Blogger's Quilt Festival - A Banner Day for Otis

The Blogger's Quilt Festival is one of my favourite times of the year! If you haven't been here before, welcome! A huge thank you to Amy Ellis @ Amy's Creative Side for organizing this inspirational bonanza.

I decided to share this bunting quilt I made for my nephew Otis. My sister wanted bright colours for the nursery and picked out some yellow, red and blue fabrics. The inspiration for my design came from Laura's bunting quilt. The fabric for the bunting flags and cording was turned under, secured to the white background with a glue stick and machine appliquéd using a blanket stitch.

A Banner for Otis...at African Lion Safari

I spent a lot of time deliberating on the quilting, but settled on echo lines, loopy loos, and stippling to accentuate the bunting. I left the bunting unquilted and I like that the bunting puffs up, but time will tell whether that was a good call.

I'm so very pleased with how it turned out!

The fabric for the bunting cords, the backing and the binding is Red Clown Stripe by Michael Miller:



This quilt finishes at 40" by 60" so it will grow with Otis a bit -- long enough for me to make him another one.

I'm entering this into the Appliqué category of the Blogger's Quilt Festival. There are so many gorgeous quilts in the Festival so I hope you get a chance to do some touring and enter yourself!

TGIFF! - A Banner Day for Otis

Welcome to TGIFF!, where every finish deserves a celebration!

Today, I'm sharing the quilt I made for my new nephew Otis. The last time I wrote about this baby quilt, we talked about the quilting. Lines, wishbones, loopy loos, stippling -- so many great options! I wanted the quilting to accentuate the bunting so in the end, I chose a combination of echo lines, loopy loos and stippling. The quilting was done with Aurifil 2021 (I don't even have to check the colour card or the bottom of the spool anymore to remember the number - lol!). I left the bunting unquilted. I like that the bunting puffs up, but time will tell whether that was a good call. If it doesn't wear well with washing, I'll add some quilting.

Here is the finished A Banner Day for Otis. I'm so very pleased with how it turned out!

A Banner for Otis...at African Lion Safari

The fabric for the bunting cords, the backing and the binding is Red Clown Stripe by Michael Miller:



Originally, Otis looked a little 'under-whelmed' by his welcome gift.

"Really, Tante Mich? It's 25C out!"

But he's enjoying it now!

Isn't he a cutie?! This quilt finishes at 40" by 60" so it will grow with him a bit. I can't wait until he's old enough for me to tuck him in with this quilt.

An InLinkz Link-up

A Banner Day for Otis - A Finished Top

The top is done! Good thing too, because my new nephew, little Otis, has made his debut! And with the completely objective eye that only an aunt can have, he's stinking adorable too. I got to hold him yesterday for the first time. :D

When I last shared this project, I was debating the striped cording. You guys gave me the thumbs so away I went. With the layout I was trying to go random with the colours and sizes of the bunting triangles, but I just couldn't do it.

The bunting was appliquéd to a white background and I secured them using a glue stick instead of pins before sewing them down. There are fewer bubbles between the bunting and the background this wekk so I'm much happier with the result.

Now I'm debating the quilting. Using plexiglass sheets and dry erase markers, I tested out some different motif combos. There are so many ways to quilt this with all over designs, but I wanted to accentuate the bunting somehow.

Option 1: Lines, wishbones and swirls:

Option 2: Loops, lines and wishbones:

Option 3: Loops, lines and stippling:

Option 4: Pointy curves (yeah, I can't think of what these are called right now):

I'm a bit behind on replying to comments rights now, but I hope to get back to you all once I'm done cuddling Otis some more. Hope you are having a fabulous day!

Thing 1 and Thing 2...and Thing 3 and Thing 4 and Thing 5...

"Think and wonder, wonder and think." ~ Dr. Seuss

Ah, the beginning of a new month/quarter -- a clean slate! What goals to set this quarter for the 2014 Finish Along? Let's go big!

Banner Day: Speaking of new beginnings, I will be finishing Banner Day for my new niece or nephew. The top is now further along than this -- the edges of the bunting flags are all pressed under, the bunting cord is made, it's all laid out, glued and ready to be stitched down.

Baby Quilt: A friend is also expecting this month! Yay for more babies...as long as I get to hold them lots and then hand them back! :) Colour scheme is grey, tomato red, and celery. This colour scheme is definitely going to be a challenge for me!

Modern Totems II: This one is sandwiched and ready to be quilted.

And my holdovers from Q2:

Fibonacci Is Not Random - Part One

The triptych was here at the beginning of Q2:

Parts Two and Three are last quarter. This quarter is Part One's turn!

Carsick:

Blue Improv: 

Patterns: Modern Totems is being tested and proofread right now so this quarter I will finish it. And then Falling for Stripes. Pinky swear!

I'm linking up to the wonderful Katy @ The Littlest Thistle who is hosting the 2014 Finish Along.

Banner Day - A Work in Progress

We're expecting a new member of the family soon! No, I'm not pregnant -- bite your tongue! My new niece or nephew will be making an appearance in the next couple of weeks and I am so excited!

The nursery is bright primary colours and my sister has asked for yellow, blue and red with a red stripe on the back. I'm playing around with this design, inspired by Laura's Bunting Quilt. The colours are a little duller in the photo - night shot because that's pretty much the only quilting time these days (not complaining though because we're having a great summer so far!).

I'm thinking that the bunting cord could be this red and white stripe. Fun, eh?

Whaddya think?