… project for this year. Almost certainly the last one I’ll actually get around to posting here as some highly important exams are approaching way too fast. Anyway, on a happier note:

Children grow unbelievably fast. Thus a little boy I made a christening present for more than 2.5 years ago is now a big brother to another little boy christened just recently. Needless to say – ideas for sewing projects sparked in my head as soon as the invitation reached us. However, as I may have mentioned in a post about my own little girl, second children tend to have just about everything they need and more, passed on to them by older siblings mostly. Therefore, I ruled out clothes and decided to make a blanket that could serve him as a throw on his bed, a light cover during warm summer nights, a place to have a picnic on and, incidentally, a large checkerboard (it features 8 by 8 squares of two colours):

Baby boy's blanket

It measures about 3’7“ squared. When I chose the fabric I tried to find „boyish“ colours and patterns that had a bit of an adult flair to them – I didn’t want him to hate his „baby blanket“ once he grew a little. Every boy needs a little fun, though, and I’ve realized  that it doesn’t matter if he’s 1, 5, or 50 years old. Naturally, I fell in love with this fabric and had to have it for a frame:

frame

Don’t you just love that there are buses, ambulances, police and tow-cars and even a fire truck? I used a bit of the backing for the corners and set it of with some dark blue stripes. Accidentally, I discovered a way of finishing a quilt’s edges I haven’t read about previously. I planned on doing double fold binding, but cut the stripes too narrow – which, of course, I only realised AFTER I had sewn the first one on. Since I didn’t have any time left, I just ironed the entire binding to the back and sewed it on there. This actually makes for a cleaner edge on the front, I think.

For quilting, I only sewed a third of an inch into half of the squares and I hope this is sufficient to hold the cotton batting in place. The blanket is 100% cotton, top, batting and back.

I hope you like it, pictures are courtesy of the little boy’s mother – thank you so much!

Katrin

PS: My dear American readers – and friends – please feel free to correct any mistakes you find. I have the impression, lately, that I’m losing some of my English – I might just have to drop in on you! (And how I wish I could… maybe a call will have to do.)