Bee in my Bonnet Row Along

I've been working on Lori's Row Along, and having a great time doing it!  I showcased the fabrics I chose for the quilt and Row 1 here.  The butterflies are Row 2.  For me, the best part of making a quilt is choosing the fabric :)

I know this photo is sideways, but that is how the butterfly row will be sewn into the quilt.  The fabric for each butterfly was chosen with great care!

This is rows 1 and 2 together.  Lori is designing the quilt as she goes although I know she has the large picture in her head.  Even though the rows are numbered, we don't really know what order they will be in the quilt.

This is row 3, zig zags.

This is Rows 1, 2 and 3 together.

Peekaboo to my fabric hording.....er, stash! LOL

This is Row 4, don't you just love the apples?  I made 2 large design boards and really love them!  They are from Lori's tutorial.

McIntosh, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples.  Isn't the apple core cute?  I also took great care in choosing the greens for the leaves.  Each of the leaves is a different fabric.

Golden Delicious and more varieties of red apples.

Rows 1, 2, 3, and 4.  This is going to be the cutest quilt!  My husband is going to say, "What are you going to do with this quilt?"
My reply, "I don't know, enjoy it, admire it, perhaps give it away?"
What would you say to your husband as I'm sure he wonders what you are going to do with all of your quilts too!!!

Baby Brit Quilt Along, week #10

 I wasn't able to finish machine quilting my Baby Brit quilt, but I took a big bite out of it!  I quilted all six blocks in the ditch, along every single seam.  

It was difficult to decide how to quilt it.  I love the blocks and the fabrics in each of them and didn't want to deter from the design.  I thought quilting in the ditch would preserve the beauty of the blocks.  I am going to do some fancy quilting on the white sashing and the polka dot binding.  

Here is the photo of my pinned quilt.

I put the photo sideways because you can see it closer.

See how quilting in the ditch makes the crosses in the block pop?

I have been dying to show you the fabric I bought for the back, Riley Blake's Chevron in red!  The stripes will be vertical on the quilt.  It is hard to see in this photo, but you can tell the shape of the Union Jack block by the quilting lines.  Notice the smaller line of Chevron?  That is where I joined the two pieces of fabric together.

Another tidbit of information, it took a whole hour to quilt each block!  That is way more time than I would have expected.

Next week I will try and have the quilting finished.

How are you doing on your quilt?

Paperdoll Block-Applique Tutorial, part 1

This is my last paperdoll block!  I am so excited to be close to finishing this quilt.  I shouldn't fool myself though because even though this is the last block, there is still lots of detail in the sashing.

The pattern comes with this drawing.

Next, I cut a piece of tracing paper to the specified size and trace the drawn images.

Freezer paper is paper on one side and a waxy finish on the other.

I trace all the pieces that are going to be appliqued, onto freezer paper, transfer the corresponding number, and cut them out.

I iron the freezer paper (the waxy side down) to the fabric, trace with a pencil, and cut out leaving a l/4" seam allowance.

Some of the applique pieces will be embroidered.  I take those pieces, remove the freezer paper, and lay them on the drawn image on my light box.  I trace the design onto the fabric and return the freezer paper to the fabric and iron back into place.  (The freezer paper can be ironed back onto fabric about 3 times)

The applique pieces are numbered in the order they need to be sewn onto the base fabric.  Piece 1 is the left tab on the baby doll pj's.  The base fabric doesn't have any markings on it.  That is why I need the tracing paper drawing.  I place the tab under the tracing paper and make sure it is centered correctly.  Then I add a drop of glue and return the tracing paper to make sure the tab is still in the correct position.  That is when I remove the freezer paper.

These are some of the tools I use when I applique.

Cotton thread, a needle threader, straw needles, Roxanne's glue, and a thin leaded pencil.

Using the same color thread as the tab, I stitch the tab in place.

I think the reason this method of applique is called needle turn, is because when you turn the corner while stitching, you tuck the seam allowance under with the needle as you sew.

On to piece number 2.

