Sunday, October 30, 2011

little quilt monday~~~spider web mini

Little Quilt Monday

Oh, what a fun mini quilt!  I found several blogs that show tutorials for different spider web quilt blocks, and this seemed like the perfect time of year to give one of them a try.  Although, I haven't seen any big spider webs outside yet, I usually walk into one sooner or later at this time of year, and it always gives me the creeps : )  I do, however, love to watch a spider spin its web, and have had the joy of watching this from start to finish several times in the past.  I am always amazed and impressed by the beauty of the spider's handiwork.


 There is a darling quilt at Moda Bake Shop using this pattern, but Beth's Holiday Hexagon tutorial at Love Laugh Quilt was the inspiration for my Spider Web mini quilt.  Once again, I enjoyed the hand stitching process.  I used Moda's Sunkissed fabric by Sweetwater for the hexagon top and backed this little quilt in linen.  I used a grey crochet thread for the hand stitching.  I have linked up with Megan at


Now it is your turn to link up one of your little projects at the Little Quilt Monday link up below.  Please remember to link back to this blog post and have fun visiting all the blogs to see what others are making....let's inspire each other : )
piece,
elizabeth




Friday, October 28, 2011

bloggers quilt festival~~~~fall 2011


Bloggers' Quilt Festival

        Fall 2011

Charming Baby Quilt
A while back I played with some Moda Wee Woodland charm squares,  and here are the pictures of my process of just making it up as I went along( just winging it : )

Sew 30 five inch squares together like this.

Cut a 2..5inch strip off one side.

Sew the strip to the other side.

Now cut again in 6 equal pieces as shown.

Mix them up and sew together into 3 units as shown.

I then added 2.5 inch strips of Kona cotton between the units

I framed it all around with 2.5 inch strips of Kona cotton and then
added a brown sashing strip and another border.

















Next I decided to machine quilt with straight line quilting(my first time : )  I did this in a random pattern.







It is not perfect but it is still a soft cuddly baby quilt.  I always like the crinkly look of a quilt after it has been washed.  It was quick and easy to put together with charm squares and I hope with practice my machine quilting will improve!  The quilt measurements are 32 X 42 inches. 


If you have time take a look at some of my mini quilts.  I have started making them to try new techniques and color combinations and I am enjoying the process.  I have started a Little Quilt Monday link up party so we can share little projects and be inspired by each others mini quilts(mug rugs, pot holders, doll quilts, table runners, wall hangings....finished or not....there aren't any rules : )   

I hope you will visit the Bloggers' Quilt Festival hosted by Amy's Creative Side and get some inspiration as you visit other blogs and see all the beautiful quilts.

piece,
elizabeth

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

wip cross/plus blocks


My work-in-progress for this Wednesday is a stack of 8 inch cross/plus quilt blocks.  I have about 5 blocks so far.


And I have a stack ready to piece together.


Here is how I am making them.  First I have cut 3 inch strips of the white fabric and also various flower fabrics.  I have then cut these strips in 6 inches and 8 inches and sewn and cut and sewn them together as shown below.




I haven't decided if I will add a white border to each block or not.  They might even end up on point and then I guess they will be a kiss/times quilt block : )




piece,
elizabeth


Sunday, October 23, 2011

little quilt monday....fall wavy tumbler mini

Welcome to Little Quilt Monday

I have finished my fall wavy tumbler mini quilt first shown here, that I made with the help of my Go!Baby.  I am so happy with the tumbler die that I have ordered a few more dies(squares and rectangles), but it will be a few days before they arrive.




This little quilt measures 18.5 X 19.5 inches.  I think this pattern is sometimes called a thimble.



I used three different colors of thread to hand stitch this little quilt.....yellow, aqua, and coral.  The solid fabric colors really pop and look great with my fall decor.  I am linking up to Celebrate Color and Manic Monday and Quilt Story.


Now it is your turn to show a little quilt or project that you have made.  Please link up below and link back to Little Quilt Monday on your blog and let's visit each other and get inspired : )


piece,
elizabeth


  

Friday, October 21, 2011

finished liberty circle mini quilt


I am so happy with my mini quilt finish,  Liberty Circle Applique, that I first showed as a work-in-progress here on Little Quilt Monday.   I am not very comfortable with applique,  but this technique is something that I was able to do without any trouble.



This mini is 16 X16 inches.  The background and backing fabrics are linen and that made the needle  very easy to pull through while hand stitching.  Using the Liberty of London fabric and the linen made this a very soft quilt and has inspired me to make a larger one!






I used one of my favorite Liberty of London fabrics for the binding and I think it was the right choice : )
I hope you will continue to check in with Little Quilt Monday  and join me as I link up with 

piece,
elizabeth

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

amish wip

I had this little amish quilt pinned and waiting to be quilted.  This was before I discovered the 505 basting spray!  I have taken out the pins and spray basted it and I am ready to hand stitch : )  The squares in the center measure 1 inch finished and the little quilt measures about 28 inches square.  Now I am trying to decide what color or colors to use for my stitching.  I am considering black or purple thread, and of course, the bright blue thread shown.  I would be so happy with some suggestions!  What color would you choose?




piece,
elizabeth

Sunday, October 16, 2011

little quilt monday #2....a finish and a wip

I have finished my mini lazy cathedral window made with three dimensional flying geese.  I decided to hand stitch in the ditch and I like the way it looks.  It measures 18.5 inches square.  I first showed how I made this pattern here and here.  I am linking up to Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story.

My hand stitches are in an aqua crochet thread.




My work in progress is Circular Applique from The Purl Bee.


I didn't make the circles exactly the same size or amount as the pattern, but I did use a fusible and turn as they suggested.  I used a creamy linen as my background fabric and some of my Liberty of London fabric that I am saving for special projects like this.   I am ready to start sewing them down by hand and I hope they will look more like circles when I finish : )



Now it is your turn to   link up  your small project to Little Quilt Monday! 
A small project is a mini quilt, table runner, mug rug, doll quilt, pillow, pouch, wall hanging, what ever you are working on or have finished.  Please mention that you have linked up here on your blogpost : )  Lets inspire each other....
piece,
elizabeth




Friday, October 14, 2011

mini finish on friday


I finished a mini quilt from a block that I made for the Block Party at Quilt Story in February.  I call this quilt block Cross Timbers and you can read the original blog here.  If you follow my blog at all, you know I have become very attached to making little quilts and using perle cotton(or in my case, crochet thread) for my hand stitching.




I am linking to Finish it up Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts.

piece,
elizabeth

Thursday, October 13, 2011

a treasure on thursday

I have my mother's sewing box and it is a treasure : )  Not that it would mean much to anyone else, it is just full of some sweet memories.
Her crochet hooks are inside, along with several of her afghan patterns.  I especially like this one, Indian Paint Brush, that is in her handwriting.  And below is her afghan made from this pattern.


This bright tin was always near the sewing machine and filled with pins and needles and lace.  There are lots of wooden spools,  and the pin cushion we always used.
I imagine this has something to do with why I favor bright colored fabric!

Good memories.
piece,
elizabeth