Saturday, September 4, 2010

Baby Boy Stacked Coins Quilt Top

I have a friend whose son is expecting their first baby, a boy, in November.  I missed the baby shower last weekend, unfortunately, because we were at the benefit gig.  This week, I thought I'd start pulling some fabric from the stash to see if I had enough on hand for a baby quilt.  I had in mind what my friend described as the color scheme or theme of the baby's room, as well as some idea from their baby gift registry, which helped.  Ultimately, I just started sewing, though, and this is what turned out.

This is my first stacked coins type quilt, and it went together really quickly with strip piecing.  Now, if I'm being honest, the finished top strikes me as just "okay."  But I guess I'm all right with that, and if the new mom and dad feel the same, maybe that will mean this quilt gets used a lot.  Which is the whole point, right?

Although I started out winging it on the coin strips, I did eventually look up a tutorial when I got to the cream-colored kona sashing, because I wasn't sure how wide to make it.  I found a great stacked coins baby quilt tutorial over on Moda Bake Shop by Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts.

I'll figure out how to quilt this later, after I get some more practice under my belt with the Free Motion Quilt Along at A Few Scraps.  In that regard, I do have my practice strippy quilt top pieced.  Christina recommended, "Do not think too much about your fabric choices.  Use any fabric you have...If at any time you think to yourself, 'My god, this is one ugly quilt,' then you have succeeded in this exercise, which is to make a quilt top that you are not attached to."

I have succeeded at ugly, that's for sure!  

But I really get what she's saying.  The point is to practice and not to be afraid of messing up.  I'm looking forward to it.  Now I just have to get it basted together real quick.

8 comments:

Shay said...

Perhaps I'm biased but I love that stacked coins quilt top.

I do feel like that about most of my coin quilts P. They dont look like much until they're quilted up.

Thanks for reminding me I need to baste my quilt top for the FM quiltalong. And I've seen uglier quilt tops than your practice one. And those people were aiming for beautiful...

GaAm said...

I like the stacked coins quilt. I looked up the tutorial, and I think that's someting I could do, if I can find time to sew (I'm still trying to do the snowball quilt thing, and I get five minutes on my machine, and I'm called to go do something else. Frustrating.)

Michelle said...

The baby boy stacked coins quilt is just lovely. You think it's "just okay" because the colors aren't "your" colors and so you don't feel as equipped to judge the result. (I'm speaking from experience.) But it really is a pretty quilt.

And, I'd say your FMQ practice top is just perfect. ;-)

Sarah Craig said...

I love the colors in your stacked coins quilt! It's very calm and peaceful and yet very "boy"! It will look wonderful quilted. I used a large stipple on the stacked coins quilt I made recently, and it was just perfect. I can't wait to see yours after you get some FMQ practice under your belt!

Elizabeth said...

First, I LOVE the stacked coins baby quilt! You have a really good eye for color.

Second, yay that you've got your FMQ quilt top done. It is kinda pretty. I don't have my top done (or even fabrics pulled yet) because of that aforementioned project I've become obsessed with and I'm really going to fall behind with that the FM quilt along now because my machine refuses to sew another stitch and insists that I take her in for a nice maintenance. Argh. Temperamental!

And third (since I mentioned it again) I'm working on a baby quilt with the last little bits of my Frolic Jelly roll.

Sorry this comment it all about me. Perhaps I should post on my own blog (lol).

xo -E

Miri said...

I have gotten to like these stacked coin quilts-I have to think about doing one or two-I really like the wide white/off white sashing...I think your coin fabrics look good-I really like the color combination.

Peyton Roberts said...

I just found this as I was googling for ideas because I HATE my fabric choices for a baby quilt I am about to make. I love the way this one turned out! Thanks for your encouragement... perhaps I have a winning combo after all :)

Morven said...

It's beautiful. The colours go together so well. Quilts always look quite different after they're quilted and bound and I'm sure you'll be happier with your work after it's finished. Nice job!