A friend of mine at work is having twin boys. She is a wonderful person – she possesses the sort of kindness that is rarely seen. Quiet and kind and smart. Did I mention she is a wonderful person? We aren’t close friends by any stretch – but she is the sort of person you just want to do things for. And so fairly late in the game (I think she is due any day), I decided I wanted to make her quilts. And then the next thought was what I wanted them to look like…
I envisioned little blue, orange, yellow, and green squares, with a healthy mix of low volume. I started to tot up the number of 2″ squares needed for 2 40″ square quilts and got a bit scared. In the design in my mind, I added a 4″ border around the center 64 patch. I thought all of this in about 15 minutes at 8:30 am at work. Ugh. Don’t you hate that? You have an idea and it is hours, if not days, before you can get started? I hate that.
But when I got home, I dove into my scrap piles and started cutting. 632 squares. I haven’t done a scrap project before, and it was fun to dive into the past. And I had lots of scraps of cute fabrics. And I am learning what sizes of scraps are worth keeping and what isn’t worth keeping.
I had embroidered a rocketship for a reason I don’t completely remember. And so I put it in my center panel, and one evening while watching TV with DH, I embroidered a robot. Not as cute as the rocketship, but OK.
I used two different awesome DSQuilts fabrics for the backings, with a strip of Kona Navy in one and a strip of Kona Chartreuse in the other. I used the same Kona for the binding. I quilted these simply (of course) – straight diaganol lines in a medium grey.
This project was A LOT of work. Lots of cutting, lots of piecing. Like LOTS. But I absolutely love the result. The little squares of adorable fabric made slightly more modern with the solids really makes me happy. I want to make a ton more of these. And, coincidentally, I have lots of scraps.
My friend (the recipient) has become too uncomfortable to come into work, so I will be mailing it to her this weekend – I so hope she loves it as much as I do.
Linking to Amanda Jean for Finish It Up Friday. Woot.
weeknight quilting 
Those are too cute! Great job!
Your friend is going to love those quilts. I’m sure she’s going to love them and be so touched that you made them for her babies.
These are very cute quilts for boys. I know she will love the colors, and be touched knowing the time it took to make these for her twins. You did a great job! And, yes, that was a lot of cutting, sewing, and quilting. Nicely done!
Hi there. My first visit here, coming from Crazy Mom Quilts. I love everything about these two quilts. Love how each have their own personality. I know what you mean about people who aren’t close friends, but you just want to make stuff for them. (I also know about designing quilts at 8:30 on a workday and not being able to start until that night). I am sure your colleague will be touched. I love everything about these quilts!