Paper City Quilt

I've been a big fan of Made By Joel ever since I discovered his Paper City a few years ago. I can't explain why I like it so much but I just do. Since then he's done a paper city Sydney, which I love because, although I live in Perth now, I grew up and studied in Sydney and I love it. There's also a Paper City Paris and a Nativity and they're all fantastic with that distinctive Made By Joel style.

I have been wanting to make a Paper City Quilt for some time now. It was always one of those projects in the back of my mind, brushed aside by girls needing new dresses and the like. When I found out my friend was having her fourth boy last year, it was just the excuse I was looking for to make it a priority on my projects list.

I started this quilt last October but didn't get it finished until just a few weeks ago. He is over 3 months old now with a smile that his face can't contain. He has plenty to smile about though- great parents and 3 beautiful big brothers.

This is how it turned out and I am really happy with it. If you noticed the sneaker poking out the bottom of the quilt, it's because I had to enlist the assistance of my big boy for the photos.

And then this one wanted a piece of the action too.

I started off with a rough sketch. I rarely plan quilts properly which I suppose is a big no-no in the quilting world. That's probably why they take me so long to make.

I made the quilt top using a mixture of applique and piecing.

You can't really see in this photo but on the clock tower I stitched the hands in the place of the time he was born.

And flew a little plane in the sky pulling his name.

My backing fabric wasn't wide enough for the quilt top so I added a set of traffic lights.

On the bottom of the quilt, which is meant to be a harbour I roughly quilted some fish

and I quilted clouds in the sky.

There was a small cheer inside of me when I finally got it finished.

I hope it gets played on, gets grubby toddler hands smeared on it, fades from being washed so many times and snuggled under on the couch on Saturday mornings and rainy days. And I hope I get to spend lots more time with the boy whose it is.

Kate