Dear Dottie

 Last year, I decided to join in with Rachel, of Stitched in Color, to do the Dear Dottie QAL. I really wanted to do this pattern, but I had tons of projects on my plate, so I did the baby size quilt, hoping to revisit the pattern and make a larger quilt. Eventually.

This is my Baby size Dear Dottie. I made this on totally scrappy. Technically I guess it's a charm quilt, since no fabric is repeated here. I used up lots of my 5 inch charms in this quilt. I totally love it.

Then, I saw a picture of a Dear Dottie in a limited color pallet. I fell in love with it and wanted to do one as well. But I waited a bit, trying to figure out what colors. Or what fabrics. Or something. I finally found some fabrics that I loved and added a few from my stash. 

I have to say, I think it is harder to limit your fabrics than to go all scrappy. Any time I couldn't decide on a fabric, I would think "it needs more variety". Then I would stop and remind myself that the point was to limit the fabrics and the pallet in this one.

I finally finished that quilt this week and here it is now. I posted the small one above for the sake of comparison.

The other thing I did different was to add a narrow border to this quilt. I just really felt like it needed one.

The top and bottom borders are both dark blue, but two different fabrics. The two sides I made different.

This Dear Dottie is so much softer in color tone and also has less quilting which makes it literally softer than the small one. I knew the small one would be a wall hanging, so I quilted it rather densely.

This is most of the back of the quilt. I didn't have enough for the whole thing, so I added a strip of red down one side. I didn't get a picture of that.

I am very pleased with the result, and happy that this second Dear Dottie quilt is done so I can enjoy it.

I will see you soon. There are two more quilts pin basted and ready to be quilted.

Well Hello October

 Yes, I know we are more than half way through the month. I have been busy. I have no real excuses, but then, this is my blog so I don't need any. Here's a bit of what I've been up to.

First of all, I am participating in the Geesey Geesey QAL with Rachel of Stitched in Color. I bought some Kona white and used a Shibori technique to dye it. I used Rit dye in Pearl Grey. It's actually a bit lighter than this now that it's dry. I am going to use it for the "sky" in my flying geese blocks.

These blocks are for my Penny Sampler Quilt. The pineapple block on top is the one I am using for the quilt. The second one was actually the first on I made, but I got confused and placed the pink pieces next to the center square, which was not my intention. I re-made the block the way I wanted to, and am so very happy that I did. The third block is just a six inch block for the top section of the quilt.

And lastly, for today, I voted. Very important to help save the democracy. Talk to you soon.