Quilts!

I decided in November that I was going to make each of the girls a quilt for Christmas. This was really something I should have started way back in, like, July. But you know me...always late! I already had the fabric for Megan's, and I let Danika and Brooke pick out their own. THEN, I was called to be the 1st counselor in the Primary Presidency the week of Thanksgiving. Thank. You. Bishop...for your impeccable timing! In spite of all the planning and scrambling that comes with organizing a new presidency and all the shuffling that goes on with classes and teachers before the new year starts, I carried on sewing.

However, I came to find out that the long-arm quilters were booked up for 2 months! And I really wanted to have these quilted (not tied). So my hopes of finished quilts for Christmas were dashed.

I found a different quilter that could get them done after Christmas, so Megan and Brooke got their quilts in January. Danika's was a little later in February.

This is Megan's quilt. I used a Moda Jelly Roll that I had stashed from forever ago. I sewed the strips in rows of 5, then cut them on a 45 degree angle. It is a variation of the Xs & Os pattern (depending on how you look at it, the strips create an X or an O when sewn all together). I sashed them with white, with green blocks at the corners. The fabric had been discontinued, but I was able to find a good match for the border and backing.

It suits Megan's personality--bright and playful. She loves it!

I made Brooke's quilt using charm packs. A charm pack is a stack (usually between 20-40) of pre-cut 5 inch squares. All you have to do is lay them out and sew them together. Super fast! She chose a musical theme.

The squares have instruments, music scores, and notes, clefs, etc.

Brooke isn't a big fan of "girly" colors, so her quilt really reflects her tastes--subdued, classical, and a little bit antique-looking. I backed this quilt with a soft flannel.

Danika has been decorating her room in a Japanese style. We brought back my mom's dresser for her, and she picked out some other Japanese items while we were in Washington for my mom's services. My sister-in-law gave Danika some paper umbrellas and a really cool poster from a Japanese festival. Danika found a postcard of a wood-block print of 3 geishas at my mom's house, and surprisingly we found fabric at JoAnn's that has the same geishas on it! So that is what Danika wanted me to make her quilt.

Here is the postcard:

Here is the fabric:

I made her quilt using vertical strips so I wouldn't chop up the fabric too much. I think it's kind of too busy, but at least I finished it! Danika wanted the red border at the top and bottom. It is backed with black cotton that has white kanjis all over it.

Making these quilts was a good creative outlet for me during the winter. I love making things that are functional and beautiful too! My next quilt will be for Mike...I'm on the lookout for masculine patterns and fabrics.