Go ahead, call me a quilter

It's finished!

I sat in front of the TV last night and hand sewed the binding to the back of the elephant quilt while watching back to back Law and Orders.  For once, the hand sewing felt good - my stitches didn't show so much, my wrist didn't hurt too much.  I guess I was in my groove.

This quilt is for my nephew Ian.  Get this.....Are you ready?

It is his Christmas present.  Not the one that just went by.  No, I actually made something in 9 months in advance.  Go ahead, be amazed.  I am.  One down, about 6 or so to go.

The finished quilt measures 52" wide by 37" high.  The front is quilted with brown thread (which I also used to stitch on the applique.  The back is brown quilted with gray thread.  I added the patchwork strip because I was a bit short on the brown fabric.  Ahem.  A happy accident, if you ask me.  The squares are about 2".

I would love to get into all the particulars of how I made this, but you will have to wait.  See, before this gets put under Ian's tree in December, it is going to Lark Books to be part of a baby quilt book.  The book comes out sometime in the fall and that's where you will find the pattern.  Mean of me to tease you, I know.  But really, could you resist sharing?  I didn't think so.

Happy Easter to those of you celebrating.  I'll be back next week.