Themed But Not Themed, and NTT

I'm guilty of a blogging no-no this week.  That is, I finished this entire little baby quilt without taking a single process photo, or even mentioning it in a post at all.  I didn't mean for it to happen that way; it's just that after finishing my huge Interference quilt, I was ready to work on something small, and I jumped right into this one.  It went together so quickly, I didn't even think about the fact that I had not shared it until I was already halfway through the quilting.  Oops!

My aunt is hosting a shower for a friend's daughter, and the nursery is decorated with a nautical theme.  My aunt asked for a quilt that had the soothing colors of the sea, with a few nautical fabrics thrown in; but she did not want a quilt that was overly themed- which was totally fine with me.  I'm just not a theme-quilt person (with a few exceptions).  I prefer to make baby quilts that will grow with the child and be useful for many years, rather than quilts that are so babyish and kitschy that they may not get used after a year or two.

The only overtly nautical fabric in the quilt is the little whale print.  The whales really are adorable, and add the perfect touch of whimsy.  There is also a tiny, very soft blue and gray print that looks a little like waves (top middle-ish), one of the navy prints gives the impression of a chain or a fishing net (on the right side of the backing), and a darker tonal blue that looks like bubbles (top left corner).  Even the two chevron fabrics look like a choppy sea.  

I chose a very modern pattern to give a little bit of balance to the cutesy.  I made quarter log cabin blocks, and varied the width of the strips, so the asymmetry would add a lot of cool movement.

Aside from the whale print, I would use any one of these fabrics in a non-themed quilt (and I have used several of them in the past).  So, even though I didn't fill the quilt with lots of novelty fabrics, I was intentional in choosing fabrics that were not only the right colors, but would add to the overall feel I was trying to achieve, and together, I think they really get the job done.

I know that some quilters love using novelty fabrics, and I have definitely seen some super adorable quilts made with them.  A themed quilt that is a bit more subtle fits my personal style a little better though, and I'm so pleased with the way it turned out.

I'm not going to make the same mistake twice, so before we party, here's a peek at the bundle that I'm about to cut into.  These fabrics are so delectable, and I am SO excited about the quilt I'm making next!

 Okay then, let's check out the highlights from last week's party, and boy, there were lots of beauties shared!  Like this sweet Star Cakes quilt from That Crafty Cara-

This bright bear paw quilt from Empress Charlotte looks awesome against that dark background!

and this On the Bright Side quilt is from Made by Chrissie D, and it is so much fun!

I've noticed that there have been several new friends sharing at NTT lately, and I am so thrilled to welcome you to the party!

1.  You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

The Bento Box Quilt That Wasn't

I finished the top of my bento box quilt this afternoon.

So here's the thing-  I actually really like this quilt.  That being said, despite the fact that it is technically a bento box pattern, it doesn't really look like one to me.  The cool thing about bento box quilts is the effect that is created when the contrasting parts of the box are put together.  There are some parts of it that have that neat contrast, but other parts that look more muddled.

Again, I do like the ultra modern feel of the quilt, but I think these fabrics, although they are all individually beautiful, are just a little too busy to allow the bento box pattern to really show up well.  What do you think?

The Beginnings of a Bento

Ahhhh... Fall Break...  finally.  We have been in school since August 4th, and teachers since July 29th, with only Labor Day to offer a brief respite from the craziness that comes with the start of the school year.  So after nine loooong weeks, to say I've been looking forward to this break is quite an understatement.

Since finishing Fishing at the Creek and delivering it to my principal (who loved it, by the way),  I've been working on turning this-

Into this-

A bento box quilt with shades of yellow and gray.  I've been collecting fabrics in these colors for awhile, and have finally gotten around to making it.  So far, I'm loving the way these super modern colors and graphic prints are working with the bento box pattern.  I can't wait to get these blocks mixed up and sewn back together.

I'm hosting the Memphis Area MQG meeting at my house tomorrow, and for this month, we're doing a sew-in.  Looks like I know what I'll be working on!