October 2023

Archive | October, 2023

Oh Baby!

Fellow Quilters,

Woo-hoo! It’s October – my favorite time of the year 😊 I love the glorious show of color that Mother Nature creates when the weather turns cooler. Not that it’s any cooler than it was 2 months ago – we are in the midst of an unexpected heat wave, as temperatures approach the high 70’s – crazy!! I hope that similar great weather will be in the forecast when I and the Watergirl Quilt Co posse embark on an Alaskan cruise next September. I hear tell from owner Michelle that there are just a few spots left, and I’m super excited to learn that a few of my favorite quilting people have signed up – a shout-out to Gayle and Sylvie from not-so-Northern Ontario, who are taking this bucket-list cruise with us. If you’re interested, you can find out more or secure your spot here.

While this weather may have me singing “Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot”, I could also play with the lyrics of another temperature-themed song to sing “Baby It’s Hot (Cold) Outside”, because the theme of this month’s Quilt Block Mania is Baby.

I had fun with this baby-inspired block. After viewing the designs from the 13 other participating designers, I reminisced about the days when my kids were babies, and the paraphernalia that was part of our life. Going out with Baby requires an almost suitcase-sized travel bag filled with necessities for any potential situation – diaper changings, feedings, toys to amuse fussy young’uns’, books to read. So much stuff!

My block, Feeding Time, highlights the classic baby bottle, and I love how it turned out!

My Feeding Time quilt block

Not only do baby humans use this, so do other baby mammals, from monkeys to goats to cats and more – you may see this if visiting a zoo during birthing season, particularly if the mom is not able to produce enough milk to feed her baby.

Sometimes baby animals use this iconic feeding device as well

Did you know that baby bottles have been around for thousands of years? The current design, with its plastic or silicone bottle and rubber or silicone nipple is relatively new, dating from the last century, when women started entering the workforce en masse and it became challenging to stay home to nurse their babies. Today, baby bottle production is a $3.4 billion industry.

My Feeding Time block, which you can download here, would make a darling wall-hanging for a nursery, or perhaps as a panel on a diaper bag or on a changing pad.

Make a 12″ x 48″ 4-block runner or a 48″ 16-block baby quilt With Feeding Time

How about using 16 blocks for a fun baby quilt? Super-cute!! Or combine it with one or more of the other 13 blocks in this month’s QBM blog tour – you can find links to the other blocks here: