A Bear Paw Mini Quilt

I volunteered to be an angel for the last round of the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap. I was especially happy to help out when I learned that it was Deanna that still hadn't received from her partner. Deanna sent me a gorgeous charm pack and pouch for another swap, and only lives a province away.

Sleeping Beauty

Deanna likes modern whimsical fabric (a la Heather Ross, Aneela Hoey and Sarah Jane), and she was looking for something to hang in her little girls' room. I had a ton of fun rummaging through my scrap bin, and playing with my favourite fabrics.

This is what I came up with:

Bear Paw Mini Quilt by Quilting Barbie

I used Aneela's Bear Paw pattern to make 3.5" blocks. The pattern is great because it offers instructions on how to make five different sizes (3.5", 6", 12", 18" and 24") of bear paw blocks. I chose the smallest. And now I can't wait to make some in the bigger sizes. Don't you think that the Lush Uptown Deer would be lovely in a bear paw pillow?

Angel Swap Package by Quilting Barbie

The next round of the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap is starting soon. Are you joining?

Spoiled!

My gorgeous Doll Quilt arrived yesterday. It took my breath away. Honestly. I am stunned by how gorgeous it is.

Doll Quilt Swap 10, Made by Janet (What Comes Next)

Janet, What Comes Next, made me the perfect quilt. It blends tradition with modern fabrics and a colour scheme that I adore. And the quilting is amazing. Really amazing. Janet's workmanship is absolutely outstanding.

Check out that quilting...perfect!

Janet also included some amazing goodies. Look at the pattern for those cute little baby bloomers...don't you think my baby needs a pair or two? She also included some lovely fabric and a tiny little scissors case.

Spoiled me...I'm bringing those scissors and case to Quilt Retreat this weekend.

It was also a shock to receive a Doll Quilt from someone right here in BC. Usually I get swaps from Texas, Florida, or even Australia. It feels like Janet is a friend already, just by the fact that we live in the same province. 

I couldn't resist one more shot of the quilting. Janet even used different colour thread. Ahh....I love it.

Thanks so much, Janet. I love it!

Doll Quilt 10 Complete

I finished my little quiltie for Doll Quilt Swap 10 just in time for the International Shipping Deadline. I love me a deadline.

Doll Quilt 10

I added a couple of more birds to the centre to try to take away from it looking like a 'face'. Once someone pointed it out on flickr, I just couldn't stop thinking of a face every time I looked at the quilt. Hopefully I fixed it....although I'm not sure it really did. Again, that deadline was looming...

Dresden Plate Centre - I think my partner likes birds and toadstools.

I pieced together a back from a fat quarter and some scraps. I even hand-stitched the binding on (which goes against my new love of machine stitching) because I think I read somewhere in the official rules and regulations that we're supposed to do it the traditional way. It actually turned out really nice and I can see that it is worth the effort on special quilts.

Doll Quilt 10 Back

Quick Quilt Stats:

Approx. Size:     23" x 23"

Pattern:             Dresden Plate (tutorial from Oh Fransson)

Fabric:              Yellow and Aqua from my stash, background is a linen blend

Binding:            Rainy Days and Mondays by melimba & beccabury by Riley Blake

Close up of quilting - I stitched in the ditch around the dresden, and fmq in the background.

I'm so thankful to have this one off my plate. And I'm looking forward to receiving my own quilt soon. Okay, not that soon, as Canada Post is officially the slowest postal service in the world!

Back Online!

We came back from a quick trip down south to visit the Grandparents, and our Internet died! It is amazing just how much I can get done when I`m not constantly checking flickr, blogs, etsy, ebay, etc, etc. But we are now back online, and I`ve been working on a few projects.

I quilted that baby quilt from my last post. I used Nettie`s tutorial for straight line quilting. Let`s just say that I`m no Rita from Red Pepper Quilts. The lines are what I`d like to call ``organic.` Part of me wants to pick some of them out, but the 34.5 week pregnant part of me decided to leave them as is. I am letting go of my perfectionism.

Almost done...

