Pink Starts and a Dinosaur Finish

 Welcome to Treadlestitches!

 

Last week was Groundhog Day (Feb. 2), which we don't really pay much attention to here in Wisconsin.  We are guaranteed six more weeks of winter no matter what cute furry rodents may do.  But we did get an almost spring-like day on Wednesday, when the sun shone brightly and the high temperatures were in the 40s (Fahrenheit).  I took advantage of the weather to hang this quilt and quilt top outside for photos.

Back inside, my grandson aka Little Guy modeled the finished baby quilt for us.  That's a little truck on the floor behind his head.  He's really been into cars and trucks lately.

The pattern I used is a free one from Quilts for Kids called Four Patch Pattern (click HERE).  It's simple, just alternating 4 patches and plain squares, with an inner and outer border.   The first quilt I ever made for Quilts for Kids was in this pattern.  It was a kit they sent me, with strips already cut from cute fabrics.  I'm sure that was at least 10 years ago.

I used my scraps and strips for the 4 patches, and this dinosaur print for the plain squares.  I bought it recently at a thrift sale called Granny's Attic at a local quilt show.

This is from the selvedge:  The Alexander Henry Fabrics Collection, copyright 1997.   Wow, 26 years ago!

The letters in the print spell out "Friendly Things".  I knew I had seen this print before.  In 1997 I was a school librarian, and I loved seeing these happy dinosaurs reading books!  I used some fabric like this for the background to a bulletin board, but I don't know what happened to it after that.  When I saw it at the sale I grabbed it!  I got it home, washed it and looked it over carefully for problems, but it was still just nice fabric in excellent shape.

I have a lot left over, so don't be surprised to see it showing up in my quilts for years!

The backing is a soft flannel, also from the thrift sale.  As you can see, I quilted it VERY simply. 
 

Before I started quilting, I did some basic sewing machine preventive maintenance.  I cleaned out the lint, and there was a LOT after quilting 4 flannel baby quilts!  I also put in the recommended oil, and wound 5 bobbins.  And I changed the needle, and it wasn't even broken!  Mrs. Pfaff deserves good treatment.  I hope she'll keep going for many more years.

Meanwhile, back at the pink scraps...

...more bricks blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

I was kind of surprised to find lots of fun pink prints in the scraps and/or stash.  I'm not really a pink girl.

These cool tigers came from a scrap bag I won by participating in the Positivity Quilt Along in 2021.  (Thanks, Preeti!)

As I was cutting the pieces for the bricks blocks, I realized they were the same size as pieces in the Rail Stepper quilt from one of my favorite blogs, Alycia Quilts (click HERE for free tutorial).  So of course I started a new quilt!  It's always fun to cut two quilts at the same time.

Once the pieces were cut, I couldn't stop myself from sewing them together.  I made only 20 blocks for a baby quilt, and it was an absolute breeze.  (Thanks, Alycia!)  I don't have anything I like for a border, so I'm just going to bind it after I get it quilted. 

This happened today.  My dear old dog Bella was sleeping on her bed, when we noticed Snicklefritz the kitten curled up with her.  When she woke up and saw him there, she left for the couch.  They're not exactly friends (yet?)  I'm still holding out hope.

I have more confidence in hoping you'll have a good week ahead, with time to do the things that give you joy.  Happy Quilting!

Cheers for reading,

Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with:

Alycia at Finished or Not Finished Friday

Sarah at Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

Angela at So Scrappy  

Cynthia at Oh Scrap