# 70 - Quilt Design Process v.4
Another baby quilt!
As soon as my cousin told me that she was expecting a baby, I knew I had to make a quilt!
The design process for this one was so fun, but then again, aren’t they all? Step one was brainstorming in a coffee shop downtown on a chilly December day. I started with a google search of quilt blocks and cousins. Not much came up so I tried a different approach - Laura Ingalls Wilder. We both loved the books as kids, so I wondered if Laura made any quilts. Spoiler alert, she did!
I found this great blog post about the quilt blocks specifically mentioned in the Little House series. While I love a nine-patch, that didn’t feel “special” enough. The next block mentioned, Bear Paw, intrigued me. A little more complex with some half square triangles, it also didn’t seem too hard. Plus I loved the image of a bear paw, and thought of my cousin as becoming a mama bear.
I found instructions for a block online and started sketching and planning, then whipped up a sample block to judge the time it would take - I had until April for baby to arrive.
Final verdict - the block was pretty straightforward to construct and I loved it! Next up - pick fabric. This was fairly simple, my cousin LOVES pink, plus she was expecting a girl. I headed to my local quilt shop and found some colors that I thought reflected her style.
On to cutting the fabric. I made a bit of a mistake cutting the teal fabric, didn’t think I had enough (I actually did) and panic ordered another fat quarter before I realized I hadn’t actually made a mistake. In the end, it all worked out and I used the extra fabric to add a sash, which I think added a lot to the finished quilt. Happy accident!
After cutting, I pieced the blocks in batches and assembled the quilt top. For my backing fabric I chose a gorgeous Indian block print that coordinated perfectly and chose a darker teal for the binding.
Assembling the quilt sandwich was pretty easy, but I could not get the stitch tension on my machine to look nice! After multiple tests and YouTube videos I found a decent balance between top and bobbin thread, but this was definitely the most challenging aspect of the quilt!
I quilted straight lines mostly in the ditch with my walking foot and hand sewed the binding.
I actually wasn’t done with the quilt by the time I left to visit my cousin and her new baby, so I finished it up at the airport during a long layover. Airport sewing is actually pretty fun! And I’m very proud of myself for remembering to add a tag!
Buuuuut…. I didn’t take a final finished object photo! Next quilt I’ll get some glamour shots for sure, but here’s the quilt without the binding…
Piecing all the blocks together definitely resulted in some contrasting shapes I wasn’t expecting, but I love the overall look. Both recipients also seem very happy with it, which is ultimately what matters the most. I absolutely love designing custom quilts for the important people in my life, and my next baby quilt will be the most important yet! Stay tuned…
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🧶 What am I making now?
I finally finished my Hawaiian quilt wall hanging! I’m planning to write a longer newsletter with all the details and include plenty of resources for Hawaiian quilting in general. But for now, I’m so happy it’s complete!
Do you label your finished objects? Are you currently working on any gifts? Let us know in the comments or reply to this email!
I love the fabrics you chose for your cousin's quilt. And the bear paw is a great block. I'm looking forward to reading more about your Hawaiian block. It's beautiful and so impressive!
Writing this sounded as much fun as making that beautiful quilt