Doll Quilts

If you remember my find in Iowa a few months ago, it finally has fulfilled it's purpose.

The inside of the box was quite rough.  Varnishing still left it that way, even after three coats, so I decided to line the box.  While looking for the right fabric, I came across some scraps of low- loft poly batting.  I have no recollection of why it was there, but there was just enough to do the job.

Looks more like a dolly coffin, doesn't it?  The batting stuck to the rough wood, so I didn't bother with another liner.  Easy, peasy!

Add it to the Pile

Among my cache of quilt ephemera was a photo of a T block doll quilt.  It was made of scrap and muslin.  I really thought that I was going to make a copy of it, but ended up with this version, made of charm squares.

Sometimes you just need to listen when the fabric speaks to you.

Wrapping Up the Old Year

I'm wrapping up 2013 with a finished doll quilt top.  Last Saturday I picked up Crib Quilts and Other Small Wonders by Thos. K. Woodard and Blanche Greenstein at the library (I have this book at home, but not in my current location) with no intention of starting anything new.  That evening the hubster had 'control of the controller' - we have very different TV viewing interests.  So, what to do?  Start cutting from the meager strips I have with me for a doll quilt that caught my eye earlier in the day!  The stars were invisible when I was piecing (had to squint real hard), but they stand out in this photo.  Unfortunately, I didn't have enough of a light fabric that I could use as a constant.

The Variable Star inspirational quilt is on pg 26.  It was made in the second quarter of the 19th century.  The dimensions are given as 41" x 38", but this must be a misprint.  The quilt is 13 x 9 blocks (a difference of 4).  That would make the block size under 1" which would make for very different dimensions.  My block units are 1" making the pieced area 13" x 9". 

I did a little staging on a doll bed I picked up earlier in the year.  The mattress is a cocktail table book and the bedshirt is an orphaned lace doily picked up at flea markets/yard sales.  Don't you hate to see those bins of handwork jumbled together with a $1 tag?  The quilt top will be too small for this bed, but it looks great by the Christmas tree.

I visited the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, FL last week.  The properties were all dressed up for the season. 

Edison's Library

Christmas Tree in Edison's Home

Ford's Maid's Room

Thanks for stopping by and visiting with Jan and me this year.  We love to read your comments and appreciate your enthusiasm for and support of our shared passion for antique textiles.

From my home to yours - "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Cutest Baby Contest

These blocks would win the 'Cutest Baby Block' in most community Fourth of July contests.  Have you joined the Temecula Quilt Company July Cakestand Challenge?  The block is a bit fiddly, but so cute - finishes at 2"!  Jan, this looks made for you. 

 My blocks aren't perfect, but I'm OK with that.  I'm all caught up - one block a day for the month of July.


In fact, I'm a block ahead.  I had a mishap in placement on my first block and thought I'd use if for the center of the back.  Now, I think I'll use it on the front - give 'em something to talk about.

Flying Geese

A few posts ago I mentioned that I like to work on Flying Geese blocks in the Fall.  The migrating flocks always remind me of quilts.  So, Cheri's Three Little Quilts was the perfect weekend project.  I cut the flying geese parts from scrap strips during the week and then enjoyed the weekend pulling the little quilts together.  Thanks, Cheri, for the inspiration!

Jan and I are planning on alot of sewing next weekend.  I'm working on a couple UFO's and one new project.  I was looking thru the state books to find a quilt similar to the Thaddeus Stevens quilt from Lincoln and found a quilt in Arkansas Quilts that jumped to the top of my list.  I haven't started a new quilt in quite awhile (I'm not saying I haven't added to the list). 

I'm in the process of sewing on a quilt binding, so I'll have a finished quilt to share soon.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Face Only a Mother Could Love

Taryn at Repro Quilt Lover is giving away two copies of New Discoveries in American Quilts.  I thought the cover looked familar, so I checked the bookshelf.  Yep, there was a copy sitting on the shelf waiting patiently for some attention.  The doll quilt on pg 109 caught my eye and was a great diversion from trimming hst. My constant alternate fabric reads a little stronger than the antique quilt, but a pretty close copy.

