All we need is ... a baby {quilting + knitting}

The Moses Basket has been featured many times here, but this is the final post about it - at least without baby MiH sleeping in it (due date Sunday - if you are wondering, that is 2 days, 48 hours, and no I am not panicking at all ..). I promise I will move on from the Moses basket. But as it is finished Friday after all, I thought I should give you a bit more details on the finishing of the bumper and the baby blanket. 

Did you see the latest addition on the window seal - the little rabbit lamp from White Rabbit England 

For the Moses basket bumper {Quilting}

I used two fabrics: The blue one is from the Maya collection by Leah Duncan and the white-ish one is the Moda Grunge Sugar Cookies (with blue and green accents) - for the front, the back and the binding. 

I did not buy the fabrics for this project - I fell in love with the Maya collection, and bought nearly the whole range knowing I would find a project at some point - I was lucky to buy enough of it in the end. So note for the future, if I am that keen on a collection buy enough of it because it will sell out. I bought the Moda Grunge ages ago, and honestly I did not like it when I received it, it was less white than I expected. But it works really well with the blue of the Maya fabric. So glad I had it in the end, it really adds texture and interest to the bumper. 

The pattern is quite obvious. I cut out strips of 2 inches to make a rectangle of 68 inches. I laid the different strips randomly making sure it would be wide enough. In terms of dimensions I had the original bumper, so replicated it - down to the ties to the frame. I hand stitched in the ditch to add some ripple effect, and used some blue Aurifil for the hand stitching at the top of the blue rectangles. I wanted it to look a bit homemade, hence no machine stitching for once. 

For the Baby Blanket {Knitting}:

I did a post the night I started the baby blanket and I knew then it would be something special, but  it looks even better than I expected. I used to hate blocking phase of my knitted projects, but since finishing Umaro and this blanket, this is the step I am looking forward the most now. It just makes the blanket. The yarn is really soft, no itching for me, so perfect for a baby. 

Pattern: Shale Baby Blanket by Jared Flood

Yarn: Hand dyed organic merino silk wool, light worsted DK yarn from SixSkeins (Etsy)

Needle sizes: 5.5 mm circular

Size: Baby size (I did 47 repeats in the end because of I had three skeins)
Final dimensions (once blocked): 85 cm x 105 cm
Result: I absolutely love it. It is not as hard as Umaro, and I remembered the pattern pretty quickly - so a definite TV, cups of tea and biscuits (still 3 weeks to knit it) kind of project. If you have friend expecting a baby who does not knit, make it for her it is the perfect gift. 

 So the blanket has now moved to Baby MiH's hospital bag, and the Moses basket is waiting for one special person. Exciting times! Have a great weekend everyone!