Doll quilt ready for swapping

 Every Spring, Lori de Jarnatt runs a Doll quilt swap on her blog, Humble Quilts.  I have participated for several years, and I signed up again.  I haven't yet been assigned an exchange partner, but I was excited to get going.

I have in my mini quilt collection this older doll quilt.

14 by 22 inches, a range of fabrics, the youngest being perhaps from the 1930's.

The back:

Ties hold the front and the back together.  Patches are sewn by hand, but the binding was sewn by machine onto the front, then hand sewn on the back.  In a small hole on the front I can see that there is no batting, except for what looks like a layer of coarse woven fabric, like cheesecloth.

You may have to expand the photo to see this.

I decided to reproduce this quilt, but in reproduction navy blue and shirting fabric, imitating fabrics from the mid 1800's.  I measured the size of the fabric rectangles and got going.

I quilted in the ditch and bound in a light shirting fabric.  A close-up:

I will send this out early, before our big trip to Europe.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday (the last link up😢), Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Doll quilt top

 Good day, and welcome to my somewhat neglected blog.  I have been busy in my day job and haven't had time to do much sewing or quilting.  But i have a little top to share today.

I have signed up for the doll quilt exchange on Lori's Humble Quilts blog (The sign ups are closed now.)  In this you make a doll quilt that looks as though it has time traveled from the past, and send it out.  Another person makes a doll quilt for you.  So reproduction fabrics it is, and I have plenty of those.

I had in mind using leftovers from one of my recent projects, and I searched my disorganized sewing area.  I found only a few squares - much less leftovers than I thought.  But I did find a box of one inch strips left over from a Courthouse Steps quilt I made a long time ago:

Yes, one inch strips, finishing at 0.5 inches.  I also found 2 leftover blocks from that project, and the beginnings of two more blocks.  So I finished the two partial blocks, and now have a little top:

That will finish at about 15.5 inches square.  My hand quilting skills are not what they used to be, so I think machine quilting and machine binding for this little top.  I am ahead of the game - deadline for sending is early May.

Linking up with Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie,  Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Doll Quilt Exchange

 I participated in this year's doll quilt exchange run by Lori at her Humble quilts blog.  I made a little red and white quilt, shown in this blog post, and sent it off.

In return, I received a darling quilt with hexagon flowers and lots of hand work:

This is from Lora, and is hand-quilted.  Thank you Lora!

Viridian

Update on two finishes

 Hello and welcome to my blog!  It's a nice Spring day in the American Midwest.

I have two finishes to report.  First, a doll quilt for the exchange run by Lori at Humble Quilts.  12 by 18 inches, machine quilted, hand bound.  Yes the flying geese are 3 by 1.5 inches.

And a close up:

You can see I had fun collecting reproduction reds and shirting fabrics.

My second finish is of a columns quilt, in black and white, and reproduction 30's fabrics.  It was quilted by a local long arm quilter.  An overall view:

More on this project at this blog post.  I added the binding by machining it on to the back, ironing it over, then topstitching on the top.  This needs a steady hand and your full attention!  A close up of a corner below:

It goes quite fast.  I am happy to have these done.  The exchange doll quilt is in the mail today.  The second quilt I am saving until the right recipient comes along.

Linking up with Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Can I get a Whoop Whoop, Nina-Marie,  Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Progress on two fronts

 Hello, and welcome to my blog.

I don't have a finish, but I have been able to make some progress on two projects.

First a small doll quilt for an exchange:

This is 12 by 18 inches, and yes, needs to be trimmed and bound.  It is supposed to look as if it time traveled from the past - so I used reproduction reds and shirting fabrics.  The exchange is hosted by Lori at Humble Quilts.  I need to get going on this!

Second, I have been moving ahead on snowball blocks, using a pattern from a book by Julie Hendricksen.  The individual blocks finish at 4 inches square.

Here is what I have so far, laid out on the floor.  I have a ways to go, but I am liking how this looks.  Again, reproduction fabrics in navy blue, black, red, pink, and shirting fabric.

Linking up with Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Can I get a Whoop Whoop, Nina-Marie,  Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Doll quilt swap hosted by Humble Quilts blog

I was so lucky to see the call for participation at Lori's Humble quilts blog for a doll quilt swap.  I couldn't resist: Civil war or earlier fabrics, in a manageable size of 24 inches square or less.  Send it off, and receive one in return.  Many people on the internet are mean and dreadful to each other but quilters are so giving.

