A Quilt for a Niece
Quilty Love Star Pop II Quilt Pattern. Peak Blooms Pantograph from the Longarm League.
My first niece, as a matter of fact. In a family dominated by boys, the arrival of my first niece was an exciting moment. As an aunt to three adorable nephews, a mom to four handsome sons, and only one precious daughter, I’ve grown accustomed to being utterly outnumbered. So, when my sister-in-law announced that she was expecting a girl, I knew I had to make something special to welcome this little lady into our male-centric clan.
This quilt started with the fabric selection, which I picked out months before my niece was born. My sister-in-law had chosen a woodland theme for the nursery, so when I saw Maureen Cracknell’s Crafting Magic collection for Art Gallery Fabrics, I knew I had to use it. The sweet little foxes had my heart immediately. My love for Art Gallery Fabrics was already cemented by my quilt for a nephew. But when I realized that their website features coordinating fabrics across collections, I knew there was no turning back. With a few clicks, I found the perfect binding fabric for this quilt, which needed just a touch more orange to honor my sister-in-law’s favorite color.
Speaking of my sister-in-law, she chose this Quilty Love Star Pop pattern herself. After using the Hopscotch pattern for both of my nephews’ quilts, it was fun to change things up for my niece. I chose the Peak Blooms pantograph from the Longarm League to echo the floral motifs in the fabric. I love this pantograph and was thrilled with how it all came together.
The backing, while not pictured, holds its own special place in this quilt's story. I snagged a soft flannel sheet from Target on sale that complemented the quilt's color scheme. Using flat sheets as backing is one of my favorite quilting hacks – it's economical, you don’t have to worry about piecing it, and in this case, adds an extra layer of coziness to the finished product.
As I’m sure you all know, quilting, and blogging, take time. My niece is a year and a half now. In the last year, my youngest son and another nephew joined the family. Admittedly already a quilt behind, I can joyously anticipate crafting two more for the nieces and/or nephews due next year. And even though it can be daunting at times, I look forward to carrying on the tradition of gifting each new addition a quilt of their own.
