Well son #2 had to grow up, at least a little bit, some time. This summer we finally took the leap and got him out of his toddler bed into a "big boy" bed. And I've struggled. Not with the big boy bed part, but with the "how to decorate his room" part. Son #2 is not picky . . . at all. Son #1 was a tad bit picky but luckily he went a long with my insightful guidance and agreed to decorate his room in an outdoors/wildlife theme. We found the most amazing bedding that really inspired the theme at Target quite a while ago. And knowing that son #2 would someday need his room to be more grown up, I've been on the lookout for something just as cute for him ever since. Though Target discontinued carrying the bedding line I got for son #1, I was able to find various sets on eBay and I thought about just getting son #2 matching bedding - since there was really absolutely nothing else nearly as cute. But as cute as it was, I couldn't talk myself into giving them matching bedrooms. They are completely different people and I want them to each have their own identify. I wouldn't want son #2 to feel like he is just a miniature son #1.
So when we took out the toddler bed and brought in the beautiful, gently used, Pine bed that I found in the local online classifieds, it was time to get serious. Son #2 and I spent hours looking online at all the bedding options that would steer his new room theme. Nothing worked. OK, remember he's not all that picky - so let's just say it - nothing worked for me.
Then, a started seeing a vision. We are all about the outdoors and wildlife around here. And some of the wall decorations that will stay in his room are of that same genre. I remembered a cute line of boy fabric that had been out but wasn't sure if I could still find it. I could and I managed to put together various cuts from all across the internet. I drew out a quilt for my little guy along with a pieced backing and a matching curtain - thank you to whomever invented graph paper. Quilting math is truly far more difficult that Calculus - and I would know, I took two years of Calculus!
Anyway, the fabric arrived, I triple checked my quilt math, and finally I started cutting all the pieces. It always makes me laugh just a little when I'm piecing a quilt - you buy this great fabric, then you cut it up into little pieces and sew it all back together again. Fortunately, my mom happened to be in town over Labor day weekend and I talked her in to manning the ironing board. I sewed and pieced and threw chunks of fabric upstairs for her to iron. We had the top pieced in under 24 hours. I had done the curtain a few weeks ago, just to see if I liked it. I finally finished the pieced back this weekend and now, it's all ready to take to the long-arm quilter. Son #2's camping quilt is just about ready to go into his camping themed room.
I know the pictures are awful - at night, in the house. But at least you can get the idea. The cotton fabric is all Fox Trails from Riley Blake. It's an adorable line that I just love. Husband kept saying it was a little girly for his tastes . . . until I got the lightweight corduroy and lightweight denim borders added. That helped "man it up!" The colors are light blues, light greens, creams, and tans. It really is great fabric!
This is a little better view of the top. The coordinating fabrics includes some plaids, argyles, stars, and dots.
And here's a shot of the back. It's more of the denim and corduroy with some strips of cotton pieced in.
I'll drop it at the quilter's soon and after I get it back and get it bound, I'll show the finished product. There's starting to be a nip in the night air so it will be finished just in time to keep my little camper warm.
