Way too much fun...

I made a few sets of doll bedding.  Way too much fun.  I get an extreme kick out of making the pillow cases.  What is that?  Doll quilts are an awesome way to use up some scrappy bits.  With these little quilts, I just used a layer of flannelette sheeting rather than batting.  It makes the quilt a little more doll friendly but I have to say that it makes it more of a challenge to quilt when there is not as much substance.

These little finish at about 25" square.  Cute!

I had an awesome day yesterday with a drive into Vancouver with a friend.  We had a great time at Granville Island and even managed to stop at the Spool of Thread!  Awesome!!!!  Enjoy the sunshine!

Dolly Pillow Tutorial... and I actually won something!

First of all, I have been faithfully entering giveaways all of over the place forever and I have never, ever won anything until today!  I actually won Riel's giveaway over at the Q and the U!  It must have been my lucky words... "Pick me, pick me, pick me!" that did it!!!   Thanks so much, Riel!  I have won some of her "I Spy" scraps.  Happiness and glee!

A few people wondered about the measurements for the doll pillow from the other day. I initially used the tutorial that Amanda Jean has over at her blog Crazy Mom Quilts but I felt the pillow she made was too small in scale for the doll beds that Husband makes so this is my take on a dolly pillow for a quilt that measures about 16" x 18".

For the pillow:

1 piece of fabric 8" x 10.5"  (I like to use stripes because then it looks like ticking!)

Turn under one edge 1/4" and press.  Fold in half and sew 2 sides together, leaving the end with the pressed under edge open for turning and stuffing.  Use a 1/4" seam.  Turn, stuff lightly for dolly comfort.  Sew close to the edge finishing your wee pillow.

For the Pillowcase:

1 piece of fabric 12.5" x 6.5" (main fabric choice)
1 piece of fabric 12.5" x 4"  (contrast)

Place wrong sides together, sew with a 1/4" seam.  Press the seam towards the contrasting fabric and turn under 1/4" along the edge of the contrast.  Pin, carefully matching the seam.  Sew down the long side and the end of the pillow case.  Turn and very carefully fold under the contrast so the turned under edge just meets the pressed seam.  Very carefully sew along the edge.  Here is a picture.  It is a little tricky but it can be done!  If you mess up and you don't like your finished seam, you can very nicely hide the whole shebang with some lace or rick rack.  Dolls are very forgiving!

Press to make it pretty and tuck your little pillow inside the case.  Ahhh, so cute!  Don't you feel so very clever!  And what a lovely little gift for a child.  Great stocking stuffer or a little extra something with a gift.  It doesn't have to go along with a quilt although that makes it all the more special!

Have a lovely evening!

Dolly Bedding is just so much fun!

Each year my school district gets involved with a silent auction to raise money to host a Christmas dinner for the homeless and less fortunate.  The Student Leadership Team gets involved and it is a great event.  It is also a great way to get your Christmas shopping done as it is held each year just before Christmas.  Last year, I had an idea to donate a doll bed with the appropriate bedding.  I convinced Husband to make the doll bed and I provided the bedding.  So much fun!  The doll bed and bedding raised $80 at last year's sale.  I was delighted!  I managed to get Husband to make another one so we could donate a second one.  He is just so clever!

Here it is!  Cute as can be.  The quilt is is mostly Moda's Amelia with some dots for fun and I backed the wee quilt with a Kaffe Fasset print and bound with a scrappy binding.  Only the best for dolly for sure!  I also made a little mattress pad with multiple layers of batting scraps tucked between some flannel with little pink ballerina princesses. The little quilt measures 16" x 18" and is put together with 3.5" squares. I love it!!!!!

I am going to link this up with Megan's Sew Modern Monday and tomorrow with Fabric Story Tuesday at Quilt Story!  Check out all the other lovely finishes too!

Dolly quilt!

I made a doll quilt last summer and Husband made a sweet little bed.  We then donated the whole shebang to a charity auction.  It was a great success.  Mum found a cute little doll bed at a garage sale and plans to give it a fresh coat of paint but... oh my goodness!  Wherever will she find dolly bedding for the cute little bed so she can donate the works to another silent auction for charity.  Today I whipped up a little dolly quilt and pillow.  Oh my goodness. This is just way too much fun!  I am waiting to hear from Mum for exact measurements and then I will make a little mattress pad for the complete well dressed doll bed.

SO... I pulled out a scrap bag bought awhile ago.  It was just perfect for this purpose.  I think it must be a new line-fabric samples.  Oh!  I just figured it out.  It is a just released fabric for Moda.  Amelia by Me and My Sisters.  I am just so trendy, I cannot stand it.  Anyway.  It is pretty fabric and I paired it with a pink solid and some dots tat I bought as a remnant.  Actually it was a free remnant because sometimes fabric stores just love giving away stuff if you buy something else.  I love fabric stores.

The quilt measures 16" by 24" .  I used 4.4" squares in a random mixed up layout.  Here is the fun part.  I sandwiched the quilt with batting and a solid pink flannelette.  Soft for dolly.   And quilted in the centre of each square, free motion flowers.  Ahhhh... so cute!  I was quite pleased with my flowers.  A scrappy binding from the same line and from the same scrap bag finishes it off.  I also put together a pillow and pillow case.

I think Mum will be pleased.  I am going to take it up to her tomorrow when I go for a visit.  Off to the Sunny Okanagan for a few days.  I will keep up with the blog from Mum's.  We will have to see what kind of trouble we can get it to together!

Have a super Wednesday and give a free motion flower a try sometime!  FUN!!!!  I am going to link this post up  with Fabric Story Tuesday next week!!!

Doll quilt donation

I am almost up to date with my projects from 2010 and then I can start on this year!  So I had this thought.  A call went out for donations for a silent auction.  The school district's high school leadership kids were going to have a silent auction to raise money to put on a Christmas Dinner for the homeless.  I thought of making something.  I used this tutorial from Crazy Mom quilts.  Dolly bedding.  Fabric from my stash.  Then I hinted to husband that a doll bed would be so nice.  It's quilted with straight lines.  Made a little mattress pad and a pink flanelette nightgown.  Suggested again to husband that a doll bed would be so nice.  And so...

Cute or what?  The doll is my model.  And the best part of the whole story is that the doll quilt and little bed made $80 at the silent auction.  We already have an order for another for next Christmas.  The person who bought it wants to just donate $80 to the silent auction without having to go through the pressure and stress of winning the bid.  Too funny.  She has a second niece to gift it to.  I think we can manage that.