Addi’s Ark, by Beverly Hicks Burch

Addi’s Ark

By Beverly Hicks Burch

Several weeks ago I shared with you the news I’m about to become a grandmother for the first time. All you quilters reading this know one of the first things to go through your mind when you hear that news is…baby quilt! Well, confession is good for the soul…I’m no exception to that quivery, gooey feeling…

My dilemma when I started the quilt was to make a quilt that would be appropriate for a baby boy or baby girl. I also didn’t want a quilt that was overly “cutesy”. So I began my perfunctory search for a pattern. I purchased a couple of books, and I found a pattern in the book Crazy for Baby, a Leisure Arts publication, by Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobson and I adapted it to my vision. The two main fabrics for the quilt came from Keepsake Quilting. When I saw them, I knew what the theme of the quilt would be…Noah’s Ark…just right for any little precious baby boy or girl. (I was also able to sneak in a few elephants for my Roll Tide loving family 😉 )

I found out about the anticipated new arrival shortly after Valentine’s Day and my fingers were itching to get started! I began as soon as I could. Even with house renovations, T & H’s job changes and any other upside down world changing events, I’ll have to say even I was amazed how fast I was able to finish this special labor of love. It was completed by last week (8/11)! I had machine pieced and hand quilted the whole quilt.

Over the last several months since Feb. a lot has happened as I mentioned. My sister and brother-in-law adopted their little sugar and spice package from China. Abigail was one year old when she came home to be with the family and is as cute as a button and thriving and growing in leaps and bounds.

Tall & Handsome and I have continued to work on our house a tenant lived in for six years and just about made uninhabitable. It was not the same house I left…and it’s still not. It’s better now! There’s just a little painting left downstairs to complete. For all practical purposes I can begin moving things back into the house…and my great big quilt studio! (Pictures will follow!)

T & H has a new job with a great company. It’s out of state, but we are determined to make this an adventure. I will visit him when I can and of course he will come home when he can and enjoy our newly restored home (and quilt room because he’s a quilter, too.) We are just thankful he has this opportunity.

And…I got a special phone call one day telling me I was going to be the grandmomma to a little girl! I teared up on that one. I was really excited. I know she will have my son wrapped around her little finger. Us Hicks girls have always been Daddy’s girls… My son and his wife have decided on a beautiful name…Addison Grace.

So, as I was finishing up the baby quilt (the first one I’ve made I might add) I decided on the name for the quilt…Addi’s Ark…for my precious baby granddaughter…

Addi,

May the Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you… (Num. 6:24-25)

Love,

Grandmomma

Addi’s Ark – completed

Another View

Addi’s Ark – center close up…there’s a couple of “Roll Tide” elephants in there for my kids

Inner border detail – the thin pink border is a dimensional border I do called a “filet”

Rod pocket and backing detail

I quilted arcs in the four corners of the outer border to represent rainbows..

© 2010 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.