225 square inches of gorgeous color

Oh, I am getting very fond of making these little quilts.  Nearly instant gratification!  This one isn't quite so little, 15" square, and has batting and a regular binding, unlike the ones for the teddy bears.  What you can do with some leftover charm squares and batting, and a couple of fat quarters!

I found those jewel tone charm squares and knew immediately what I wanted to do and love how it turned out.  You can't really see the machine quilting, but the wine thread follows the zigzag lines in the Courthouse Steps blocks.

Now to find an appropriate display spot for a while - until I launch into another one, of course.  

P.S. - you're going to laugh, but I made another smaller one for the bears!

Here they are on the corner of my desk.  This one's just 10 inches square.

The world of small

I'm currently infatuated with making mini quilts for small doll and teddy bear displays.  I was prompted to do this when I found a teddy bear bed made by Boyd's that is darling but TINY.  So I investigated what it would take to make a very small quilt, and now, here I am eight quilts later and planning more in my head as we speak!

Here are what I've made so far.  Three of them are in vignettes that I didn't want to disassemble so the photos are of more than the quilt, but you can see the details.  The quilts are about 10" x 12", or 10" x 10" to 11" x 11".  The piecing is difficult working that small because the seam allowances are so thick they distort the quilt somewhat.  I'm learning more as I progress.

Now, here's the show:

A log cabin with 3/8" wide strips.  This might be my favorite:

 A nine patch with 1 1/2" blocks:

 A Trip Around the World with 1" squares, the first one I made (don't you love that tiny quilt rack?):

Crosses and Losses with 2" blocks:

 More 2" blocks, this time baskets:

Hourglass variant, 2" blocks:

 Amish strip design:

 My original design, inspired by the colors of a Kim Brackett quilt in "Scrap Basket Beauties":

I have two quilts, a zigzag set Jacks on Six and a Darting Birds design, in mind next.

These quilts only consist of top and backing, no batting since it would make them too stiff to drape over a doll bed or small quilt rack.  If I wanted to display them hanging I would have used batting.  I've started eyeing those small standing display racks that hold a quilt up to 12" square.  Hmm............

Itty bitty blocks

That is a 2" finished basket block.  No, all the points aren't perfect but I'm absolutely tickled pink it turned out as well as it did.  Eight more of them and I'll have enough for a miniature quilt like this:

These little quilts are intriguing and cute as a button but boy, are they hard.

Another bear quilt

Because you never know when someone new might need a little warmth.

I bought another bear bed on Ebay today - it looks like an old-fashioned iron bed frame.  So cute!  Now I need to make another set of sheets too.

Only the best for the bears

I have a few teddy bears around the house.  The one my brother gave me on my first Christmas, a bear dressed as an aviator that my husband gave me for my birthday after I fell in love with it, the little bean bag teddy bear that traveled with me when I went to business functions out of town, the one that rode in my car with me for 10 years (unfortunately, there's no good place for him to sit in my new car).

I'm not really a bear collector, but if I see one that tickles my fancy or a cute accessory for the vignettes I'll get it if it's cheap.

They sit around the house:

 On the hearth:

 On my filing cabinet:

 In the corner of the dining room (his chair matches the decor):

 On top of my sewing room bookcase:

 Beside the magazine stand:

 Inside the bookcase by my old textbooks:

My current project is for this guy:

 The bed came with a red checked mattress and pillow.  Well, you know he needs a quilt, and if he needs a quilt, why not sheets?

And yes, that bottom sheet is fitted.  With elastic corners.

I'm making a "Trip Around the World" quilt for him right now.  And then, he'll get a nightshirt to match.  Excess, that's my name!

Addendum:
And here is the bear quilt:

No batting because it's already stiff, but quilted in the ditch and lined to the edge (no binding):

Even bears need a quilt!