Fall Quilt nearing Completion

Here's the back...I love the corn fabric, but couldn't find a good place for it on the front.

And the front, in all of it's fuzziness. It needs a little more quilting. I ran out of inspiration. A binding and a label, and voila...it will be ready to mail to somebody.

Making Progress

I am actually quilting now!...

A Sneak Peek...

Can't reveal who it's for, but here's a quick (and not so clear!..) look at the progress of the Fall quilt thus far. Still needs borders and quilting. It is really prettier than the picture shows. Hopefully the recipient will think so too.

Hungry Caterpillar has something to eat

Here's the back...
close up...you can see all of the foods the caterpillar eats.
And the front is mostly pieced together. Still needs a red outer narrow border, feet on the big caterpillar, butterfly (it's in appliqued parts awaiting a patient seamstress to sew them to the quilt) and a face on the fuzzy & fat caterpillar.
Good progress the last couple days. Phew... I really ready to be doing the smocking of Sophie's Christmas dress but this must be finished in 7 weeks so I need to have it ready to hand quilt in the evenings. A seamstresses work is never done...

Book Blanket Challenge

Our local Project Linus chapter is hosting a Book-Blanket Challenge this fall. The idea is to select a children's story and design a quilt around it or one of it's characters. The quilts will be given to children at Barbara Bush Children's hospital between Thanksgiving and the end of December. It's a great thing, and gives me chills every time I think about it. It makes me sad to think that it could be my kid in the hospital. It's sad to think of any child there at Christmas.

So, here's the story I have chosen. It's fun and bright and genderless. Perfect.

Several months ago I sketched this as the concept for the quilt. Very informal, could've on a cocktail napkin!

Here's a few of the panels. None are really finished, but they are coming along well.

There's nice bright sun with most of a caterpillar appliqued onto it. Hungry Caterpillar won't be too hungry until I add his head! The sun has these satiny reys that will be knotted when it is finished. I have tried to add several tactile items. Upper right is the coccoon. It's fleece, and has a little stuffing in it.

The Hungry Caterpillar ate one green leaf... He's embroidered in this scene.

Hungry caterpillar hasn't got his eyes and antennae yet, but he is big and fat! A great variagated green fleece, with looped satin ribbon. Love the lollypop material that I'm using as the border.

I have yet to start on the butterfly that will be on the central part of the quilt. It again will have tactile items, like nubbly antennae, pieces of it's wings that move/crinkle, etc, and lots of color. Here's a sneak peek at the fabrics going on the back. Anybody know where I can get cheese, pickle or sausage fabric???

Holiday Dress Making, Part III

OK, did I mention that there were 2 sisters?? Here's dress #2...
I have already completed the 2 front pinnafore sections that are smocked. They are similar to the other dress's but not exactly the same. The piece below is just a rectangular section that will attach to the smocked bodice piece. It will eventually be cut using the bodice pattern (to curve for nect & arm holes).

Smocked bodice #2 with mini-piping sewn at the top.

Same piece, now with the top of the bodice rectangle added. It's now ready for cutting. But I haven't done that yet! Next post...
OK, onto the trimmings. I got this fabulous 1.625" eyelet from Ebay at about a third the going price. Saw it at Joann's (heads turn...Oh God, she shops at Joann's?) for $3 a yard. I got nearly 14 yards for $10. Only problem is that it was white and I wanted ivory. So...I tea stained it. The result was exactly what I wanted. Good recipe to remember: 1 standard tea bag per cup of boiling water. Let steep 30 minutes. Allow soak of 30 minutes. Then rinse/soak with cool water. The color difference is subtle, but it makes all the difference when it is next to the ivory color of the under-dress.
Oh, have I mentioned that I have hardly sewn a seam that I haven't ripped out. I'm darn near ready to toss these dresses out the window. I was going on someone else's measurements for lengths. Very trusting person I am! The pinnafore had lovely pleats (2) around the hem like the purple dress I did recently. I held it up to my son, who is 4-5 inches shorter than the girl it is for. The dress hit mid-calf on him. I croaked! That's where I wanted it to be on her! UGGH...So I ditched the pleats and gained 2" of length. Best compromise I could find short of strangling the measurer! Seing as she's family, that would not have looked good.

Swapdex

Please note that http://www.swapdex.blogspot.com/ now is a site available that lists available swaps.