I still have something to show you and it is fantastic! It stays close to me so I can see it every time I lift my head from the laptop or my knitting.

I am so proud and happy to have it and to show you….  the Doll Quilt Swap Quilt Pink Trees sent me!
I usually post just one picture per post. I have to change this right now! There is so much to see and admire in this little beauty! So read on for more pictures

This quilt is very special for so many reasons apart form the obliviously perfect style and brilliant craftsmanship!

It is the second one she made for this swap. The first was ruined by unexpected and unlikely rain. I was sorry because I loved the first and I had some feeling it was for me.

I felt it when I saw the fabrics she was planning to use for it. I doubt it was really ruined but I am happy she made this marvelous second quilt.

I love the colours, the prints, the quilting, the little details.

It is perfect. And it is mine!

Look at it!

I got a an invitation to visit the customs to get this quilt. I was back from a trade show in a super rainy, chily, windy evening when I saw it. I had to go and visit them and then do a whole buch of various thing downtown.

And I was carrying the big box, slightly disappointed the packaged seemed to come from a “wrong’ country. I wanted it to come from Pink Trees! Then I realized it might be anyway and I believed it. I was right and so happy to open the box after carrying it unopen for almost 2hours.

The houses are drawn by her son!

You see, I have no choice but love this quilt! Thank you, Pink Trees!

And if you are not sure it is fantastic, have a look at the back!

It is another quilt! So I got two. It is reversible and I love both sides.

PS Pink Trees sent something adorable along with this quilt. I have not used it yet and will show you her amazing creation soon.

My customers sent me this marvelous picture of the wedding quilt they ordered few months ago. We came up with the design together. They knew what they want. I have not met them or the wedding couple and enjoyed the prоcess a lot. It was all made with great care and packed and sent just in time for the wediing. I knew it was well received. But when I received this picture and have a look at it now, with the lady wearing natural colours and really great soxs … It all looks so warm and natural. The quilt has a life of its own. And I am happy I was part of its very beginning.

The machine applique acts as quilt-as-you-go here and since I finished applique, approximately two years ago, this little quilt was stored. I decided to try hand quilting this summer and quilted the blue curves. I changed my needle somewhen in the middle and it turned out the first one was absolutely wrong choice. The new one allowed much more stitches per inch. This makes the whole quilting very “unique” as the stitches density is quite variable and getting higher. I even tried variegated thread, which also adds “uniqueness”. Well, I like it and this is all that matters now. Hopefully it will be ready for Christmas.

Note: I will try to explain I generally like, but I do not stick to this only. All of following things here are just some vague ideas to help you find a starting point for your creativity.

USE & WASHING:

The quilt will be used for display for now, but I prefer it to be washable if possible /it may find a doll later on/. However, if you thought of something artistic with felts, etc, why not? I want you being happy while making the quilt. This matters and makes difference to the final result.

COLOURS:

I like bright colours, full of energy, as well as subtle elegant tones. I like orange, lapis blue and grass green, soft blues, sky blue and dark chocolate brown combination, pink and brown combination, generally prefer ecru /instead of white/, like all natural tones - unbleached cotton, natural linen, etc /preferably with a fresh colour  accent/. I am not a black and white person, I think of this more like a salt and pepper - some may help, too many will ruin. Like the modern designer fabrics prints, Japanese or Japan inspired prints, dots, stripes, solids, large florals, repros.

PATTERN AND QUILTING:

I like authentic looking quilts, that have handmade feel - may be wonky, puckery, traditional, simple, modern.. or not, pieced or appliqued… I like both machine and hand quilting, straight lines, free motion by machine, free hand quilting. You see, I like almost everything. But I do not muddy colours.

HANGING:

I will hang it so some hanging aid will help. Never though about this part until I received my quilt from the previous round. If you add something for hanging consider either triangles or a divided hanging sleeve please. I will either cut /which i doubt/ or not use a one-piece hanging sleeve. However you may add no hanging aid and I will still hang it.

I  doubt this may help you, as I really like and love all sorts of beauties. Hopefully you will find something useful though. If not take, a look at the beauties of the previous round on Flickr group, or check some my favorite quilts form this swap.

The beautiful doll quilts you see in this post are from my favourites in Flickr. If you need details on them and their authors, go and check my Flickr or ask me here. Most of them were created for the Doll Quilt Swap, but not all of them.

PS I have just noticed that I have on of the beauties included in both pictures. You can see now how difficult the choosing process was!

First of all, a big “Thank you!” to all of you, who commented on my #100 give away post - you are all so kind! I will reply and show all the cards later today!

Back to the swap now. I was quite vague in my likes & dislikes in the sign up message. I would like a quilt that is made with enthusiasm, care and love. So I thought I will not specify what I like /and I hardly can do this/ but give my partner absolute creative freedom instead.

However it may be difficult to start sometimes, so following a Flickr discussion idea, I am showing you here some of my favourites from the previous rounds.   These are only 36 as this is the maximum I could include. This is the only reason! They are all soo beautiful!

