When I really started to get into quilting and started having nieces and nephews pop out right and left, I decided I would make them each a baby quilt, when they were born.  Of course, there were already 9 (?) born, before I actually implemented this tradition…..  Sometime shortly after 1990 is when I started???  I’m thinking Heather, Christina, Jess, Jenn, Krystal, Paul, Matt, Sam, and Amy missed the baby quilts.  So, those ended up getting either a graduation, wedding, take to college, or nap quilt.  Did I miss anyone else???  Let’s hope not!

I *thought* I was finally caught up when it occurred to me that I had a great-niece and a nephew that I had *totally* missed.  You see they are very special children.  They were especially, hand-picked to start the family of my niece and her husband.

So, when I was in the planning stages of these most recently, completed, projects, Ari and Andrew popped into my head!  NO!!!  I can NOT believe I missed them!  They have celebrated their adoption anniversary 4 times and I still missed them??  Just because I didn’t have the 9 months to plan, create, cut and stitch is no excuse for not getting a special project out just for the two of them….  I am ashamed…….  I feel badly.  I’m not sure if they noticed the oversight, or not, even as I gifted their new baby sister a quilt, *3* years ago….  I am so sorry, if they did.  And I surely to heck hope their parents didn’t notice, because if they did, they should have mentioned the slight.  It would have only been right.  Jeesh….

So for Adoption Anniversary #4 on April 3, Andrew and Ari received these, in the mail.

And this is the picture of their excitement.

The front of Ari’s quilt.

And the back.

The front of Andrew’s quilt.

And the back.

I hope that they forgive me for being 4 years late. And I can’t blame it on “hand quilting takes longer”, though they are completely hand quilted.  And Kona front AND back makes for some extra tough, and slow going, quilting. They should just they know that they got lots and lots more love stitched up in every single hand-stitched stitch, that any other quilt I’ve gifted.  These are 60″ x 60″ quilts with plenty of room for snugs, for years and years to come!

As an aside, I do not know the pattern.  But I do know I used the following Kona Cotton Solids.  Andrew’s is Lemon, Cheddar, Papaya, Amber, School Bus, Orange, Coral, Tomato, Red, and Rich Red.  Ari’s is Raisin, Eggplant, Mulberry, Dk. Violet, Cerise, Pomegrante, Rich Red, Red, Tomato, and Coral.  The blocks themselves finish out at 6″. Just in case you needed to know.  LOL!

Now to get some pictures of them all snugged up in them!  Hope you two are enjoying them!