Handmade for Newtown baby quilt

A week before Christmas, Rachael from Imagine Gnats sent out an email about Handmade for Newtown, a charitable online auction created in the wake of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, the week before.  While I didn't know anyone even indirectly affected by the shooting (besides all American citizens, I guess) I did feel like this was possibly the most horrific tragedy since Columbine and wanted to get involved.  While you can read more about it here, the auction won't start for a couple weeks.  All profits from the auction will go to the Newtown Parent Connection, which will help families directly affected in that small town.

I felt I needed to help, and wanted to contribute something handmade, as opposed to supplies.  I designed a crib-sized quit (roughly 41" x 41") featuring an iconic symbol of help: a red cross.  

I love modern cross quilts as it is, and taking a cue from Plus quilts, where the crosses are made of different-colored squares instead of individual blocks, I drew out a random number of crosses on graph paper.  Once I decided the squares should be 4.5" unsewn, the rest was quite simple!

I sewed everything in strips, according to my original drawing.  There are 12 rows, with 12 squares in each row.

Taking shape on the floor of the sewing room.

I also knew I wanted to bind and back the quilt with Little Apples, Aneela Hoey's fall 2011 line featuring children and schoolyard scenes.  As strong as I felt toward using this fabric, I had a lot of reservations.  Would people see it as insensitive, showcasing small children?  Would it be inappropriate toward the victims?  I'm still wrestling with that.  I asked Nick and he felt strongly as well about using it; he thought it was appropriate, and more so, well-fitting, to use it as the backing.  Hopefully no one is offended!

I did bind this by hand, which I normally hate!  But I found it wasn't as difficult as I originally thought.  However, washi tape had to stand in as a thimble and joint support.  How do I not have a thimble?  Oh, because I really dislike hand sewing!

The cats also enjoyed me making this quilt.  I even got Nick to help baste it!!

Here are some details: I used Moda Bella Solids in red and white for the front, and Little Apples for the binding and backing, as I said.  The batting is 100% natural cotton and sewed up like a dream.  I bought it in October at Joann's when batting was BOGO and wish I had bought more!  I love it!

I just pulled the quilt from the dryer and am so impressed with how it crinkled up.  I really hope whoever buys it loves it.  I'll post more information on the Handmade for Newtown auction as it's released.

How was everyone's holiday?  It's almost 2013!  Do you have any goals for your quilts this year?  We can talk about that next week!