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Strawberry Fields doll quilt finished

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Ta da!!! Strawberry Fields is finished.  It’s a fun doll quilt that Lori of Humble Quilts posted as a quilt along.

She drew her inspiration from an antique quilt, which was full sized.  She downsized the blocks and changed the setting to the fun zig-zag.

Her fabric choices were close to the original and I chose to make mine similar too, by using reproduction fabrics.

I had a lot of fun with this quilt along, but when it came time to quilt my little darling I found it kind of fiddly to quilt.

Soo…I basted the edge to an old towel so I could put it in my quilting hoop.

That helped a lot.  I know a lot of people quilt free handed, but I’m more comfortable using a hoop…and my hoop is big!

I guess it depends on what a person is used to?

With the towel added I could quilt away.

I used a toile fabric I had on hand for my backing.

I enjoy seeing what people use on their backs and wish they’d show us more in the books that document old quilts.

The stitching usually shows up better on the back too.

You may be wondering what that other quilt is?

It’s the second quilt I made from the fun quilt along Lori did last…Cheddar and Crackers.

I enjoyed doing one in  blue and white with cheddar.  Then I wanted to try a second colorway.

I call it:  Cheddar and Crackers with Watermelon.

This colorway is kind of unusual to our modern eyes..but it would have been right at home in an antique quilt.

I’m very happy with my two newest doll quilts!

Thanks Lori!  :)

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Posted in Doll quilts, quilt along | 28 Comments »

Strawberry Fields together and ready for quilting

Saturday, May 8th, 2010


My Strawberry Fields doll quilt top is together and ready for quilting!
This was a fun little quilt to make. I know it looks big in the pic, but it’s only about 19″x26″.
If you didn’t join us for this quilt along but like the look of a zig zag setting I thought I’d post the formula for figuring the size to cut the setting triangles for anyone that doesn’t know how to figure the cutting numbers. You can do the setting with any size block. You take the finished block size x 1.414 + 1.25 =the size you cut the square to cut the triangles from. In this case it was a 5″ block which would be finished 4.5″ x 1.414 = 6.363 + 1.25 = 7.613 (7 5/8″)
The setting triangles will be cut from a 7 5/8″ square cut on the diagonal from corner to corner or in an X through it.
Strawberry Fields setting004
I had my blocks pinned up on my design wall, so I pinned the setting pieces up as I cut them so I knew I had what I needed. The blocks are sewn together in rows. The triangles at the top and bottom of the row are cut a little differently so the grain of the fabric ends up where you want it. The formula for cutting those is finished block size (4.5″)divided by 1.414 + .875 =4.057 That’s a weirdo number. Always round up to 1/8″ on weirdo numbers. :) so cut that square 4 1/8″ and cut across on the diagonal once this time.
I had a fat quarter I wanted to use. I had to piece it to get all of the pieces I needed, but it worked. I had just a little scrap left.
Strawberry Fields setting005 Once the rows are pieced you will join them together. I like to fold the setting triangle in half and place a pin in that place. Then I line the pins up with the edge of a block and pin so everything lines up just right when I sew the rows together. Be sure to trim the “dog ears” from joining your pieces. You don’t want that extra bulk in there when you go to quilt your top.
Strawberry Fields setting006
Once I got my top together I had to decide how to quilt it.
I quilted a zig zag setting before and just quilted the blocks in the ditch and did lines down the zig zag. This time I wanted to something a little fancier so I went through my stencils and found a design I could cut in half and flip flop along the zig zag to get a flowing design.
While I was marking, I decided to add a little to the blocks too. I won’t know until I start the quilting if I’ll quilt those lines or just stitch in the ditch? That will have to wait a few days because I have a quilt in the hoop. ;)
Thank you Lori! I really had fun making this little quilt.

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Posted in Doll quilts, Pieced quilts, quilt along | 13 Comments »

Strawberry Fields Quilt Along

Sunday, May 2nd, 2010

As soon as Lori posted the pics and piecing info for the Strawberry Fields blocks on her blog I just had to jump in and piece a trial block.
Strawberry Fields samples002
What fun little blocks!
I decided to piece my blocks a bit scrappy so they looked like they were made from bits of fabrics pulled from a scrap bag.
Strawberry Fields samples004
I pieced one of my black pieces so it would look like a poverty patch. I always enjoy seeing those in antique quilts.
I used a variety of shirting prints too.
In one block I used a solid piece of fabric with a puppy in the center, instead of piecing that like the rest of the blocks.

