News: Modern Baby Quilt

Where I Find Inspiration for Baby Bibs: Part 2

By Casey Corey

Where I Find Inspiration for Baby Bibs: Part 2

In the first part of this blog series, I explained that part of my inspiration for baby bib sets was simply falling in love with a modern fabric. 

A bunch of baby bibs on a white table

Once I find a print that I love and that print is on a cotton fabric soft enough to put on a baby, I create a whole set around that print. The set usually includes a matching solid bib and a complementary pattern bib that doesn’t upstage the star of the set. All three bibs work well together so they can be grouped together as a set but of course, they look good independently (because obviously that’s how they’ll be worn).

Pink surfer girl themed baby bibs

Another inspiration behind the handmade baby bib sets is you! When I work on a custom, handmade children’s quilt, the client and I collaborate on the fabrics that will be used in the quilt. I often find myself ordering extra fabric (in case I make a mistake and need extra fabric and… to create a limited edition bib set!). 

Custom baby girl quilt
Matching baby girl bibs with succulent on white table

I mean, when the client asked for the Liberty of London Strawberry Thief fabric in this baby girl quilt- it was obvious we needed coordinating bibs for a limited release.

Flamingo themed baby bib

Other times, I get a special request for a certain theme and all of the stars align so that it makes sense to create limited release set. That’s how the Flamingo Babies Bib Set was created. After I released the Flamingo Babies Bib Set, you all asked the solid color to also be available in blue. Why not? Great idea.

Purple rainbow themed baby bib set

Like all good things, the limited edition sets are just that- limited. They are available in smaller quantities than the rest of the bib sets. So if something catches your eye, don’t snooze. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

If you have any questions or requests, please reach out to me at casey@caseysheilaquilts.com. I love talking inspiration and customizations. Custom orders for quilts are also open for 2022. Just send me an email at casey@caseysheilaquilts.com and I’ll walk you through the process.

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Nostalgia Quilt: Part 5 of the Custom Quilt Series

By Casey Corey

Nostalgia Quilt: Part 5 of the Custom Quilt Series

Welcome to the last post in the Custom Quilt Series! We laid out the basics of creating a custom Casey Sheila Quilt. We then further explored how to customize your own Raindance Quilt, Ombré Quilt, and Everything Quilt. Our last custom, handmade quilt design is the Nostalgia Quilt.

Choose a color palette for custom quiltThis quilt is perhaps the most flexible of the custom designs that we offer at Casey Sheila Quilts. The first choice, like with the other custom quilts, is choosing the color scheme. It can be as minimalist or as maximalist depending on your color choices. My daughter’s first daycare baby quilt was a simple, dramatic black and white color scheme with a bold pink edge and bright, confetti fabric for the backing. I wanted it to stand out as hers while incorporating her favorite color, pink.

black and white custom, handmade baby quilt hanging by pink flowers

This custom quilt design does best with one continuous color on half of the quilt and up to six different colors on the other half.

quilt design for a beach inspired quilt

modern beach inspired quilt with yellow and blue like waves displayed on beach with a lighthouse

On this beach inspired quilt, this client chose to use a subtle yellow on half the quilt with a blue ombre on the second half to create a wave like feeling. 

fabric pull and quilt design for a christmas inspired quilt

pink and gold christmas quilt on sewing machine

family gathered around christmas tree draped in a pink and gold quilt

For this Christmas inspired quilt, the gold fabric was continuous and there were two different pinks used in alternating rows. Really, there are infinite possibilities with this design.

choose a fabric backing as part of creating a custom, handmade quilt with casey sheila quilts

The second choice to make is the fabric for the backing. This is entirely up to you and the theme of your quilt. I will custom order a fabric based on your choosing and get started on the quilt as soon as the fabric arrives (which includes pre-washing all of the fabric to help prevent any color transfer later on).

Just a reminder that if none of these custom designs feel right to you, I am happy to design a completely custom quilt for you. Send me an email at casey@caseysheilaquilts.com so we can get started on the quilt heirloom of your dreams. 

