A neutrals quilt for the bride-to-be

Last weekend we had a joyous event at our home . . . a bridal shower for my daughter Haley Grace. Our sweet girl is getting married to a wonderful young man in September. Haley and Cameron are counting the days until they say “I do.” Meanwhile, Haley and I are enjoying all of the special mother-daughter activities that go along with wedding planning. On Saturday, she was surrounded by aunties and cousins, grandmothers and friends . . . women of all ages who showered her with love, gifts, laughter and wisdom. My heart is still full thinking back on what a happy day it was.

Haley knew I was making them a wedding quilt; we selected the fabrics together last winter, which was quite a treat.  What she didn’t know was that I had planned all along to give it to her at the bridal shower.  So, it was fun to watch her surprise and happiness as she opened the present.

Haley also received another handmade gift at the shower, a knitted blanket made by her future sister-in-law Emilee.  Emilee will be marrying our son Luke in August.  Yes, we have two weddings this year, and I can honestly tell you that my husband and I are finding it to be all good . . . double the fun, double the love. But back to Emilee’s gift to Haley . . . isn’t it pretty? It’s as scrumptiously soft in person as it looks in the picture.

My quilt for the couple features soft neutrals stitched together in a simple pattern of oversized rectangles, which has a modern, no-fuss appeal. Haley and I snapped more pictures of the quilt so that I could better share it with you. She told me it is her new favorite quilt that I have ever made. (yeah!!)

Here are some details that you may also want to know:

• The pattern is called “Beachy”, and it was designed by Sweetwater Cotton Shoppe in Paynesville, MN. This is one of their most popular patterns. Haley and I purchased all of the fabric at their shop.
• The fabrics are mostly from Moda. There are prints from 3 Sisters, Kathy Schmitz, Jen Kingwell, Brenda Riddle, Sweetwater and Thimble Blossoms. We just grabbed bolt after bolt at the shop and laid them next to each other until Haley found a range she adored. It was so much fun!
• We included a couple of textured prints and used a textured stripe for the binding.
• The machine quilting was done by Katy at Woods Edge Quilting, and once again she knocked it out of the park. She used a panto called Lace Leaf. I love that it fills the space evenly, and also that it’s not overly feminine but is still “pretty.”  After all, this is a quilt Haley and Cameron will share. I wanted it to be pretty for her, but not so pretty that the groom would feel left out.

I started quilting long before either of my kids were born, so they have received many, many quilts over the years. I’m fortunate that both Luke and Haley not only use and enjoy their quilts, but they also appreciate the time and effort involved in making them. They know that quilt making is one of the ways Mom shows her love.

I know you can relate to that sentiment. We make quilts for our loved ones so that a piece of our heart is present in their daily lives, keeping them warm, providing a cuddle and offering comfort. I’m praying God’s continued blessings on Haley and Cameron.

Thanks for stopping by and allowing me to share this blessing, quilting friends! Have a wonderful summer!

~Taunja

While Haley has been gifted (and has adopted) many quilts over the years, there are two recent Haley quilts that are special to me. I’ve blogged about them here:

• A college graduation quilt for Haley
• Harmony: a finished quilt for Haley