Thank You, Ashley!

A dear friend of mine, we'll call her CB, is having a baby in March. Another dear friend, we'll call her Super, got married on Jan 24th. It just so happened that both of these dear friends run in the same circle as all my other best friends... (you following?) Since all our friends would be in town to celebrate the bride, Super, I thought, well let's have a baby shower for CB, and see just how much celebrating we can do in one weekend.

CB already has most everything she needs for the little baby girl that will join their family, so there was really no big ticket item we could all go in on. Instead, we all chipped in some mullah and got her a large gift card to Babies R Us for her to spend as she finds the need (probably on diapers and wipes once the baby is here). So we got her some diapers and wipes to start the show and I decided I'm make her a baby quilt to wrap it all up in. 

What I haven't mentioned is that I decided this 2 weeks before the shower... good idea? Definitely! BUT only if you have a friend like Ashley!! THANK YOU, ASHLEY!

Exhibit A                                                                                                     Exhibit B

First, Ashley gave me the majority of the little fabric squares, she helped me pick out the others at the fabric store, as well as let me know how much I'd need of each and picked out the batting. When I got home I hypothetically placed all the squares where I thought they looked best (Exhibit A). I figured out how big the squares would have to be, given how the lady at the store cut the material, I didn't have much choice. I'd probably still be sitting there in Exhibit B if it weren't for Ashley.

Did I mention this was my first quilt? Ok, I kinda did another one, but that was 10 years ago, my mom held my hand the whole time and I wasn't patient enough so it turned into a pillow (It was also all by hand, where for this one I used the sewing machine... sooo much faster).

Exhibit C

Ashley helped me figured out how big the middle white sections needed to be, then based on how large the entire front was she helped me figure out how big I needed the back and border. Exhibit C is where I should have pinned the squares starting in the middle and working out rather than lining them up on one end. Don't look too closely at the final product... the squares totally don't line up... but this is homemade with love. Did I mention this was my first quilt?

Ashley showed me how to pin the front, batting and back together to do the actual quilting. Luckily, I do already know how to use a sewing machine, so she was off the hook on that element.

Waahaaa Laaahaaa!! The final product, done in 2 days... who needs 2 weeks? All in all, I think it turned out pretty cute. Did I mention this is my first quilt?

I've totally got the quilting bug now, so if anyone needs/wants one, just let me know. I promise, I learned some vital lessons and yours hopefully won't have as many errors love marks.

Cannot wait to meet baby girl Catalino!!!