The New Obsession

There are very few things I love more of a quiet evening than curling up in the big stuffed chair in the living room with a blanket thrown over my legs.

Remember this one I made for Mr. Handsome?
 

It was fleece & sweatshirt material back to back with a (painintheass to do twice over) handmade Lions applique. It was fairly simple to construct. I've done a couple of those now...and branched out to try something new last weekend...for a baby blanket for one of the cutest little pregos out there...

I followed this tutorial over at the Aesthetic Nest
(which, incidentally, is chock full of gorgeousness. Photos and crafting and art, Oh My!)

And basically just inside of 8 hours of work had one gorgeous baby blanket I was loathe to give away.

 

A few notes:

BUY. THE. CHENILLE. CUTTER. (Olfa)

Claw Hand Hurts. 

And I'm not talking about achy plam muscles here, kids. 

I'm talking all out, spasming fingers, can't unclench my hand, cutting for over an hour straight CLAWhand.
owie.

Keep your GUTTERS at 1/2 inch exactly (or as relatively close as you can get to that) The closer your stitched liner the better your finished produce will appear on the flipside. Small gutters = closer rows = less gaps for Side A quilting material to peek through = better felting/faux-chenille coverage.

That looked suspiciously like math, but it wasn't. promise. it was just me being lazy.

SPLIT this one UP~

Fortunately I had the kid-free weekend to spend on it and crammed the entire project into two four-hour days. No biggie. But, imagine, if I'd just quilted a few rows each night, maybe an our at a go, I'd have had more time for cocktails and bon-bons on a kid-free Saturday [read: laundry and Cloroxing the bathroom. You know, whatever.]

TAKE PICTURES!

duh. right?

Nope. I spaced it. Completely. There might be a picture floating out there somewhere from the baby shower so I'll hunt around & repost if so.

I absolutely fell in love with this blanket, and I think (if I start now?) I should have one for everyone's wedding anniversaries/birthdays this year. That's the plan anyway...unless I find a new style I like better.

But like I said, there's just something about curling up under a blanket that's so satisfying and comforting... I'd like to be able to wrap that up with a bow and give it to friends and family sometimes. And now? I can.