…or a blankie…or a play mat. I’ve talked with lots of quilters that provide care instructions along with a quilt they’re giving as a gift. I was thinking about what to write and it occurred to me that what I really want them to do with the quilt is use it. Especially a baby quilt. I’ve been noodling over clever ways to say ‘wrap up in it, spit up on it, drool on it, have a picnic.’ Definitely needs some more thought.
Some details on the construction. As I mentioned before, I used the Denyse Schmidt Ice Pops pattern from her book and only used nine blocks. Templates are always a pain to cut out but given there were only nine it was thankfully short work. This pattern could easily be done on the fly. I wanted known results so I stuck to using the templates. If I were to do another one I would just cut strips of various sizes and get to piecing. The quilt measures 40 x 60.
The quilt top fabrics are Kona Cottons by Robert Kaufman. I ordered a sample pack last year from Hancock’s of Paducah. I designed the color palette by trying out different combinations from the samples until I had 9 that tickled my eye. I ordered a half yard of each color. There’s something very satisfying about making such a pretty quilt from fabrics that cost $3.98 a yard!
From left to right:
Row 1: Eggplant KC42, Periwinkle KC312, Espresso KC77
Row 2: Gold KC33, Paprika KCC150 (that’s not a typo, there are 2 C’s), Hyacinth KC115
Row 3: Windsor KC114, Grass Green KC141, Crocus KCC142
Background: Stone KC142
White: Snow KC18 (I LOVE using this perfectly subtle off white color)
The back is Road Trip by Alexander Henry. The link is just so you can see the detail, I purchased the fabric locally. The motif immediately reminded me of Mille Bornes
It’s fabulous and I love the back – what a wonderful contrast to the very pure and simple front. Excellent!
I love your finished quilt especially the colours you have chosen. If I have made a quilt as a gift I usually include a care label. Just a type written sheet that says the quilt made of 100% cotton (or whatever is appropriate). I then say that it can be machine washed on a gentle cycle and line dried and then that it should be ironed. My final sentence is then the most critical instruction -”Most importantly, use and enjoy the quilt. The more it is used the softer and more unique and personal it becomes”. I live in dread that the quilt only ever sits in its tissue paper unused.
It looks great! I include a Shout color catcher and basic washing instructions with my baby quilts – actually a variety of washing instructions including “wash it any way you want – please use it!!”
the quilt is wonderful. and true to form, your workmanship is splendid. you are right about the fabric on the back looking like mille bornes! i love that game.
It’s fantastic! I love the colors and the fabric you chose for the back.
Beautiful quilt. Your work is always so wonderful! What a lucky little baby!
Fantastic quilt, love the colours and the backing fabric.
Stunning!! I love it so much!
Oh, it is lovely. The fabric for the back is so great, what a find.
Stunning!! What a lucky baby.
what a totally beautiful beautiful quilt
What an unexpected and wonderful surprise on the back. I love this quilt!
I think your care instruction, “wrap up in it, spit up on it, drool on it, have a picnic” is very charming
Sometimes when people give me something handmade, I’m a little afraid to use it for fear I would ruin it. But an instruction like that would definitely make me want to use it and enjoy it. 
Great quilt .. and I echo the sentiment about making sure that people “use” a baby quilt. Oh and how great a game is Mille Bornes! That’s the game that my husband and our friends play every Sunday. It’s always the girls vs. the guys. Sometimes we really beat them, but lately it seems like we’re always 50 miles away from finishing.
That came out so well! I love that road trip fabric. I bought Mille Bornes at a garage sale years ago, just because I loved the graphics so much, but I think I finally got rid of it in a supply purge. Why why why?! I’ve got to stop doing that!
Again I can only say: a beautiful, beautiful quilt!
With all babyquilts I gave away I provided “verbal instructions” on how to wash it, so the mom-to-be knew that it doesn´t like to be cooked… *grin*. They may have lost some color over the years from washing them often, but they are still in use and loved much – that´s what counts.
I can second claudine – you´re saying it all with your “wrap in it…”. You might tell them how to wash it, but I wouldn´t write it down. They´ll love the quilt and therefore they will take care with the washing.
This is the most beautiful quilt!
Can we please discuss that quilting? Cause I just let out a scream that brought Bea into the room. I have a sweatshirt that is “quilted” like that on right now and I was just thinking yesterday that I love that quilting style and must do it. That bar thingy sounds intriguing.
Re: painter’s tape thumbs down. Thanks. I’ve also tried a thin tape that is sold just for quilting and it really had the same problem for me. Maybe I just have to do too much squishing to get the quilt through my machine.
OK – back to that quilting. You are a quilt goddess and put us all to shame truly!
