or maybe that we'd never see such gorgeous fabric again! or that we couldn't pass up a kit because it was such a good deal!

I don't regret any of the classes or shop hops, and certainly not the time spent with my friend. For a long time though, I did feel guilty about fabric (or yarn, or paper, or beads....I have many hobbies) that was sitting unused. Sometimes the intended use was no longer was suitable. The small child that was going to get the nap quilt is now in college, or maybe the project is something nobody wears or uses now.

I changed my outlook on this. It is okay to give supplies to someone or donate them to a group. Tastes change. Fabric bought for a quilt in a room that was painted red isn't likely to work in a room that is now mint green. A big thing for both of us to accept was that it is okay to break up a kit. Good grief, we were such rule followers! Love two fabric selections but don't care about the others? Ditch or donate them and keep what you love. You might actually use those two fabrics.

I like making baby quilts. They are for happy occasions and because of their size, they come together in a reasonable amount of time for me. If I had known how many I would make over the years, I would have photographed all of them and kept count. Oh well, they all made me happy so what does it matter?

The fabric for this quilt was in a kit and has been in my closet for at least 15 years, probably closer to 20 or more. I did change the pattern a bit (whooo hooo! Another broken rule!!) and am very happy with the result.

There were many leftover squares in strips from that inner border that I initially tossed into the wastebasket.

Uh-oh...an old habit returned and I fished them out.

The good news is that I didn't put them back into the fabric bin. I made a doll quilt. My granddaughter is not born yet, but her future doll has a quilt, and by the end of the day, will likely have a pillow and a pillowcase.

Now if Papa would just get going on making the doll bed....