My sister is having a baby and I designed this baby quilt for her. I'm very proud of it; it's the most original quilt I've made (and it was a pain sometimes!). I love balloons, and we went to the Albuquerque balloon fiesta last year, which this is supposed to represent. You get up really early, before sunrise, to go out there, and wait for the mass ascension of hundreds of balloons. It's really amazing.

The sun is a partial Russian Sunflower. I have a thing for that block because I have a quilt passed down from my great-grandmother that is a Russian Sunflower. I've wanted to try one for some time. Turns out it is still a little beyond my skill level. Maybe you can tell in the pics, maybe not, but there are quite a few tucks and wrinkles in the green points of the sun.

The quilting also gave me fits. I'm not as good at FMQ as I'd like to be, and I used a stencil, which it turns out is just not a good method for me, although now I'm better at it, and I spent the money so I'll probably use it again.

The lunch sack I made from a pattern I found online at http://melissaesplin.com/home/2008/0...-for-everyone/ It was also for my sister, as her birthday gift, since she takes her lunch to work and had been using a Wal-Mart bag (It's recycling, but not very cute).

Both very cute. Good job.

This is beautiful. And, what a lovely treasure for them.

Very nice! I love the baby quilt! Nice work on both, but esp. the quilt!

So sweet.

both very nice love the balloons

So cute. I love it. You did a great job on it. :thumbup:

Thank you for the nice words, everyone!

I had to show it to someone - I meant to take the quilt to the baby shower on Sunday, but ran out of thread the night before for the quilting (and it's better that way - I would have been up until two in the morning trying to finish). Don't know when I'll give it to my sister, I won't see her maybe until next month. Baby hasn't been born yet, anyway, so she won't miss it.

I love your balloon quilt and the sun is perfect! Cute lunch bag too!
I would love to go to the Balloon Fest sometime. I have a great quilting friend/instructor that lives in Albuquerque. Maybe you have seen some of her patterns and/or books. Her name is Debbie Caffrey. She writes and publishes alot of mystery patterns that I love doing!

I love your balloon quilt, so creative! Nice work too on the lunch sack. Your sis will be thrilled!

Both, very nice!

Beautiful quilt!

Wow!! You did a wonderful job. I love the balloons! A beautiful quilt!

Thank you! If you ever can manage it, the Balloon Fiesta is a lot of fun, and really doesn't cost much. If you live very far away, the transportation there is probably the most expensive part. We wanted to go this year, but harvest came all at the wrong time for us to get away that week.

You did a nice job on both!

They are both fantastic! The bag is wonderful, colors so nice! The quilt is beautiful!

Thanks for sharing, wonderful projects....:)

Your projects are so wonderful.

Many years ago I met Debbie Caffery at the Ted Stevens International airport here in Alaska and I felt like an idiot. I went up to her in total awe and I said" are you Debbie Caffery?" She said," yes" and I said, "how do you sleep at night"? She looked horrified :shock: Oh my goodness what I mean is does your mind rest. I have done several of your mysteries and I can't imagine having my mind rest. I walked away and she was freaked out and I felt like an idiot. My DH was near by and asked what happened since I looked mortified. When I told him he could hardly stop laughing.
Now every time I see her name I cringe at my memories but she sure does great mysteries. I have given up on them totally.

Wonderful memories for you and your sister and now she can reflect on your adventure when she looks at her baby quilt you designed so beautifully. Her little lunch sack is cute too!

Both are very cute & I couldn't spot any wrinkles in the sun! I love the fabric you used on the lunch bag.

:thumbup: :D

Very very cute baby blanket - and nice sack lunch too :D

I liked the colors a lot too. I bought the brown/blue medallion fabric on clearance for $3 a yard. Got 5 yards and made dresses for DD and myself, and the lunch sack, and i still have nearly a yard left.

The blue is 100% polyester, as near as I can tell, and I bought a large quantity of it at a thrift store. I'm slowly using it up for trims and lining on different things. The color is great, but I don't want to use it for a garment, it will be too hot, or a quilt, since it isn't even a little cotton, etc.

Your baby quilt and lunch bag are both really cute, nice work!

Your designs sure made for a super cute quilt! Love it!

Your quilt is sooooo cute! I'm sure it will be loved. :lol: I lived in Albuquerque for 18 yrs. The first 8 years were within walking distance of the Balloon Fiesta park, so we had lot's of balloons flying over our home. Went to a lot of the events! Absolutely loved balloon glow at night, when they would fire up the burners and all the incredible colors! :thumbup: Fantastic.

that lunch sack is so cute.

B E U ti Ful!!!

The balloon quilt is Terrific, and the quilting is Wonderful - all the clouds and 1/4-moons, and stars. wow. I've never quilted from a stencil before, although have always wondered how that would be. the lunch bag is cute too. how happy you must be to have these projects turn out so nicely!

Fantastic job!

Both are very beautiful.

Love the baby quilt, gret colors and great tote.

The quilt is beautiful! I live here in Albuquerque and I have been lucky enough to see the balloon launches for the last 26 years. They seem to get better and better each year. They bring alot of excitement....hope you can come back!

I LOVE that quilt!!!

Very cute quilt idea -- I love the sun!

Great job, and only you would notice any errors in that Russian Sun. Its beautiful. Neat Lunchbag too

Absolutely Beautiful!!!!! :shock: :mrgreen: :thumbup: :XD:

lovely.

I love the sunset or is it sunrise? Are the balloon's going up or coming down? Ah what a mystery, but love the quilt. My big bro lives in ABQ. Will have to go visit during Fiesta, right?

Great quilt and lunch bag!

I love balloons, and we went to the Albuquerque balloon fiesta last year, which this is supposed to represent. You get up really early, before sunrise, to go out there, and wait for the mass ascension of hundreds of balloons. It's really amazing.

Love the baby quilt & the lunch bag as well. I absolutely love hot air balloons!! I have been to Hot Air Balloon Festival in Battlecreek, MI - heard it rivals the NM one - beautiful to watch!

Your sunrise looks great to me. :+)