Nestled All Snug In Bed

9" center block

The children dolls were nestled all snug in their beds...

If they are going to be 'nestled' then it should be in a quilt!

This is a doll's sleigh bed I got in 1984, it has a matching armoire.  The pieces are signed 'Bill Pitts'.

I have a picture of each of my kids as infants on it.  They also played with it through the years.

I decided it needed new bedding.

15" x 18" excluding the ruffle

I made a mattress, pillow insert and sheet.
I have several quilts for the bed - but this is the most recent.

I added the pillow case after I saw Ann's collection.
If you haven't already, spend some time reading Ann Hermes blog, Notes From The Quilt Lab.  HERE

She has an amazing collection of antique/vintage pieced pillow cases.  Shared at AQSG this year, her collection is beautiful.  You'll also find some of her ongoing research and documentation.  I've posted about Ann's designs HERE when I showed another picture of my gallery wall with one of her designs.

I'll be adding more to the pillowcase after the holidays.
I'll also make some more to go with the older doll quilts in my collection.

The center is an 9" applique block surrounded with fussy cut borders.  To get the longer rectangle I wanted I added a couple rows of HST's.

It is hand applique and hand quilted.  All of the piecing is by machine.

Quilt Back

The ruffled border is only on the long sides.  The ruffle is incorporated in the binding.
Another edge finish option...

Pillow Applique Pattern:

2.5" finished motif

Old Favorites In Miniature
Tina Gravatt
ISBN 0-89145-808-5
Pattern #9 of her mini Baltimore






Hope you are "nestled all snug up" this holiday season!

Wool Project - A Finish

I finished a UFO!!

"dear Santa I can explain"
Pattern:  By Debbie Busby
Wooden Spool Designs
You can see details HERE

Help me identify the designer!!

My first wool project was this penny mat a few years ago.

I can't find the pattern and looked online so I could give credit to the designer - I couldn't find it.  If you know - let me know and I'll update this post.

I'm working my way through these smaller wool projects towards a larger table runner - maybe 2012 will be the year!

This is one of my little feather trees and an elf I made.  As i recall the tree was the easier project!

You can see the real feather tree kits HERE.
Also details on their history etc.
This one is the smallest - and has lasted several years with very little care for storage.

You can barely see the wooden block base of the tree - it's a hand painted design. Base to tree top is about 10" so it is small.

The ornaments are less than 1/2" -  I think they are Midwest Imports made to look old.

Tomorrow the baking begins....the elves better be out of the kitchen....



On a non-holiday note I have made progress on my scrappy vortex.  If you haven't already entered the give away do so HERE.

Happy December!!

Snowflake Quilt and Alaskan Pin Cushion

I had the good fortune to take a 3 day workshop with Paula Nadelstern a few years ago.  It was glorious absorption in the use of prints, fussy cutting and piecing.
I know... it's a UFO, but one I intend to finish, so let's ignore the UFO part..
The class instructions said to bring LOTS of fabrics.  So I filled my tote and was feeling a little embarrassed about how much I had...until I got to class.
I had THE LEAST amount of fabrics of the entire class.  Students brought in roller suitcases filled with fabric.

Guess who went shopping at lunch?

The inside cover of my book is signed by Paula.

Dear Dawn,
REMEMBER,
When it comes to fabric,
more is MORE!
Paula Nadelstern


Thank You, Paula - I give my self permission for a large stash!
I've also have a nice stash collection of silks now...

Snowflakes & Quilts
ISBN 1-57120-155-6
Paula Nadelstern

Were you wondering what kind of sewing tool I could come up with for snow?

This is an Alaskan blanket toss pin cushion.  The bottom is labeled Palmer Alaska.

A lookout was tossed by the group into the air from the blanket to look ahead for hunting opportunities.

The bodies are so cute.

Plush pieces of wool for the arms, legs and bodies.

The background snowflake block shows the fussy cut butterflies, trees and yes some reproduction fabrics that make each snowflake unique.

Fuzzy Parka

The most frequent question we are asked (having moved from MN to CA)

 "Do you miss the snow?"

Answer:  We can always find it if we need it ;-)

With this sweet pin cushion face and a smile - 

Happy Holidays!
(With or without a snowflake or two)

References:
Paula's Web Site HERE
In class we also studied Wilson A. Bentley See more information on 'Snowflake Bentley' HERE
Alaskan Blanket Toss Pin Cushions HERE

Red Green Baby Baltimore And Singer Hand Crank

More Red and Green....
I'm working up to starting a Baltimore.  It's taking years ;-)
Not committing - stashing fabrics, buying books and patterns, studying....
I took a hand applique class and completed this little four block quilt several years ago... Mary Deeney was a pivotal teacher in my applique skills.
Mary's an award winning hand quilter.  Mary's version of  Pat Cox's "The Gift" won a 1st Place Prize at the American Quilter's Society Show (Paducah) in 2002.

View Mary's Quilts HERE

She has the 'Sweet Baby Baltimore' pattern available (and others) on her website.

Sweet Baby Baltimore

This is my class project.

It is hand applique and machine quilted.

The designs are very classic and we built skills as we went through each lesson over the weekly sessions of the course.


The binding is red, with a green fabric insert.  Between the red and green is a line of yellow hand embroidery.




