I don't know if that title sufficiently communicates my enthusiasm for this project.  I absolutely ADORE how it came out!  Though the number of photos in this post probably gets the point across...  Come see, come see!

Aaaaaah!  Serioiusly awesome!

Ok, rewind.  Let me show you what I've been up to.

This project came to a screeching halt when I ran out of the Sweetwater Calendar fabric.  I finally got around to ordering it during the post-Thanksgiving sales.  Between juggling events and stitching up gifts, I've been making more jewel blocks from the Trifle Dish quilt-along.

16 little pretties in all!  After arranging them crib-bumper-like, I joined them up to create a 160" long by 10" high strip.  That's the right dimensions for a standard crib bumper.  Then, I created a same-size strip in that beautiful Carolyn Gavin Petite Fleur alphabet fabric and basted them together with Warm & Plush in between.

Next stop, quilting. Warm & Plush is a 100% cotton batting from the makers of Warm & Natural.  I chose to use it for this crib bumper since natural fibers are optimally breathable for baby.  Although it is said to be a warmer batting than Warm & Natural, it did not seem thicker to me.  It handled and quilted like a low loft batting.

So, 160 inches... does that sound innocent?  It's not. That's 13 FEET of quilting.  Times like these I'm so glad to have my Juki TL2010Q, with its auto thread cutter and super speed.  It also didn't hurt that my friend Liz came over to sew with me for a few hours.  That got me through half of it, anyways.  Thanks, Liz!

I do declare the results are mouthwatering, though.  Supremely worth it!  This is about 1/3" quilting on a longish stitch setting of 3.  Dense quilting results in a thin bumper that holds its shape and can't possibly be a threat to baby, in my opinion.  Plus, gorgeous.  mmmmmm.....

Today I finally finished binding it with that same Sweetwater print and attaching the ties.  FYI, when approached like an odd-shaped-quilt, this project is quite doable for any quilter.  I dug through lots of crib bumper tutorials that were very much not made for a quilter, before finding one that is.  You don't have to do this dense quilting, if you don't like, as you can see at the tutorial I followed.  Attaching the ties is probably the easiest part!

My bumper is patchwork blocks on the outside and Petite Fleur ABC's on the inside.  Colors were mostly inspired by the Petite Fleur palette.  The solid edging along the alphabets is Kona Rose.

Oh that texture!  Love.

This is one of those projects that I could have skipped, but I'm so glad I didn't!  It's the best patchwork infusion in baby's room yet.  Thanks to Windham Fabrics for the Petite Fleur and to Carolyn Gavin for inspiring me with her retro alphabets. 

xo,

Rachel (and baby Eleni too!)