Doll Quilt #2 with Ruler Work
Last Friday I shared a boyish doll quilt that we will be sending to A Doll Like Me. This week we share a more girly doll quilt with lots of pink and purple featured with some ruler practice work. If you missed the previous post and wanted to learn more about this charity, just check out this link for Doll Quilt #1 and FMQ Practice.
Sue had some extra charm pack squares leftover from her Bubbles quilt. I laid them out in a 3 by 4 pattern and thought it needed a little extra. I’ve had these solid pink rectangles sitting next to my sewing machine for a few months. I thought, hmm, if I added a little white square to them they’ll be perfect. So while Sue had class one evening, I stitched up this little flimsy.
We used a piece of this cute owl fabric on the back. It is hard to tell but that is a bright pink on one of the owls, along with orange, yellow, teal and lime green. They make me smile just looking at them.
Doll Quilt & Rulers
For this little dolly quilt I wanted to give rulers a go. I pulled out my ruler foot and the Westalee straight/curved ruler that came with it. Having used this ruler now, I really like the marking on it. Or at least I will like them once I can remember how to use them successfully each time I move them.
As you’ll see soon enough, I had a few wobbly moments. More practice is definitely needed. I have an issue when holding the ruler closest to me and then following it right to left. Veering off into space . . . oops!
I started in the white square and immediately forgot that the ruler foot itself took up about 1/4″. So the first line is about 1/2″ from the seam instead of the 1/4″ I have in the lower pink box. In that lower pink box, you can see my veering on the second line from the bottom. I didn’t make a drastic correction like I did in later squares! Thinking about it now, it probably would be better not to overcorrect, but oh well. I have found that I’m fairly comfortable using the ruler on any side of the foot, with my weakest point being in the front. Although it didn’t seem to slip much, I need to put some of those gripper spots on the ruler. I also had to raise the ruler foot at first because it was so tight on the quilt sandwich that I could move it around at all. Good thing it is easy to adjust!
Ruler Practice
The white block looks fairly good – and isn’t that CUTE fabric?!! – while the purple block reflects my veering off the ruler path and a quick correction. Ah well, I’ll try harder to stay on the path next time. Here’s the finished doll quilt, and it will be on the way shortly to be given with a doll.
The binding is some leftover Princess fabric, and it worked out that the word Cinderella pops up on each side of the quilt. And a note on doll quilt #1 – all the red marks did come out! I stuck it in the freezer for a bit and when I pulled it out the marks were still gone. Phew!!
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Roseanne, I think you are way too hard on yourself. The quilt itself is so adorabble with the soft pastel colors, the cute fabric backing and the sweet binding. The quilting, while you have focused on its perceived inaccuracies, is adds so much character and pizazz. Please don’t focus on the few places where it went in directions you would have not chosen. Instead focus on the huge accomplishment you made in creating a work of art. We are human and humans will never achieve perfection. Go with the flow, enjoy the process and pat yourself on the back. You created a very special tiny quilt. 😊♥️♥️
Fantastic job! I played around with my rulers today and it is not easy! You’ve inspired me to keep trying!
Adorable quilt. And I need to get some rulers and learn myself.
Hi Chris,
This is the perfect size for getting a taste at it. So easy to see what you’re doing and where you’re going. ~smile~ Roseanne
Looks great!
Thanks so much Gail! I’ll keep plugging along at improving on it. ~smile~ Roseanne
I love the quilting on this little quilt. I haven’t used rulers but it’s on my bucket list. First, I need to get better at straight FMQ and then I can get fancier. Well done and a lovely finish for Amy!
Hi,
Both FMQ and rulers are on my list to get more comfortable with this year. I hope to quilt the Postcard from Sweden quilt I’m working on by myself, and need to try out some options before I tackle it. Thanks so much for your kind comments! ~smile~ Roseanne
Now you should try doing that design without the ruler. Try doing it as an uneven square size just fitting in a sq. or rectangle of different sizes as you go across or down. But I like what you did, it is wonderful!! You are right when you veer off- just gently veer back a little at a time:) Have a great weekend.
Hi Vicki,
Thanks! If I did it freehand the lines would be great wavy ones instead of straight. I can see what you mean though. I think I’m going to make one more doll quilt so I can practice on HSTs in advance of Postcard. Yes, I need to learn the ‘gently veer back’ technique! ~smile~ Roseanne
I think you did great!
Hi Shannon,
You are too sweet! Good thing you haven’t looked really closely . . . HAHA! It’s a start anyway and it was fun. ~smile~ Roseanne
Great start with that ruler.
Hi Linda,
Thanks so much! It’s a start, and I did really enjoy it. I can see where it would be great coupled with FMQ. ~smile~ Roseanne
Good job!
Hi Ellen,
I hope you and Linda are well! Thank you so much. I’m trying to expand my horizons . . . ever so slowly. ~smile~ Roseanne