Under Construction: Two Quilts and Two More Babies!

I don't think it happens very often, but it is happening to us. In September we will have a second set of grand-baby twins, little sisters to the twin boys I already love so very much! Whenever I share this news, nice people cannot resist asking me if twins "run" in our family. All I can say in response is that, well NOW they do! And we feel very, very blessed.

While mommy and daddy are busy figuring out the logistics of adding a pair of new cribs to the house, grandma has been occupied too - with nothing but fun! We need gifts to bring to each baby right after they are born....gifts that big brothers are part of making for their little sisters. And something too, that cousin Brielle can give. The significance of newborn gifts from siblings and cousins is their heirloom status; items that will be carefully put away and rediscovered years later, marveled at, and enjoyed once again when all parties have become adults.


I have decided upon pairs of crib quilts and pillows. What makes them special though, is that the big brothers and cousin Bree have had a "hand" in their making! I used fabric paint to press the boys' palms to fabric squares sewn into the patched scrap quilt design. Each brother also had a few more squares to draw on with fabric markers. Bree's hand printed squares will be made into compatible pillows.

I like to think of this project as a way to not only record present day hand size and drawing skill, but to communicate to our new baby girls that their big brothers and older cousin will always be there to give them a helping hand in life. Several other generations participate by being represented too. Some of the scraps I used were left over from things I made for mommy when she was a baby. And I quilted with thread that was purchased by my own mother years ago but never used, probably because she was too busy raising me and my two sisters. So our quilts will keep the new little sisters covered warmly with love - that of their brothers, their sweet little cousin, a beautiful mother, hovering grandma and the heavenly smile of their great grandmother. God bless you, baby grand-sisters! We cannot wait to see your sweet little faces!

I am thinking about sewing cute little buttons to the middle of gathered yoyos and stitching them randomly to the centers of the largest squares.

Since the rest of the family consists of cat lovers, we assume the babies will feel likewise!

Have you seen these cute baby buttons at Michael's and Hobby Lobby? The assorted set of seven is also available in blue.

                           Nick says these are cats. I clearly see the eyes and the claws. So cute!