Doll Dresses Quilts

Are you like me--you hate to part with a quilt? They are like children in some senses. However, I need to downsize my quilts. I'm running out of room and feel like a hoarder. Won't your family want these quilts you ask? Nope. When they see me coming with a pile of quilts, it's like a fire drill. They are out of the house in a flash. They, too, are way over-quilted

Before they start me in an intervention circle, I'm making some decisions on good homes for some of my treasures. I've decided these two will go to my husband's niece because she has two precious granddaughters and a strong love of handmade items. Whether she keeps them for herself or gives to the tots, I know they will be cared for and appreciated. Perhaps it might even encourage her to get back to her sewing machine.

The one above is a pattern called Doll Dresses. One of my quilting groups decided to swap fabric monthly. So there's even a bit of my friends wrapped up in that fabric. I could probably tell you who bought what fabric. Since we are of many levels and styles of applique, fabric swapping rather than block swapping was the group's choice.

This next one was on a panel. However I had to piece the sashing around each block and do remember piecing the corner stones and the piano keys. The pattern is from Love of Quilting some years back. For the dresses I decided to do machine trapunto. I added larger rick-rack around the panel. There's rick-rack printed on the panel around the dresses.

 

To have the dresses pop out I did some micro stipling in the white area around the dresses. I have some fabric scraps leftover and the colors are so weird they don't match anything.

 If you are on a spring break, have fun. I'll be spending spring break in the sewing room.

Marcy

A Block and Two Quilts

Today is nice and sunny so I ran out to take a few photos to share. This first picture is of my version of the Splendid Sampler block of a darling quilt shop. I printed the words on fabric for me and my group giving them a month to  complete. It'll be fun sharing our own interpretation next time we meet. It's fun to look at all the blocks submitted to the groups sew-a-long. Anyone can join in and there are some terrific patterns with more to come. This is the only one I've completed so far. I'm beginning to enjoy working with those teeny squares.

Here are two of my philanthropy quilts for this month. The fabric is part of the group stash but I get to select the fabrics.

The center is a panel. Actually there were to hearts per panel and enough of the companion fabric to make two quilts. Quilting is mostly in the ditch, on the stripes of the flag and some stipling in the background.  Easy does it.  The leader said the hospital staff go bananas when patriotic quilts come in.

Did I mention BRIGHT. You may need your sunglasses for this one.

There are lots of holidays coming up and I hope yours are great.

Marcy

Cutting Tips

This is the best hint ever. Joan over at Moose Stash Quilting shared this idea as well as others, plus a demo on a new cutter ruler by Fiskars. Here's my picture of her idea to spike your interested. Yes, it's cheap shelf lining.

And here's the cutter/ruler she is showing. She got it at JoAnn's. Think coupon for this pricey puppy. I tried the cheap shelf lining using my regular ruler and it worked better than anything else I've tried to keep from slipping.























I'm not selling anything. It's a matter of sharing a perfect stunning idea with you.

Marcy

Cherry Quilt

I made this quilt in 2010 or so. It was an ugly fabric challenge from the guild I belonged to at that time. Boy did I luck out. The ugly fabric was the dark print and mixed in well with my love of red. The pattern is taken from the book Darlene Zimmerman's Granny Quilt Decor. (A book that has provided me with endless patterns.)



Since it was done a while back, is it acceptable for me to do some quilting on it now? At the time I made it, I was in a hurry to meet the deadline and ditch stitching was the quickest. I made a mistake in using a fluffy batting and to me the sashing now looks plain and some of the solid color backgrounds need some stitching. I might even add some buttons. What will the quilt police say?

The applique is fused with machine short and narrow blanket stitching.  My plan was to have the stitching not take away from the fabric and design with a use of the ugly fabric.

I've been working on my Quilt Doodles block for this month and finished of a bunch of philanthropy quilts. We had a water pipe break three weeks ago and tomorrow will be the last day a service person will be in my home. Hooray!

Spring is on the way. Believe me.

Marcy