Monkey Quilt

The first quilt I have ever made. A gift for my little nephew. 

I love the idea of quilts, often a story to be told, it is a blanket to keep you warm.  The store....  My grandmother used to make us simple quilts out of old blankets and throughout my childhood they were always my favorite because I knew they were made with love.  I chose the monkey pattern because my brother was born the year of the monkey (Chinese Zodiac).  And my little nephew is his son.  I wish I could have found a little cow pattern since he was born the year of the ox but that's not as popular of a print for babies.  Bummer!

At first I thought it would be super easy to put together since it's basically made up of squares.  But after my initial thought and after the purchase of the materials, I froze.  I haven't sewn since maybe Girl Scouts when I was just a wee child myself.  Where did I get the crazy idea that I could sew a quilt?  The memory of sewing was implanted in my mind but to actaully put it into action was something else.  So, off I went to take a class at my local JoAnn Fabrics where I learned the basics of quilting.  Thank goodness I did! 

The surprise to this quilt is that the front is cotton for summer, the back is flannel for colder days, and the inside is batted with bamboo batting!  I loved the idea of filling it with a sustainable material that is kind to the environment and washable.

My hope is that he will enjoy this quilt for years to come.

Quilt made in Dec 2009