November 16, 2007
Trying My Hand at ‘American Girl Doll’ Doll Quilts
I suppose that there is no real difference between a quilt for a regular bed size or a doll quilt…..except the size of course!
I have started creating “American Girl Doll” sized quilts (at my Long Meadow Farms Quilts shop) in all my usual quilt patterns that I usually use on regular bed size quilts, only miniaturizing the patterns to make them fit the bed size. If I were to use the normal size pieces on a doll quilt, there would probably be only ONE block and that would be pretty ridiculous (not to mention boring!!!).
I started off with the “Country Squares” pattern, since those pieces are pretty small anyways, and came up with a bunch of beauties.
Then I went on to try some of the regular “Blocks” pattern in various color schemes and those turned out really good for me also.
Then apparently, I was off and running, with all these wonderful ideas running around in my head for colors and patterns, and trying to adjust the sizing to fit a standard American Girl Doll size doll bed. What great fun to put all my ideas into action and see the results right away instead of waiting a couple of weeks for the whole quilt to be done…I could really get used to this!!!
I’ve had friends ask me why I’d bother to go to all that trouble for just a doll quilt, and I tell them that it is just as important to me to create a doll quilt correctly and beautifully as it is to make, say a Queen or King size quilt. These little doll quilts will probably get a lot more wear and tear than a Twin or Full bed quilt, simply because children are involved! I feel priveledged to be able to create and put together these little gems well enough to stand up to being used over and over again, just like I make big quilts to be used, not just stored in a chest or a closet because customers are afraid to hurt them by using them.
I like being able to make and sell doll quilts that are made right here in Vermont USA (not imported from somewhere else) and want kids to be able to use them for their dolls as long as they have the dolls! When customers ask how I can possibly sell such a beautiful doll quilt for only $25.00, I explain to them that I love to sew and it is well worth the effort to make things affordable for people so that they can use and enjoy my creations! That’s why I go to all the trouble of actually piecing all of my doll quilts instead of just using one whole cloth like a lot of other doll quilts are made. Those “whole cloth” doll quilts are nice, but to me they are just not a “quilt” if it is not pieced.
I even go so far as to make all of my Doll Quilts completely reversible, using a lovely matching fabric on the back so that if a child would like, they can turn it over for a while for a whole different look. 
And of course, the pillow that comes included with the quit is also reversible, so all in all you get four looks for that same $25.00 price tag.
Of course friends think I am insane to be putting in all those hours for something so mundane as a Doll Quilt, but I just keep telling them that I love what I do, so that makes it AOK in my book! I am thoroughly enjoying myself by filling up my Doll Quilt page on my website, and I’ve been adding new ones every day!!! Of course, now I’ve run into the problem of just how to display all these great Doll Quilts in my Long Meadow Farms Quilts shop here in Newport Vermont…I’ve got a couple of ideas but for now, they are just stacked up in a basket, which simply won’t do, so I’ll have to be a bit more creative!
As I make more and more other patterns of quilts, I now have the idea of being able to reduce the size of any new ones to see if they too will work in a doll quilt….hmmmm….I wonder what I can come up with next?
Bed Quilts to Bookmarks 
