The Bunk Bed Quilts

With an estimated 3 days of pregnancy left last year, I launched into two new quilts.  An insane undertaking until you factor in the hormones of a ready-to-pop expectant mom. 

For some time I had been wanting some kind of bed covering for the big boys' bunk beds.  Something fun but not cute.  Something playful but not childish.  Something not found on the pages of a slick magazine or on the shelf at Target.

In my quest for baby quilt fabric, I came across a fun camper van print.  It just happened to be the same colors as the valance (which I love! love! love!) and met all my criteria: fun, playful, and different.  To seal the deal, there was just what I needed on the bolt.  It was definitely a sign.

Well, the fabric sat in the closet for months because I couldn't decide on a pattern.  Then I remembered a quilt I had seen in one of those slick, expensive magazines.  It was made from randomly sized strips of fabric; simple construction but an effective result. 

This required another trip to the fabric store with all the children, but it's been a year ago so time has been kind enough to erase particular memories of that outing.  Needless to say, I purchased a dozen or so coordinating prints and set to work cutting (I love my rotary cutter!) right across the width of the fabric.

Strips were laid out and arranged until it was just so, and then I began to sew.  And sew.  And sew.  The piecing, in fact, only took about two hours per quilt. I was amazed at how fast it went.  (The boys amused themselves by riding their bikes between the garage and basement).  Strips were added to the sides to make the side drop on the bed.  The quilt sandwich was assembled with batting and backing (in this case, a twin sized flannel sheet) and the whole thing machine stitched. 

Binding was the only heachache, and only then because I was trying to save time.  When I left to go to the hospital, I glanced at my sewing bag: only 1/2 of one quilt left to bind but thankfully reason set in and I simply walked out the door.  I did finish it a week later.

I've been so pleased with the outcome.  It's a pleasure to glance through the bedroom door (that is, when the beds are made and there's no extraneous junk lying about haphazardly), and while I don't have the specifics, the cost was about 1/4 of those pre-made fancy ones.

I was so enamored with this syle that I made up two crib-size versions for new babies:

owls for a dear friend

and playful paperdoll cowgirls for the sweet cousin.