The Fat Red Bird Bib | Alphabet Quilt-along

As you may have noticed, I don't sew clothes. I don't own an overlocker, and I consider sewing clothes something only 'proper' sewists can do, way beyond my slowly-advancing-but-still-rookie sewing skills. But I completely jumped at the chance to pattern-test a bib designed by my friend Renee (owner of the clothing label By Renee Hall), who has just set up her own design business, Fat Red Bird Designs.

I really needed something like this for Alice, who at 2.5 is messier than she has ever been. Unfortunately for me she considers herself too old to wear bibs ("I not a baby mummy!"). But this is not your standard bib, it's a smock and a top at the same time - ideal for older kids when out and about. And if you make it reversible you can double the wear time.

I used Country Girls by Tasha Noel for the front fabric and the patch, and navy micro dots on white for the backing.

Thank you for the pattern Renee, and I hope you enjoyed my wonderfully basic questions such as "Are we supposed to tape the pattern pieces together?". For those who want to have a go at making one, you can purchase the pattern here.

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A couple of weeks ago I came across Nadra Ridgeway's beautiful blog Ellis & Higgs. If you haven't discovered her work yet you must go and have a look, you will not be disappointed. I love the cheerful bright colours she uses, and her photography and the precision of her patchwork are simply immaculate. Nadra is currently running an Alphabet Quilt-along, which kicked off at the end of January. I am slightly late to the party but I had to join in!

{image courtesy of Ellis & Higgs}

Here are my first three blocks. I am intending to broadly follow Nadra's choice of colours for each block as the finished quilt she has designed has a beautiful balance of colours (you can get more info and see the complete quilt design here). I have seen many alphabet quilts before, but what makes this one quite special is the 3D quality to the letters, achieved by that lighter patch of fabric in the middle. Simple and clever!

Follow my quilt-along progress here and on Instagram, or better yet, join in!