Doll Quilts

Can you believe this doll quilt took me approx 7 hours to make? And I didn't even make the blocks, they were given too me. The quilt is approx 24" square. The blocks were 6" and not all the exactly the same size. I decided it would be easiest to frame each block then square them up to 8".

I machine quilted and machine bound but it still took me, what I would consider, a long time. Yes, I do sew slow but ........

I guess that's why I like making big quilts that you know will take forever. I always think you can make something little in an hour or two and I never can, it always takes a day.

Need Help



Will it work?

The story regarding this block is the fact that I am trying to do two things in the same quilt. 1). I am using my 6" squares from the 2010 Maquoketa guild exchange, by cutting them into 2.5" squares. Then I am using them as my leaders and enders as I sew whatever else. 2). The first of the year, all guild members were told to take home a book from the library and make something out of it. The something is due at the July meeting.

The book I took home was Create a Quilt by Joyce Mori. I looked and looked through the book but could not find anything. Then I decided, since I am 72 years old, I would look on page 72 and see what was there. Well, nothing took my fancy on that page but on the opposite page was a quilt named Puzzle Pieces. It inspired me.

When the blocks are put together there will be black units like the lavender one. I think what is wrong with the block is that the lavendar does not show up enough. I think I should have used a solid color rather than a tone-on-tone. Each block will have a different color in the center.

My question is this: If I quilt the lavender in black thread at 1/4 " and cross hatch the scrap squares, will the design show up enough? Remember, this is not a "show" quilt. Just a fun quilt. But I can take the time to unsew and put in a solid if the quilt demands it. Let me know what you think!

2011 MAQ guild BOM

The next meeting of the Maquoketa Town & Country Quilters is Monday night. Do I have my Block-of-the-Month blocks done? Yes! I actually got them done earlier in the week.

I am pretty much following the fabric colors in the magazine (see block on left), but when I was making the block for the guild I just happened to have four 4.5" squares of blue cut and laying there so I decided to use them. Now I like their block better than mine!



Box Number 2

The quilt top I showed you on December 20th, was finally sent off to be basted the end of January and was returned to me on February 2nd. The quilt is 53" x 79". Of course I started quilting it immediately. I had the quilting done by March 3rd, it took me another 10 days to get it bound, a label made and sewn on. I named the quilt, "Did I Buy This Fabric?"

Yes, I really did buy the fabric. Way back when I started quilting I bought a couple preprint designs. I thought I could "cheat" and made quilt tops faster with them. All I wanted was to rush through the piecing so I could get to the hand quilting stage.

But I have to admit that trying to figure out what to do with this fabric so I could make it into a usable quilt was a lot of fun.

Each log cabin block has two (square) rings of quilting one red, one green. The applique hearts are quilted around the outside of each in green. The sashing is quarter inch quilted in beige. As always, I now "Big Stitch" hand quilt with size 12, Presencia perle cotton. Your can check out my website for a thread color chart.

Hope you have enjoyed!

Jo           

Box Number 1

In my blog of April 8, 2010, I said I wanted something to piece so I found a pink plastic shoe box filled with 5" squares. Some of which had been made into 4-patch units. After getting them all pieced into 4-patches and into a quilt that would just fit my half of the king size bed, I  took them to my local long-armer to baste for me. When I got it back I decided to quilt it with diagonal rows in two colors of thread.

On January 30, 2011, I declared the quilt DONE!

The label was even on.

40" x 84"

Close-up of the "Big Stitch" hand quiltling.

Next up will be pictures of my Box Number 2 quilt. It's all done, too.

My Box Number 3 quilt is still in the piecing stage but I do have the center pieced. It is waiting for border inspiration.

The baby quilt for Baby Boy Fifield is just waiting for me to bind it.

Box Number 4 is at the long-armer waiting to get basted. That quilt story I will tell you another day.      Jo

Family Visit

In mid-February, our youngest son, Paul, his wife and two little girls (ages 4 & 2) came for a visit. While here the little girls wanted to "play with some fabric". I let them pick some fat quarters. They were opened up and laid on the floor for stepping stone, room dividers, etc. Toward the end of their visit, I had Haley (the 4 year old) pick out eight (8) and put then into pairs of two (2), which I made into (6") 9-patch blocks. After they left I made a doll quilt for each of the girls.

These will get shipped out to the girls today. 

While I was working on the quilts, I had a customer ask me if I was planning to sign the quilts. Answer, "no, they're just doll quilts." She gave me this look! So in the end, I grabbed a permanent pen and signed the name the girls call me.

The next picture if the newest one that Paul took while in Bellevue. It's of Potter's Mill from the creek bridge on the south edge of town. Yes, it was a very gray day!

2011 MAQ guild BOM

Not much to say except I do have my blocks done for the meeting on Monday night (March 7).

One block is for myself, the other block goes to the guild.

I can't say this has ever been one of my favorite blocks. Somehow I don't like the corner squares. If I ever have the unfortunate opportunity to make this block again, I will definitely do something different.

What? Not sure!

 But I have just given myself a creative idea. Why not make each block a 2nd time and see if I can make it better than the original! I have never liked big quilts made with only 12 blocks, large sashing and huge borders. It would be easier if I had 24 blocks to put together into a quilt! Mmmm, now that's a possibility.

New fabric

I received new fabric yesterday. Today, I am going to tease you with just one of the group.

It's so soft and pretty. Mmm!

It's a Westex Fabrics from Japan.

Pizza Box Exchange

The Town & Country Quilters, one of the guilds I belong to, had a pizza box exchange in 2010. Of course I had to join in. Rule were pretty simple, you added fabrics to a pizza box with your name on it, decided on a block you wanted to make for everyone and made your block. At each meeting we passed the boxes on to someone else.

We did not include the block we had made, that's why it was so much fun at the guild meeting on Monday night, to see all of the blocks unveiled. Today, I am showing you the blocks I made. When I get the blocks that were given to me photographed,  I will post them. I hope you enjoy.

Snow @#!%

Snow, wonderful snow!!! Is there a song that goes like that?

Here is a picture (taken from the back door) of our cars after Tuesday night's blizzard that hit Iowa. Yes, looking straight head is my car. The only thing visible is the driver's rear veiw mirror.  On the right is Andra's car. Behind the cars is snow, snow and more snow until you get to the alley.

On Wednesday afternoon, Jordan (grandson) and I shoveled the cars out. We were very tired at that point so we took a break. Today I shoveled the rest of the snow from behind my car. Andra and Jordan will have to shovel their own car out. With luck, I will be able to get to the grocery store for a few more supplies (necessities you know, like toilet paper and bread). I measured and the snow behind the cars was 16" deep and I had to shovel out about 20 feet. I guess I have gotten my exercise for the day. The worst part was where to put it all. Since the building to the south of us is not occupied, we made the decision to throw most of the snow over to them.