A little bit happy, a little bit sad

This summer, my cousin and his wife were expecting twin girls, but they arrived very early and one of them couldn't stay.  

I began these quilts after they were born, with a couple of Sherbet Pips charm packs.  Sometimes, I think charm packs are lazy, but I can't argue that they are just about perfect for baby quilts.  And Aneela Hoey's Sherbet Pips was perfect for these ones.  I wanted feminine but not girly, blue to balance out the pink, and red, since it's lucky....  I also wanted them to match but not exactly; even twins want to be individuals.

They're backed in a simple Kona grey (Slate, I think). The border/binding fabrics I found to coordinate have wonderfully inspiring words on them:  life, hope, grow, sprout... All the the wonderful things I wish for babies, especially those that arrive before they're ready.

I finished the binding in the new "room" that has become the family hub this summer - a screened gazebo with wide comfy rockers and a low coffee table that is perfect for holding spools of thread or glasses of wine.  While stitching away, a red dragonfly, which I take to be a good omen, alit on brother-in-law's hand and stayed with him for five or ten minutes.  I'd like to say we stayed in the awe of the moment but instead we drifted into conversation about radioactive critters and what a superhero named Dragonfly would have as superpowers...

Then, I made Seester and Bro hold quilts.  But they needed to protect their secret identities.

This week, the quilt on the right will be delivered to its owner.  The one on the left will be donated to the Crisis Nursery or NICU, based on her parents' choice.  With luck, it will warm a very special babe in loving memory of another.