Creating a Custom Designed Quilt - Baby Barnes

Sentiment in Every Stitch: Discovering a New Hobby

This quilt is what single-handedly reignited my desire to create. I can honestly say that this website, business, and brand would not be here without it. What started out as a wild idea for a thank-you gift to a family that helped me through one of my toughest experiences, turned into a blessing far bigger than I could ever have imagined. That’s how God works. As Proverbs 11:24 notes, “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” I found a new hobby in quilting that helps me to relax and unwind while also fueling my creative passions and allowing me to give back.

The Inspo

When I learned my friend Taylor was having a baby boy, tractors (John Deere, of course) were an absolute must as far as the design went for this farming family! Pinterest was my catalyst to get inspiration flowing and I came across so many darling tractor quilts. Sentimentality and authenticity are qualities I highly value in life and design. I wanted this quilt to feel personal, like it captured their unique story. Long before we were friends, I have found the Tom Wade barn—their family’s barn—to be a beautiful landmark that symbolizes home. That’s when it hit me that the barn should be the central focus of the quilt. Lastly, since the baby was due around cotton harvest, featuring the plant would be a sweet tie-in to the time of year and offer further meaning. With a vision in mind, I then got to work putting my ideas on paper.

The Sketches

This manual was my guide when thinking through how to design and construct the quilt. My sketches started off very basic and evolved from there. A huge shoutout in this stage goes to my best friend Emma. She saw my initial design and recommended that I make the barn bigger to add greater impact to the quilt’s focal point. She couldn’t have been more right. This is why I think it is always important to be open to feedback. You never know what nugget you’ll take away that will make your final product or process better.

The Fabric Haul

After completing my sketches, I reached out to a talented artist friend of mine who had quilting experience to help me get started. Mrs. Pat was instrumental in this project’s success—especially considering I didn’t have any prior quilting or sewing experience. I am so thankful for her patience and willingness to teach me. One of her tips when it came to fabric selection was to look for pieces that had some sort of pattern, even if it was subtle, instead of choosing completely solid options. This ensured that the overall work would be teeming with visual interest that elevated the detailed designs as opposed to falling flat.

Next, you will need to take into account the various types fabrics you will need and the amounts of each. (Always buy extra in case you make a mistake!) Figuring out the amount took more math than I bargained for. If you are following a pattern, they will provide that information for you and save you the trouble. That’s probably the best way to start out, but there’s nothing I love more than a challenge. Bring the notes with the specific details when you go fabric shopping. You will be so thankful that you’ve done all of this ahead of time.

I headed to Hancock’s of Paducah in Kentucky to peruse their endless array of beautiful fabrics in a spectrum of hues and delightful patterns. This is now a part of any project I most look forward to. It’s like putting together a puzzle as you sift through countless options and find what works well together and fits in with your overall vision. Not having a specific project in mind would be dangerous because there are so many lovely options and its hard not to want them all.

The Prep Work

Once I had my fabric, I started by cutting out the individual blocks that would serve as the backdrop of the quilt. I allowed a little more than the standard 1/4-inch seam allowance to give me some wiggle room in case the appliqué process caused the edges to fray. It can be a slow process, so I would often lay out the pieces to see how things were shaping up.

Next, I drew the pieces to scale so that I could create pattern templates for each individual piece that made up the specific designs. I would then trace the template on the fabric before cutting out the pieces. I made two sets of templates—one with seam allowances and one without so that I would have an easier time figuring out where I needed to fold the fabric under so it would still maintain its preferred shape.

Appliqué

The appliqué process took some time, but the end result was more than worth it. For the tractors, I simply layered the smaller pieces on top of the outline to give it more detail. The more layers you have, the harder it is to push the needle through. I highly recommend ThimblePads because they are so much easier to work with than a traditional thimble and will save you from bleeding. To make the cotton puff up, I added a small amount of batting under the fabric. The stems were very narrow which was a bit of a sewing challenge, but thankfully came together in the end.

From day one, I knew the barn would potentially be the one thing I wouldn’t be able to pull off. The drawing was the most essential part since it helped me see how I could divide it into individual pieces. Mrs. Pat recommended I sew multiple layers of fabric together for the structure to (1) visually give it lines to look like the wood and (2) help it maintain its shape and avoid distortion. I then cut out the outline and sewed it on top of the backdrop. The fencing details were extremely tiny, but Sewline fabric glue helped me keep them in place while stitching. Completing the barn was a major highlight and successfully wrapped up the appliqué process.

Piecing Together

Now that I had all of my pieces, it was time to put them together. At this point, most people would use a sewing machine. However, I was terrified of messing up what I had worked so hard on and decided to sew the pieces together by hand. I used 1/4 seam allowances (sometimes more for the appliqué pieces since I cut them larger than needed) and worked from the middle out. After sewing a piece together, I would use a hot iron to press the folds and allow the seams to lie flat. Once you’ve got all the pieces together, you have your quilt top also known as a flimsy.

Quilting

Quilting refers to the specific process of sewing multiple layers together: the quilt top, a middle layer of batting, and the backing. Once you’ve got these layers laid out, you will sew a basting stitch. The basting stitch merely keeps all of the layers together while you quilt and will be taken out after you’ve completed your quilting. I chose a pink thread for these so it would be easy for me to see which stitches I needed to take out at the end.

This is a long process if you decided to do it by hand. For this particular quilt, I wanted the quilting to go around the designs so working by hand was a must since my only other option was to send it off and a machine quilt over the appliqué. There are some smaller machines you can use to quilt at home, but I’m not quite there yet.

Binding

Once you’ve finished your quilting and removed the basting stitches, it’s time to shape up your quilt and add the binding. You’ll take strips of your binding fabric and sew them together on the bias so you have one long strip that will run along the perimeter of your quilt. I sewed it on the top of the quilt first and then secured it along the back once I had finished the front.

The Reveal

Reveal day was so special because while Taylor knew I was making a quilt, I had kept the design a secret (mainly because I wasn’t sure I could actually pull it off. I think my favorite moment of the day was walking through the design process. As a writer, I love to create stories that capture the essence of someone, their home, or their business. Being able to convey a similar feel through art means just as much.