 

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Introducing Etta Louise (and her birth story)!

By Casey Corey

Introducing Etta Louise (and her birth story)!

On February 7, we welcomed baby girl, Etta Louise. She came out fast and furious at 8 lbs 5 oz and 20.5” long.

 family of 5 with mom holding newborn

mom and dad holding newborn baby

I was 41 weeks pregnant (Alice was born at 39 weeks and Dylan was born at 40 weeks) so going a week past my due date was unexpected. To say I was restless for her arrival would be an understatement. Although I did enjoy a big delicious milkshake each night while I impatiently waited for spontaneous labor. I had lots of strong Braxton Hicks, but nothing consistent or close together. I ultimately agreed to be induced at 41 weeks. 

newborn baby

newborn baby with eyes open and fist by face

 

Despite my best efforts, spontaneous labor never happened. So on a Monday morning, B and I said see you soon to Alice and Dylan and we headed to the hospital for my induction. It’s quite odd going to have a baby during daylight hours. I got started on Pitocin and my OB broke my water. I was 3.5 CM dilated and 60% effaced that morning. An hour later, the contractions were very intense. We tried watching some of the Olympics while I labored in my room. Being hooked up to the machines made moving around difficult so we made do with the tight space. 

toddlers on rocking chair smiling

 

After a while I couldn’t relax through the contractions anymore and I was worried my stress would slow down labor so I requested the epidural. That worked perfectly. After it was administered, I was 9 CM and my wonderful nurse called my OB to say it was almost time. A half hour later I was pushing and baby girl made her appearance in just 4 fast and furious hours. 

toddlers holding newborn baby sister

toddler holding newborn sister

mom with toddlers

 

Alice has been enamored with her baby sister. She loves holding her and making sure everyone washes their hands before holding Etta. Dylan says “Etta” in the cutest way possible with his tongue sticking out and gives her gentle touches.

naked newborn baby with eyes open 

We are adjusting to newborn life once again. I am tired and so grateful that she is here and healthy. I am kicking myself for not getting farther along on her baby quilt before she arrived but I also didn’t get Dylan’s done until after he was born, too. Second and third children, am I right?

fabric pull for baby quilt

 

I do, however, have all the fabric laid out for this modern, handmade baby quilt. I am going to make her a secret garden themed Everything Quilt. I can’t wait to lay it out for tummy time, monthly photos, bring it on outdoor adventures, and make all the memories with her. 

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Everything Quilt: Part 4 of the Custom Quilt Blog Series

By Casey Corey

Everything Quilt: Part 4 of the Custom Quilt Blog Series

So far in the Custom Quilt Series, we’ve shared the basics of creating a custom Casey Sheila Quilt. We’ve also taken an in-depth look at customizing both the Raindance Quilt and the  Ombré Quilt. This week is all about customizing the Everything Quilt.

custom baby quilt with soft greens, yellows, and blues

baby boy custom quilt

The Everything Quilt is a fun, detail-oriented way of packing a little bit of everything into a modern baby quilt. Lots of patterned, coordinating fabrics with geese flying in vertical directions. As with all of our custom quilts, this quilt is a feast for baby’s visual stimulation and provides a soft place for tummy time. Because there is a lot of anticipated spit up and drool in tummy time, this quilt is also machine washable.

two toddlers laying under custom quilt

Once baby is old enough, the quilt can be used for naps and night time sleep. My four year old still comfortably snuggles with her baby sized quilt (40” x 40”) and the toddler sized quilt (40” x 50”) would last even longer. Once they are ready for a bigger size, you can tuck this quilt away for your baby to give your grandchildren one day. Quilts are for life. 

