We've made progress on the baby quilt for my grandson who will be born early this summer.  My girlfriends and I have a tradition of making a baby quilt for each of our children when they are expecting their first baby.  We've been doing this for 16 years, the first one being for Annie, and this one for my son's child may be the last one. We've got it down to a science: the mother-to-be picks the embroidery pattern from my iron-on transfer collection.  Next we head to the fabric shop where she chooses the embroidery floss colors and the fabrics to match the nursery.  When the transfers have been ironed onto the white squares, they are distributed to the six friends with each person embroidering two.  Next, the lattice strips and connecting squares are cut and pieced, then the quilt sandwich is basted (I used basting pins), then the quilt visits each girl for a week each of hand quilting. I've done my quilting part and handed it off with the schedule, a hoop, the quilting thread, a thimble and some needles. I should have it back in 5 weeks completely quilted and ready for the binding!

It's a bit of a secret for the kids.  They obviously know we are making a quilt, but its progress is kept under wraps. They won't see it until closer to the due date at the baby shower my girlfriends are throwing. It's a tradition of which we are all pretty proud. We've made more than a dozen quilts over these last 16 years--all different and all adorable.  This is our first charcoal gray and blue quilt and I absolutely love it!  I know my son, who has seen me be a part of so many group quilts over the years, is quite touched that this one is for his baby.  Sigh.

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