I also got inspired to do some work on my quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap 10. I machine appliqued the centre yesterday and made the backing. Now to just sandwich, baste, quilt and bind. Perhaps this weekend...

Doll Quilt Swap 10 quilt top complete.

We`re finally getting some spring weather up here in the great white north. But there is still at least 5 feet of snow in the yard. My daughter was outraged yesterday that the snow didn`t miraculously melt with the first day of Spring. How do you tell a 4-year old that green grass is a long, long, way offÉ

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Note: For some reason, my laptop keyboard has decided to use the french settings this morning. That É is really supposed to be a question mark. I`ll figure out how to fix it today and I promise to fix this post asap.

Catching Up....

We're having computer/camera/Internet issues here at the Quilting Barbie house. Each works independently but they are not play nicely together. Finally today I figured out how to get some photos onto the laptop (which still has Internet access), so I thought I should give a quick update on what I've been up to.

I'm working away on my quiltie for the Doll Quilt Swap. My partner is pretty darn quiet, but since I signed up for the quiet group, I guess that is to be expected. While not the most creative choice, I figured I couldn't go wrong with a Dresden plate. Everyone likes Dresdens, right? I used the tutorial from Elizabeth at Oh Fransson.

My initial idea for the centre was some yummy HR Owl and the Pussy Cat, but in practice it turned out terrible. The linen blend was just too thick to get a nice curve. So I'm back to the drawing board...any suggestions?

Dresden Plate for DQS10. Any great ideas for the centre?

I'm also sewing away like a mad woman on my Spicing Up the Kitchen Swap package. I broke out my gorgeous Amy Butler thread last night for some quilting. Hmmmm....I wonder what colour(s) I used???? More photos to come, I promise.

Gorgeous AB thread for my SUTK Swap project.

And finally, I had a great time in the big city of Vancouver...and I made a few fabric purchases too...so I'll share those soon too.

Over to the dark side...

Thanks everyone for your kind comments on my sister's quilt. I received some great name suggestions...but I think in the end, I'll just christen this one "Laura's Quilt" since it was made for my sister's wedding.

One of the reasons that I actually finished this quilt is because I machine stitched the binding. I used Rita's tutorial from Red Pepper Quilts and it worked out beautifully. I think I have officially gone over to the dark side. I might never hand stitch a binding again. Sorry to all of you quilting purists.

Machine binding on Laura's Quilt

See...it didn't turn out too bad. I just used lots of pins, and followed Rita's directions. The only thing I did differently was that I used 2.5" strips rather than 2.25". I think I needed that extra wiggle room. I did have to go back and redo a couple of spots on each side that didn't catch, but I can't even tell now that it is all done.

I also got a start on my quilt for Doll Quilt Swap 10. I don't have a great idea of my partner's style, so I'm playing it safe this round. Here is a shot of the trimmings. They seemed to get a positive response over on Flickr.

Now I just have to decide on the background. Any thoughts? Do you like white, light gray (ash), medium gray or something darker (Kona Charcoal or Coal) with yellow and aqua? Or should I invest in some linen? I'd love an opinion. I'm off to Vancouver on the weekend I've heard a rumour that this store has all 221 Kona Solids in stock. Heaven!

Home Made Christmas: Part 2

Okay, I meant to write this post before Christmas, but you all know how life goes, right? So here are a few more gifts I made for my family this year.

First, a couple of pillows for my sister. She requested brown, cream and a hint of red. The first is a simple zig zag. For some reason I have a huge amount of that MM print in my stash, so I put it to good use. Background is Kona Bone.

The second is a simple wonky square, using up some of my red and brown scraps. It's my favourite. I LOVE it. And word is that my sister loves it too.

I also made my niece a wonky star doll quilt. I used some of my favourite Munki Munki for the centres of the stars and then raided my scrap bins. The background is an unknown light pink solid.

 

The quilting is very dense (probably too dense for a doll quilt). I wanted to practice my loops and stars. 

