08/13/2026
I just finished a very special project: a birthday bookshelf quilt for my granddaughter, Ellie! My journey began back in March, when I spent time gathering inspiration and sketching out ideas from other beautiful bookshelf quilts.
By May, I had settled on a four-shelf design and created a custom template. Ellie shared the titles of her twenty favorite books, which I carefully embroidered onto fabric to bring her personal library to life across those four shelves.
In June, the quilt became even more personal as I added photos of Ellie and our family.
By early July, I finished appliquéing a charming flowerpot onto the design.
August brought a wonderful surprise when my friend Susie offered to long-arm quilt the three layers together. Not only did this save me weeks of hand-stitching, but the professional finish looks absolutely delightful! I am thrilled with the result. To finish it off, I added a classic black binding to the edges and even crafted a matching bag to keep it safe during its journey through the mail.
Everything is on track to have this sent out by the beginning of September, just in time for her big day.
Making a quilt for my grandchildren is a yearly tradition I hold dear. After making baby quilts for all of them, I've now completed five "big kid" quilts, with five more still to go! My next adventure will be a wedding quilt. I'm so grateful for my dear friends Suzie and Babette; their expertise and guidance have been invaluable. I truly don't know what I would do without their help and friendship.
