Baby Julia Blanket

Good friends of ours are expecting a little pink bundle of joy.

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What to make...should I just buy something? So much easier.

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There were plenty of options on the registry, but nothing spoke to me. I didn't see anything that was scrumptious. Not a word usually associated with a baby registry, but I think you know what I mean. Something to last, something to curl up in, something to grow with the baby and not be donated three months after the first use.

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I was browsing the web or my self proclaimed: blogumping: to jump via links from one blog to another. I found a gal that made simple burp cloths out of flannel material. Cute idea. Then, I found some really adorable vintage looking fabric with children playing with dolls. After concluding my blogumping for the day, I couldn't find either site. Note to self, mark as a Favorite before blogumping again.

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I wasn't overwhelmed with my choices of fabric at our local chain store. I knew that the colors for the baby's room were lots of pink, with brown accents. The store shelves held lots of typical white flannel (no mother would gift to a new mother anything white - especially something intended for spit-up) with baby blocks in the usual pastels, little chicks, and Spiderman. Oh, and deer heads mounted above a fireplace (there has to be a project for that fabric).

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Then, I found it. White and green toile. Perfect. What girl doesn't like Toile?. Even if it is often pronounced incorrectly (twall as in fall). It is sophisticated, historical, and heartwarming. The toile led me to the coordinating stripe, which became the back of the blanket after I chose it as my favorite over the toile. I picked up a polka dot in green and pink and brown solid flannel. I know, here you go thinking I am crazy with the brown. It's a girl, I know. But the brown chocolatey goodness with the pink is perfect. And, it is a burp cloth, not a dress.

I had a great time making the burp cloths. Measured them by feel and fit. On my shoulder for the standard position. On the floor for a diaper change. Over the head for a mid-day snack (after second reading, this sounds pretty funny, no I don't eat snacks with a towel on MY head). They were all different, backed in opposing fabric and pink thread. Yes, pink thread.

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Then the blanket. Hmmm. What to do. I didn't have much left in the way of full pieces of fabric. Thoughts of my sister-in-law came through (Hi, Brooke!) and her amazing quilting. If you know me, you know I don't follow rules. It is no surprise that I can't quilt in the "perfectly measured-1/8" seamed-matching corners" kind of quilting. Brooke's work is breathtaking. She has a great eye for colors and patterns and her corners are PERFECT! Since I am not Brooke, I did it my "estimated-eyeballed-close enough" way. I stitched some triangular strips of fabric down the long side and after a couple cuts and lines of stitching, came up with this top. I wanted to keep it soft and thin, but warm and didn't sandwich my two layers around anything (neither batting nor interfacing). I think the final product came out great. My edges were a little wacky and a couple too many puckers, but I loved it.

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I think Julia will love it, wacky edges and all.

Two Notes:

I finished the night before at 11:38 pm, time to spare (and sleep).

I used Photoshop on the first pic with my eldest and the blanket. The light from the window was too strong.

Check out my new blog find: Tula Pink. I am also adding it to my list on the right (it's a Quilting Blog, Brooke!)

And welcome baby Ferris (his mom will be carrying his bottles in the pleather-skulled messenger bag!).