::I Spy Quilt::

One thing I did for Sewing Summit was to join a fabric swap.  Wasn't sure what it was all about but I'm so glad I did it.  I got all these awesome squares of fabric in the exchange!  They are so cute and it's fun to see what you get.  This one was an I-Spy swap so all the fabrics have cute, little images.  

Coupled with Amy's inspiration and my daughter's teacher having a baby and voila!

Oooopssss.  I always have trouble with the darn corners.  Any suggestions to avoid that?

I decided to pin baste it and skip the spray.  I used the knitting/crocheting needle to help pull the pin tip up and out of the fabric.  Super easy.  All I could think of when I pinned was visiting my gram and watching her sit on the floor with her head and shoulders bent over and pinning her quilts on her family room floor~ most were very large.  She still quilts at 96 years young and it's so sweet to watch her work.  

More work to be done and I hope to do it soon!

Doll Quilt: Newbie Style!

I am pretty proud of myself. I might even be on a sewing high. Is there such a thing? Yes, yes, there is. I made my very first quilt last night and it really didn't take too long at all. Santa is making doll beds for the American Girl dolls for Christmas (look for blog post once done) and I thought that, in the spirit of a handmade gift, I make doll quilts for the girls. I am so happy I did. I am so, so proud of myself. Did I mention that already? Sorry.

I followed the quilt top pattern for this doll quilt. This was a nice simple, quick quilt top to cut and piece together. I would say that 80% of my corners lined up with just a few here and there off by a smidge. (I am def looking forward to perfecting this.)

In the interest of time (the 25th is fast approaching!), I did NOT learn/teach myself quilt binding though that is now inching towards the top of my long to do list. I finished the quilt by stacking up the quilt top, batting and backing and then stitching 3/4s of the way closed. Turned it inside out and then did a basting stitch around the perimeter.

For some more visual interest, I added another basting stitch around the perimeter of the pieced squares. I like it because it gives some depth and also some durability.

I chose Cath Kidston remnants from the duvet cover Mimi made me awhile back. I didn't have batting and Jo-Ann's is 30 minutes away, but I did have some very heavy interfacing which I adhered to the back of the quilt top. The back of the quilt is a very pretty Michael Miller.

Ruthie is sleeping so much easier with her new quilt. Santa took a quick pic while the girls were at school.

The top and the back together. I really love how it turned out.

I really am quite proud to begin a journey in a long line of master quilters (Nana, Gram, Mimi, Aunt Theresa, Court, Mary). I've caught the bug peeps!