My Very First Quilt

This is my first quilt that I made for someone who was expecting their first child.

I started a machine quilting class in Sep 2009 and while working in my sampler quilt, I was inspired to make a 'real' quilt.

I got the pattern idea while waiting for my husband who was in line to post all our Christmas cards. I was flicking through magazines and saw the design. When I went back to find the magazine, it was gone.

Subequent research on the internet makes me think I might have seen a photograph of what a reader had made from a pattern in a prior year issue. The original design may have come from Quiltmaker's issue of Spring All-time favourites 2006. But I have not found either magazine.

The sheep are in fleece as I thought young children love to touch and stroke different fabrics. They are machine appliquéd on - as I haven't learned about appliqué techniques and tools yet, this was a learning curve.

I couldn't resit adding the black sheep for a more whimsical touch.

I was going to buy pink and brown fabrics until I found out that a boy was expected! I changed to blue and brown with a soft blue flannel backing.

I took a machine quilting class and to my surprise, the teacher had made the same quilt and brought it along as a sample. I had brought my finished quilt top along as I needed to learn how to quilt it.

The label uses the same sheep outline.

Coincidentally, the new mother had chosen to decorate the new nursery in pale blue with leaping sheep on the walls and furniture too!