Wednesday, July 25, 2007

July Doll Quilt Challenge


July Doll Quilt Challenge
Originally uploaded by lasassone
Yesterday I made this doll quilt top for the Doll Quilt challenge group on Flickr. The July challenge was to use this tutorial you can find here to make a doll quilt. I learned a lot and might just do another one now that I have the experience behind me. It was very difficult to put the rows together (see them running vertically?) The final result was only 14" by 15" so that is why I added the borders. I am thinking to finish this one I may just turn the borders to the back for a faux binding.

Since it was the July challenge I used various red, white and blue patriotic prints and a couple reads-as-solid prints the last of which I also ended up using for the borders. I'm happy with how it turned out, but the process of putting it all together was rather angst-ridden to say the least! Certainly no need for matching points in the whole process though!

Since I don't have access to my stash I HAD to go to the fabric store today to get more white fabric in order to make the backing. I plan to use some left over blocks on the back and will post a picture of the whole thing after I finish machine quilting it.

When I was at JoAnn-Fabrics today I also bought a pattern for a simple tunic and pair of elastic waist pants. I bought some linen/cotton blend on sale to try out the pattern. I want to make drawstring pants out of the pattern which I don't think will be hard.

What IS hard for me is finding clothing - pants mostly - that I can wear without altering the length. Being a short person - sometimes even shorter than what they call petite - buying pants is a real challenge. Sunday when the realtor held an open house here for the sale of our home, we drove north to an outlet mall in which is the closest Dress Barn Petite store around. In the past I have always found SOMEthing to add to the wardrobe there. Of course being that it has been inventory time for them and also they are prepping for the Fall Season - don't you know I could find a thing in the store in my size?

Grrrrr......I used to make all my clothes once upon a time but I can't tell you how long it's been since I did any clothing sewing. So, making myself a pair of comfy pants shouldn't be so hard, right? I'm a veteran of many sewing classes and even once made my husband, aka G, a tailored pair of slacks.

Piece of cake!

I'm finding all this spare time I have right now, while we wait for the house to sell, good for stitching, especially during the day when the light is good. I've finished 3 of the BlueBerry Hill Redwork Christmas ornament designs and have already started the 4th one. I am planning on making them into snowball blocks when I finally get access to my stored stash. Meanwhile I have posted pictures below of the 3 blocks I have finished so far!

Stitch On!

1 comment:

Sweet P said...

What a cute little quilt. I can relate to the problem with clothes shopping. Although since I have to dress up for the office I get lucky with high heels.