Thread: January 2013 Doll Quilt Swap Sign Up

Originally Posted by Lynnie25

buslady, I didn't realise you were having a birthday this month a good excuse to send you a little something extra. I have started your DQ and I sure hope you have a good sense of humor cause you will laugh at my DQ to you (well I hope you do). Anyway, both DQ and birthday surprise will get to you later than the 17th because the weekend after next I have a stall at the local Hobbies Craft and Collectibles Expo with my quilts so next week and that weekend are going to be super busy for me. And we are going back to our shack this coming weekend but I can get most of your DQ pieced there.. *Sigh*

Good news is that the bushfire disaster in Tasmania has eased, fires still burning out of control but not a real threat to any more towns or properties at present. And no loss of life so far so lots of prayers that it stays that way. And one of my favourite little communities down South where the fires were burning has been saved... this little community all have their houses/cottages/shacks named starting with 'Do'... the place is affectionately called 'Doo Town' LOL

Mainland Australia is gearing up for extreme temps today of over 40degC and a couple of States already have bushfires burning out of control, sure hope we don't have another day like Black Saturday in Victoria a few years ago.

I don't know why Lynnie but the fires down there just made me cry. I can't think or bear the thought of any part of australia burning up. The fire from several years ago came real close to my daughter's mum-in-law's ranch. I am hoping that they get the fires that are now burning under control before the winds and temps pick up. They are expecting over 100 degrees. That is hot no matter where you live.
My prayers for all to be safe.

Oklahoma City Quilt show this coming weekend ......gotta look for
goodies for the squishy going out this time .... don't ya'll just love
quilt shows ......lol

I finished my dq. I hate it. quilted it totally done. hate it. so Dragonfly plan b. that one will surely work. think so. hope so its on the dinner table ready for cutting. what a bummer in the summer!! this time I have faith in what I have planned. I will get that done this afternoon when I get back and it will be in the mail tomorrow. Phew.

Fire scaresthe living daylights out of me. Always did, my dad was the king of making such a huge fire in the fireplace in winter. My mom would go into panic and tell him he was going to burn the house down he would tell her to shut up it was fine her voice would raise and fear. you could feel her fear the sparks are shooting out all over you put too much wood in.. as a tiny one that scared me. if mom is scared you have to worry.. and I guess that stuck. now I love the wood burning stove but close that darned door. the dh keeps it open when its first going and I sit there glued staring at it please dont roll out.. I move to slow. and I live in the national forest which has a tendancy to go up every so often. I am so sorry for all who lost their homes and am very glad they are all safe. that is what matters the most.

Where did you find your inspiration for your doll quilt? I go to Pinterest now when I need a boost creativity wise. so many pretty quilts on there. Faster than searching the web I think. Wish I had time to make all of them!

Linda - sorry that you hate the first one. It is probably adorable, but we are all most critical of ourselves.
I draw inspiration from all kinds of places but mostly from magazine. Sometimes I like a piece of art shown, sometimes it is a rug pattern and I think - that would make a neat quilt!

The first one I started was too murky. Now I'm onto something cheerful. Except on block four I realized I put one piece on the wrong way. Grrrrr.

OK. I read the requests for a focus color. Haven't we done something like that before - black and white with a splash of (fill in the blank). So what color? What if someone hates the color? Well, I guess that way they can get rid of it.

While you hash it out, I have the idea for February ... the word is FAUX. More on this to follow ...

After 30 years of quilting, I am still hesitant to try some stitching on my sewing machine other than straight stitch, so I usually do my blanket stitch by hand. But on buslady's little DQ, I have quite a lot of blanketstitch to do so I have jumped right in and done it on the machine...oh my I hope they all turn out okay. Hopefully I will improve the more I do Here is a little sneak peak of one already done.

After all, this is why we all participate in these swaps isn't it - to throw caution to the wind and jump in feet first and try some new stitch / technique / pattern - maybe I would do a better job if I were using my feet

Ohhhhh! Sneeky peeks!!! I like what I see! I wish I had enough to give you a sneeky peek. I really feel the pressure. Been looking for turquoise and purple fabrics, hoping to get some inspiration. Significantly increased my stash, but not my inspiration!! Gotta do some PC surfing. It usually goes this way. Then, all of a sudden, it hits me, and I am off to the races. I hope it happens soon, as I wanted to get this one out early. Sooooooo, I am glad you are in no hurry, cause I ain't. LOL I like to coordinate the mailing with my swap partner so we receive at about the same time. Not sure if that is possible with the iffy trans continental postal service. Hows that for a mouth full. LOL
Anyway, don't you worry about the Birthday thing, I try to forget. As a matter of fact, this morning I was doing the math thing trying to figure out how old I will be. I think I will stick with 49 for a couple more years. LOL
And I am oh so jelous! I wish I could go the the shack and sew. Does it have electricity? Do you have a sewing machine, or do you do hand work while there? My DBIL has a cabin up north that we can use, but he closes it down in the winter. Says he can't keep the drive clear. OH POOOO!! There is a huge hill right there that is begging to be sled on. Have fun up there, and I am so glad to hear the fires are down some.
I think I have a great sense of humor. Sometimes it comes off a little off though, cause I tend to say things to people I don't know very well, and they just look at me like I'm nuts. I have to explain that it was a joke. By then it is to late. LOL If you have to explain it, it ain't funny. Ya think?!?
On the note of inspirations, I like to look through my magazines, even sales stuff with ideas on them. This board gives me lots of inspiration. And I have been inpired to try lots of new techniques. When you are working on something small, if you make a mistake, or don't like the technique, smaller IS better. I think that is why I am so stressed out about this month. Everything I can think of, I have already done. I want to do something new. It will come to me.
I like the idea of a DQ theme based on a cute/inspirations/silly quote or saying. Maybe have each person that signs up submit a couple that they really like and their partner can choose something from that list, and/or have their own inspiration. The posting would give you an idea of what that person likes, at any rate. That way no one would be offended. Like someone who doesn't like animals geting something about pets, or an athiest getting something spiritual. (I tried to pick 2 very extreme cases to make my point). Who don't love animals, not a quilter that I know!! Just cause you don't have them, don't mean you don't like them. OK, now I am just rambling. Bye for now.

This month I am lurking and watching what you all are coming up with. But I want to pass on that my quilt instructor has all the doll quilts that we did in class in one download on her site. The patterns will be up for about a month.
Lynbrown.com It is called 2012 Doll Quilt E book. It has all 14 doll quilt patterns which some of you may like and it is free for now.

buslady, don't worry too much about the colors, you know I just like the whole surprise of receiving a Dolls Quilt - as the saying goes 'I'm easy'.

Yes, we have electricity now at the shack, didn't for the first 20 years we just relied on a noisy generator or gas lamps so all I could do was handsewing. But as my eyesight failed and I complained that I couldn't see to read or sew, DH decided to put electricity on. So now I have a room dedicated just to sewing with 2 sewing machines, cutting table, ironing board and lots of containers of scraps. I will take a photo to show you.

You wouldn't believe that after the horrific bushfires over the weekend, the past couple of days have been almost like winter and there was even snow in the highlands - we certainly can get 4 seasons in one day. But although the fires down south are still burning and are a threat to some communities, the worst has gone (for now) - time for recovery. No lives lost but about 130 properties and so many animals in distress, it makes me cry seeing the images.

I get my inspiration for quilts from blogspots on the computer, I have hundreds of photos of quilts downloaded onto my computer that I want to make one day... hahaha, like that is going to happen. I also love quilting magazines and I usually see something I like and draw the pattern up to suit myself.