I know what I said...but I have to make an exception

Yes, I have to make an exception to an earlier statement. I have a quick [NEW] quilting mission to handle before I carry on with those older quilting projects I dug out and committed myself to earlier in the new year.

"Why?" you ask. (Well, maybe you aren't asking that, but here's the reason.) I decided to make a simple baby quilt for the latest expected wee one in the family. It's a baby quilt, so decidely not a big thing. I thought I should be able to get it done relatively quickly and move on, but I am hung up on the design aspects. That isn't normally a problem for me.

I took center squares and permanent markers with me to the baby shower for relatives to sign; my intent was to incorporate the signed blocks into larger patches so the new family has a memory quilt for the little fella, but that sort of backfired in ways I hadn't anticipated. I may end up using the lovely patches on the backing instead of on the front. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, though, and I hope I don't have to go to that extreme, but if it comes to pass then I am ready for that work around.

See, some folks signed more than one each, and others got away before I though to bring the squares out to sign. Some people wrote a sentiment, but never signed their square...and still others couldn't commit to anything at all, therefore deciding to take the blank square home with them, promising to mail it back in short order.

Ah well. Poor execution on my part led to a great lesson (for me), and some things I will most certainly keep in mind should I (ever) try this again.

I have a color palette to work with as my cousins chose a specific sheet set for the child's bedding, and that is always a groovy thing. That hurdle (color selection) is sometimes the toughest to get over, so now all I need do is settle on the design, but I am making that easy on myself, too. I've chosen 4 or 5 block patterns I can easily make smaller and then alternate with blank blocks to fill the top of a baby quilt. With a smaller number of blocks to cut and piece, and the addition of plain blocks in between, the construction will be a snap. Quilting a smaller project will also take less time, so I might be able to make it before the arrival of the little critter (or at the very least, I can be delivering the quilt shortly after lil boy Schaffer makes it home).

We'll see, and I will keep you posted.