Two Neonatal Quilts (Quilted on the Domestic Machine)

I started these quilts for something simple to do at the Tuesday sewing meetings in Belmont. Then Covid-19 struck and the meetings ended while we shelter in place. I finally decided to finish them at home. The pattern is a simple strips sewn together with an insert of blue and white checkerboard squares.

Pink and Blue Neonatal Quilt

• 40" x 43" Neonatal size
• Quilting: Quilted stitch in a ditch on the Janome Heavy Duty Machine. Used light gray 100% cotton thread (Coates Mercerized ELS Cotton). Quilting by Patty.
• Backing: Light gray flannel print left from Tomiko’s T-shirt quilts.
• Batting: 80% cotton/ 20% polyester. Comfort Blend from Winline.
• Binding: Green print from Patty’s inventory. Fabric left from Thomas’s baby quilt.
• Pattern: 19 Strips sewed together with an insert of navy blue and white checkerboard.
• Piecing by Patty.
• Quilting on domestic machine May 15, 2020. (Patty). 
• Binding by Patty. 
• QC by Patty to keep the dog away from a neonatal quilt.

Pink and Green Neonatal Quilt

• 40" x 44" Neonatal size
• Quilting: Quilted stitch in a ditch on the Janome Heavy Duty Machine. Used light gray 100% cotton thread (Coates Mercerized ELS Cotton). Quilting by Patty. Quilting by Patty.
• Backing: Light green flannel print left from Daddy’s t-shirt quilt.
• Batting: 80% cotton/ 20% polyester. comfort Blend from Winline.
• Binding: Green print from Patty’s inventory. Fabric left from Thomas’s baby quilt.
• Pattern: 19 Strips sewed together with an insert of navy blue and white checkerboard.  
• Piecing by Patty.
• Quilting on domestic machine May 16, 2020. (Patty). 
• Binding by Patty. 
• QC by Patty to keep the dog away from a neonatal quilt.

T-Shirt Quilt for Mother Made from Daddy’s T-Shirts

I started this quilt last year. Before my eye problems I got the blocks cut out. Between eye surgeries I got the interfacing (featherweight) ironed on the blocks. Then I didn’t get back to it until I finished piecing Tomiko’s quilt. Finally it came together.

The Tom Short Reunion t-shirts have functioning pockets. For some ill planned reason, the T.A. Edison submarine shirt throwing torpedoes and shooting a missile, wound up next to the Peace Corps shirt. Not all of the shirts were Daddy’s. To round out the quilt I used a few shirts from my collection, but my shirts were ones he had a connection to or gave me as a souvenir from his travels. 

• 58 1/2" x 71" Lap size
• Quilting: Quilted around the designs on the t-shirt blocks. Used light turquoise 100% polyester thread (Omni from Superior Threads-named "Lt. Turquoise"). Free form quilting. 6 bobbins. Quilting by Patty.
• Backing: Light green flannel print wide back from my inventory. Bought from a fabric.com sale.
• Batting: 100% polyester. Knowledgeable quilters recommend polyester for t-shirt quilts. Also recommended by Frances who pointed out that t-shirt quilts tend to be heavy so a lighter weight batting is better. 
• Binding: Turquoise print from fabric.com
• Pattern: T-shirts fit together 
• Piecing by Patty.
• Pinned into frame May 13, 2020. Quilting on long arm quilter May 13-14, 2020. (Patty). 
• Binding by Patty. 
• QC by Spencer

Tomiko’s T-Shirt Quilt

2020 has been a very different year for graduates, including my niece Tomiko. She graduates from high school this May, but there is not a traditional graduation ceremony, prom, or party during this year of social distancing. It’s as difficult for the families as the graduates! 

Monika gave me these t-shirts to make a graduation quilt for Tomiko sometime after my first eye surgery last year and before my second one. So, this quilt has been a long time in coming. Finally, it came together.  The hardest part was fitting shirts of different sizes collected over 18 years together. I chose black sashing to fit the shirts together and make their colors pop. I needed one more shirt, so I made an airplane block, like the baby quilt I made Tomiko over 18 years ago. Time flies like an an arrow; fruit flies like melon. Sigh!

Tomiko on the first quilt I made her, hand quilted!

The airplane block for the graduation quilt

The quilt I helped Tomiko make when she was in middle school

Quilting on the long arm with Tomiko. She is a natural longarmer! I wish I was as good!

• 60" x 85" Twin bed size
• Quilting: Quilted in a meandering very loose wave in the sashing and around the designs on the t-shirt blocks. Used gold 100% polyester thread (Omni from Superior Threads-named "Goldenrod").  I selected gold because her school colors are green and gold. Free form quilting. 7 bobbins. Quilting by Patty.
• Backing: Light gray flannel print wide back from my inventory. Bought from a fabric.com sale.
• Batting: 100% polyester. Knowledgeable quilters recommend polyester for t-shirt quilts. Also recommended by Frances who pointed out that t-shirt quilts tend to be heavy so a lighter weight batting is better. 
• Binding: A green and gold print in Patty’s inventory, again to accent Tomiko’s high school colors.
• Pattern: T-shirts fit together with black sashing.  
• Piecing by Patty.
• Pinned into frame May 5, 2020. Quilting on long arm quilter May 6, 2020. (Patty). 
• Binding by Patty. 
• QC by Spencer

Going to Michigan Tech in the fall. Hopefully, there will be school in the fall.

The rabbit runs from the hawk.

The hawk catches the unsuspecting rabbit.