 

I just adore those Munki prints...perfect for a little girl. And a big 30-ish girl too.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday. I was so thankful to spend it with my family. But I'm happy to be home. Can't wait to read everyone's 2010 wrap-up posts.

Nothing like a deadline to make me finish a quilt!

I finally got the last of the buttons sewed on my little doll quilt this morning. Of course, today is the deadline to ship internationally, and I am going to make it, whew. (So there is a little hint...this quilt is not going to Canada).

I meant to get it finished yesterday but after pricking three tiny little holes in three of my fingers while sewing buttons, I thought I should take a bit of a break before finishing. Perhaps I should use a thimble???

This little quilt gave me lots of troubles. I designed it with borders because I thought Cathedral Windows were tricky, but it turns out that actually, it was the math for the borders that gave me the most trouble. And then a terrible ironing incident (imagine brown yucky water spewing out all over my beautiful pristine white fabric) caused some of the reds to bleed. Thankfully the kind folks on flickr helped to solve the problem...I just picked out the offending piece and sewed in a new one. Why couldn't I think of that???

Overall, I am pretty happy with this quilt. Again, I am hoping the Flea Market Fancy Effect will prevent my partner from looking at the flaws. Like the fact that the borders are not square (at all) and there is still a bit of bleeding in one of the yellow bouquet windows.

Here is the back of the quilt. As you can see the middle square isn't quilted...I had planned to bring the thread through from the buttons to have a tied effect, but it just looked funny. I'm assuming my partner won't want to wash it so I hope it is okay. You understand, right partner???

I also made my partner a little bag from a tutorial over at Pink Penguin. Isn't it cute? I love free tutorials....

I am so thankful that I finished this quilt (and in time for the mailing deadline no less). Now I can just sit back and wait for my own package. I love this swap!

Doll Quilt Update

One of the reasons that I shouldn't start new projects right now (other than of course that I never actually finish my projects) is that I have a few obligations to complete first.

One of the most pressing is my quilt for Doll Quilt Swap 10.  I've had my plan in place for quite a while, but I needed the courage to actually get going on it. Of course, the deadline didn't hurt either.

(Sorry for this awful photo...I really need to work on my lighting!)

I'm going for the FMF effect here. Blind my partner with Flea Market Fancy, and hopefully she/he won't notice the flaws in the construction of the quilt. I think my partner will love both the FMF and the cathedral window design. I used this tutorial. (Here is part two). I also read this great post/tutorial that has tons of great suggestions on how to make a cathedral windows block. 

I'm counting on using buttons like in this pillow to hide where my points don't match up.

I think the trickiest part was actually folding the fabric but now that I'm at the sewing stage it seems to be going pretty fast. I love how the white gives some separation to all those bright prints. It also makes a difference what kind of fabric you use for the background. I bought some very soft Japanese cotton from my LQS because I loved the feel of it, but I think it is just too soft for this pattern to get a nice, crisp fold. Perhaps good old Kona Cotton would have been a better choice. I know for next time (if there is a next time!) Wouldn't this pattern be beautiful to showcase some of my favourite Heather Ross prints?!?

Thanks for all your great comments on the price of fabric from the last post. It seems folks in NZ have it much worse than us Canadians. But I'm impressed with how many of you work to support local shops.

Happy Sewing!

It's here!

I arrived home from a long road trip to find a wonderful package waiting for me...my quilt forDQS8. I instantly recognized the name and the country of origin and I literally started jumping up and down. The package was from Tacha (Hanies) and she is a member of my bee inspired VQB. She is an amazingly creative quilter and a great source of inspiration. Check out her photostream...you won't regret it!
I tore open the packaging to discover the most wonderful little quilt. Tacha said that she tried to include all of my favourites: aqua and orange, circles, little birds, and gees bend. I'm thrilled...she nailed it!
I love the little birds and the beautiful black outline quilting.

And look at these amazing hexes on the back for the label. And I know how much work those little beauties are to make.

I love my little quilt and I can't wait to find a home for it. Thanks Tacha!

In the Mail...

