Blue is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for January. I made 4 blue baby quilts.
Size: 36" x 46"
Batting: Quilters Dream 100% Cotton
Thread: Glide--Lilac
My husband studied butterflies from a young age and passed on his love of butterflies to the rest of us. Therefore, butterfly quilts, butterfly prints and butterfly pantographs are especially favorites of mine.
This quilt is blue & purple, so I was glad to see how well this Tula Pink striped print worked for the binding.This is a "Honey Bouquet" quilt by Villa Rosa Designs, downsized to make a baby quilt. To clarify--I didn't change the size of the rectangles, I just used fewer rectangles.
When thinking about what I want to do for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in 2026, I decided it was time to work on my overflowing scrap 5" charm squares. I will be making simple squares baby quilts for Bundles of Love, a local non-profit that delivers bundles of baby things to families in need. It's always fun to start the year out by sorting colors: Blue is the color I had the most of ⤴️, and wouldn't you know it, blue is the color Angela @ So Scrappy started out with for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. My youngest daughter was home over new years and she gladly volunteered to set up ⤴️ all three blue quilts on the design wall for me. She was thrilled to do that, and it was a great help for me! I'm looking forward to her returning in April and helping me out that way again.
"Webbing" the first quilt together. ⤴️
My Quilt Info #2:
Size: 40" x 50"
Batting: Quilters Dream 100% Cotton
Thread: Glide--Sky
Pantograph: Arrowheads ⤵️ from OESD I tried to use no more than 2 of each print in each quilt. There might be a threesy in there occasionally.
My Quilt Info #3:
Size: 40" x 50"
Batting: Quilters Dream 100% Cotton
Thread: Glide--Sky
Cinnamoroll, bottom right corner ⤵️, is a Japanese animated character--a white puppy with a tail that looks like a cinnamon roll!
More buffalo check flannel backing. ⤵️My Quilt Info #4:
Size: 40" x 50"
Batting: Quilters Dream 100% Cotton
Thread: Glide--Sky
Another appearance by Cinnamoroll! ⤵️
The last of that bargain buffalo check flannel. ⤵️A simple, effective way for me to whittle down those scrap 5" charm squares.
Grace and peace!!! ~Nancy
You'll find more quilt inspiration at Patchwork & Quilts, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings,
Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF, Off the Wall Friday, Finished Or Not Friday, From Bolt To Beauty.
It is amazing that you were able to finish so many baby quilts already! That is sure to make a dent in the blue scrap pile. So nice that you had help laying out the blocks. It is always fun to have company.
ReplyDeleteThese are just beautiful, love the colors, the placement, the quilting - everything! That flannel was a good buy, and it looks wonderful. How nice your daughter arranged the pieces for you, that's a great idea! Sounds like your husband was a great quilt assistant. I love that you are feeling his presence in your sewing room and including him in your decisions - I would do the same.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful baby quilts! You have made a great start on the RSC for the year.
ReplyDeleteMy charity sewing group called the 99 blocks pattern "Charms for Charity" and was a favorite of mine! I also use the webbing to piece, keeps all the pieces in designed order. Enjoy reading all the details of your beautiful quilting projects!!
ReplyDeleteWow, great to know others have gone this route before, and you call it "Charms for Charity"--99 charm squares, Rachel! Next time please leave your email addy so I can communicate with you directly. Thanks!
DeleteThose are some great quilt finishes, Nancy. We have so much blues.
ReplyDeleteWow!! Great use of those charms and rectangles. I can see why your husband liked that one particular stitching design, because it's really lovely. Beautiful quilting on ALL of those baby quilts. Blue is my biggest scrap bin too.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilts, Nancy! Those 5 inch square quilts are a great way to use up the scraps. I love the rectangle design with all the butterfly prints and the butterfly quilting! That's a sweet memory of your husband, too. Great find for the backing! You are on your way for RSC 2026.
ReplyDeleteOh my, you sewed those baby quilts quite quickly. They are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI saw at least three blue fabrics that we had in common! What a great way to be thinking about your husband as you cut, pieced and quilted your way through blue! I like the butterfly and Vidalia designs the most!--TerryK@OnGoingProjects
ReplyDeleteLove these! It's a great way to use your charm squares. I'm thinking I need to cut up a bunch of "less loved" fabric chunks into charms so they can be more usable. These are so great & I love the Arrowhead quilting!
ReplyDeleteI think it is awesome you are carrying on your tradition to make these baby quilts for Bundles. Beautiful blues, and I like your hubbies thought on that pantograph as it leaves great texture.
