Category Archives: Children

‘Baby’ Quilts

As a member of Sprat & Winkle Quilters I am often included in the call to make small quilts for use in the Special Care Baby Unit at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester. These quilts are used as covers for the incubators and can be any colour and design with a maximum size of 24 inches. The 80/20 polyester cotton wadding is supplied by S&W but the patchwork and backing fabrics are supplied by the quilter.

I tend to make my contributions using scrap fabrics from my dressmaking plus odds and ends of Fat Quarters that I have picked up during my visits to various quilt shows and the local fabric store.

For quilt #one I had a large sized remnant from a pin tucked tunic top (Butterick 6024) that I made back in April 2021. There are many colours in the print which made it ideal to combine with a selection of sample squares that I picked up at Oswaldtwistle Mills many years ago. I matched up the size of the sample squares to squares of the print fabric. Once completed I then spent some time trying to decide how to lay out the individual blocks. I find it best to lay out the blocks according to my plans and then photograph the options before numbering each square in order 1-49.

Construction was quick and simple with these basic block. I used a remnant of Beige/White checked fabric for the backing and yet more of the print for the binding. Quilting was a simple trellis design also completed very quickly using my walking foot, quilting machine needle and stitch length of 3.5mm. I am particularly pleased with the completed quilt to which I added my ‘trademark’ appliqued heart shape.

For quilt #two I found a piece of Green background cotton fabric with motifs from the story ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and decided to use this as a central square for my log cabin blocks. Thus the colour scheme of Green and Yellow/Cream was decided upon. After a rummage through my various bags of remnant fabrics I located sufficient (including the pretty sheep print used as a lining for my recent ‘Jane’ pinafore dress) to make up 16 blocks with a finished size of 6 inches. I cut 16 squares of calico as a base for the blocks and got stitching!

Once completed I then spent 24 hours trying to decide how to lay out the individual blocks. In this case I decided on option 2 and went ahead to label each block numbers 1 -16 (but changed a couple around) so that they could be sewn in the correct order. I added two ‘trademark’ applique hearts before setting the quilt top to one side whilst I researched a quilting design for log cabins.

I decided to quilt in a spiral design, sewing across the centre square of each log cabin, travelling in a clockwise direction until I had stitched across the final log of each block. Once completed I discovered that this type of quilting design combined with the log cabins can have a strange affect on the eyes which makes the squares appear to be ‘on the squiff!’ I won’t be using that quilting design again.

I am pleased with my two quilts and although I plan to make a third, will have a break and do some dressmaking for a few days.

Project #8 completed 17th February 2022

Burda 9772 – Child’s Denim Dungarees

pattern

Back to the Burda pattern 9772, this time made up in stretch Denim. Again I made size 3 and this time view A with the knee patches. Meg at New Threads Quilt Shop supplied the pattern, fabric and Bib & Brace closure for the straps. I provided the thread, a small piece of interfacing, the applique, some elastic and my time.

denim close up applique

I used an outline from the internet to make the White Rabbit applique on the bodice which is satin stitched in White with a Blue eye. Taking advice from Meg, I used elastic casing all around the hem of the legs. If the child is short then there will be a little more “blousing” in the trousers but as they grow, the blousing will reduce. Built-in room for growth! The knee patches are cut on the bias. The instructions in the pattern suggest that you leave a raw ” frayed” edge but I went “off plan” by lining them with a cotton print, turning through and then top-stitching in place. Top stitching was made in co-ordinating Blue. The straps had seam allowances pressed under before top-stitching in place thus I avoided having to turn the straps through which took a long time on the previous set of dungarees. Having sewn the pattern before I am now more confident and this set took just 3 hours to complete.

denim full length

Burda 9792 – a Child’s Shirt

Following the making of a pair of Dungarees to Burda pattern 9772 I have completed the co-ordinating shirt using Burda 9792.

pattern envelope

This is a sample shirt to promote the pattern, the fabric which is from Lewis & Irene’s range “To the Moon and Back” and a workshop to be held in 2017. Meg at New Threads Quilt Shop supplied the pattern, fabric and a set of buttons whilst I provided the thread, a small piece of interfacing and my time.

Lewis-Irene-Fabric-To-The-Moon-Back-Constellations-on-Midnight-Main-104187-510x652

Using the cotton with a delightful print of Constellations I prepared the pattern and made up view B which is the simplest of the options available from this pattern. Other options include pockets, short sleeves with cuffs and tabs or a long sleeved version. I made size 3 which is the second smallest size in the pattern that is sized from age 2 to age 6. Whilst making this darling shirt I was reminded of nearly 30 years ago when I made a similar shirt for my nephew using a print featuring tractors. Even now James is still mad on cars and machinery! The shirt took approximately 4 hours to make but that included several steps not covered in the Burda instructions e.g. stay stitching the neckline, overlocking all seam allowances and lots of top-stitching.

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I have enjoyed making these “small” garments but now I would like a change of pace and to go onto something much bigger – a dungaree dress for me! I will be using a PDF “Cleo” pattern from Tilly and the Buttons and some Light Blue denim so watch this space.

Burda B9772 – Child’s Dungarees

pattern

Burda 9772

to fit 6 months – 3 years

In order to promote a new range of Lewis & Irene fabrics named ”To the Moon and Back” and a workshop to be held in March 2017, I was asked to make a sample set of Dungarees using Burda pattern 9772.

Meg at New Threads Quilt Shop supplied the pattern, fabric and Bib & Brace closure for the straps. I provided the thread, a small piece of interfacing, 8 inches of elastic and my time.

Lewis-Irene-Fabric-To-The-Moon-Back-Rockets-on-Blue-Grey-Main-104189-510x652

Using the cotton with a delightful print of Yellow Space Rockets on pale Duck Egg Blue, I prepared the pattern and made up view A but without the knee patches or elastic in the cuffs of the legs. I made size 3 which is the largest size in this pattern that includes a pinafore dress and elasticated waist trousers. I top stitched in Yellow to co-ordinate with the print and after approximately 4 hours I had completed the dungarees. About ½ hour of that time was spent trying to turn the straps and also to work out how to apply the bib& brace fixtures! But all sorted now and next time I will turn the straps using a short length of dowelling.

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The next project is a co-ordinating boy’s shirt using more of this lovely cotton print and Burda 9792.