Springy Easter quilting

I finally took a photo of my Bunny's Day Out quilt. Isn't it cute?

It was a free pattern from the manufacturer, and the bonus is that it was actually right! I can't tell you how many of the free patterns are only created electronically and have never actually been made with real fabric. Many of them have totally incorrect fabric amounts, cutting directions, instructions, etc...

I quilted the bajeezes out of the areas around the bunnies because I wanted the bunnies to really pop out. I did a terrible job tacking down the binding on this one though, so once it's off of display, I'll have

to rip it out and re-do it.

I also whipped up this cute little runner out of the Darla and Ava Rose fabric lines from Tanya Whelan. The pattern is the Table Treats for Spring by Bunny Hill Designs. Anne's patterns are just wonderful! I haven't stitched the embroidered handles on the baskets yet, and I'm not convinced that they need them. Thoughts anyone? I wanted to use the mini ric-rac (on the pink polka dot basket), but the curvature of the handle is too great for even the smallest ric-rac to handle. (get it, handle?)

Here's the mini swap quilt that I made for February. I'm pleased with the

way it turned out. The ric-rac on it is chenille! It's really excellent. I was going to photo copy a cupcake on the fabric and enlarge it, but a magazine did it for me, so I thought, why re-invent the wheel, or cupcake, if you don't have to!

I tried to trapunto the cupcake, but I only used Warm & Natural batting as the first layer, so it didn't poof out from the quilt the way I had wanted it to. I think I need to use a poofier, poly batting next time.

The pink chenille ric-rac was a coup. I bought it from when the Hancock's (not the same as the Hancock's of Paducah) closed in Arlington Heights. Binding Guru Karen had used the red chenille ric-rac as ribbon on my Christmas gift a few years ago. It was really a nice touch. So when Hancock's had everything on super clearance I bought up all the chenille ric-rac they had! I really thought the border fabrics needed something in between the pink and the black, so I went to my ric-rac/ribbon jar and there it was!

I really love these mini swaps, it's a good time to try out something new with out a major investment of time or fabric. And you get a darling little quilt from someone else to boot! Everyone sends little goodies with the quilts that are really fun as well. The hubby doesn't quite understand the concept. He said "so they send you crap and you send them crap?" I explained to him that fabric and sewing/crafty items are not considered "crap" by those of us participating in the swap and that we enjoy this crap!

Happy Easter everyone!

Vicki