Thanks, Taryn, for the intermission!  Now back to hst!

Lincoln Logs

The first day of our January quilt retreat I made blocks from a bowtie block exchange that have been waiting for some attention.  By day two I was ready for something different.  I brought along Patchwork: Iowa Quilts and Quilters by Jacqueline Andre Schmeal for the nightstand.  I decided to replicate a log cabin doll quilt from the book which was quilted in Baptist fans.

I posted about log cabin blocks on my very first blog post.  I've been saving 1 1/4" scrap strips for a long time.  I don't think I've sewn a log cabin block since that post in 2009.  While sewing 36 blocks in one sitting, I found that it's much easier to keep the blocks square if I start with 1 3/8" strips.  I rough cut the strip length and square up after each log.  The extra strip width leaves a little margin for error.  Probably not news to anybody that makes these blocks, but thought it'd pass it along.

The original doll quilt was 48 blocks, but I thought I'd have a better chance of completing 36.  I ended the day two rounds short.  Finally, two weeks later I found some sewing time to finish up.  These little guys are 4 1/2", so the quilt will measure 27" square.

The layout from the original doll quilt 

A little re-arranging, but close to the original

Lots of options - I need a design wall.

Happy President's Day to you, Mr. Lincoln!

Don't Leave Home Without It!

Your sewing machine's foot pedal, that is. After careful packing for Vicki's and my retreat to Shipshewana two weeks ago, we arrived ready to start sewing. I usually bring a handwork project in case something happens to my machine, and this time, I didn't. After deliberating, Vicki was kind enough to drive with me to meet my husband at a halfway point. When we arrived back at our B&B, I had serious tension problems. It took lots of playing with the bobbin and needle tensions to get a stitch that wouldn't just pull out completely with a little tug test. Not wanting to risk a less than respectable stitch quality on a big project, I only worked on doll quilts. They don't get much wear :)

These fabulous indigo blocks were from Rebecca Haarer's shop. Neither one of us could pass this great print up!

This brass doll bed was added to my collection. I love the size, as it is a bit bigger, and will display most doll quilts nicely. It is in need of a little mattress, and some bed linens first though.

Blue and white makes me swoon, and this bowl that lost it's pitcher along the way also found a new home. I am using it in my sewing room to hold little blocks as they are made. It will be beautiful on the porch next summer, too. The exterior of the bowl is decorated exactly like the interior.

This claret star quilt was nearly forgotten in the linen closet. I brought it down to see if it would clash with the dining room rug, and found that it looked fabulous with it!

Here is a detail shot. The quilting is minimal, and you can see the shirting backing was brought to the front for a binding. It's great to see an old favorite again!

Buttermilk

I've been MIA since before Christmas.  The New Year started with alot of activity (not much of which was at home).  Finally, last weekend was three days of free schedule.  Top of my list? - Lori's Pink Lemonade doll quilt at Humble Quilts.  Saturday - picking fabric from stash (alternate print from 2000 Brackman/Thompson line - yikes!) and sewing full blocks, Sunday - setting and corner blocks, and Monday - assembling quilt top.  I named my quilt Buttermilk - combination of quilt pattern (Churn Dash) and coloration.  THANKS, LORI! 

Colorado vacation was the start to my New Year.  We take one 'off day' in the middle of the ski schedule.  We headed to Denver for a stop at Harriet's Treadle Arts.  There's usually a stop at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden, but I'd already seen the current exhibit three times.  So, we stopped at the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall.  It's just off the expressway - I've always wanted to check it out.  I found this unusual Fenton 'Minerva' pattern sugar bowl.

 And if you're feeling a little blue - same piece, different side.

Awhile ago I posted about the small pitcher I use to fill my iron.  Well, the Majolica pitcher now has a buddy.  This whimsical beauty is from Staffordshire, England - no maker inscription.  I tried to take pictures of each figure, but the transferware just won't render a sharp image - two frogs (one drinking tea), a jester, and a mob-capped woman holding a child.




