This quilt is for my good friend's baby, Chloe. I decided on the fabric because Chloe's nursery is decorated with yellow giraffes, and the design was chosen to honor my friend's phenomenal paintings, often done based on squares.
The center is quilted with a meandering free motion topstitch in bright orange, and the borders are done with the same stitch in green. I did a "stitch-in-the-ditch" for the squares in a light blue fabric. The quilt is backed in a very bright orange flannel.
I am getting better at the meandering stitch, partly due to using rubber kitchen gloves while I'm working. I know I should just buy a pair of quilting gloves, but I just haven't gotten around to it. I'm also learning more about thread tension and other machine settings that allow for a better free-motion stitch.
What did I learn with this quilt? I need a better method of cutting large pieces (the center is one large square piece of the print), and I need to starch my fabric. Why didn't I think of that before? Good thing I've got a lot of friends and family members who have babies due soon - I need more practice!
I need to add one thing - I love hand-sewing the binding on when it's cold out. There's nothing better than relaxing with a warm quilt in your lap, getting closer and closer to seeing it completely finished!
