Grandbaby Quilt #2

It’s interesting that my son had three boys…  each of whom helped make the “The Mother’s Curse” (When you grow up, I hope you have one JUST LIKE YOU!) come true.   Each grandson is so clearly different from the others that I have had no problem sketching their personalities.

I drove down to meet my second grandson the day his parents brought him home from the hospital.  I arrived at their house to find G-man had just gone down for his nap.  My son and DIL were clearly exhausted so I took the baby and urged them both to take naps.  As I rocked Beckett, the kids fell asleep on the sofa… and Beckett fell asleep in my arms.  Everyone was asleep while Grandma kept watch over all.

Beckett is a big fan of Everton FC and enjoys playing soccer and running, but also plays the violin… quite a combination and surprising to me because no one on my side of the family can carry a tune in a bucket.  My sister Carol took to piano lessons more than my sister Eleanor or I did…  but a strong interest in music must have come via another genetic pathway.

Did I mention that Beckett had and still has the cutest dimples ever and, when he smiles, you can see the mischief in his eyes?

Despite his love of sports, what stood in my mind the most was the serious look on his face as he practices on his violin, the bow going slowly back and forth across the strings.  So, when I came across the zigzag quilt (no HSTs) by CrazyMomQuilts posted on Bee Square Blog online, I knew I had hit on the right idea for Beckett.

My first experience with chain piecing, I learned to love sewing the same straight seam time and time again… quite soothing and relaxing, to be honest.... and another opportunity to practice my 1/4" seams!  

Laying the blocks out of the floor to create the zigzag pattern was a bit of a challenge, requiring me to run back and forth from my computer/sewing room where the tutorial picture was displayed on the monitor and the blocks on the living room floor.  Once I got the first two rows right… getting the rest of the blocks in the correct orientation was much easier.

This quilt was also my first experience with sewing diagonal rows… and those middle rows were very long!  Another technique practiced!

I used leftover blocks to piece a strip for the back and was just ½ yard short to use only the taupe fabric on the back… so a little “make do” know-how was called upon.

These photos, also taken in late November sun, are not as washed out as the photos of G-man’s quilt but I’m again including the label so you can see the colors more exactly.

Two down, three to go…. on to the next adventure!