Climbing Up the Family Tree: Baby Clothes Quilt Part 2

 The Embroidered Family Tree

 

Part 2 should probably show you that I've finished cutting out squares for the front.  Or maybe that I've started sewing them together.  But instead I'm jumping to the back for a while :)  There are so many clothes to sort through and cut... my fingers needed a break from all that tiny snipping.

As soon as I saw this fabric, I had to have it.  It the Sarah Jane Studios Family Tree Design.  I stalked it for a while, on different fabric sites and on Etsy.  Finally I just bought it, even though at that time, cutting up the tiny baby clothes was a distant dream :)  This panel will be the center of the back of the quilt, surrounded by a pretty flannel border.  One of the aspects of this panel that I am in love with and that really drew me in is that while yes, it is a family tree... it's tactile.  It will be on their beds, in their rooms, able to be touched, studied, learned, loved.  We will look at it together, touch the names that Mommy embroidered on, talk about the family members (some they never knew - some I never knew even!)...  Raina and Lucca will be able to carry this with them into their youth and beyond as a real piece of them.  Phew, I know, right?  Heavy stuff.  No pressure on me to make it look awesome or anything.  :)

I've said twice before that I'm not an embroiderer, but I'm getting to the point where saying that is not entirely true.  It's true that I'm self taught, and not necessarily the best, but I've done enough embroidering now that I can no longer claim to be a novice!  Still, I've never embroidered this many small letters before, and it has certainly been a learning experience!  For the names of family members I used thin black embroidery thread.  For Raina's name I used a magenta colored thread with more strands.  I love love love the way her name came out!

I'm finding myself contemplating the issue of adding additional family members.  Sister, aunties and uncles, eventual cousins, beloved family pets...  Not sure how I will go about it, but I think I need to add them.   They are important!  But then what about future cousins?  I'm thinking that future cousins could be embroidered on to a small piece of fabric and then sewn onto the quilt even after it is complete.  I'm certainly not taking the whole thing apart after the fact, that much I know!!  I also want to stitch on (smaller, under/next to the name itself) the names of what these family members are called by the kids - mommy, daddy, yaya, nana, etc... 

I'm really taking my time with this quilt project.  Making 2 quilts at the same time is time-consuming... but making two sentimental and emotional quilts that I want to be SO special at the same time is even more time consuming!  I have so many plans for these quilts - can't wait to share this whole process with you all!!