As usual Kathy, you created a work of ART. Peter Theodore is a lucky little boy to have you as a cousin. Love, Mom
When I made my great-nephews first quilt I told my neice…his momma.. that it was a drag along quilt. Let him drag it where ever he wants. I purposely washed eveything beforehand in hot water and let her know that she could toss it in the washer and dryer. Anything he did to it, I would fix, re-sew, or replace!! He’s done just that all along. I made his baby sisters first quilt exactly the same way!
The quilt turned out perfectly! I’ve been meaning to order that sample pack and forgot to do it. I’ll remember now! The quilting turned out super, and I love that the backing has so much interest going on. They could spend hours just looking at all the wonderful things on just the back!!
The quilt looks great. I’m a regular reader since I’m starting to “try” to quilt myself and your site gives me motivation and inspiration. Thanks.
Love how that turned out!
The quilt is BEAUTIFUL!!!
Coup Fourre!!
Oh, I love that backing fabric! It’s is fabulous. And I love Mille Bornes, too
. I thought I was the only one.
And the quilt is great, too! Thanks for posting the picture.
What a great quilt! And so not-your-usual-baby-quilt-ish. I like that it will grow with the baby and not be left behind with all of the stuff with bunnies and ducks on it. I have seen a poem somewhere once, about using a quilt, and meant for the recipient. It said basically the same things you did, like go ahead and spit up on it, etc. A quilt is made for living in.
What a great quilt! The backing is especially clever. Nice job!!!
ok, i am just a leeettle in awe of how perfect the quilting is. i get that the bar is a really useful guide, but i totally heard you when you said before that the trouble is that if one line is wonky the whole thing gets affected. try as i might i really struggle getting the lines to be perfectly straight. which sounds about as complicated as boiling water, but somehow its always a struggle for me. well done! i love it.
I know what you mean. When I give a baby quilt as a gift I always say that I used mine for the kids to have tummy time and to protect the floor from spit up and it’s completely washable.
The quilt is lovely. And I use my bar even when the line is 4 inches long because I learned the hard way that I can’t sew a straight line without it! Also, my walking foot came with 2 bars – one for the right side and one for the left. I wonder if you could buy another one for the other side?
I like your instructions on how to use the quilt.
I also REALLY enjoyed your last post, mostly the footnotes (but of course always the quilting info!), but couldn’t put together the words to say so. Now here they are.
Wowee! That is wonderful. GREAT work!
I guess everyone agrees…it is a hit! Great job, pink. But enough about the quilt…lets get down and play the game! I grew up playing it…Fun.
Happy crafting.
Gina
Wow, your quilt is divine! Crisp, yet soothing. It’s perfect.
Love the quilt. what are the dimensions? I have a hard time deciding on the size for a baby quilt.
What a great quilt! I agree, I love those Kona cottons. And thanks for the reminder about Mille Bornes, we loved that game as a kid, I wonder whatever became of it? I think I’ll get it for my dad for Christmas.
oh wow-this is stunning!!
I love the quilting pattern too. and the back, perfect!!
That quilt is absolutely wonderful.
The quilt really turned out nicely. The quilting looks terrific! I love an all-over pattern like this – so simple but so striking.
How fun – a fabric like Milles Bournes! We still play that with our kids – and their spouses – and the youngest is 25!
Patti
I think that is soooo beautiful!
In response to Melissa: The quilt measures 40″ by 60″. I thought the length was just right. I think the width was maybe too skinny. I was being calculating in trying to have the width less than the width of a single cut of backing fabric. That was nice but I think I cheated myself on the proportion. I think 45 to 47 inches would have been just perfect.
Just love the quilt! Very graphic. Just wanted to say hello from an east coast quilter to a west coast quilter!
great job on the quilt! it’s just lovely….I like your choice of non-traditional baby colors.
leave it to you to inspire me to get a new quilt idea going. just gorgeous!! I love the tape measure binding, is that a fabric? Can you tell me where you got it, if you don’t mind me asking?
In response to your “wrap up in it, spit up on it,” (which is very cute), have you seen this:
It’s your quilt.
It’s okay if you sit on your quilt,
It’s okay if your bottle gets spilt.
If you swallow some air
And you burp, don’t despair;
It’s okay if you spit on your quilt.
There are scraps old and new on your quilt
Put together for you on your quilt.
If your gums feel numb
‘Cause your teeth haven’t come,
It’s okay if you chew on your quilt.
We expect you to lie on your quilt.
If you hurt, you may cry on your quilt.
On a cold rainy night,
Don’t you fret, you’re all right.
You’ll be snug, warm and dry on your quilt.
Author unknown
We’ve printed this (via computer printer) on fabric on the back of baby quilts.