A Few More Favorites

Above my computer, I have these four small quilts on the wall:

The upper left was made for me, by Judee Koda, 2012, in a Doll Quilt Monthly swap I was in that year. I love the simplicity of it, the turned edges with French knots for embellishment. Simple, decorative machine quilting adds just the right touch. It is 18" x 24".

The small log cabin at the top right I made with silk from Sari ribbon bundles bought in Houston in 2012.   It's 13" x 13". I need to make more  of these. Here are the bundles of silk, I have many:

The small landscape quilt on the lower left I made in 1992 after taking a class with Dottie Moore. It would be fun to make another of these, so many years later. It is 14" x 12".

The largest one, on the lower right, was made for me by Margaret Rosenbrook in 2012, again from the Doll Quilt Monthly swap I was in that year. I love the simplicity of this one, too, gentle curves of fabrics, simple curving straight line quilting. I had intended to make one like it but haven't yet.  It is 20" x 23". 

You never know what you will get in a quilt swap with strangers. Even when the "rules" are well-defined, there are sometimes surprises. These two quilts from that year-long swap were totally worth the effort of the 12 quilts I made and shipped off that year. And they are the only ones from that year I kept. The rest were sold or given away.

Once I get home from Houston, I am going to post a bunch of quilts to sell, most small like these, but a few bed-size ones as well. Nothing wrong with my supply chain!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

International Doll Quilt Swap

 Last year I participated in an International Doll Quilt Swap organized by an Instagram "friend", @needlethimbleandthread.

I enjoyed the swap so I jumped in again when the 2021 swap was announced. Only those from the preceding get first chance to sign up for this  year. If spaces remain, a couple more are added--that is how I got in last year. 

This is the fifth and final doll quilt swap with Needle Thimble and Thread. This swap is kept small and run very well. There are 26 swappers. All must have an active Instagram feed. Their Instagram feed must include photos of their hand quilting. The project is kept small--14" minimum, 20" maximum. All projects must be made from 1800's-type reproduction fabrics. And the doll quilt must be hand-quilted.

In addition, there are mandatory deadlines:

A progress photo of the top must be posted by June 18.

A progress photo of the quilting must be posted by July 6.

If you don't meet those deadlines, you are removed from the swap.

The mailing date is no later than August 16 and you must be willing to mail internationally.

Last week I made my top and basted it:

Basted Top, 16" x 20"

This week I started the hand quilting:

Lucky spacing on pre-cut triangles

Close to half way done the quilting

The binding and sleeve and label are prepared, ready to go.

Organizing these kinds of projects takes a lot of effort. The rules are established based on "areas of concern" from prior years. You might think everyone will play by the rules but you would be surprised.  I am willing to do this swap because I know "bad" surprises are highly unlikely with this group.

Follow #ntatdqs2021 on Instagram to see all the amazing doll quilts as they are being made. After August 16, the finished quilts will be revealed by the recipients as they make their way around the world.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Doll Quilt Swap 2020

I mentioned a couple weeks ago how I was excited that I got in to an international doll quilt swap that I had admired from afar for a few years. Read more about that here: NeedleThimble and Thread Doll Quilt Swap 2020

The doll quilt I received just arrived--all the way from the Netherlands! Miranda Sol-van Paemel, @mirandasolvan, made this for me. Look at all the details and hand stitching. Miranda says this is she and her daughter and their dog from an earlier time, way back. What a unique design:

"Remember Me", 14" x 19" 

The labels on the back are Dutch Wooden Shoes--perfect!

The quilt and all the goodies that came in the package

An adorable cat pin cushion

Dutch Cinnamon Sticks--we used Translate to read all about these. So yummy, mostly cinnamon and sugar!

Great little scissors--these just might be air travel safe

A tiny tin and several lovely tea bags

We do not get to know who is making a quilt for us so it is a total surprise when the package arrives. In this time of Corona virus, I wasn't surprised the package took 24 days to cross the ocean--not too bad.