To customize your own Everything Quilt, we start off discussing a theme or color palette for the quilt. Maybe baby boy’s nursery is polar bear themed and so we start off looking for coordinating colors and fabrics. Or maybe you just moved to South Florida and you spent your pregnancy walking along the Miami River with the manatees swimming alongside you. We would then look for fabrics that fit that theme. Because the quilt is custom, the theme is anything you dream up! I am here to help you make those ideas a reality. 

fabrics for baby boy polar bear quilt

After we discuss a theme/color palette, I’ll send you a mock-up. Once approved, I will order the fabrics. Custom quilts generally take between 4-8 weeks to create. I will literally wrap your dreamy quilt with a bow and mail it off as soon as it’s done. I can’t wait to work with you. Please send me an email at casey@caseysheilaquilts.com to start designing a forever quilt for the baby in your life. 

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Ombré Quilt: Part 3 of the Custom Quilt Blog Series

By Casey Corey

Ombré Quilt: Part 3 of the Custom Quilt Blog Series

Two weeks ago, we shared the basics of creating a custom Casey Sheila Quilt. Last week, we took an in-depth look at customizing the Raindance Quilt. This week is all about the Ombré Quilt.

The Ombré Quilt is a sleek and modern baby quilt. Bright, bold colors in a striking pattern. The bright colors can provide a stimulating visual for baby to behold (in addition to being a soft, safe place for tummy time and snuggles). But, the pattern can also be toned down with a softer color palette. I’d love to make this quilt in a soft, peach color palette (let me know if you’re my person). 

customize a custom baby quilt by choosing a fabric backing

Like each of the other custom quilts, there are two steps to creating the Ombré Quilt and you can decide on them in any order. One, select a color palette. Two, select a fabric for the backing. The inspiration for the colors and fabric backing can come from anywhere. What’s your favorite nursery book? 

winnie-the-pooh inspired baby quilt

I was inspired by Winnie-the-Pooh when I made this Ombré Quilt. How sweet are those honey bears for the back? And a bold color punch with red, orange, yellows, white, and cream for the color palette on the front. 

modern baby girl quilt hanging outside

toddler girl standing in front of quilt outside

This Ombré Quilt was customized for a baby girl based on the Party Babies Bib Set. The balloon animals are a fan favorite and clearly one of my personal favorites. We can of course discuss customizing a quilt based on any of our modern baby bib sets. 

color palette for baby quilt with red, orange, yellow, white, and cream

Once we discuss the color palette and/or themes, I will send a proposal with a mock-up of the quilt. Once the quilt design is finalized, I can send you the invoice and order fabrics. I can start as soon as the fabrics arrive! The process is about 4-8 weeks, depending on how long the design process takes. 

Send me an email at casey@caseysheilaquilts.com to start designing an Ombré Quilt for the baby in your life.

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Raindance Quilt: Part 2 of the Custom Quilt Blog Series

By Casey Corey

Raindance Quilt: Part 2 of the Custom Quilt Blog Series

Last week, we shared the basics of creating a custom, modern baby quilt. This blog post goes more into detail for Option 1: Customize a Design- the Raindance Quilt version. We have four modern quilt designs that can be customized for any size quilt: (1) Raindance Quilt; (2) Everything Quilt; (3) Ombre Quilt; and (4) Nostalgia Quilt. 

custom quilt option to customize an existing design

The Raindance Quilt is a bold, modern quilt sparked with color. Full of equilateral triangles and alternating patterns, this quilt makes any corner of the room pop. This was the first quilt design I created. I’ve made several improvements to the design since then and love where it’s at now. 

custom equilateral triangle quilt requires choosing 5 different colors

image telling the viewer to choose a fabric for the back of their custom quilt

There are two steps to creating a Raindance Quilt and you can decide on them in any order. You choose five colors for the front and a fabric for the back. The inspiration for the colors and fabric backing can come from anywhere. Is the recipient a rainbow baby? Maybe you’d like a rainbow fabric with coordinating colors on the front. 

mermaid fabric for back of baby girl quilt

5 bright colors for baby girl quilt

Is the nursery themed? Maybe you want a complementary fabric to go with the theme (Mermaid theme, anyone?). We can find 5 matching colors for the front based on that. 

bright blues and yellows with a coordinating whale fabric to match

Or maybe you have a color palette in mind? We can choose the five colors based on the palette and then find a fabric to match! 