Another first on the free day was a stop in Georgetown (historic Victorian mining town).  I love old architecture, so I'm including pictures of the Georgetown Public School and First Presbyterian Church, both completed in 1874 (and opposite each other on the same street).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Halloween Pennsylvania Style

Vicki is having a fun in the sun weekend, so I am sharing my finished doll quilt top. The colors seem Pennsylvania inspired, but Halloweenish, too. The four patch is just such a versatile block. I often wonder of a quilter could spend her entire "career" with just one pattern. Maybe for a while, but she would get antsy for something different, I am sure.

Here is the reverse side. I like to press my seams open when working in a small scale. It makes the piecing a little bit more time consuming, but when it comes time for hand quilting, I always thank myself for having done so.

The 13.5 in square top basted and ready for quilting. The batting was a sample piece that was available for $1 at the last big quilt show in Chicago. I bought both the bleached and unbleached as they were the perfect size for doll quilts.

New Projects

Since I have been wanting to focus on crib and doll reproduction quilts for some time, I thought I would look in my closet for a project. All of the fabric and pattern notes were set aside for this star crib quilt top. It was great fun to sew from a limited stack of backgrounds, and of reds/pinks. The alternate block is a Pat Nichols, and there is just enough of the outer triangle fabric to make binding, single-fold, if I choose. This little quilt top has been waiting to be made for over a decade.

This Atkinson Designs quilt called "Chain of Lakes" has been on the to-do list since it first caught my eye.

While I adore the quilt just as it is, I don't work much with 30s repros, so I bought some light blues at the Madison Quilt Show a few weeks ago. My local shop had a few more, and the rest were from stash. There really was a need to purchase fabric because I didn't have many lighter blues. Scads of dark blues though! I'm not sure what the chain fabric will be yet. There is one that I have in mind, but it is an odd color, and I''ll have to cut some up to see if it will work. The pattern is for strip piecing, and I may cut squares instead. I'm afraid that the repeats will be too obvious otherwise. Is that crazy? It will certainly add to the time it takes to make this.

And, an entirely new project, but this is a doll quilt, so hopefully it will be done soon. Maybe I will get some progress made on it today, but I'd better get back to the laundry and house cleaning first!

The Silver Lining ...

of a 'big' birthday - great friends!  I celebrated a decade-turning BD in July.  Jan and I caught up yesterday - look at the beautiful doll quilt she made me.  I'm a lucky girl!  What a treasure (both the quilt and the friend).  Some of my recent yardage stash purchases are resting on the chair arm. 

But that wasn't the only BD surprise.  My quilting peeps - Pat, Susan, Sandy, Bev, and Jan - made me birthday blocks!  Yankee Puzzle in beautiful, rich colors.  The blocks are sitting on the doll quilt back - one of my favorite fabrics (isn't Jan the best)!  Can't wait to go digging in the stash for the perfect fabric to pull together these beautiful blocks.  I'm not going to tell the number of blocks cause I know you see the correlation between blocks and years - I'll just say there are alot of blocks.  All these quilting surprises took the sting out of turning a 'decade' page.

Labor Day Weekend Sewing Update.  I had the house to myself Thursday night, so I pulled out some Lady Circle Patchwork Quilts magazines.  One little photo set the agenda for my sewing weekend.  Jan and I were dropping off tops for quilting and I needed a back.  Here's a pic of my inspiration (Bear's Paw) -

So, this stack of large triangles became this quilt back.  The top was fun
and quick - can't wait to get it back.

A Couple of Doll Quilts

Both of these doll quilts are from Temecula kits. The above quilt is from a Lori Smith pattern.

The one below is a Temecula pattern. This is just a fun, simple design, but I am really drawn to those. This would a good series quilt - doll, crib and bed sized. It probably won't happen, it is just fun to dream about. Sometimes that is enough, though, and it's on to the next project!

I'm really not much of a kit quilter, but these monthly ones from Temecula are really just the ticket for a small quilt sewing spell. The instructions are clear, and the fabric generous. I tend to keep little pieces, and have a stockpile starting from the leftovers. The idea isn't to make one exactly like the sample, and I like that. The result is similar but not a copy, although you could certainly do that if you wanted.

I like to baste the little quilts upon completion of the top. It is fun to choose the backing, and the basting goes lickety-split. Then they are ready to go when I want to do some hand quilting.