An heirloom quilt fit for a baby

The inch worms have descended on Richmond over the last few weeks, rappelling from the tree tops on thin silk threads and landing on just about everything in sight. We find them inching their way around in our grass and hair, on our clothing, furniture, and windshields. They are devouring tree leaves and getting fat before they burrow into the ground to emerge as moths after Summer has ended. The whole phenomenon reminded me that I've been meaning to share Merritt's quilt for almost an entire year.

Roscoe and Merritt's Aunt Coco quilted it for him and I think her love note and the pictures speak for themselves. It is a gorgeous and heartfelt gift.

Merritt, 3 months

Dear Merritt,

This is the first baby quilt I haven't delivered on time.  I'm going to let both of us take the blame for that one. You'll find that being early is generally a good thing but that, truth be told, being late usually isn't a problem either. The most important thing is that you show up.

The orange and brown fabrics in this quilt are from a fabric line called chrysalis.  A chrysalis is where a caterpillar makes its home as it grows and changes into a butterfly. A fitting theme for a baby quilt for a baby who has just been welcomed by his new family, don't you think?

I wish you all the love in the world as you grow and change.

                                                                                    Love, Aunt Coco

The one and only

For you quilters: The pattern for the squares is called, "Sunkissed Squares" from Moda Bake Shop. Courtney used one fourth of the pattern for a baby sized quilt but added the borders to make it bigger. The back was improvisationally pieced and follows no pattern. The straight-line quilting was done with a walking foot in a chevron pattern with the lines placed two inches a part. (She used painters tape to mark them off and then sewed along side the tape.)