Pip Pip Cheerio: A Quilt Story

It was a chilly autumn afternoon. The sky was gray, and the wind could give you a shiver. Mixed in with the falling, swirling leaves was a distinct feeling that snow would soon be in the air. Being inexplicably drawn outside on such a day, the little girl put on her warm coat and whistled for her dog. The other children must have been feeling just as she did, as soon enough a small group of boys and girls commenced playing in the brisk outdoors. They pulled out their scooters for one last ride for the season, their colorful scarves trailing behind them.

They played fetch with the dog, giggling as  he fell over himself trying to catch up to his ball.

And they pumped their little legs to see just how high a tree swing can be swung:

As the day wore on and the light became soft and purple with the ending of the day, the little girl said goodbye to her friends and went home to a warm house, a hot meal, and some cocoa. Before snuggling under the covers for the night, the little girl thought to herself "I had such a wonderful day I want to remember it forever." And so she made a quilt. The end.

I am sitting here, snuggled under my Sherbet Pips quilt and loving it completely. It is very far from perfect - I eyeballed my gridded quilting instead of using tape or chalk, and it does indeed look as though a child were learning to sew a straight line. I put a soft fleece binding on it that is a bit crooked in the back and did not shrink with the rest of the quilt when I washed/dried it and so is a bit ripply around the edges. But the feelings that the fabric stirs within me makes this quilt absolutely perfect in my eyes - every pucker, every unintentional pleat, every crooked line adds to its charm and makes me want to carry it around with me everywhere.

 The soft yet vibrant colors, the playful yet pretty prints, all remind me of something in my childhood that I can't pinpoint. It stirs a large amount of nostalgia within my heart, and makes me think of those carefree days of doing whatever you wanted and being tucked in snug at night with a good night kiss from your mumsy. Perhaps that's what the designer (Aneela Hoey) intended, as she has modeled her prints after her daughters at play. I have never, ever felt about a fabric line the way I do about this one. I have fallen in love with certain collections (like Bliss) but I have never felt that I needed to own one for fear of a broken heart.

The colors blend so perfectly together, and have given me a profound appreciation for the perfect shade of gray--the gray of a late autumn sky that chills fingers and makes you long for a cozy sofa and a book.

I hope your holiday weekend (in the US) was delightful, and that the return to work/school tomorrow isn't too painful. For everyone else - well, I guess you've got a head start on the rest of us.

I'm linking up here this week:

Skip to My Lou *** Sumo's Sweet Stuff *** Pinkapotamus *** Ask Anna *** Sew Can Do *** Craftomaniac *** Homemaker on a Dime *** C.R.A.F.T. *** Running With  Glitter *** Sarahndipities *** Sugar Bee Crafts *** All Thingz Related *** Creative Itch Boutique *** Funky Polkadot Giraffe *** Chef in Training *** My Girlish Whims *** Sew Much Ado *** Blue Cricket Design *** Free Pretty Things for You *** Tea Rose Home *** Somewhat Simple *** Fireflies and Jellybeans *** Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom *** Today's Creative Blog *** Happy Hour Projects *** Creation Corner *** Momma's Kinda Crafty *** The Shabby Nest *** While He Was Napping *** Tatertots and Jello *** Be Different Act Normal *** To Sew With Love