You can click on the button on the side bar to visit the Doll Quilt Swap blog. I modified it a bit.

And here you can check more on each of the beautiful quilts below.

1. dqs4 top, 2. finished Doll quilt!, 3. DQS4 for Ezri_B, 4. DQS4 - it arrived!!!!!!!!, 5. DQS4 In the mail today!, 6. breaking free, 7. dqs4_15, 8. DQS4 - Finished!!, 9. doll quilt came home, 10. DQS4 Petite Bento Box, 11. she made this with all vintage fabrics, 12. Dresden Mod doll quilt, 13. Received from ezri_b!, 14. Journey to Mama Sugar’s House, 15. DQS4 Apple Tree Quilt, 16. Completed doll quilt: Strawberry-Rhubarb Πr2, 17. cartwheels on the line, 18. DQSII Tropical Flower Log Cabin, 19. Peachy Keen, 20. finished doll quilt, 21. jelly beans complete, 22. bad lighting, 23. Doll Quilt Swap 3, 24. The front of doll quilt for swap III, 25. A little birdie told me…, 26. DSC_0156, 27. catquilt 66 - Jasmine, 28. Doll Quilt Swap 3, 29. doll quilt, 30. Doll Quilt Swap 4 FINISHED!, 31. Alphabet Quilt, finished, 32. Dotty Finished, 33. DQS4 In the mail today!, 34. DQS4 Quilt Received, 35. DQS4 received!, 36. DQS4 Received

Back to crafting now - this quilt is a customer order. The design is based on stickers design. I used their shape as a starting point as this quilt will complement the stickers placed on the wall. This was a nice one to work with - bright colours and clean look. I enjoyed the applique process and could not stand the embellishment options, so I added a bit of embroidery design on a flower and a little cute lady bug flying around the flowers.

This quilt make me whip some similar doll quilt to hang on my wall. Maybe, some day after the holiday season I will. I can write it down in my list now - it is too long already.

This quilt is a wedding one too. It was a custom order wedding gift.

Piecing the bright top was a real pleasure. I was lucky to have all this colours around me in a dark week, which was quite stressful too. I had to design and make it in a hurry so I proposed a simple layout. The customers had clear idea of the desired style and look, so it was great to work on this project and I did feel lucky to work on such a bright and almost provocative quilt.

I like the mix of small scale, large scale prints, solids and abstract prints. I think it turned out quite cheerful and warm quilt. It was supposed to be full of colours energy and joy, and I think it is. Hopefully the recipients feel the same way.

This is the quilt I received. It is made by dearfii.

I had no chance to make a picture right after opening the envelope in the evening - a nice and colourful envelope…. and was too busy to post the pictures. It was a really hectic week so I sent the “thank you” e-mail only and quick blog entry of excitement - it took it only 5 days to arrive this time.

Fi also sent me some extras - buttons, a fabric piece and a felt apple  and a scotch tape with cars - it was the first car stamped one here. My kid like it a lot! Thank Fi!

She knew I like blues - my blog, or Flickr comment… and choose some great blue fabrics for the quilt.

It is so kind!!! I hang it for a picture here and it will stay there for a month at least.

I am planing a doll quilt wall soon. I will start with 3-4 quilts. This swap was planned as an excuse to make more doll quilts, but I had no time for this. Hopefully I will make up next round!

I am looking forward to DQS5 announcement now!

I knew it traveled a lot to me and back and I made a rough estimation  -  2 weeks to arrive.

It took it 5 days instead!!! All the way from Australia. For a second time. Remember the estimation? It was here on Friday, but I checked today! I am quite busy now, and did not want to check every day for a second week…

I like all the quilts in the swap, I actually love some of them, and kind of expected one particular quilt, which I knew was posted long ago from Europe and was not received yet/that made me think it might travel around Europe/. Was kind of prepared to get it, but it would not be a surprise….

And I had a surprise! With a colourful recycled envelope, a name I did not recognize on it, and a nice, kind note that made me recall the blog and the quilt that go with this name - Dear fii

It is even better than on the pictures. I like it so much!

Fiona, thank you for the colours, scrappy warm patches, dots, hand quilting, label, extras, sending twice…. Thank you!!!

This will always be a very special quilt to me. The first quilt someone made for me!, First swap quilt!… and maybe the first swap quilt that traveled the Oz - Europe distance three times!

It got dark before I had the chance to take some pictures, but pictures to come, be sure!

I was looking for a wedding gift idea for dear friends’ wedding, when I saw RhubarbPatch’s entry for the Doll Quilt Swap 4.

I liked it soo much I had to make one.

I did so, but since it is a wedding quilt and it is quite big, I had enough blank space to place some wishes to the couple on it.

Thank you RhubarbPatch, for being my inspiration!

I was looking for something special for a special couple and I found it. Thanks to you!

They are happy, so am I! God bless them!