Grandchild #2 for Cecilia

Cecilia's daughter Dr. Megan is having her second child this month. This new baby will be a girl despite 2-year-old Sean's prediction of a little boy. Megan told me I could do whatever quilt I wanted for this new baby, and that stymied me. So I asked Cecilia to go shopping with me. She found this "Baby Genius" kit and then funded this project.

Click on the picture to see some of the details. There are both alphabet and number blocks. Sean will have a great time using this quilt to instruct his new little sibling. Stay tuned for birth details!

Niece Laura had Baby Elle Monday morning - Daddy Jim and sisters Amelia and Olive are all fine. Elle was a week overdue - Mommy Laura is a zillion times happier now.

Update:Sean's little sister Julia Rose was born Friday, August 21. Grandparents are doing well and busy falling in love all over again with Julia.

Cecilia's Quilt

Cecilia's fabulous fabric sections and design decisions, my piecing, and Debbie's long-arm quilting have produced this lovely bed quilt for Cecilia's master bedroom. Debbie chose to do all quilting with a complementary variegated thread. The batik backing and the outer borders really showcase the quilting, which so gently blends into the body of the quilt. A hi-loft polyester batt gives this quilt a puffy airiness and is a wonderful weight for sleeping. The quilting may have taken up a few inches of the original size of 100" x 118"; still, this quilt is huge.

I pretty much sew using a tip from Lady Macbeth's book: I'm bloody, bold, and resolute. I tend to make decisions quickly and then of course never look back. So, collaborating with someone like Cecilia who is thoughtful and deliberate with design and color decisions stretches my patience. Debbie the Long-Arm Quilter knew exactly what thread she wanted to use and suggested the hi-loft rather than thinner batt but she too was deliberate with the quilting, letting the quilt design guide her work. This creative process meant that this quilt was five months in the planning and making. But the result was definitely worth the wait.

The Lowly T-Shirt - Part 2

Good friend Cecilia's daughter is graduating from med school today. Megan has also provided the family with the first grandchild AND she even ran the Chicago marathon two years ago. Meg is a charming young woman. In honor of her graduation her parents are hosting a cocktail reception tonight for her. At my request, Megan gave me her Chicago marathon T-shirt and her medal (she came in 28,115th place and ran it in 5:17:14!). Look at the result - it's great! Megan plans on hanging this in her office when she begins her practice in rehab medicine. Until then, it will live in the same room with all of her husband's ironman trophies. Dr. Steve may have more trophies, but Dr. Megan's is certainly prettier.

See April 30, 2007, for Part I.