A Collaboration Quilt

Over the last week I have been working on a little commission for a very special friend.  My friend Sarah asked me to make her a quilt to give to her friend Jane, who is soon to have a baby. 

Sarah and me on her wedding day last year

 I felt honoured and delighted to be asked, and I wanted Sarah to be involved in the creative process as much as possible.  There was just one problem.  Sarah lives in the UK, and I live in the Channel Islands.  But did we let that stop us, I don't think so! 

Under my instruction, Sarah went to her local quilting store and selected some 'neutral' fat quarters, as we don't know if the baby is a boy or a girl.  And with Sarah's usual efficiency, she had them in the post to me special delivery the very next day. 

I emailed Sarah a selection of quilt top ideas that I thought could work, and after an instant chat on facebook, Sarah decided that she liked the railfence design that I used for my son's quilt.

The quilt I made for William

So I set myself to work, and came up with this...

Next decision is the backing.  I wanted to wait until the quilt top was put together so that Sarah could get a sense of what it's going to look like and decide from there.  So it's back to the shop for Sarah, to choose which fabric she wants to use for the backing.  And then to send it to me. Again!

We also need to discuss quilting.  I am going to hand quilt it, and  I have a few ideas, but of course I need to run them past Sarah first.  Watch this space. ;-)

I am having so much fun working with Sarah on this and I can't wait for her to see it for real. And I can't wait for Sarah to give it to her friend who's having the baby.  It will be an extra special gift, knowing that she was such a huge part of creating it.