for the beach
Can you handle a few more beach photos from me? How about a craft on the beach? Here's our new beach blanket quilt thingy (Is it a quilt if it's 'quilted', even without batting?). We tested it out yesterday for the first time at the beach with some friends, and so far it's passing the test.
It's backed with a vintage bedspread that's got that heavy, but soft worn cotton feel. I love that feeling. I cut the edges of the spread to make it smaller (it measures 62x70), and to use for the binding. For the top, I used quite a bit of the munki munki I had kicking around (those prints scream out "fun' and 'beach' to me), which I thought was going to make it terribly overstimulating to look at, and it did- in my studio room, but once we got it on the beach it was fine, and I liked it so much more (of course, I like everything more at the beach). I like the weight of it - it's not so light that it will blow away (that makes me batty), but it's not so heavy that it's cumbersome to carry. I added some ties to the corners to make for easy rolling and attaching to the beach bag (because a mama of three has only so many extra hands at the beach). I was desperate to try out the freehand Stitch Regulator on my machine for quilting, which was the motivation for cranking this out (that, and that summer is half over) at the ungodly hour that I did. I tried to use a sort of random pattern of swirls (ha!), but it was my first time doing so on this machine (test swatches? huh?), and it shows. There's quite a bit of puckering on the back, and the swirls are less than swirly in some spots. Whatever. It's for the beach. And at the beach it's just fine.
i want one. i have been looking for something like this my entire life amanda!!!!!!! you rock as usual. xoxoxox mav
Posted by: mav | July 26, 2006 at 08:07 AM
I loooove that! What a perfect beach blanket. Great colors and patterns. How big Ms. Adelaide is getting. :)
Posted by: jean | July 26, 2006 at 08:14 AM
A perfect beach blanket! I'm a bit jealous - can't wait for our winter to end.
Posted by: Kate | July 26, 2006 at 08:18 AM
love it!
so summery. it's the perfect blanket to take to the beach (and the ties are a great idea).
Posted by: lera | July 26, 2006 at 08:24 AM
definitely still called a quilt w/o the batting - that's also a great way to make doll quilts - so that they're not too stiff. cute quilt!
Posted by: kirsten | July 26, 2006 at 08:41 AM
It's gorgeous, and it looks like it meets Miss A's discerning sense of taste, too!
I test drove a Bernina with that stitch regulator recently and it was sublime. The difference between my Singer Fashion Mate (!) and that was like the difference between driving a tractor and a Mercedes. Enjoy!
Posted by: Heels | July 26, 2006 at 09:06 AM
i really love this. so simple and so gorgeous!
Posted by: stephanie | July 26, 2006 at 09:33 AM
I love this blanket. The big blocks of fabric make me so happy...just like staring at big piles of fabric at the store or in my own stash.
Posted by: carol | July 26, 2006 at 09:47 AM
So lovely! The big blocks of fabric are fantastic. Such a fresh perspective.
Posted by: Carmen | July 26, 2006 at 09:56 AM
What a great beach blanket!
Posted by: Anna | July 26, 2006 at 10:03 AM
looks more than fine to me!
Posted by: carolyn | July 26, 2006 at 10:19 AM
Cool beach blankie!
I once took one of my great-grandmother's quilts to the quilt shop to ask them about it. There was no batting or backing, only the top. The ladies at the store said that back in those days they made a lot of "summer quilts", which meant there wasn't any batting.
So, you're made a summer quilt!
Posted by: Lilli | July 26, 2006 at 10:59 AM
beautiful. what a great idea and better than the old sheet that i use!
Posted by: laurie | July 26, 2006 at 11:34 AM
So very pretty- I'd be too worried to use it at the beach! Brave mamma! :)
Posted by: Sheree | July 26, 2006 at 11:37 AM
well...I love it! I have been trying to get inspired to do a beach/picnic quilt for myself all summer (so far)...however, being in AZ, it's been hard to get started (great excuse huh? I was thinking maybe I needed a beach to get me going?!) At any rate...your blanket is the perfect inspiration I need...I'd better get-a-cuttin!
Posted by: sadira | July 26, 2006 at 11:39 AM
veryvery beachy! i love it!! perfect colors, good use of stash fabric and recycling of old bedspreads. beautiful and eco-friendly! sweet!!
Posted by: tiffany | July 26, 2006 at 12:33 PM
I never get tired of beach pictures -- especially ones that include such a lovely blanket. I love it! Some of my favorite prints are in there.
Posted by: amy h | July 26, 2006 at 12:41 PM
Wow, that looks sublime! I want to make something like that for picnics here (unfortunately we have no beaches!).
In the Denise Schmits (did I even spell her name right? I'm not sure, the book is packed and I don't have the extra time to google) Quilt Book she has a beach quilt (not nearly as nice to look at as yours though) and she put pockets on the corners of the back so you can weight the blanket corners with stones and it wont fly away - which I thought was ingenious!
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Posted by: Andrea Jones | July 26, 2006 at 01:03 PM
Beautiful, as always Amanda! I don't know how you do it. Every project is so darned cute.
Posted by: Kelli | July 26, 2006 at 01:23 PM
Oooh, I love that quilt!
Posted by: Sarah | July 26, 2006 at 01:29 PM
Perfect! That blanket, the beach, the sound of children laughing...perfect.
Posted by: Veronica TM | July 26, 2006 at 01:43 PM
It looks great and soooo useful!
Posted by: Bee | July 26, 2006 at 04:55 PM
I saw this on Flickr and even commented, but I like it so much I'm gonna say it twice! It is just perfect. You've got skills my dear and a great eye! 8-)
Posted by: Angela | July 26, 2006 at 05:44 PM
What a beautiful beach quilt. You did a fantastic job.
Posted by: Sue | July 26, 2006 at 07:37 PM
couldn't love this more.
wow.
each fabric beautiful!
i can't for the life of me get good at free motion quilting, true i give up very easy!
Posted by: Kellymc | July 27, 2006 at 02:03 AM
Oh it is gorgeous and the addition of the ties is a brilliant idea.
Posted by: caroline | July 27, 2006 at 04:18 AM
Your beach quilt is wonderful and the ties idea is perfect. Just like one of your other readers, I also live in Arizona which makes it problematic for visiting the beach often. However, since I do visit beaches when I can, I think I shall make a beach quilt and add a strap on each end of the ties side so I can sling it over my shoulder as I trudge through the sand. Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by: June | July 27, 2006 at 10:21 AM
Kudos to you for putting something handmade on the sand! It's beautiful.
Posted by: pip | August 02, 2006 at 06:35 PM
How did I miss this Munki Munki love fest?! All my Munki fabric is sitting in my basement doing nothing. You've inspired me to get it out and DO something with it!!!
Posted by: bellablue | August 06, 2006 at 09:32 PM
I love the blanket, we were given a similar one but smaller and lighter for our munchkin when she was born for floor time and it was great. Would love to make a beach one for summer!
Posted by: Meghan | August 02, 2007 at 11:01 AM