Like many waiting families, I joined a Yahoo group for people who logged their dossier during the same month we did. We had many activities and swaps going on to help us pass the time and get to know each other during our wait. One swap was for quilt squares.
It's my understanding that there is a tradition in China involving a bai jia bei or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. A quilt is made from squares given to the child, each with a wish attached. It's become somewhat standard in waiting groups to do this for our children. Each square of fabric came with a card that had a written wish and was signed by the giver. A small swatch of the fabric was attached so they can be matched at a later date. During our wait, I attended a monthly scrapbook group and made a scrapbook of those wishes.
I kept postponing making the quilt because it scared the bejesus out of me. My friends at work hosted a shower for us after we got home, and one of the ladies I work with gave us the gift of her talent. She is a master quilter. How gifted is she? She did Sera's quilt as her stress reliever as she planned her daughter's summer wedding!!! She finished the quilt top in June. We met up one morning and headed to a nearby town that has her favorite fabric stores. It's in the main area where our local Amish live and shop, so there are tons of quilting supplies to be found. We chose the fabric for the back and the binding and put my name on a waiting list to have the quilt quilted.
When school started in mid-August, Terry gave me the finished parts. About three weeks ago, I got the call that it was finally our turn at the quilting store. The night we headed out there to drop off the quilt was the night Sera ended up in the ER. This week I got the call that the quilt was finished, so we headed back on Friday after school to pick it up.
The final result is absolutely gorgeous. The pictures don't even do it justice. The quilt is large enough for a double bed, possibly even a queen. Jim is holding it up for the pictures. He's 6'4" and he was holding it straight up, and it still dragged on the ground. This has ended up a quilt that Sera can use throughout her life.
Terry didn't include the flannel squares because they don't work well when mixed with other fabrics. I'm going to make a mini-quilt with those for her to play with. There's much less pressure with that project.
I love the tag that Terry made for the quilt. She used a pinwheel pattern, so she had the panda holding a pinwheel.
It's my understanding that there is a tradition in China involving a bai jia bei or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. A quilt is made from squares given to the child, each with a wish attached. It's become somewhat standard in waiting groups to do this for our children. Each square of fabric came with a card that had a written wish and was signed by the giver. A small swatch of the fabric was attached so they can be matched at a later date. During our wait, I attended a monthly scrapbook group and made a scrapbook of those wishes.
I kept postponing making the quilt because it scared the bejesus out of me. My friends at work hosted a shower for us after we got home, and one of the ladies I work with gave us the gift of her talent. She is a master quilter. How gifted is she? She did Sera's quilt as her stress reliever as she planned her daughter's summer wedding!!! She finished the quilt top in June. We met up one morning and headed to a nearby town that has her favorite fabric stores. It's in the main area where our local Amish live and shop, so there are tons of quilting supplies to be found. We chose the fabric for the back and the binding and put my name on a waiting list to have the quilt quilted.
When school started in mid-August, Terry gave me the finished parts. About three weeks ago, I got the call that it was finally our turn at the quilting store. The night we headed out there to drop off the quilt was the night Sera ended up in the ER. This week I got the call that the quilt was finished, so we headed back on Friday after school to pick it up.
The final result is absolutely gorgeous. The pictures don't even do it justice. The quilt is large enough for a double bed, possibly even a queen. Jim is holding it up for the pictures. He's 6'4" and he was holding it straight up, and it still dragged on the ground. This has ended up a quilt that Sera can use throughout her life.
Terry didn't include the flannel squares because they don't work well when mixed with other fabrics. I'm going to make a mini-quilt with those for her to play with. There's much less pressure with that project.
I love the tag that Terry made for the quilt. She used a pinwheel pattern, so she had the panda holding a pinwheel.
5 Comments:
Oh my gosh! The quilt is just beautiful! What a keepsake Sera will have when she's older. And the personalized tag is so thoughtful.
So, so gorgeous and special. My kids each have a few special handmade items from loved ones, and they do seem to understand their specialness. Sera's a very lucky little girl.
It is absolutely gorgeous!!!!
That is stunning!
That's freakin awsome.
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