A special quilt......

As those of you who follow my blog will know, I have recently been working on a number of baby quilts.  Two of which I finished just before Christmas and which you can read about in my last blog post here. I also mentioned the quilt that I am writing about today in the same post as the first project I would be working on for 2019.

Today I would like to share with you my first finish for 2019.  It is a quilt which has a very special meaning for me.

Towards the end of 2017 I lost a friend.  Someone who had been very supportive to me when I had my own children small.

In 2018 I learned that her daughter was expecting her first child and I was determined to make a quilt for her.  I knew that her mum would've liked that.  So, this is that quilt.

A precious baby boy was born earlier this month and, I hope that this quilt will wrap him in the love that I know his grandmother would've given him if she had still been here to see him.

I quilted it strip by strip using different FMQ designs.  I am delighted with how well it has turned out.

Hello 2019!!

Hello and Happy New Year 2019!!  It has been a while since I wrote, so I do have to warn you this is quite a long post as I have lots of news to catch up with!!

Sophie Lila a few hours old

The first and very exciting news, was the birth of my first grandchild.... a beautiful baby girl, Sophie.  She is the sweetest little thing, born at the end of November to my son and his lovely wife and, weighing in at 6lbs 10oz.  She has already grown a lot since then and, we were lucky enough to spend time with her, as well as lots of other family over the Christmas period.  It was lovely to see everyone!

Sophie Lila 2 January 2019

The second piece of news is not exciting but rather sad, as well as welcoming Sophie into the World we also said 'good-bye' to my mother-in-law on 9 December.  She passed away peacefully at the marvellous age of 90.  As one light comes on, another goes out.... the natural circle of life.

Margaret on her 90th Birthday in March 2018

My news perhaps explains an absence from here and also a little bit of a lack of stitching. However, I did manage to finish a few projects at the end of 2018.

Two finished quilts

The first things I managed to finish were two of the quilts that I showed in my last post.

Sophie's Quilt

One of these was a gift for little Sophie and the other for a friend of my youngest daughter on the birth of her baby brother, Elijah.

Back of Elijah's Quilt

Elijah's Quilt

I also knitted a little cardigan for Sophie which you can see here on top of her quilt.

Sophie's Quilt and Cardigan

I made both quilts in neutral colours as I didn't know whether the babies would be girls or boys when I started them.

Third quilt nearly finished...

You may recall, that I completed piecing four quilt tops in October 2018.  As you can see, I managed to quilt and finish two of them, the third I have nearly completed and above is a photo of the quilting I have completed to date. This quilt I know is going to be for a boy and, will be the project I work on first in 2019.  The fourth quilt is all basted and ready for quilting to start and, will be my second project to start work on in 2019. Here is the pieced top.

Fourth top ready for quilting...

Well, I think that has just about caught you up with all my news but, I just wanted to leave you with this photo of some of my favourite finishes in 2018.  

Selection of my favourite finishes in 2018

I wish you all every happiness in 2019 and look forward to seeing all your beautiful creations as well as making some of my own!  

With my very best wishes 😊 xx