This was a wonderful swap and I am so glad I got in. Thank you to Christine of Needle Thimble and Thread on Instagram for creating this swap and being sure her rules are followed. I knew whatever I got would be wonderful. This surpassed my expectations. 

I encourage you to check out #ntatdqs2020  on  Instagram  to see photos of all the amazing doll quilts that were swapped--all hand quilted and made with the utmost care.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Doll Quilt Swap

I was fortunate to get into the Doll Quilt Swap organized by Needle Thimble and Thread on Instagram. see #ntatdqs2020 to see many beautiful little quilts being made to swap. Those who participated in the prior year get first chance to sign up for the current year and sometimes no one new is added. This year a few spots opened up and I was excited I got in.

The one I made for this swap is ready to take a trip in the mail to its new home:

18" square

Label

Handquilting with wool batting is so easy!

The rules were simple:

1. Reproduction Fabrics, quilt shop quality

2. No smaller than 14" x 14", no larger than 18" x 18"

3. Handquilting only

4. Theme is "Remember Me"

5. Do your best--make something you would love to receive

6. In progress photos were required at specific times--the top in progress, the quilting in progress

7. Label including the theme "Remember Me", the name and  location of the maker, the maker's Instagram name

8. Keep to the deadline

As the quilt must be in the mail by August 1, 2020, I am within the deadline. I used 3" blocks from the Temecula Quilt Company's Stay At Home Sampler--it was free on Instagram in April. The blocks are still there should you want them. 

I will put a few little "goodies" in the package and get it to the Post Office on Monday. I hope the person I made it for likes it.

Swaps are popular but do have pluses and minuses. I have written about them several times before. Put swap in the Search box on the upper left of this page to find them.

Have you participated in a Swap? Was it fun and successful?

Let's quilt.

Barbara

QUILTING--By Hand, Machine or None at All?

Tops are done, it's time to quilt.

Recently, I finished machine quilting Foothills on the Bernina Q20 Sit-Down Longarm:

I adore this quilt and have written about it before:  The Quilt A-Long, and Changing My Mind as well as a few other times--use the Search box in the upper Left for Foothills to find them all.

The quilting designs I came up with please me and, overall, my free motion and ruler work quilting are getting better. Binding is almost done, sleeve is in place and the label is ready to attach.

Hand quilting is also something I enjoy though I do less of it now than I did years ago. My older hands feel the strain of such repetitive motion so I save it for special quilts.

This year I was fortunate to get accepted into the doll quilt swap run by Needle Thimble and Thread on Instagram. It is a small group swap and those who participated the year before get first chance at signing up for the current year. If there are any open spots, a couple new folks might be added.

I got in! And the rules are simple: no smaller than 14" X 14", no larger than 18" x 18", handquilting only, wool or cotton batt, reproduction fabrics, and your best work is expected. And stick to the timeline. Reasonable requirements. You can see many photos of these quilts in progress on Instagram:  #ntatdqs2020  Many of them are amazingly beautiful and complex!

The day I was accepted, I made my top--from 3" blocks made with the Stay at Home sampler patterns from Temecula Quilt Company on Instagram

I have been handquilting on it this past month, off and on. A few more nights and the handquilting will be done--the binding, sleeve and label are made. I find stitch in the ditch quilting by hand repetitious and boring so was very glad when I got to the outer border and could do a little fancy work:

Later in July it will be sent off to it's new home...

And, then, sometimes, I make a project with no quilting at all. I  saw these silhouette projects while teaching in Texas last year, and bought one. This week I finally took the time to make it:

There was very little time involved--watching the video was especially helpful:  Stirrups and Stitches
There is a wide variety of patterns available, no sewing at all, so this would make a great project to do with an interested kid. Hung in a window, the batik fabric really glows.

So there you have my quilting life at this time. Do you prefer to hand or machine quilt?

Let's quilt.

Barbara