Piece number 2 still has the freezer paper ironed on to it.

Now I'm positioning piece number 5.

I stitched piece number 5, and have positioned piece number 6.

Stitching piece number 6.

Cute little baby doll pj's. That's what they used to be called when I was a little girl in the 60's.

Piece number 7.

Piece number 8.

Piece number 9.

PJ's and bunny slippers including their tabs are all appliqued.

T

I hope you enjoy watching this block come alive!

This paperdoll quilt was designed by Lori Holt, Bee in my Bonnet,

and sewn by me :)

A Tooth Fairy Envelope for Kennedy

Kennedy is my sweet little grand daughter.  

She turned 5 in July.

She learned how to ride her bicycle without the training wheels!

She began Kindergarten, and goes to school with her big brother Bridger who is in second grade. 

Little Charlotte is left home alone with only her mother to play with!  LOL

Kennedy and I like to bake cookies together.

.... and have tea parties.

Kennedy likes to use my camera to take pictures of me :)

Sometimes Kennedy is a camera hog...

but I don't care because I LOVE her!!!

Whenever I want to take her picture, she poses....

Her grandfather thinks she will be a model someday.

Kennedy told me she had a loose tooth.  She is growing up so fast.

I wanted to help make this moment special for her so I had an idea....

I asked her to draw a picture of the tooth fairy.

Her tooth fairy is as pretty as she is!  

Notice how she writes part of her "Y", onto the top of the "D" to make it look like an apple.

Pretty original!!!

I drew her drawing onto fabric and embroidered the image.

Kennedy and I went to the quilt shop together and she picked out some pretty pink fabric.

I made a fabric envelope to hold Kennedy's tooth.

She can slip the envelope under her pillow.

In the morning her tooth will be gone, and the tooth fairy will have left a treat in its place.

Kennedy said that the envelope will hold two teeth, one in the envelope and one in the pocket on the back.

Now Kennedy says she has TWO loose teeth :)

I sure do ♥ that 5 year old grand daughter of mine!!!

Baby Brit Quilt Along, week #9

Hi everyone!  I am finally home after helping my daughter in her home for a month.  Baby Benjamin is doing well and Maisie is adjusting to having a new baby brother :)

As promised, I added the sashing to my baby brit blocks.

Originally I purchased white fabric with red polka dots for the sashing, but I felt it was too busy. I decided to sash the quilt in white. 

 I also had a difficult time choosing the fabric for the posts that go in between the sashing. The pattern suggests using the fabric used in the blocks, but it seemed to be too loud and I didn't want the posts to show up more than the blocks.  I found some pale blue Kona that I think works really well.  It is a soft color and matches the light blue polka dot and flowered fabric in the blocks.

I like it!

Now for the border.....I was going to use white but now it seems  as though there is too much white. Here is the polka dot fabric that I was going to use for the sashing.  Which do you think looks better?

I decided to go with the polka dot fabric.

By the way, the pattern tells you to cut too much fabric for the border.  Only cut seven 5"XWOF strips for the border fabric.

I like the polka dot fabric, but there is something missing....

I don't redo my quilts very often, but I just had to this time!

I unpicked all of the polka dot borders that I sewed and added some red rick rack.

I think the red rick rack adds a lot of pizzazz!

What do you think?

Next week I hope to have the machine quilting done to show you :)

Paperdoll Block

LINDSAY and REBECCA

run through the

SPRINKLERS...

they ride bikes to the

5 and DIME

for penny candy!

I love the vintage bathing suit with the red embroidered trim and belt loops.

Don't you just love the scalloped, polka dot sunglasses?

I love the orange soda in the glass bottle with the green and white striped straw.  The candy was fun to embroider, especially the long piece of licorice!

That is exactly what I used to do as a child.....play in the sprinklers in the backyard and then walk or ride my bike for a few blocks to the corner candy store.  

I used to buy chocolate bars for ten and twenty five cents, and popsicles.  I especially liked string licorice.  I would buy three strings and braid them, and then eat the braid :)

Does this bring back memories for you?