A Quilt for Baby K--Suggestions?

I'm working with my collection of reproduction vintage fabrics to make a special Grandma quilt for our newest little granddaughter.

Repro vintage prints make me happy--they remind me so much of the treasured quilts, made by my own grandmas, that were in our house when I was a child. A couple of which are mine today!

I've spent some enjoyable time hovering over my stash, and came up with a pleasing group of colors and pieces. So far, I've made 13 random 9-patch squares, then chose 12 of the same pieces and made the alternating applique' hearts.

I always seek the advice of my expert quilt block arranger (daughter Lol) when laying out a quilt, but in this case it doesn't seem to matter too much how the blocks are arranged, the colors and pieces are so random!

So, I have the blocks dealt out on my dollar store design wall, ready to be stitched together. At that point, the quilt will measure 28 inches by 28 inches.

So. . .what next? It definitely needs to be larger, so I'm thinking borders. Pieced? Narrow? Print? Multiple? If so, how many? I'll audition a few ideas with my stash fabrics and think.

Any ideas?

Miniatures Monday--Tiny Picnic!

Summer's end is on the horizon, and my Littlest Pet Shop Blythes wanted to squeeze in one last picnic before school starts. . .so we all went to the park!

Antonia and Dot apparently cooked all day--and it looks like we all had the same ideas as far as the menu goes.

The little girls are fortunate to have inherited the contents of my late, lamented dollhouse--the picnic table was a club project 'way back in the day, and their packaged food came from a club exchange. You can just barely see their tiny picnic basket, and most of their 'fresh' food is made from Fimo.

I can't remember where I got the soda cans, but they make me very happy! And the tiny Tupperware bowl is my favorite!

Thrift Thursday--Ikea Mirrors, $1.50!

Ikea came to our area several years ago, and it's a delight to wander through the store thinking and dreaming. And stopping at the food shop.

Even more delightful, I found these three small Ikea mirrors at the thrift store for only $.50 each ($2.99 each at Ikea, and a bargain it that). And just the color I've been adding to my living room!

I have hung them in the narrow space next to the front door, above my dearly beloved Craftsman high chair--my maternal grandparents bought the chair for their oldest child in 1915, and it's now holding its fourth generation of children--all of whom are united by the memory of being bumped on the noggin by the hinged tray as it is lowered over their heads.

Being of solid Arts and Crafts construction, the chair is in pretty good condition after all these years. I keep a yard sale mirror on the tray, to hold our letters and keys next to the door.

It pleases me to think how the chair has been a part of daily lives across the generations--hope to see it go on to one more!

At the Knittin' Kitten in Portland. . .

. . .wonderful vintage sewing (and knitting) finds!

In Portland, Oregon recently, we visited the wonderful Knittin' Kitten craft store, and it was a delight. What a great concept-- a sewing and knitting thrift store!

I was thinking small, and found these great small scale vintage fabrics, plus the lovely bamboo double-point knitting needles, size O and 1. And the graphics on the 'Starsnap' snaps are fabulous! Vintage trims are often so much nicer in quality than the current selection--witness the tiny rickrack and crochet trim. And I must confess that I bought the vintage Barbie outfit just for the boots--they are classic!

I can't wait to make small things--how I wish the Knittin' Kitten was in MY neighborhood!

Miniatures Monday--Tiny Teapots!

My dollhouse miniatures have been put away for a while now, but I was recently drawn to that particular row of boxes on the shelf, and had a happy time reconnecting with some of my tiny things.

I originally made this tiny teapot collection for the dining room of my dollhouse--it all started out as beads, jewelry findings, paint, and Fimo. And it occurs to me only now that some of them are small versions of my ceramic-fruits and-vegetables collection!

Thrift Thursday--'50's Girl Makes a Comeback!

On a thrift store outing several years ago, I found this sad 1950's girl, and snatched her up--for only $1.00, and in a vintage dress! She was in excellent shape, except for her poor, sad hair. I'm afraid her last owner must have been a scissors-happy child, and I've been thinking how best to help her ever since. (My apologies to her for the extremely unflattering photo.)

She has blue sleep eyes that still work well, and is nicely made but unmarked. 8" dolls were very popular in the 1950's--happy childhood memories! (I still have my own '50's girl, and many of her little things.)

So, I have finally become brave, and decided to just go ahead and re-root her hair. Since this is a thrift-store project, I found a long haired donor doll for only $2.00--we need not feel sad for her, as she had met with an accident and will continue on in a new form! Armed with on-line instructions, I have cut off all remaining hair and proceeded.

'50's girl is all vinyl, so I was able to take off her head and work from inside with a fine crochet hook. The donor doll provided plenty of hair--the whole thing was a little tricky, but my technique is improving! (Hope the graphic photo doesn't make anyone queasy!)

Next step--her hairstyle. It seems that 1950's 8-inch dolls all had wavy or curly hair--not sure what to do about that.

We'll see.