Saturday, February 5, 2011

Holly's Quilt



I started this quilt sometime in 2005, when I was pregnant with Holly & Lexi.
  I loved the Amy Butler Ginger Bliss line of fabric, so I bought lots of different coordinating prints--in both blue and pink--as we had decided not to find out the sex(es) of our babies.  When I was nearly 24wks pregnant, I left the house in a hurry for a routine appointment, with fabric for this quilt (and many other projects) laid out all over our basement.  I had been feeling great, and was shocked to find out that I was in pre-term labor.  I was immediately admitted to the hospital and started on multiple drugs to slow down my contractions.  It was a very scary and frustrating time.  I spent the next 2+ months in the hospital, and (finally) delivered two healthy baby girls at 34 weeks.  
We were in the process of moving at the time, so my aunt and sister-in-law lovingly packed up everything in our basement (my beautiful quilt squares!) and moved it to our new house.
 Sadly, I never did get to make baby quilts for my little girls.
But it was all worth it.   I love them more than anything!

When the girls were a little older, I started quilting again.
Mostly at naptime, sometimes after their bedtime.
And even on a couple of occasions with one of them in a Baby Bjorn, asleep!  
After we moved again, (back to St. Paul), I found all of these beautiful Amy Butler fabrics and quilt blocks, and decided to put them together into a full sized quilt for Holly's "big girl" bed.  Lexi likes red, not the pastels in these fabrics, so she has a different quilt for her bed (see this post).  

So several years later, the quilt is finally finished!











I used a pattern written by the ladies at Quilter's Courtyard (local quilt shop, it has since closed).  For the quilting I did a loopy, swirly design, my second try at free motion quilting. 

Holly loves it.

6 comments:

  1. very nice quilt and a great story...good luck with this....my husband is an identicle twin....your girls are adorable......enjoy them; my 3 boys grew up way too fast.....

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  2. you know i am always impressed with your quilts and projects michelle!! and that photo of the girls, SO adorable. it is just crazy that was only about 5 years ago .....

    we had a fantastic time friday night, thanks again for having us over and for the great dinner!

    enjoy your sunday!

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  3. I wish I had thought of sewing witha baby in a Bjorn!! Ha ha! Wonderful quilt and great fabrics. Isn't it funny how sometimes it means so much more that we had to stop working on it and come back months/year later?

    Thanks for entering your quilt in the Love Nest Quilt Contest and best of luck!

    AnneMarie @ Gen X Quilters

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  4. Your story is beautiful- full of love! and your quilt also!

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  5. I love this quilt! I actually read all about it when you entered it in Anne Marie's contest. I'd love to feature you sometime (maybe next Friday???). Melissa @Lilac Lane

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  6. I also bought this fabric with the intention of making a quilt for my baby due in 2005. I just fished it all out of a bin in the basement (2 moves later--- unfortunately not back to St. Paul) and was wondering what the heck to do with it. Found your quilt via google search and love it. Thanks for the inspiration! It is gorgeous!

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