See my friend Jean's red and green quilts HERE

I picked up this little Singer hand crank at a bargain basement price - so if it is a recent reproduction that's ok!

How can I tell?

I read about them HERE.

From the thread spool, the parts are numbered so to thread it...just follow the numbers!  It clamps to the table so if you really get 'ta crankin' it stays put.

The box included the cloth guide, clamp, box and manual.

The manual has copyright dates of 1922, 1936 and 1948.
The box says No. 20, the manual says 20-10

I checked for markings and I see mine was made in the USA.
It has the all black 7 spoke hand wheel.

I have another one - in a future post I'll show the two side by side.
I love the writing on the box assuring me ...
"A REAL SEWING MACHINE - NOT A TOY"
Maybe I should make a little chain stitched doll quilt!

See A crank sewing machine group HERE
(Thanks Sue from Simply Pieceful)

Have a great week!!

Little Medallion - Red and Green is Not Just For Christmas

Approximately 40"          Framed Medallion Reproduction 1884

I have a few red and green quilts, and I wish I had more!  Such powerful colors, and when used together - they are magical...

This is a reproduction from the book:
Great Little Quilts
Antique Crib and Doll-Size Quilts
by Eleanor Levie
ISBN-10:  0810933535

In the book the original quilt corner stones are appliqued 1884.
I hand pieced the center, and hand quilted it.  I machine pieced all of the surrounding blocks.

This is the same book my Honeybee quilt is from.

Keeping with a Christmas theme, here's a grouping of red and green sewing items.

The drawstring bag is crochet and perfect for a hand sewing project like hex's or embroidery.

The pin cushion is rather festive with the red satin bow.  I wonder if she had seasonal pin cushions?

Who is that guy in pajamas?
Ebeneezer?
Could be.
He's a tape measure, marked Japan.
He measures in inches and centimeters.  

(A little disclaimer here) I didn't find this lump of coal pin cushion in my stocking, I found it in an antique shop in Pennsylvania.

The center is coiled paper that used to be filled with pins.

This lump of coal pin cushion was an advertising piece.  Every time you reached for a pin, you had a little reminder who to call for all your ice AND coal needs.



Have a great week!
Do you use red and green quilts year around?

Multi-Colored Vortex In Variation GIVEAWAY

I love scrappy quilts, and have a stash of non-repro fabrics...so when I made my own Vortex In Variation (VIV) I decided to break out of my reproduction genre.

Big prints - they worked!
Directional - no problem!
OK, a repro snuck in there but I like that!

I love it, but I need your help.
What color should the surround be?  The corners?

I was VERY BAD

First let me show you my BAD selection:

I confess to you I didn't listen to DD, and I tried this disaster...She warned me...

I thought the black and white would be neutral - and the corners a good contrast to all the color...black works with everything?
Proved that wrong!

So it's unpinned ... and will sit until the new year.
I have other red green posts written to share the rest of the month.

How about a giveaway?

Multi-Color VIV

Leave a comment on this podst with your color suggestion for the surround.

The center includes 37 prints, so some are repeated.

 It will be a separate pattern with the placements numbered on the paper set.

Or, should I make it a 60" square quilt, with or without a border?

With the RNG magic I'll pick a couple of winners from the comments on New Years Day!

Prize:  Some colorful FQ's to start 2012 with!

Have a great week!

Vortex In Variation

Queen Size 95" x 95"

vortex [ˈvɔːtɛks] 

n pl -texes, -tices [-tɪˌsiːz]

1. (Physics / General Physics) a whirling mass or rotary motion in a liquid, gas, flame, etc., such as the spiralling movement of water around a whirlpool

2. any activity, situation, or way of life regarded as irresistibly engulfing  

(www.freedictionary.com)

I'm thinking quilting might be a VORTEX!!

This is not my quilt, my version will be in my next post.   My DD made this quilt.  It was accepted at International Quilt Festival in Houston.  We had a wonderful trip together so she could see her quilt hanging.
Made of indigo and snow solids; it is machine (paper pieced), hand quilted and hand applique.

So many color options with beautiful results!!

Most common question:  How long did it take to make?

It was fun to meet people at the show and see all of the fabulous entries and exhibits.

We also enjoyed standing back and listening to attendees comment on the quilt.

Some Quotes:
"Stare at it until you fall over"
"OMG"
"Jarring, but I can't stop looking at it"
"Look at the center!!!"





Background
She made the quilt in the spring - with a BS in Architecture, drafting a pattern was no problem.  I was the happy art patron who left for work in the morning, entertained by the progress each evening.
We had some rich discussions on designing vs. drafting.  It is similar to the Red and white quilt exhibited in NYC.   Vortex in Variation is queen sized, has uniform borders with an organic corner/side design.  Obviously she has a fair amount of sewing experience and it wasn't her first quilt.  She was able to get very accurate results with paper piecing.

You may have noticed a new button on my blog side bar.
By popular demand she created a paper pieced pattern for her quilt.  It is for sale in our Etsy Store.
In my next post I'll show you my multi color version (call me 'pattern tester') with yet another corner design.

Pattern Cover Page

Is quilting a 'vortex' for you too??   ...irresistibly engulfing...

Have a great weekend!!