Or, baby's first quilt.
I just put the last stitches in the binding of Trick or Treat. Much like Baby RLQ, this quilt has been nine months in the making. I cut into the fabric still in the daze that came with learning we were pregnant, and as it turns out I finished it just two weeks before she is due.
I hope she likes it.
It's a new experience, making a quilt for my OWN child, I must admit. By my count I have made a total of 9 "baby" quilts at this point; four for family, three for friends and two for charity. I figured I had it down. But it turns out, there was this immense pressure to get it RIGHT this time: I know she is going to watch me improve as a quilter over the years, and I want the first quilt I made from her to stand up to any comparisons.
It's easy to say "I love you" with fabric, but how do you say "you are mine and I love you more"? I worked a lot harder on the free-motion quilting for this quilt than I had for previous ones, and I scoured Etsy for the fabric I needed to make my first-choice binding when it became hard to find. I think all my fussing was a way to feel close to her - on the one hand she's been with me 24/7 through the entire process, but on the other I still haven't actually met her.
But, at least I know where I will lay her on when she comes home from the hospital, and what to warm her with if her first halloween gets a little cold. Stay in and grow strong and healthy as long as you like, little one. When you come out your father and I are ready to wrap you in love :-)