Littlest Pet Shop Quilt - Finished 2/17/2014

I learn something new every day. Today it is all about Littlest Pet Shop Fabrics. With only one fabric to work with, Diane & I are up for a challenge to make her daughter's dream quilt.

Ali is 10. This is her quilt. Along the way, she has made many of the design decisions.

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Jan 21: First contact by email and then phone call. "I would like a full size (78 x 87), plain sort of quilt with some patches of characters to accentuate the quilt. Possibly a cream color quilt with a border of pink and 6 patches of Littlest Pet Shop characters inside the border." Started designing. After working with the purple, I noticed the email from Diane saying her daughter preferred the pink.
Jan 22: Still coming up with more samples. And we have a plan.
Jan 23: Diane's husband had the idea of using Crazy Hearts rather than the more traditional heart blocks. Quilt size will be Full Size (54 x 75) with an 8" drop making the total quilt size 70 x 90.
Jan 27: Pink flannel backing is ordered and on the way. Buggy Barn Heart Crazies pattern is on the way. The Pet Shop fabric was ordered several days ago on eBay. When it comes in, I will find 2 shades of pink that coordinate for the borders. I have the tonal white on hand for the sashing and background. I must say I really like the way this looks. I hope the fabrics only make it better. We are still exploring ideas for a quilting pattern including paw prints and hearts.
Jan 31: Main fabric & heart pattern are here. The heart pattern creates 8.5 x 13.5 blocks so we need to tweak the pattern. Going to a quilt show tomorrow & hoping to find what I need.
Feb 01: I learned today that matching pinks is NOT an easy task. My granddaughter and I visited every booth at a quilt show in nearby Stateville today looking for the best matches. I would have been lost without her. Thank you, Monica. Found a lighter pink subtle marble & the same shade with darker pink hexagons making it a blender.
Feb 06: Started on the hearts. Traced the pattern pieces on freezer paper. Ironed on & ready to cut the white ones. I didn't have enough of the darker pink (only 1 yard available) so off to a local quilt shop.
Feb 07: Found a solid dark/hot pink that matches the hexagons so I am using three pink fabrics instead of two. Now I have a plan I am excited about. Heart blocks are cut out & ready to piece. We are going with Paw Prints minimum size 5".
Feb 08: Piecing the heart back together.
Feb 09: Heart blocks are together. Cut borders. 
Feb 10: Cut animal blocks. Added sashing. Adding borders...

!!! Happy 10th Birthday, Ali !!!

Feb 11: Adding last two borders. Quilt top is finished and ready to quilt. Tonight I will program paws to 5". If I didn't say so before, we are using wool batting with Bottomline #621 Lace White thread to blend in the background.
Feb 12: Batting is cut. Backing is pieced and ready to load.
Feb 13: Loaded & basted. Quilting.
Feb 14: Quilted. Squared. Binding is ready to attach.
Feb 15: Binding is attached. Hand binding underway.
Feb 17: Bound. And finished.
Feb 18: Shipped.