We have 2 pregnant nieces; both are having girls in mid-August. I promised baby quilts. (I also promised the AAQI Quilt, a 12" block for a magazine, and I can't remember what else between August 1 and 15. Oh my.)

But back to this story… I put together the background for baby quilt #1 before I left home. I'm going to use the butterfly pattern and the stitching techniques from Applique With Attitude for this quilt. I plan to machine quilt the background with lots of lines. I think it's going to need lines to calm it down, pull it all together, and to make the butterflies stand out.

I think it's easy for those of us who applique, or who quilt in general, to try to put too much on a baby quilt. I want them to use this quilt. If the quilt has too much 'wonderful' applique, it might end up folded in a drawer, saved for the special occasion that never comes because it might get dirty.

This quilt is going to be pretty and fun and very use-able. And if the baby makes a mess on it it's likely going to be hard to see amid all that pattern.