ReplyDeleteWhat fabulous quilts these are! I love that Susanna was home to help and Mahlon helped from beyond with his love of butterflies and favorite panto...how sweet. Bonnie Hunter's tip is a good one, thanks for sharing. Did it make a dent in the 5" blue stack? What a gift that backing was too, as it is so perfect for so many quilts!
ReplyDeleteYes, those blue "99 Charms" quilts totally wiped out my blue 5" squares.
DeleteThe blue baby quilts are so lovely.
ReplyDeletethat was a very good fine for the backings of the quilts it is always nice to find a sale like that. Good use of all that blue to
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful collection of blue quilts! And I love that your husband is speaking to you, how sweet.
ReplyDeleteWow, all four are beautiful and I'm sure your pile of blue scraps has gotten a little smaller! Beautiful mother-daughter cooperation, you both did a fabulous job arranging those pretty squares. I too love the idea of mixing old and new fabrics, great effect. Your sweet husband is always in your studio with you and he will always be a wonderful source of inspiration, support, and advice for you despite his absence. I totally agree with him, Jessica's Vidalia is very pretty! Love the sweet butterflies and the great variety of prints, thank you so much for sharing your projects and linking up. Hugs
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful baby quilts, Nancy! I thought you were doing a different take on the Rainbow Quilt Challenge by making a separate quilt (or quilts) with each color that is announced and then I saw you are also doing the Rainbow Challenge too. The quilting on each of the quilts is perfect. I too love butterflies. I am joining the Rainbow challenge for the first time this year. I don't have a longarm, so my quilting is simpler and takes me much longer to quilt anything, but I do so admire the great quilting designs that are available to longarm quilters. Looking forward to seeing your rainbow challenge quilt finished and what you do with each color.
ReplyDeleteYou used up lots of your blue scraps for a great cause! Well done! Gail at the cozy quilter.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty, Nancy. And simple-yet-varied is great--if a baby quilt is too elaborate then it may not get used. Yours are made to be loved!
ReplyDeleteYou're so good, Nancy! I'm impressed that you have so many blue scraps. I might be able to come up with enough blues for one baby quilt, but that would be it. It's so fun that your daughter arranged the designs for you. Oh, that we could all have such help when pulling together baby quilts! I'm delighted for you to have found such a fabric bargain at Hobby Lobby. It's my favorite place to buy sewing, knitting and craft supplies. Did you consider making the baby quilts without batting? Or perhaps you have in mind that they'll be for warmth in Minnesota, rather than to lay on top of. I have yet to make a quilt that's a top and only a flannel backing, but that sounds like a good combo for Florida.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite sewing sessions is enjoying the repetitiveness of making simple patchwork quilts. AND I literally have two storage boxes fixed with scrappy 5" charms that I haven't known what to do with. I sense that I have a lot of donation quilts in my future. Yours are beautiful and I know someone will love them. I want to do that, too!
ReplyDeleteWonderful job on using your 5" squares. I always appreciate listing the exact quilting design you use on the quilts. I am trying not to buy more but I am serious considering Jessica's Vidalia. It definitely looks a like an onion. (Vidalia is a great onion to bake in the oven with butter if you've never tried it.)
ReplyDeleteThese baby quilts are the perfect way to use up charm squares and be part of the rainbow scrap challenge.. What a lovely result.
ReplyDeleteThe number of quilts that you finish amaze me. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great bundle of baby quilts! That was quite a find you had at Hobby Lobby. The babies will love snuggling with that on the back and it goes perfectly with the blue quilts.
ReplyDeletePretty quilts, Nancy, and a great way to use up those charm squares. Glad you had help with the layouts from your daughter, what a fun thing for both of you. So many memories as you made these quilts, as you settle in to this new season of life.
ReplyDeleteSo simple, but so beautiful! You got a lot done. I love that your husband is still guiding and advising you in your quilts. <33 Thanks for sharing in Sew & Tell.
ReplyDeleteI love your plan for this year's RSC. The charity is really going to benefit from your talents and generosity. Your daughter did a great job on the layouts and I love that you have the precious memory of your husband to provide guidance on the quilting.
ReplyDeleteWow, you are on a roll making four blue scrappy baby quilts, Nancy! Great job. Thanks for joining us at Monday Musings. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteThese are all lovely. Funnily enough I've been creating with my blue scraps pretty much all this week, it's the colour I seem to have acquired the most of over the years.
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