A couple of months ago I was enjoying my friend Nicole’s beautiful blog and I noticed that she was working with some adorable fabrics that I had never seen before. I emailed her about the designer and line and she replied that the fabrics were designed by Heather Ross, but they were out of print and I might have a hard time finding them for sale anywhere.
Now, I love a good challenge. So a-hunitng I went for the fantastic fishy fabrics on Nicole’s blog.
Fail. The best I could find was less than half a yard for $23 or cut up pajama sleeves and panels once made with the fabric, now for sale on Etsy. Not going to cut it.
I reported to Nicole my failure to locate the fabric at a reasonable price in a commiserating fashion and next thing I knew she was packing up some of her best Heather Ross scraps and sending them off to me as if it was no big deal. (Can we talk about what a fantastic example of generosity she is? Putting others above self, and even more – putting others above pretty fabric! :) Man, I have SO much room to grow!)
Also, she said she was sending “scraps”, but what arrived in my mailbox only days later were near fat quarters or bigger of this fabric line which is now more valuable in weight than gold bullion. She included a sweet note and when I replied, overwhelmed, she just told me to do something fabulous with it!
No pressure.
It took me a few weeks to muster up the courage to even cut into the little treasures, but I eventually got to work figuring out how I could eek it all into one project, wasting as little woven gold as possible.
And thus, Rowan’s baby quilt was conceived. I added two fabrics of my own so that I had enough fabric to work with, and I managed a way to use every inch of that lovely gifted fabric in the quilt. The scraps I cut were only shreds to square things up. Success!
My quilt top:
Seriously, I love these little fish in bags!
I spent time this past Friday and Saturday quilting the bottom fabric to the top in individual sections and on Sunday afternoon I finally arrived at my very favorite part of the quilting process: hand stitching the binding!
I know that hand stitching bias tape is something folks either love or loathe, but I enjoy it so much because it’s so relaxing, so rhythmic, so blissfully mindless! A perfect way to rest on a Sabbath afternoon.
And before I know it, my quilt was complete!
{And then my one-year-old crawled all over it and got it all rumply.} Is rumply a word? Spell-check says so, but still, I’m nervous.
I got to deliver the quilt to little squeaky himself just yesterday evening. He didn’t seem to be very moved by my gift, but I’m sure some day he’ll express all kinds of gratitude to his Auntie for such a kind gesture. (and also to Nic for the lovely fabrics!) :)
Happy Tuesday, friends! I’m planning a fun giveaway tomorrow – something that will make the weather seem warm, even if the thermometer says differently.
>Love the fishy print! Got inspired to draw my own for some art!
>Love the fish print! Oh wow the quilt is to die for! Is there anything you can't do???
:)
>The quilt is fabulous!
>gaspburgers! that thing is fly. i have done some sneaky-fabric hunting myself this week after coveting yours. i LOVE the different quilting patterns you used on the different panels.
>oh my gosh…
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!
great job!
man, what don't you do?!?!
and how do you find the time to do it?
you are amazing!!
it is the cutest little boy quilt ever.
i know your nephew will love it one day. :)
>wow that is one cute quilt.. love it!
>Rae, I love to see your hand- written notes. Reminds me of homework papers long ago. The quilt is tender. Love, Mom
>It's beautiful! Good job.
>Delightful.
You rock!
>Beautiful quilt!! Love it. You're so talented.
>I don't speak "quilting" or "sewing" so I have NO idea what bias tape is but I do speak "adorable" and that quilt is definitely adorable!
>i absolutely love your taste; just found you via Lovely By M. i knew just the fish material you were speaking of.. we have a fishy quilt for my babe too. it's the same designer. however it's not the print with the goldfish in the baggies, they are swimming on a blue background. i love yours so much.. i want to have another! keep up the good work. can't wait to browse your pretty blog.
>I REALLY like the color scheme. And you're right, the fishies in baggies are great. Yay quilt for Rowan!!
cousa!
>I have almost a yard of that fishes-in-bags fabric that I've been meaning to get to for, oh, 2 years? So far, I've only gone so far as to applique a few t-shirts for my kids with it. Now that I know how hard you looked for it and what a fantastic quilt you turned out it may take me *another* couple years to commit it to some project or another…
>The quilt is beautiful! And I think you have a very generous spirit Raechel! It inspires me to see how willing you are to help other learn how to sew and to do it well. :)
>Beautiful quilt. What a wonderful treasure for him and his Mommy sinc eyou know she is going to love it and treasure it too.
I (umm, my daughter) had the fish in bags print on one of her cloth diapers a few years back. It was one of my favorites.