Once we discuss colors and/or themes, I will send a proposal with a mock-up of the quilt. When the quilt design is finalized, I will email you the invoice and order fabrics. I can start as soon as the fabrics arrive :) The process is about 4-8 weeks, depending on how long the design process takes. 

two raindance quilts together outstide at the beach

Send me an email at casey@caseysheilaquilts.com to start designing your Raindance Quilt. I’m so excited to work with you. 

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Gender Neutral Baby Quilt: Honey Bear

By Casey Corey

Gender Neutral Baby Quilt: Honey Bear

I got to make an Ombré Quilt recently in the red, yellow, and white color way. It’s honestly one of my favorites. The colors are happy and warm. They remind me of the warm sunshine on a fun day at the park with kids. 

fabric in red, yellow, orange, and white with rotary cutter

sewing together red, yellow, and orange fabric

cream quilted fabric

I used a very soft, cream for the background color to balance out the rich, warm colors. I love how these colors play together. 

honey bear fabric used for back of baby quilt

honey bear quilt laying on itself

I used a deep orange with fun, metallic sparkles to bind the quilt together. It brings together the colors on the front with the pops of orange and red on the back. Because of course the back has the classic honey bear fabric. 

winnie the pooh book on baby quilt

open winnie the pooh book on baby quilt

I love this quilt for a Winnie the Pooh themed nursery. It could work for either a girl or boy’s room. I love picturing reading about the adventures of Pooh, Piglet, Christopher Robin, and the rest of the gang snuggled up under this quilt or under a quilt fort. Or maybe your toddler is running around using the quilt as a super hero cape while you read one of the classic short stories. Building memories with warmth and happiness. It is a privilege that a Casey Sheila Quilts gets to be part of these forever moments. I never take that for granted when creating a quilt.

I think this modern baby quilt would look amazing in a purple color way as well. I just so happen to have purple honey bear fabric to match for the back. Let me know if you’re my person for that by emailing me: casey@caseysheilaquilts.com. Likewise, also email me if you have any other color way in mind (there are so many possibilities with the Ombré Quilt)!

ombre baby quiltflying geese in ombre on baby quilt

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Gender Neutral Rainbow Baby Quilt

By Casey Corey

Gender Neutral Rainbow Baby Quilt

Making custom, modern baby quilts for you and your families is such a special part of this job. When I get a request for a custom quilt, I ask a lot of questions to find out more about the quilt’s home. I was to know the nursery theme, baby’s gender, the family, and how you want to feel when you look at this quilt.  

I want my custom quilts to create a sense of comfort and warmth. In the very chaotic days of having small children, the quilt should give you reason to pause. When you pull the quilt fresh out of the dryer and it’s still warm to the touch, you’ll pull it close to you and remember all of the memories that baby is forming with the quilt and all the reasons behind the design and fabric choices in that quilt. 

fabric for rainbow baby quilt

This gender neutral rainbow baby quilt is no different. I was asked to design this quilt as a gift for a momma having her second baby, but as you can guess- it was not just her second pregnancy. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, early pregnancy loss happens in about 10% of known pregnancies. (Myself, included). I could not have been more touched to create a quilt for her and her family. Something to celebrate the joyous news of her rainbow baby, but also to honor and hold space for the prior pregnancies.

 gender neutral colors in a baby equilateral triangle quilt

We decided very quickly on the Raindance Quilt for the design. We wanted to use lots of saturated colors. It was so fun to find gender neutral colors that felt bold and warm. Obviously the back needed to be filled with happy, sweet rainbows.

 quilting the modern rainbow baby quilt

orange binding for modern baby quilt

I hand stitched a coordinating fabric for the binding. The dots remind me of confetti and parties- another memory that would give me a reason to smile. Finally, I added a few pops of gold in the corners. 

 gold fabric on a gender neutral rainbow baby quilt

gender neutral baby quilt hanging on wicker fence

gender neutral baby quilt laying on steps outside

I hope this quilt brings joy and peace every time the momma grabs it from the dryer. Wishing her, and really, all you mommas, the very best.

Click to design your own: Raindance Quilt

 

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