Swoon Baby Quilt the Third

Last fall, I discovered the perfect formula for a fast and fun baby quilt: choose a print fabric for the backing, make a Swoon block out of coordinating solids, add a 6” border all around, quilt, bind and give away! This is actually the third baby quilt that I’ve made this way, but I haven’t managed to give the second one to its new owner yet, so you’ll have to wait a bit longer to see that one.

For this quilt, I matched the fabric to the new baby’s nursery theme (ocean) and colors (yellow and blue). The backing fabric I found at Hawthorne Threads was a perfect match: Whales in Bright by Ann Kelle from her Urban Zoologie collection. Once I had the backing fabric in my hands, I picked out coordinating Kona solids from Fat Quarter Shop: Cheddar, Prussian, Snow and Water. Since this was the third time I made this pattern, I barely had to think about it as I sewed it together.

For the quilting, I marked one diagonal line through the center, and used that as a guide to quilt lines 1” apart across the entire quilt. Again, quick and easy. So quick, that I was able to present it to the new mom-to-be before she went on maternity leave. While I enjoyed every minute of planning and making this quilt, the best part was seeing how much my friend liked it and knowing that she and her new baby will enjoy it for years to come.