In the final weeks of my pregnancy with Sophie, my nesting took on a specific focus… project nesting. Rather than cleaning out cupboards, organising my pantry contents alphabetically or scrubbing bathrooms as some mamas-to-be instinctively do, I instead whipped up floral pillowcases, made pretty bunting and other decorations for my Pink Ribbon Day fundraiser (which I crazily hosted at 36 weeks) and every afternoon in those final months, I sat at my sewing machine while Grace napped and sewed.
169 squares were lovingly cut out and stitched together to create a patchwork quilt. I was desperate to complete it…wanting so much to create a piece especially for my big girl before the new addition to our family arrived. With the hum of the sewing machine, energetic kicks would thump from inside my belly. Snuggled up in one of Paul's jumpers (one of the only warm pieces of clothing big enough to cover my bump) with endless cups of herbal tea by my side, I would sew and spend time deep in thought about the imminent changes which were about to happen to our growing family. There was lots of unpicking, lots of swearing and lots of technical challenges for me (my sewing skills are very basic) and when that quilt was finally finished, I almost wept tears of joy, vowing it would be a LONG time before I ever did anything patchwork-related again.
Fast forward two years later and I’m all set to begin work on my second quilt. Just as my memories of all things ‘pregnancy’ and ‘newborn’ have softened over time, so too have my feelings of frustration over what for me was a not-so-straightforward project.
Sophie’s quilt will be a similar style to Grace’s, with simple squares cut from a mixture of floral prints and pretty patterned fabrics. Colours will be predominately mint / aqua greens and soft pinks (perhaps with a touch of lemon). I’ve been spending many nights recently browsing sellers on Etsy and making little purchases, eagerly skipping to the letter box every few days to see which new material has arrived.
While this time around, there will not be a round basketball belly in front of me as I sew, this quilt, like my first, will be just as carefully planned, just as thoughtfully made and just as love-filled as I work on it for our little one...
I'm sure it will turn out just as pretty and appreciated as the last one as well!
ReplyDeletei cannot think of a more beautiful keepsake for each girl but a handmade quilt lovingly sewed by their mother in the early years of their lives -- each with a story behind the making of it.
ReplyDeleteit is something that they will treasure forever. i only wish my mum had done something like this for me (a hint to me perhaps that i should be doing something for olive...?!)
Lovely fabric choices! It's such a painstaking process the deciding, isn't it? I have just finished (I think) choosing fabric for a quilt MR's Mum is making us. It has taken many months as I wait for just the right piece to appear.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you will enjoy making this one as the memories come back of making Grace's. No pregnant belly will make everything seem a lot easier I'm sure :)
I'm sure your second quilt will turn out as beautifully as the first one did, very pretty fabrics.
ReplyDeleteI love your collection of colours you have chosen for Sophie's quilt, they are so beautiful. What a lucky little girl she will be to have a quilt made by her Mum and will adore it now and forever. xx
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