The "I Spy" Quilt

When the joyful news was announced that a new "Grand" was on the way, I knew just what kind of welcoming quilt to make:  an "I Spy" quilt.  Remember that game you used to play as a kid that went something like this:

"I spy with my little eye something that is ___."

(Name a color.  Name an animal.  You catch the drift, right?)

This quilt will have tiny little pictures to search for in its fabrics.

Lord knows I have plenty of fabrics.

Do not notice that I am wearing a robe.  Instead focus on the little pumpkin on the lower left corner.

Let's talk about putzy sewing...each of the 32 "I Spy" blocks has 25 1 inch (completed size) squares! (Yes, that's 800 little squares.) These were done by hand and carried along on trips (Argentina! Minnesota!) and represented a lot of time watching TV. My bad for that...

Not every "I Spy" block has a special picture to find.  But all have solid colors and prints.
 Here is the block with Percy the Train.

On the quilt backing, I embroidered all 39 picture clues.

See the word  Percy?

All 831 pieces are finally sewn into a completed quilt top.

Once all the "I Spy" picture blocks were sewn together, it was time to set them in a checkerboard fashion with the larger farm animals blocks.

I have no shame apparently - I do a great deal of my "work" in my p.j.'s.

Putting the quilt top, backing and batting together is the most challenging part for these old bones of mine. Somehow the floor method works best for me.  All 3 layers are basted together by hand.

In process:  hand quilting with o's on the farm animal squares and x's through the "I Spy" squares.  Get it??

Following the quilting, a binding is sewn all around the edges of the quilt.  

And now it is SHOWER READY!

See the sailboat on the little shirt?  It was cut down to size from one of John's shirts worn as a baby.

The little quilt is tucked into this box along with a companion printed book with pictures of all 39 items to find. Add a little boy doll (Wee Wonderfuls "Eddie" pattern) to top off the gift.

Here is the finished quilt!

I Spy a very happy event!