Memory Quilt: Toddler Dresses

Just to recap these toddler dresses were given to me to make a pillow. I couldn't bear to just cut chunks out of the dresses without using up all the material given to me - so I suggested a quilt as well.

I have had this idea of having an actual dress sewn to the middle of a quilt - as if in a picture frame for a while now. This quilt is for a 4 year old girl - the youngest of all the sisters who have worn these dresses.

The back of the blue dress was so pretty with its buttons and wide bow -  I knew that was the dress to use.

I used some petals left over from the memory pillow to create her flowers. The ribbon on her flowers and in her hair are from the dresses. Her shoes are made from the grey wool dress.

I used the remaining pieces from the dresses to create a 'picture frame' around the dress.

 

Mini orange peel is a little bit of a favorite pattern for me at the moment.  You can take orange peel in some many different directions - it is a fabulous pattern to play with.

In the border there are lots of cute little details like lace, the stitched boats on the pink striped dress and the pleats and stitched flowers in the blue satin dress front.

Here is some up close detail of the quilting around the girl. 

Therapeutic Mctavishing for the sky.

She is standing on the shore looking out. There are a lot of pebbles and shells beneath her feet.

Some of the pebbles are very small. 

Hair has become a small obsession of mine to take further next year. The braid is actually another piece of brown fabric appliqued onto the hair shape and then I quilted on top of the layers in a lighter thread color to highlight the shape of the hairstyle. It turned out really well.

 
 It sits wonderfully on a queen bed.

I'm excited for the little girl to receive it. I'm planning it will get to her in time for Christmas. I really hope they enjoy using it.