My first doll quilt swap

Christine has been hosting a doll quilt swap with two rounds. I jumped right in and thought about it later and boy oh boy, who knew that I'd like doing it so much. Now I get to show off what I got in the mail from my swap partner Barb.

The quilt was inside this project envelope, I thought that was cool, I love the retro cherry fabric and the ric rac.

Am I lucky or what!? I adore what she made especially for me. The applique is beautifully executed and so is the hand quilting. I love the fabrics and colours and this one is perfect to go with my few dolly quilts on the wall.

 Barb is an expert at doll quilts, she's made many of them and always puts a fun fabric on the back.

If you haven't seen what I sent in exchange on Barb's blog, here it is and you can see much better photos on her blog here. I really am quite envious of the antique doll bed she has. This basket quilt has two inch blocks in case you were wondering.

Here's a real doll in a bigger quilt. That's my nearly two year old step granddaughter Beth playing at my house. I can never catch her not pulling a funny face when I bring the camera out. She really is so sweet and a bit shy.

Bits on the side

If you read my blog you probably remember that little adventure with cathedral windows back here. I couldn't really leave it languishing without turning it into something useful and now it's a 16" cushion.  when I saw the cushions on Little Miss Shabby, I fell for them, I'd like all of them actually. Oh boy, that makes me such a copy cat.

You never know what I get up to over here, I'm not biased. Sometimes I do stuff  bit more modern and sometimes it's a bit more traditional. Actually it's all traditional, what changes is the fabrics and colours. I know I hang around blog land and get enthused and inspired by what others are doing. I've had my beady little eyes on Sue Garman's Baltimore pattern for awhile and I just had to have it, you understand right?

The patterns are available at Quakertown Quilts.

I made a promise to myself not to make a start until I have all my blocks done for my other Baltimore. That doesn't stop me thinking about fabrics. I picked up a few fruit fabrics from J and O Fabrics by looking under the fruit and vegetable section. They had an awesome strawberry and a perfect pineapple print.
The strawberry fabric is a lovely orange red rather than a tomato red. I may use the watermelon skin if I dye it to tone the brightness down. The aubergines are great for grapes.
Perhaps I could prep some freezer paper templates, that's not officially starting.

I did run out of prepped applique blocks for the flower garden quilt so picked these baskets up and got four done in front of the television. They are my bit on the side and now all my other oldies but goodies are calling to me. They'll just have to wait their turn.

More blooms

More blocks for the Flower Garden quilt and that means I have a total of thirteen done out of twenty four.

Seuss loot

I see fabric lines coming out and I usually pass it by and then months later I decide I really need it. That's when it starts getting thin on the ground and I have to search for what I want. Oh the thrill of the chase.

I have in my hot little hands a fat quarter bundle of the Dr Seuss Cat In The Hat fabric plus some other pieces of Seuss yardage.

It's not easy coming up with stuff to make for boys so this is just the ticket. I found some very good ideas like This pillow from Nova

This quilt from Gone Aussie Quilting

How about these place mats made by Rita?

I made this quilt about eight years ago when my son was a teenager, he wanted bright and that's what he got although it looks pretty faded to me now.

I was hand quilting it and snipping off the plastic tags that I'd used to baste it, when I cut through the top. Luckily it was in a bottom corner. The first thing quilters think of is what can be appliqued over that cut. I had a piece of the Cat In The Hat fabric and it added that little surprise in the quilt that looked like it belonged.

Now if I had more of this fabric, I could even whip up some pillowcases, somehow I don't think I have enough for it all.

Swap reveal

Look at what I got in the mail, a Nosegay wallhanging. I love this block but have never made one. Jessica over at Scrappy n' Happy offered to make me one in return for something to hang out at her place.

I happily obliged and I love what she made me. I have a crush on red and aqua and I have a crush on these fabrics too, thank you Jessica, it's beautifully made.

And a cute little ring pincushion was a bonus gift in the package, love it.

Here's what I sent, some more Kaffe love and a block from Kim's pattern The Garden Quilt.

I free motion quilted this one and had a lot of fun. I did all sorts of quilting designs on it. I'm calling this my smorgasboard quilting.

I knew Jessica had a spot all picked out to hang it so I took the liberty of adding some hanging gizmos on the back using these picture hanging strips and some twill tape.

This method is fabulous because it means you don't have to have any holes in the wall and it can easily be removed. Now I need to find some time to do all my doll quilts the same way.

The information for doing the strips is over on Quilt Otaku with a video link and in the video, you can see how to remove the quilt off the wall without straining any stitches on the quilt.

I just have one more swap to get my skates on and finish, no sneak peeks or you'll be able to guess what it is.

Over at Manaiba's blog, Sewjournal, there is a special quilt auction happening for a 1930's reproduction quilt, It's for a very worth cause, go have a look over here.