For Naila's baby

This is for a Russian woman in Kentucky who's having a baby boy. It was a simple project--and still not completed (what you see is only the quilt top)--but it took a bit longer than I had expected. A generous friend, who is also pregnant, offered to whip up a quick pattern for me. But being pregnant has done something to her ability to add, and instead of having one of her reliable plans, I had something of a small comedy on my hands.

In other words, there was much recutting of fabric, some ripping of thread, and not a little good-natured cursing before I was back on the proportionally correct path with all the right fabrics. (It was a little like chunking an entire chapter, knowing you just killed the better part of your week's free time.) But don't you just love those little bikes and cars? Everything you see has been lying in my stash bins for literally, years, so I'm feeling very virtuous about this creation. What fun to pull it all out and create this!


So. It'll be off to get sandwiched and stitched this next week. And oh yeah, it's getting a nice red flannel backing.

I love making gifts.

Construction Note:

This is based on an 8" finished block, with 1/4" seam allowances. The unfinished measurements are as follows:

The pieced block is a 4.5" square center with two borders 2.5" wide--

Top and bottom strips on the inner borders are 2.5"x 4.5"; the side strips are 2.5"x 6.5".

Top and bottom strips on the outer borders are 2.5"x 6.5"; the sides strips are 2.5" x 8.5".

The unpieced block measures 8.5"square.