DQS7 - Quilt Mailed!

At last! My little quilt for DQS7 is finished! I mailed it on Wednesday, bound for its destination which will remain a mystery for now. After all the dithering I did when trying to decide what to make, I am very pleased with the result. I hope my partner is also pleased.



The pattern comes from Barbara Barber's book, "Foolproof Curves: Quilts with Bias Strips and Continuous Paper Piecing." It is a very good book. I originally bought the book after seeing her on TV with Alex Anderson. She was demonstrating her technique for piecing curves, which fascinated me. This design was included in the book and I always thought it would make a nice little quilt someday. It was actually quite easy to foundation piece the blocks; the border took more time!



I was able to fussy cut a few of the pieces to add some interest. I just love these little girls!

I made a second quilt, a zigzag quilt with half square triangles from the same group of fabrics. I'll keep that one for now. It just needs to be quilted and bound and then I'll either hang it in my sewing room or give it as a gift. I love the colors; a good thing since I bought so many fabrics for this quilt. I'll be able to work with this palette for awhile.

Now I can just sit back and watch for my mailman to come everyday. I can't wait to see what quilt was made for me. There are so many wonderful quilts showing up everyday in the Doll Quilt Swap pool on Flickr. I haven't been able to keep up with them.

A giveaway!

Not mine, I don't have anything terrific to give away. But Heidi is giving away a fabulous quilt! Here's the link.

Pop on by and sign up for a chance to win. I've entered and I've got my fingers crossed!!

Fabric Shopping Trip!

Well, I went shopping today. I was really trying to make this little quilt from my stash as much as possible. But my stash and my partner's preferences are not meshing very well. So today, when both of my kiddos were at other activities, I hit the road to Waynesville. There is a very nice fabric shop there with lots of friendly people. The shop is packed with bolts and bolts of lovely fabrics and I loaded up. A bit more than I intended, but you can always use it up in something! If you live in Southwestern Ohio and haven't been there already, you should go. And if you don't live here - they have a website, too!

Tonight I plan to decide how to use all my lovely new fabrics and tomorrow get started on the cutting. I should have taken a photo when I brought them home; but I've already popped them in the wash. I still have plenty of time to get this quilt done and in the mail before the deadline, but I really want to have it well underway. These last few days of summer will fly quickly by as I get the kids ready to go back to school.

Happy Quilting!!

Decisions...decisions

I really need to make up my mind which quilt to make. I've always wanted to make one of these. I made this layout awhile ago; when I made the pink and black Petite Bento Box quilt. But I could easily change the colors around for my current quilt.

So many quilts...so little time...

I like this one!

I think this one has definite possibilities. I've always wanted to try curved piecing; I'll just have to try it out to see if I can do this. I like the Orange Peel pattern; very simple but visually pleasing. I'll have to see how difficult it is to piece with tiny pieces. That is one drawback of making doll quilts: sometimes the pieces get too tiny to work with and the seam allowances become a nightmare. I'll make some templates and see if this is do-able. The other one I've always wanted to try is a New York Beauty style...maybe I'll try that out, too.


Happy Quilting!!

Aha!

Had a bit of an epiphany while driving today. Yes...I know, I probably shouldn't daydream about quilts while driving on the highway. But you just have to make use of the time you have, if you know what I mean. Now I think I know what I will make for DQS7...just have to decide on the fabrics. I'll play around with EQ later this evening and see if I can draft something do-able. I think it will be fun!!

Still Debating...

what to do for the DQS7. My partner was very specific about his/her likes and dislikes. I did break down and buy some "designer" fat quarters today...not sure if I'll use them in this quilt or for some other project. We'll see what I think of them when they arrive. I've never been much of a "trendy" quilter; I tend to be happiest working with colors/fabrics I love - not just because they are by popular designers. In fact, I seem to choose things that are different just because they are different. A bit perverse, I know. But I don't like my quilts to look like I copied someone else. I would like to be original. And there are so many possibilities! Look at all the fabrics and colors and patterns - so many quilts and so little time!

So how about this one? (Playing with EQ5 is so much fun!!)

Getting Started...DQS7

Hmm...where has all the time gone? My last post was about my last swap quilt, DQS6. I really have to get better about that.

I got my partner today after a bit of a wait, so I'm a couple of days behind the others. I did do my internet snooping and have a pretty good idea what my partner will like. Here are my initial ideas from EQ5:





I think I kind of like it. Not sure which I prefer, the random sizes or the more traditional layout. I guess I think about it for a bit; I still have to decide on the fabrics to use. I wanted to use my stash, but after seeing my partner's preferences, I'm not sure the stash will work.

Happy Quilting!!

A long overdue post...

Hmm...seems I only post when I finish a quilt. I'll have to try to be better about that.

But guess what! I finished another little quilt. This one was for the 6th Doll Quilt Swap. I chose Amy Butler fabrics and wanted something with a modern feel. And it had to have squares with white sashing. Here are some photos of my progress:




I put these together after this wild idea popped into my head. I really like it, but I'm not sure my partner would have. It is really contemporary looking and like nothing I've ever made before. Not sure where it came from... Anyway, here it is:




So, after much debate, I decided to go with a more traditional setting.



And I like the back, too.



So, for now, the first quilt is awaiting some sort of finish, handquilting maybe, while the second quilt is on it's way west. Hope it gets there safefly!

Doll Quilt Finished!

Doll Quilt, Complete
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

Here it is mid-February and I haven't done much quilting this year yet. So I was happy to have the opportunity to make this little quilt. I had been wanting to make a "Whirlygiggle" quilt after seeing a number of darling ones on Flickr. Most notably, the one featured on the "Two Dogs and A Quilt" blog. It is really pretty. Now the person I made it for really likes pink and green, but I didn't want to copy the other quilt. And I had just received the green, yellow and aqua paisley fabric from eQuilter.com. I LOVE this fabric. So I wanted to try the whirlygiggle and I wanted to make a quilt in these colors...so this is the result. I used EQ5 to design the blocks and make the template. My finished squares are 2.25". It was really quite easy to do; the hardest part was keeping the pieces in order to sew them together! I mailed it off today and I'm hoping the person I made it for likes it...




Hopefully the sixth installment of the Doll Quilt Swap will be opened soon so I can make another little quilt. I seem to need the pressure of a deadline to actually sit down and make one.

WIP, Today's Progress

Yay! Some progress on my latest doll quilt. This one is a little gift that I thought I would have finished by now. I started cutting the pieces 2 weeks ago; but with the snow and the kids home 4 days and then a busy week last week, I'm just now putting it together. Tomorrow I hope to add the borders and get it quilted. Hopefully it will be finished by Friday - that's my goal. We'll see what pops up between now and then...


I had been wanting to make a pinwheel quilt for awhile; I've seen some really nice ones over on Flickr. So I pulled some fabrics and sat down with EQ5 and this is what I came up with. I'm liking it so far; it was pretty easy to sew together. The seam allowance are a bit fussy to press, but that is often the case with these little quilts.