I was so excited to find out that we were having another new baby in the family. Around the same we heard the news, I had thought that I might want to try my hand at FMQ with some more complex patterns, and wanted to start with a small project. Those two events coincided, and, in my world, that means another baby quilt! I did a simple piecing because I really wanted to spotlight the quilting. After a fair amount of practice on old sheets, and scrap cotton binding, I settled on a paisley pattern for the center, and a meandering vine with flowers on the sides. The binding is the same fabric as the side panels.
Here is the back. The tone on tone thread still shows up quite nicely, as does the contrasting binding. I thought the muted colors were so peaceful, and hoped this would presage a peaceful baby. I named the quilt Tranquility, with this is mind. Little Maria Sophia has since been born, and we got to see her, yesterday, on Mother’s Day! Her mother says she is a cryer, but she was a perfect angel the entire time we were there.
Creature Comfort Quilts 
Great name for a baby quilt. Maybe I should try Peace, Quiet, Serenity, etc., as names with charm, so to speak. I like your paisley quilting. You’re right to continue to do FMQ as I’m told it will only get easier.
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Thank you. I was hoping to influence this little child. It was not to be however, as her colicky period is from 3:30 am to 6:30 am every day according to her very tired Mother whom we saw yesterday. The baby is adorable, and hopefully will get used to being happy about being on the outside. Hopefully her Mother and Father will feel that way, soon, too!
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Beautiful quilting. If you are looking for some more complex quilting designs, you might like this site: http://www.leahday.com/ She has lots of great ideas.
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Thank you for that recommendation. This is where I first learned how to do the paisley design! Her site is great and she has wonderful ideas and helpful items that she sells through here site. It is fun to find another person who thinks the same way. Did you learn some of your techniques through her site, or before you ran across her? You quilt beautifully and do complicated designs well. I am still struggling with tension issues and some thread breakage.
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Tension is the biggest challenge! I just found Leah within the last couple of years. I enjoy looking through her designs — she has great idea. I subscribe to several trade publications that always have new quilting ideas. And then I look at one site that leads me to another and another. Have you run across anything by Karen McTavish? She’s great too. She has videos on youtube and books.
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I have not looked into Karen McTavish in the past, but I know that she was an influence on Leah Day. Thanks for letting me know that she has videos and books, I will check her out. One of the great things is Leah had the same sewing machine in the past that I have (a Juki) and had lots of ideas on tension problems, as she had similar issues with that machine especially. I have not purchased her recommended thread type, but did find that switching to Aurifil helped, being a stronger thread than many. I may yet try the Isocord she recommends. She suggests that other machines are easier from this standpoint, but I don’t know why that would be. The big loopy designs give me the most trouble. Thank you for the helpful input! It is very kind of you to share your expertise!
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I love the way the panels really let the quilting shine!
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Thank you! Looking back, I would choose a different way to quilt the side panels, as I don’t think the two patterns mesh that well. But overall, I am pleased that I am learning new skills.
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Beautiful work. The quilting looks great!
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Thank you so much for your kind words. It has been fun to learn new techniques! I really enjoy a hobby that is so non-competitive and much more collaborative. The quilting community is such a build-up community which has been really a joy to participate in.
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Oh my gosh! So tiny! I forget that they start so small. My son is now 9 and slowly closing in on my height!
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Gorgeous!
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I came by to thank you for the follow. I do appreciate it. I have not tried my hand at FMQ as it terrifies me. I took a class and we worked on small squares of fabric but I was so tense, It just didn’t flow. I know I SHOULD give it a better try but it will have to keep for now. Maybe sometime in the future when I’m all caught up with what’s on my plate. You are obviously very good at it. Congrats on the new baby. They are wonderful, delightful, worry inducing little creatures.
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Thank you for the kind words! FMQ is still a little terrifying, and my first four quilts were sent off to a longarmer to be done. Then I did a few walking foot quilts, then dove in to FMQ as it was too expensive to pay someone to quilt everything for me! I used Leah Day’s site, LeahDay.com and her videos to learn a lot about FMQ, she also writes extensively on her site/blog about trouble shooting, what can go wrong, and has gone wrong for her, AND how to fix these problems! Invaluable advice. I have also taken the advice of many to draw the designs I want to do, to use print fabric the first time or two of quilting a design, and I saved all my old flat top sheets as fabric to make quilt sandwiches with discarded batting to practice before I get to the real quilt. These were helpful things to get me past the fear. But you do mention that fear that tenses you up is the enemy. Waiting until it is a good time and you have a low pressure project for practice is the right thing! I currently have a queen sized quilt top pieced and waiting for me that I have been putting off as I plan to use a paisley type pattern variation with contrasting thread on solid fabric, not pattern to hide any flaws. I have been practicing like mad, indeed did a whole quilt with that pattern with a print just for practice! And all the babies belong to other people! I am retired, so have time to make quilts, but without little distractions in the house! Thanks for stopping by!
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I’m (retired) too. But have a grown son living with me for awhile. Talk about a distraction. i can’t seem to get as much accomplished as before. I might take a look at her site and at some point give it a try again. Thanks for the help and the link. I’ll be back. 🙂
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Thank you for your likes and the follow! I’m enjoying your site– I can’t believe FMQ is new to you; looking at the quilting on this one I would think its old hat by now! I love Leah Day as well- I am taking her Free Motion Fillers class on Craftsy. And I’m *in love* with Aurifil!
Looking forward to more beautiful quilts!
Melinda
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Thank you for your kind words. Most quilters talk about practice being the most important part for FMQ. I think that I have the luxury of time currently to really dive in when I want to learn a new design, then I just go for it and I’m not timid to try. I always begin with drawing, then quilting on scraps, then try to do a smallish practice piece on print fabric so it won’t show much (like baby quilt or lap quilt size). This gets both my practice level and my confidence level up before I start a “real” project. I actually am a terrible artist at baseline, but I find that the organic curves with most designs are very forgiving. I enjoy your blog very much, keep up the great writing and sharing!
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Absolutely, practice is the key. I was given lets of fabric (from my friend’s grandma’s stash) that I knew I’d never use, lots of it those pre-printed Ducks and puppies from the 80s! I made several 15 x 20-ish quilt sandwiches to practice on. It was good for following a printed line, so I didn’t have to be creative, just control the fabric. I have a Bernina with a BSR but I found it easier to start without that. I’m much better now but still have a long way to go!
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