Frugal Quilter

A couple of years ago I bought a clearance roll of a crib quilt top.  I am not sure how many of the little guys are on the roll but it cost me under $5 for all of it.  I had seen a demonstration on a faux chenille baby quilt using 4 layers of the same crib panel & decided I would try it some day.  OK, so I bought the panels a couple of years ago, and yes, it has been in the closet just waiting for me.  I have cut 8 panels from the roll & you can see there are many more to go.  To make the blanket I placed a piece of pink flannel right side down on a foam board.  Then layered 4 crib panels all facing up on top of the flannel.  I use spray baste between each layer (you don't need much).  A line is then chalked from one corner to the diagonal corner.  That becomes my first stitch line.  Sewed lines are then made shadowing the first line (approximately 1/2" apart).  I sew in a different direction for each line.  This helps keep the fabric from shifting in one direction.  After all lines are sewn I then cut through the first 3 crib panels only.  After all rows are cut, I then square up the quilt, sew the binding on & then run it through the rinse cycle in the washer & then dry it in the dryer to "fluff" the faux chenille.  There you have a cute little blanket.  I am now sewing another one.  If anyone wants to give it a try, let me know.  Happy sewing to all.

Tristen's Garden

Once upon a time there was a little baby who was given a special receiving blanket made of flannel with a wonderful bug print.  As this little girl grew, she shared her little blanket with others.  There were days when she missed her little blanket, but she was happy that she could share with someone else.  One day her fairy godmother heard that the little girl was still missing her little bug blanket.  With the waive of her magic wand, the fairy godmother was able to transform some scraps into a special quilt for the little girl.  There were even little ladybugs & butterflies appliqued to the quilt so that the little girl would always be surrounded by beautiful little bugs.  That is how "Tristen's Garden" came to be.  As the little girl snuggles with the quilt, her fairy godmother hopes she feels surrounded by love & prayers.  Just a note about the machine quilted pattern - the fairy godmother watched the little bugs in her own flower garden and decided to freemotion stitch a "bug's flight" pattern.  The little bugs flit here & there, sometimes quickly turning to go to another flower & sometimes flying in a smooth arc to check out the rest of the flowers.