The Ugly Duckling Quilted Book Cover Story or how it takes me forever to create the visions that dance in my head!

This is a tricky post to write because I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I want to show you what I'm working on!  I think it's so cute and I know you will too.
A long time ago I bought a book for "Petunia" because I thought that the ugly ducking would be precious made from a yellow wool blanket that I had felted.
So, time came and went and I made the duck.

Lynn of "The Little Red Hen Blog" was going to be in Fl, visiting in Tampa and after several emails, she and "Petunia" came and spent the day with me and we made some paper dolls.
I gave her the book and the wool duck but kept the book jacket, to use as a pattern for a quilted  cover.
 I had been thinking about it for so long and I had drawn a picture and then started working on it.

More time came and went and I finally am quilting it.
I wanted to make a bed for the duck on the front of the book cover and have a quilt and use some embroidered linen for the sheet- counterpane? I used the drawing as a pattern- cutting out the posts and head board and foot board and then ironing the fabric around the pieces. Then I appliqued it down, adding stuffing as I went until it was sewn to the base fabric. The embroidered linen is sewn like a lined pocket and then stitched down as well. Now I am hand quilting it together and then I will bind the edges and make the inner flaps to fit over her book. Once she gets it I can share pics of the duck "in the bed". Now, isn't that too stinkin cute?

It turned out better than I had expected!
This shows the fairy quilt and foot board underneath the embroidered sheet.
Hopefully it will fit the duck just fine and he'll be all cozy between play times.
The pillows have pillow cases and I am just going to lightly tack them down so Lynn can cut them off if Petunia wants her too- I like the idea of being able to move them from the bed and play with them but hate to use velcro or snaps.
It's a very smurfy day when projects get near completion and there hasn't been a calamity for days!
yee haw!
 have a smurfalicious Tuesday!
xo, calamity kim