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Grandmother’s Flower Garden Doll Quilt Top

Posted on August 4, 2010February 2, 2012 by Martha

The top is done and I think it looks pretty cute. There are puckers in some of the white path pieces, but I can live with that. It’s tricky sewing the rows together since the pieces are so tiny — the flowers were easier to stitch.

I wasn’t going to post a photo of this quilt until it was finished. The quilting was almost done when I stepped back to take a look and realized I didn’t like it at all. I had quilted concentric hexagons in and around each of the flowers, avoiding the intersections where the fabric is thick. I probably wouldn’t quilt through the middle of a hexagon on a normal sized quilt, but this doll size presents a real challenge since it’s hard to make tiny stitches through all those seams. I ripped out all of the quilting, and hopefully I’ll come up with another idea soon.

The top measures 17″ x 21″. Instead of a penny for scale, I used my little sewing ruler which has inches and centimeters. Steffi pointed out to me that she didn’t know the size of an American penny until she happened to find one when she was visiting Denmark.



18 thoughts on “Grandmother’s Flower Garden Doll Quilt Top”

  1. Ann Champion says:
    August 4, 2010 at 12:11 pm

    So cute! I love this cheerful little beauty. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Sarah says:
    August 4, 2010 at 1:06 pm

    This is gorgeous, of course.

    I wish I had another quilting idea, but I can only come up with ways of quilting the hexes themselves. And they all involved the areas where they are joined together.

    The more “modern” quilters would just machine quilt some swirly things all over the whole thing. (But I kind of think that usually distracts from the pattern/fabrics.)

    Reply
  3. Allie says:
    August 4, 2010 at 1:15 pm

    Good heavens that is TINY – but oh so pretty! I have that same ruler, I use it for the corners of my binding, to measure how far to stitch.
    Can’t wait to see how you decide to quilt this, I wouldn’t have a clue. It’s hard to go through seams with a nice stitch. It sure is lovely, Martha!

    Reply
  4. Alice says:
    August 4, 2010 at 11:59 pm

    I find it to choose quilting designs. For hexagons I have ‘Quilting designs from the past’ – do you have that? One idea is crosses – from two top corners to the two bottom corners.

    Those hexagons are minute! It is reaaly pretty.

    I use stab stitching for quilting (I read your question on my blog) – it is useful for going through seams. I would love to see a photo of the back – it must look crazy.

    Reply
  5. kathie says:
    August 5, 2010 at 2:48 am

    oh another beauty
    I just love that you made it this little.
    I am sure you will come up with the perfect design for the quilting
    Kathie

    Reply
  6. Meredith says:
    August 5, 2010 at 7:24 am

    Beautiful. Hav eyou read any of SallyCollins quilting books. She makes little ones?

    Reply
  7. Barbara says:
    August 5, 2010 at 12:53 pm

    The tiny-ness of this just boggles my mind. It’s really great!

    Reply
  8. pratima says:
    August 5, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    Martha, this little quilt is so sweet and adorable! The pieces are so tiny! I haven’t seen many quilts with the white sorrounding the flowers. It makes the pretty prints sparkle!

    Reply
  9. Ann says:
    August 5, 2010 at 9:24 pm

    My goodness, is this EVER cute! I love it that I KNOW in my head that it is a tiny little quilt, but it is so well done that my brain still imagines it full size – silly brain, look at the ruler!

    Quilting through those tiny seams would be awfully tough indeed! Looking at it, I thought it might look neat to tie the centers with white thread so it doesn’t distract too much and then stitch in the ditch around the outside of the flowers. Thought it might give the flowers a little puff.

    I’d love to see the backside also – I think that would really drive home how amazing this little quilt is – and perhaps convince me that it isn’t full size. Your ruler COULD be a prop from “Honey I Shrunk The Kids.” 🙂

    Reply
  10. LoriD says:
    August 6, 2010 at 6:00 am

    Wow! That is so tiny and very adorable. Sorry the quilting didn’t go as planned. I’m sure you’ll come up wiht a terrific alternative.

    Reply
  11. Gina Pina says:
    August 6, 2010 at 11:00 pm

    I love this little quilt! I only wish it were king size.. and on my bed 🙂
    You have done a great job. I too would love to see the back. Sorry I don’t have any ideas, but look forward to seeing what you figure out.

    Reply
  12. Miri says:
    August 7, 2010 at 1:27 am

    Beautiful…a little bit of joy and cheerfulness!

    I can only think of outline quilting each hexi to avoid the seams (Ugh!) or trying stab stitching when you get to the seam allowance for a stitch or two. (That sounds ok in theory but I’ve never been able to do it so that the stitches look the same as my regular rocking motion quilting 🙂 Good luck!

    Reply
  13. Wanetha says:
    August 7, 2010 at 10:00 am

    Oh Martha! This is so bright and pretty!
    I don’t see how you could possible quilt this in the traditional (around the hexagons) way. I think I would consider just a diagonal cross hatch through the center of the hexagons. But, whatever you do – it will be beautiful.

    Reply
  14. Jan says:
    August 8, 2010 at 9:05 pm

    Martha, I agree with Ann. My brain just can’t process the scale of this quilt! It is so perfectly tiny! The tiny samples of the prints are so cute. Everything about this quilt is so cute!!

    Reply
  15. Ann says:
    August 9, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    Thanks for posting the back Martha. I really like seeing how it went together, but I’m afraid my brain still says “BIG.” I don’t think I could accomplish that much detail on such a small scale.

    Reply
  16. Holly says:
    August 16, 2010 at 10:46 am

    Wowza! Love this! I especially like how you have done a double round of colourful hexagons for the flowers.

    I like Ann’s idea of hand tying the quilt. With such lovely small pieces, I imagine you will hit seams no matter what type of quilting you try!

    You are a model of patience!

    Reply
  17. Victoria says:
    August 17, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    This quilt top is just so precious and lovely! A true labor of love. Very best wishes on quilting it… I am sure that you will come up with something that is just right!

    Reply
  18. Grace says:
    February 2, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    Martha, I just love this quilt. I love to quilt, I am just abut done with a double wedding band quilt, in the middle of the rings on the big white space I put four hearts with the points together and out to the outer point I put another heart for a total of 8 hearts.

    I would love to have the mesurments for you hexagon pices, I would like to try this quilt.

    As for quilting it together you could go around each circle and in the center and that would help each one to stand out, either way you do it I know it will be nice. I can not wait to see the finish product.
    THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS

    Reply

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