I finally finished my quilt for DQS8! And I even made the International Deadline. Nothing like a deadline to get my butt in gear...
I used a vintage pillowcase for the back. The colours are perfect. My partner hasn't received it yet, so I'm not showing the photo with the completed label. I love this quilt. I used Denyse Schmidt's "What a bunch of squares" as inspiration. I can see another one of these in my future. Just have to pick up some more solids. Now I can't wait to see what my partner sends me...

Lazy Sunday

I have to admit that I'm not much of a Football fan, but I did watch the last few ends of the Scott Tournament of Hearts. There I said it, I'm a curling fan....And as you might have heard in the pre-Olympic news, BC is having a very early spring. I live about 6 hours north of Vancouver, and we are usually under 4 feet of snow this time of year. But right now everything is melting. So it was a perfect day to take the dog (and the kids) out for a walk.
I also managed to get a start on my little quilt for DQS8. I'm going for a simple, Denyse Schmidt inspired look. Hopefully it works for my partner.

Happy Sunday!

Doll Quilt Swap 8

I signed up for my third round of the Doll Quilt Swap. It is my favourite swap. Last year I participated in DQS6 and DQS7. The quilts are amazing! And I love guessing which one is just for me. I thought I'd just do a quick review of the quilts I made last year. Sorry for the repetition for anyone who's seen them before.
In the spring, I sent these little butterflies all the way to Australia for DQS6. My partner asked for something for her daughter's room.
And this is the gorgeous quilt I received. It now lives right above my ironing board so I get to enjoy it while I'm quilting. (And let me tell you, it is the only ironing I do!)
During the the summer, I made this little bluebird quilt. It went to live in Australia too.And I got this sweet blue and aqua quilt from Susi. It is beautifully hand quilted.
And now for DQS8! I think I've got some ideas about what to make my partner. It involves curves, lots of white, and some gorgeous blues and greens.

I can't wait to see what I will get this time.

And the winner is...

Sandra from Thistle Cove Farms! Congrats! I'll be in touch soon to get your address so I can pop it in the mail and maybe Canada Post will deliver it before Christmas (but I wouldn't count on it!)

Thank you to everyone who entered. Hope you were lucky on Give-away Day. I was...I won a beautiful tote from Miss Print! Thank you!

Give-Away Day

This Give-away is now closed. Thank you to all that entered. The winner will be announced soon.

2009 has been the year of the Doll Quilt for me. I made my first in January for my daughter's Cabbage Patch doll. Since then I've participated in a bunch of swaps. I LOVE Doll Quilts. So I thought I'd keep it going right through the holiday season by giving away....a Doll Quilt!I whipped this up last night and I still haven't decided if I want it crisp or if I should wash it and make in nice and crinkly. So I reserve the right to wash it before I mail it. If you are absolutely opposed to this please let me know in your comment. And I'll throw in a couple of Fat Quarters too.

Leave a comment for an entry to win. Please tell me where you are from and what you want for Christmas. Or just say hi! I'll give followers a second entry so please let me know in a separate comment if you are a follower of if you become one.
I'm happy to ship anywhere in this beautiful world of ours. Winner will be drawn December 6 by that fancy random number generator thingy. Good Luck!

Bloggers Fall Quilt Festival

Here is my entry for the Blogger's Quilt Festival. Sorry to all of you who have seen too much of this quilt in the past few months, but it really is my pride and joy, so I'm showing it off again. I made this mini quilt for Hayley at Lulabell for DQS7. She asked for bright colours, birds, animals or flowers. Hayley is an amazing quilter and does lots of work in the Don't Look Now style, so I wanted to make something beautiful for her. I dug into my scrap bin for some of my favourite fabrics, made some log cabins, and worked on my raw edge applique and free-motion quilting.
My husband didn't want me to give it away. But I was so happy to send it to Hayley and I'm thrilled that she likes it. And thank you to Hayey at Lulabell for the gorgeous photos!

Thrilled!

My DQS7 Quilt arrived! And it is beautiful.Thank you to Susi in Germany for this gorgeous little bird and trees. It's even hand-quilted. Love it!