Off went my double pink stars quiltlet and soon I received a most wonderful quiltlet from Wendy at the Constant Quilter:

Do click on this to see it larger, and the array of many fabrics in this piece of art.  Also note the careful use of the border fabric: how the scallops printed on the border fabric fit the border length and width so perfectly!  Planned or serendipity?  I know this wouldn't have worked for me, with my luck!

Thank you so much Wendy.
And I am looking at other swapped quilts, getting ideas for next year.....

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian
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Cheddar and Cheese top done, for now

To repeat, and give credit to the author: I am following the pattern from a wonderful blog called Humble Quilts. She started this three-step tutorial for a doll or baby sized quilt called Cheddar Cheese and Crackers before Christmas 2009. The first step is here.

I am using a double pink for the squares, instead of a cheddar solid. Each of the smaller squares finishes at 1 inch. I plan on adding borders, but for now it is done, and I am happy with how it turned out.

viridian

Update on new little project

Beginning of this project: This Blog Post.

I am following the pattern from a wonderful blog called Humble Quilts. She started this three-step tutorial for a doll or baby sized quilt called Cheddar Cheese and Crackers before Christmas 2009. The first step is here.

This is about the top third of the quilt top. This will be as wide as it gets. I have a bit of the part below pieced, but not completely. Now I am liking how this is turning out.

Viridian

A New little project

Which is taking a little longer than I thought, readers. I have to watch fabric placement very carefully? Only a little strip piecing, then piece by piece?

I am following the pattern from a wonderful blog called Humble Quilts. She started this three-step tutorial for a doll or baby sized quilt called Cheddar Cheese and Crackers before Christmas 2009. The first step is here.

The original quilt had large squares of solid cheddar orange fabric, and a lovely mixture of shirtings and late 1800's fabric for the rest. I decided to dig into my collection of double pink reproduction fabrics. At a quilt show 2 weeks ago (more on that later) I had seen some pink and white quilts in a dealer's booth that I found very appealing.

My work so far this weekend is above. This is less than 1/4 of the original quilt or Lori's reproduction. The big squares are a perfect seaweed pattern fabric by Diana Leone that I have hoarded since 1993. I'm liking the browns and the paler pinks, but not liking the pinks that are very close in tone to the big squares. Therefore I am modifying my fabric choices as I go. This is photographed on a very dark green carpet.

Don't I have other projects going on you ask? Why yes! Just two Dear Jane quilts, and a prairie braid quilt which I hope to share next week. And I just signed up for the Dear Jane siggie swap. But sometimes a quilter can't help herself or himself.

Viridian

A give-away at "A Ditchin' Time Quilts"

But please, let me win, don't enter ;-)
Just kidding.
Seriously, Stephanie has a cute doll quilt up for a giveaway. Dog not included.

viridian

Vintage Thingy Thursday

Welcome to another Vintage Thingy Thursday post. Please visit Colorado Lady and see who else has posted this week.
Today I have yet another sweet doll quilt, handsomely modeled by my son's favorite teddy bear, called Caramel (pronounced Carmel). This one was purchased from ebay some time ago. I have three now - I think this officially makes me a collector - right?

The fabric scraps are hand-sewn with an applique stitch onto a foundation fabric, which is also the back of the quilt. Then the raw edges of the back were folded to the front and sewn down. Below is my son's pose of Caramel and buddy with the back of the quilt.

One or two fabrics are from early in the twentieth century, most appear to be from the forties. Several appear to be more from the 1950's. The stitching is pretty good and actually the little quilt is in remarkable shape - no holes, undone stitches, stains, etc.

viridian

VTT: doll quilt

Hello. Once again I'm participating in Vintage Thingy Thursday, hosted by ColoradoLady.

Today: A sweet doll quilt, held here by my son's favorite Teddy bear. And I took this picture before I looked at ColoradoLady's blog! I guess it was meant to be.

Four blocks by four blocks in size, each block is a random log cabin block, with strings being added outward from the center. Many of the fabrics are feedsack, and they are faded. The solid peach colored fabric is not. I think it is pieced by machine.

There is batting of some sort, and a feedsack backing. I know, because I have the same feedsack in a different color. The quilt is tied by a sturdy pink string in the middle of each block only. The batting is not lumpy, which makes me think this doll quilt has not been washed, or not often, or else the batting would bunch up. The edges are turned in (knife edge finish) and there is no binding.

I found this in an Ohio Antiques shop some years ago. Some little girl must have loved its soft colors. I would guess it is from the 1940's or so.

Happy Vintage Thingy Thursday!
viridian