made with love // easy-peasy squiggly quilt

I made something! With my sewing machine! The one I've been chatting about wanting to learn how to use for the last few years.

There have been a few times I've crafted at the gift of some close friends who shared their talent with me at a couple Sip & Sew nights of fun. I'm so very grateful for the foundation they shared with me, because now I feel I have enough grasp on the craft to make functional items here and there.

The great thing about this little quilt is it took less than 24 hours. In fact, I'd say time combined, it took me a good 5 hours to get this quilt together. I spaced my hours over a weeks span - children, nap-time, and bed-time permitting. The great thing about this is it's definitely something that can be cranked out in a day if you have the time allowance!

Let's start with my non-technical, beginner-self sharing the sewing items I bought to get started:

• 1 spool of thread
• 1 box of quilting pins
• 2 packs of quilt binding
• 2.5 yds of quilt top
• 2.5 yds of quilt bottom
• 2.5 yds of batting
• Needles

To begin I layered my quilt bottom, batting, and quilt top. Made sure they were in line and started pinning away. Starting from the middle and moving outward. I pinned quite a bit to keep the layers from shifting.

Once the layers were pinned I went to town on the machine. Again, I started from the middle and worked my way out. I began sewing at the top middle and squiggled my way down to the bottom. I cut the thread at the end, and turned the layers to start a new squiggle line next to where I ended. On and on I went alternating start sides and working from the inside out.

Once all my squiggles were done, I trimmed.

Trimmed some more because I don't have the fancy things that help with straight cuts.

Added a touch of love.

Then moved onto the binding.

Pinned the ready-made binding all the way around and got to sewing some more.

Once binded, I gave it a few washes and felt the comfy-cozy goodness.

I really loved adding the Made with Love thread I bought as a small extra because this quilt was being made for someone who has made me quilts and blankets my whole life.

At the end of it, I was thrilled with the end result. It has the coziness of a quilt and a fun look to it. You can use fun prints and have it done quickly!

If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor. 

- Saint Charles Borromeo

This quilt allowed for a fun eagerness to share a whole lot of love from me to my grandmother. My first quilt was given to me when I was born and since that time she's given me various blankets and quilts made with love throughout my life.

I can definitely say this blanket was made with lots of love, eagerness to share goodness, and prayer. Such a gift in that!

It really was an honor to love someone with the very same love language they shared with you your whole life. Thinking that every time she uses it, that the prayers prayed are wrapping her and keeping her warm kind of makes my heart smile. I only pray it makes her heart smile similarly every time she uses it.

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