Doll Quilt Show and Tell 5

Remember this quilt?  I had some blocks left over after I played with the layout.  When the order came in for the doll quilts I pulled them out, made a few more and put together this simple, yet bold creation.  What a different feel, even though all the blocks are the same.  A true testament to improvisation.

These doll quilts don't ask for fancy quilting.  Or maybe it's just me being lazy?  Either way, this was another simple quilting design.  Because I don't like to stipple when there are so many seams to go over I merely went in the ditch on the diagonal.  This seemed too simple and quite boring, so I added the wavy line for a different texture.  I would definitely use this idea again no matter the size of the quilt.

Don't you love the backing fabric?  It is too good not use.  It is from the older line by Moda - Peas and Carrots, designed by Sandy Klop.  I need to get to the store and buy a bunch more.  I just used the orange as well - but that's a different quilt (coming soon).

Doll Quilt Show and Tell 4

Now, find me a little girl - or a grown woman - who wouldn't love this quilt.  I am thinking of adapting it to at least a lap size or even bed size.  A whole flock of appliqued birds on a modern, bold background?  Hmm, I already have a collection of pinks and browns set aside for another idea...

The quilting really makes this design.  The pattern is simply that of my quilted interpretation of tree branches.  Swooping and curving across the quilt, the branches support the bird and add some flow to the design.  And boy was it fast!

I have to give credit where credit is due.  We have pretty rockin'  Friday nights in this house. Hubby was watching TV and I was quilting a few feet away in our messy dining room.  I threw the fabric that has the small birds in it and a pad of paper his way, with the instructions, er... command, to draw me a larger version.  First shot and he got it bang on.  I probably should have put his name on the label.

Another label, another skinny binding, and another quilt for the order completed.

Doll Quilt Show and Tell 3

Simple, modern, and bright.

A pile of scraps and this multi-coloured sale fabric brought this quilt into being.  I pieced together the scraps into a roughly square shaped block.  Once trimmed I bordered it asymetrically with the white fabric.  Very fast, very simple.  It is an idea that could be easily adapted to a much larger quilt and I am tempted to try it, maybe ending up with a result much like this?
I kept the simple thing going with wavy lines in a variegated thread.  Nothing too fancy on a doll quilt.
The back of this one is a stripe that I bought at the same time as the front white.  I have tonnes of it left, so you may see it more than once!

Doll Quilt Show and Tell 2

How is this for an improv piece?  

I started with a pile of fabric and scraps that I thought would go together.  Of course, I couldn't resist adding a circle, and then another (can you see it?)  This one isn't photographing well, but I assure you, it's cute.  This one is for the daughter of dear friends, a little girl who is essentially a big sister to my girls.  Her birthday was a month ago.  She has the busy social life of a 7 year old, so I haven't even seen her since her birthday.  Just a belated treat.

There is a mix of old and new fabrics in this one.  More Amy Butler...  And some fabric that has also been seen more than a handful of quilts produced on the dining room table.

I stole my quilting idea from one of the fabrics, the pale pink with black outlined flowers and dots.  A few lines to anchor the batting and a scattering of flowers.  It isn't perfect, but I imagine that this one will get some rough love.  It will more than stand up to Clare's love, and hopefully her sister's!
Rather than make big labels for these doll quilts I decided to make tags.  Each tag has my name and "Naps" on one side. (More on "Naps" later).  The other side has washing instructions. Every other quilt I've given away has gone to people I know, so I can verbally pass on washing instructions.  These doll quilts are almost all going to strangers, so I had to include the instructions in an easy format - love generously, wash and dry gently.

She just couldn't resist getting her hands on it...