School Auction!

As promised, here are the things I made for the annual auction:

This is my first quilt made with my new machine.  I didn't have a pattern, just an idea from some other banner quilts I have seen recently, and of course, those fantastic Japanese travel-inspired fabrics -- Parisian landmarks, Hawaiian hula dancers, Eskimo children, subway maps, London double-decker buses and Japanese geisha girls!  (I think this quilt is headed to a new baby in Michigan, whose parents were in the Peace Corps - perfect!  I had bought the fabrics with a quilt for my little friend, Georgie, in mind -- I had started a sweater for him when he was born, but he has grown like a weed and I thought a quilt would be a wiser choice -- I have plenty of fabric to re-create this quilt for him.  Plus, knowing his family, I think as he grows he will appreciate the worldly theme of this quilt!)  I machine appliqued the flags onto the white backing, then appliqued on bias tape for the ribbon.  I cut out the letters with my Cricut (not sure I'll do that again -- I think I have better luck hand-cutting them with freezer paper) and appliqued them on, then machine quilted around everything.

 The backing is a piece I've had for a few years -- "hello" in many languages -- and the binding is a Russian-inspired print.  

Speaking of Russia, this babushka quilt is my own design, too.  When  Clay goes to Russia,  he brings home vodka and matryoshka dolls, which I just love (the dolls, not the vodka).  The fruit fabric in this quilt is a collection I've had for probably 10 years; I had planned on doing a basket block with each of the fruit designs, but never got around to that -- so, the fabric was perfect for this quilt, and I wish I had another 1/2 yard of each so I could make another quilt just like this one!

Each of the dolls has a little pocket, and I embroidered their mouths and french knot eyes, then added a little colored pencil blush on their cheeks.

 I added a strip-pieced strip (!) on the back for a little color, then quilted in lots and lots of curly-q's -- I didn't quilt over the doll appliques, though -- I'm not sure if I should have or not.  Hmmm.  I need a lot more practice with free-motion quilting, but was happy with how these first attempts turned out.

Yet another stocking in the Cascade pattern:

 I knit up one Christmas stocking for the auction, and gave a certificate for three more.  After my friend, Barb, had the winning bid, two more people came and asked me if I could knit them a set of stockings for their families, too -- of course I will, but I should have offered to teach them to knit!

For the dessert auction, I made our famous Pinkalicous cupcakes.

Peace.