if i could wrap all of those i love in a quilt :: a birthday quilt for james!

I knew after I gave Jenny her quilt last Christmas that I was in trouble. Jenny knew this as well the second she picked up her gift from me. I had done a good job keeping it a secret but there wasn't much surprise left when she picked up the large gift bag and realized the quilt-like weight of it. I even recall hearing her mutter "uh-oh" and looking nervously at me and James as she began to take the tissue out of the bag. You see, James has been asking me for a quilt for quite some time now!

With every quilt I make, I have some time to clear my head and think. I can't help but consider who it is for and why I am making it. Each time it teaches me something. This time around I couldn't help but think about the fact that James is actually the first person to ask me for a quilt. There is something special about giving something [artistic and time consuming] to someone when you know that they will appreciate it. As it is with any gift giving, I'm probably not alone here, I do a little questioning about whether a person will like or use the gift I want to give them. Part of me that wonders: Will it be used? Is a homemade quilt the right thing or would the recipient rather have a quilt from Target or Potterybarn (that would have cost probably at least half as much and taken no time at all)?  I am sure all of the quilts I have made for others are well loved, I don't doubt that. In the end it is always worth it for me, but this time it was nice to know ahead of time that he really wanted it, and not just to look pretty on the couch but so he could use it!

And so the lesson here is - don't be afraid to ask for what you want...thanks to James for reminding me of this throughout the process of making your quilt! I also would like use this opportunity to document that I outsmarted James. Lets just say he is the worst person to give a gift because he guesses so easily (sparing no one or no gift) what is inside the package. I wasn't sure if he thought I was making him a quilt for his birthday, but if he did, and I handed him a quilt sized box he would have for sure guessed what it was, totally ruining it. So it took me some time to figure out the appropriate way to give it to him without spoiling the surprise. Upon arrival to the cabin on his birthday, as we were unpacking the car I simply threw it at him unwrapped and ask him to take it inside. I totally got him. Yeeessss.

And as with any quilt gift I like to include some personal shots.

i'm asleep

no really i'm sleeping

Pattern: I winged it using half square triangles in a herringbone pattern. Inspiration credit given to this post at newlywoodwards.com. Inspiration also taken from his Moomba wakeboard boat colors.

moby one

Fabric used: All solids, Kona brand. Backing is a plain black Queen sized flat sheet from Walmart.
*Also* This tutorial for making half square triangles was a huge timesaver!!
Quilting was done on my very basic sewing machine. I used basting spray instead of quilting pins because I read that it not only saves time but works better when quilting straight lines. I debated a lot over what color of thread to use but decided on black because I thought it might not contrast as much since there is already so much pattern going on. The quilted lines are 1/4"away from the edges of each square, giving a simple pinstripe pattern on the reverse side.

On to the next one!

::
amy