DQS7-- The Banyan Tree

DQS7-- The Banyan Tree
Originally uploaded by mamamary2

I am making this for the Doll Quilt swap. I still have to quilt it and add details.

Here is my start to the doll quilt swap. I still need more leaves. It was inspired by the following poem, by Leroy Jackson, that my Grandmother read to me:

A little yellow monkey

In a banyan tree

One morning got the giggles,

Going tee-hee-hee

And then he went to snoozing

In the banyan tree

And dreamed that the fishes

In the bright blue sea were

Dancing on the breakers

Going tee-hee- hee.

Foolish People

I have decided to join a doll quilt swap. Ah, those poor people do not know who they have let enter.. ha hahahaha.... I have actually gained a lot of confidence in participating in the last couple of swaps. This is my first doll swap, although, I am not sure how different it is from a place mat. The requirement is a quilt 12/12 to 24/24 and pretty free from there. I am going to include some of the things that inspire me:

and some of the things I might try.

Summer Trip

Here we are in the Badlands, South Dakota. It was amazing. We saw prairie dogs , deer and antelope. We are visiting the National Parks; Yellowstone, Badlands, Devils Tower, Mt. Rushmore, and more.

Here we are it Hollbrook, Az. We stayed in the Wigwam Hotel, which is really a teepee. We are still on our trip and I will post more when we get home. Traveling on a road trip with 3 children; 13,10, and 7, has been an interesting experience. They have been good so far, but they get on each others nerves.

Swap progress

I made this group for my placemat swap. I am exchanging them with Jessica. She has a little boy and the car one is for him.

This quilt is a wonky log cabin.

Here is the one for the 3 year old boy

dots in applique.. what can I say??

This is a pin cushion. I love the button!! It is ceramic.

This is a block for Claudia in my Bee modern swap. I had wanted to make a sawtooth star in solids with the corners these four blocks. However, it just didn't look right. So I took it apart and sewed the four blocks together and made this wonky block.

This is the same fabric and I think my favorite of the bunch. It is raw edged applique and I added some of my own fabrics. Especially the yellow, to make it pop.

This is the last block. It is a modified log cabin and a flower appliqued in the corner. I like the addition of the other fabrics.

These are the things I have been working on. I still have not quilted the improv block quilt yet. I have a plan yet for it...... however, it will have to wait......

Improv quilt in progress

After battling the quilt gods, I finally figured out how to finish this top. This top was having sizing problems. It was perfect in length, but 10 inches too short in the width. I wanted it to represent the color wheel and change in color as it descended. I also decided that it would look good if I rotated the blocks to give a little interest.

However, I could not find a solution to the size problem. One night I went to sleep and dreamt about it, the solution came to me to put border on with the same color palette as the quilt, but to make it wider on the sides and smaller on the length. I need to finish the back and then quilt it down. I will post more pictures then.

Vitrual Sewing Bee

I am in a virtual sewing bee and we just got our first set of fabric.  I was so excited.  This swap is a modern type swap so the person decided to go with 2 fabric colors.  She wanted wonky log cabins with a bird appliqued somewhere on the square.  She wanted the bird to have this disco dot fabric.

Of course, I can never do anything easy.  I decided to go out of the box and make a peacock.  The first bird looks like the partridge family bird and then this peacock......

In the pictures, I have yet to do the stitching around the edges.

It is fun and I cannot wait for the next challenge.  Also, I have to decide what I want to do for my quilt.  I hope she likes them: )

Improv blocks

I decided to use up some scraps from my last couple of quilts.  These are just modified log cabin blocks.  I started with similar material or color in the middle and continues around  using one dominate color.

I am going to make 3 of each of the 4 colors and sash with white.  I will have 3 blue, pink, yellow, and green.  I was thinking about rotating one of the blocks so that the rectangle will be on its side and the other two opposing.  The blocks will be 20 inches square.

I really like the wonkiness of these blocks.  I will make a lap quilt out of these and I think I will give it to my hubby.  He keeps saying "is this one for me??"  lol They usually are for someone else.  It is his turn ; )