Strawberry Fields samples003
I had a lot of fun changing little things in the blocks.
When you are doing blocks with all of the same pieces, but change the color placement in some, they are called renegade blocks. I always enjoy seeing those in quilts too, so I had to add some.
Strawberry Fields samples005
This little quilt has two half blocks in it. Lori showed how to piece those, but didn’t show how she trimmed them, so I thought I would mention it for those of you who may not be familiar with working with half blocks. You can’t just make a block and cut it in half. It won’t be the right size when you go to sew the blocks together.
Strawberry Fields blocks001
To trim your half blocks, line up the points of the block with the cutting lines on your cutting mat.
Strawberry Fields blocks003
Lay your ruler so that the 1/4″ mark is laying on the grid line. Then make your cut along the edge of the ruler.
Strawberry Fields blocks004
This will give you the additional 1/4″ your block needs when you set your blocks together for the zig-zag setting.

I have my blocks completed and I look forward to setting the blocks together! :)

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Posted in Doll quilts, quilt along | 13 Comments »

Another Quilt Along?

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Yes! Absolutely yes!
Lori of Humble Quilts is posting another quilt along on her blog. I had so much fun with the Cheddar and Crackers doll quilt she did a while back that I made two versions, so I’ve been anxiously waiting for this one.

This doll quilt will get it’s color scheme from an antique quilt. Lori has posted fabric selections and hints to choose fabrics with a similar feel to the original.
Strawberry Fields fabrics001
Lori is using scraps but I’m just lopping off pieces from yardage I have. I bought these fabrics with nothing in particular in mind and haven’t used them yet..so didn’t have scraps. ;) Either way is fine.

If you’ve never done a quilt along before you might like to give this a try? Lori gives wonderful instructions with pics. You wouldn’t have to use the antique color scheme she has posted, if that’s not your style..you could do holiday colors or themes, or something that suits you and end up with a cute little quilt for decorating.

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Posted in Doll quilts, quilt along | 7 Comments »

Little Baskets doll quilt

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

I have a new finish!

Little Baskets Mini finished008

I started an applique project a while back. They’re  Little Baskets inspired by the ones in When a Cold Wind Blows by blackbird designs.

The book wasn’t in my budget so I drew up my own basket.

I do a few baskets in between doing other things.

I decided to try doing a doll quilt with little baskets.  I drew up a little basket and appliqued them to 2.25″ squares.  That odd size made the math for the setting triangles a little tricky, but it all worked out. ;) This one finishes at 13.5″ x 16.5″.

Little Baskets Mini finished001

I decided to add triangles to the top corners for holding a dowel for hanging.

Once the top was quilted and the binding was sewn to the top side I cut 3″ squares..then folded them into triangle. Those are then stitched on in the seam allowance of the binding.

Little Baskets Mini finished003

Then the binding is turned to the back side and hand stitched as usual.

With these triangles added I  can easily slip a little dowel in to hang the little quilt.

The advantage is that I can hang the little quilt with just a tiny finishing nail.  The little quilt can easily be taken down and a different little quilt of any size can be hung in it’s place.

Little Baskets Mini finished009

The dowels are very inexpensive and no fancy hangers are needed.

I learned this method years ago from a quilting magazine. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the source so I can’t give credit to whomever thought of this. I didn’t know to save the source info, just the method.  I had no idea that years later I’d have a computer in my home and would be posting this on a blog?

Little Baskets Mini finished010

This isn’t the place that I’ll keep this little quilt hanging. I took a trivet off the kitchen wall and popped the little quilt in it’s place to show how none of the mechanics for hanging the quilt show.

I think this method would be especially good if doing a wall of quilts where you wouldn’t want a bunch of hangers showing?

How do you hang your little quilts?

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Posted in Doll quilts | 16 Comments »

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