are you more into piecing or into quilting? when i made my first quilt, and i knew nothing about quilting, i pieced simple squares. i kept the backing a bright blue solid and then drew so ideas on tissue paper and started stitching. ocean was the theme and i stitched sea grasses, little schools of fish, bigger, puffier fish, air bubbles, sea turtles and waves. my grandson loves it and i'm most proud of the hand quilting.

I haven't hand quilted yet. I like to piece and to quilt. I think I might make the "Under The Sea" quilt so I can make more time for some other fun projects this summer. I homeschool so summers are my real quilting times and I like to get a lot of tops done and quilted so that I can hand stitch the binding during the school year.

Here it is! I decided to use the pattern for the "Under The Sea" Quilt but I used different fabrics that I already had on hand. It took only 4 hours to complete the top! And another 4 to quilt it! The shower is this Sunday so I'm very pleased with how fast it went together.

Purchase the picture book Swimmy by Leo Lionni.
It has fabulous illustrations of a dreamy, undersea world and powerful story of small creatures working together to defeat danger. The pictures could easily be translated into simple applique, either one scene or several. Lovely pale blue batik for the background, even pebble print for the ocean floor. Since this would be personal use, I don't believe there would be any copyright issue. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.) Google Swimmy to check out the art.

I would present the quilt and book together, of course, the old Kindergarten teacher pushing early literacy. :wink:

:lol: Push away! I'm a homeschooling mom and was always trying to find new ways to get my oldest to love reading. Then, she got old enough for chapter books and needed no further prodding. I did already make the quilt and posted pics on here (scroll up) but I'll keep this in mind for the next one. Thanks!

To ps150: That's a gorgeous, hot, tropical quilt.

Thanks!!