4 sqr #10 & a scrap book

i'm pretty sure this blanket was on hold longer than any i've made thus far: bought the fabric last spring, completed the top in late summer, my mom sewed on the flannel back for me in the fall while i bedrested, and i completed the border stitching for it this month in a few short sessions. whew! done, wrapped and ready to hand over to baby charlotte, who is now 6+ months old.

i have to say she is one of my favorites for a few reasons.

1. i adore the lily and will fabrics from bunny hill designs for moda. very feminine, baby, soft, vintage and classic but in that more modern color combo of pink and brown. i've gotten lots of compliments on these fabrics whenever i've been seen working on the blanket. love of fabric is one of the reasons i started sewing so you better bet i'm gonna gush a bit over designs i love. i am especially tickled by all the sweet bunnies worked into the designs of this line.

2. i really like how the brown stitching contrasted with the ivory flannel on the backing.

3. on this blanket i upgraded my technique for the blanket stitching in 3 new ways.

*i was having problems with getting my thread knots to pop in and out of the fabric. sometimes it worked perfectly and other times i had difficulties galore. finally i realized i could just put my hand and needle in the opening i left for turning the blanket. i did this to plant the thread whenever i started a new section of floss.

*i started anchoring the corner stitches (more on that when i upgrade the tute).

*i quit popping the knot in when i tied off a section and began tying off right on the stitch. this is not as hidden of a techinique, but easier, quicker, and more secure. i'll upgrade this section, too.

so long, pink lily and will bunny blanket!

i still have some of this fabric to use for myself but no plans yet. maybe i'll just put it away for use on a scrap project from the newest quilt book i bought, sunday morning quilts.

this book has some great projects for using up your scraps, as well as tips on how to store and sort them. looking over it last night, i'd say the book is for sewers/quilters with some experience because there was a lot of assumed knowledge. but if you have enough scraps to create entire quilts, then you have probably been sewing a while. fair enough. i especially liked having ideas for using my strings and the little triangle corners i cut off projects because i save the all, every last bit. even selvages. at $10+ a yard and rising, designer fabrics are precious to the last thread.