Squaring up is for Sissies!

The Baby Boy Quilt

Date of Creation:  2008

Design:  Fussy cut with animals, dinosaurs and sports and fussy cut corner stones, blue star border

The Story:    When I first got started in quilting, I came across this too cute for words pale yellow fabric with animals, dinosaurs and sports.  On the same day I purchased this fabric, I picked up a book on baby quilt designs.  I thought this would be the perfect quick project.  One problem...I had no clue how to fussy cut or square up fabric.  OH BOY!!  No pun intended. I was in it for a crazy first attempt at a quick quilt.  Ha ha...it was not quick at all at the start.  My Mom and I exchanged a few choice words in regards to figuring out how on earth we were going to centre these stupid adorable creatures. 
Well, with a bit of perseverance, tears, sweat, more tears...did I mention tears?...the quilt came together and I was pleased as punch!  In retrospect, had I known how to square up the fabric this would have been a much quicker sew!  But all in all, a fun project with a great little story behind it.

How it all Began (Leigh's Version)

Well, truth be told my mother and grandmother had already dabbled in quilting but I had not. One summer when I was going to be at home for an extended period of time, I decided that perhaps we should check out a local quilt shop. And that was the first fatal move...yes, once stepping into that store an addiction started that I have never overcome (nor do I feel I want to overcome).
What really caught my eye was a Christmas quilt hanging on the wall called My True Love Gave to Me. It was a quilt designed by Nancy Halvorsen and represented the 12 days of Christmas. I was in love with it! Even though I had never quilted I felt this would be the project for me...all 12 appliqued blocks! So I told my grandmother who had come with me that I wanted to sign up for the block of the month for this quilt. With a great deal of reluctance and some kind reminders that we might be in over our heads, she let me sign up. And for me ...that's how I got started. Within a few weeks, we convinced my mother to sign up for another quilt class for beginners. All three of us went weekly to learn the basics of quilting...and that is how the three generation quilters began!