Surprise, A Storybook Quilt

by Jean Husband of IngeniusCreations.ca

Individual, original and sewn with love. That's my aim when I sew a baby quilt. Usually they are a quick project, easily finished. But one, Surprise, was a bigger challenge than I anticipated.

While camping at Palm Beach near Powell River, BC, a spark of inspiration caught fire. Waves lapped in over the pebbled shore. My grandson supervised while I tossed stone after stone into the ocean. “The skunk threw the rock kerplunk,” I chanted. Chubby hands clapped and giggles rang out with each rhyme. More rocks plopped in, droplets of water rocketed skyward.

“Again!” he cried. That skunk and a few other quirky animals evolved into a story. A dripping wet octopus walked the street, A centipede drummed, keeping the beat, And lovebirds sang tweet, tweet, tweet.

I used these fanciful images to design my quilt. First I illustrated each line of the poem on my versatile iPad, then I set to work. The raw edged appliqué took shape with the aid of Steam-A-Seam 2 and 505 Temporary Fabric Adhesive. Next, machine embroidered words marched across the bottom of each square. Finally, after sandwiching the layers, I thread-painted the details in all sixteen blocks.

The story came to life. A moose paddled a canoe, a garter snake drank tea, and a zebra balanced on a skateboard. I wanted to share this odd menagerie with more than just my grand-kids. Could my quilt be turned into a book for other young eyes? Negotiating the world of self-publishing meant a steep learning curve.

In August of 2016 my picture book Surprise, A Storybook Quilt made its debut at the Quilted Bear during the Car and Quilt Walk in Ladner, BC. With pen in hand and the Surprise quilt as a backdrop, I was ready to share my project.