wip~~~button tree

I saw the cutest framed button tree while shopping and decided to make one with my button collection.  The inspiration piece had some embroidery and used only white/off-white buttons.

First I placed the buttons on the charcoal grey(it looks blue in my pictures) flannel.   I put a little glue on each one, making sure that I didn't get any glue in the holes.  Then after the glue set, I sewed each button on with red thread.

Now I need to decide what embroidery/stitching to add.  I need a tree trunk too : )

When it is finished, do you think I should make it into a mini quilt or frame it?  I am not usually one to use embellishments, but this was so fun and easy, and at this busy time of year that makes it a perfect project!

I am linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

piece,

elizabeth

merry little bunting

I made my first bunting to decorate our outdoor fireplace mantle for Christmas.  I have always wanted to make a bunting after seeing so many cute ones on other blogs.

I used my Go!Baby to quickly cut out the triangles and then I sewed them to some red cotton bias tape.  This was so easy : )  I am really enjoying my new dies for the Go!Baby.

I am just beginning to decorate for Christmas.  It is so much fun to bring out the different decorations that I have collected over the years.  The Santa plate on the mantle was painted by my mom and always brings me joy when I see it and think of her.   

Well, it's a lovely day to be decorating, so I better get with it~~~

I am linking up to Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.

piece,

elizabeth

little quilt monday~~~mini holiday quilt swap

Little Quilt Monday

I joined the 15 Minute Holiday Swap.  The rules for the swap were to make a 12 X 12 inch mini quilt for your partner in the holiday theme of their choice.  My swap partner picked Christmas as her theme.  If you have ever read the 15 Minutes Play blog then you know that the idea is to use scraps and orphan blocks to make fabric to use in quilting, while you create and play : )

I am entering the 2011 Christmas Quilt Show with this little Christmas mini quilt.  I hope you will go check out all the wonderful entries at SewCalGal's blog!

I am new to this type of creative freedom!   I enjoyed the process, and I will do this more often because we all know that there are always scraps of fabric left over from other projects.  Making fabric from scraps is really lots of fun.  Do you ever make fabric from scraps?

I hand stitched with red crochet thread in the big stitch style that is becoming very comfortable for me.

I hope my swap partner likes her mini Christmas quilt.

Remember to add your pics to the Little/mini quilts flickr group or the Mini quilts Facebook page : )

I am linking up to Finish It Up Friday.

Now it is your turn to link up something that you have been working on.  Let's inspire each other on this

Little Quilt Monday!

piece,

elizabeth

wip~~~~thanksgiving prep

I am busy getting ready for my family to arrive tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner!  I haven't much time to sew for the next few days, but I have this project waiting for me when I get the chance.

It is one of the easiest patterns to make for embroidery.  Just write your message in dark ink on a piece of paper and then use a window or light box to transfer the image on your fabric.  I have these linen embroideries ready to make into a table mat or mini quilt.

I am linking up to WIP Wednesday.

Well, I better get back to my Thanksgiving preparations : )

piece,

elizabeth

circle of color pincushion

I finished my colorful pincushion!  I decided on a simple button and I think it was the right choice.

This pincushion is large enough to stay on the arm of a chair without falling off, and of course, will hold many pins : )

It was a fun project that will be both useful and fun to look at......Yippee for a colorful finish!  I am linking up to Fabric Tuesday at  Quilt Story and Sew Modern Monday.

piece,

elizabeth

little quilt monday~~~faux piped binding mini quilt

Little Quilt Monday

The technique that I decided to try on this mini quilt was faux piping along the binding.  I used the tutorial found here, but I hand stitched the binding instead of using my machine.

This little quilt was made with a Riley Blake cherry fabric along with white linen.  

The mini measures 10 X 10 inches and I hand stitched with linen colored crochet thread.  Although the piped binding technique wasn't hard, I don't think I am ready to try it on a larger quilt.  I like the look with the hand stitches, but I am not sure I would have been successful sewing it down by machine : )

Now it is your turn to link up a little project that you are working on or have finished for

Little Quilt Monday!

I have linked up with Sew and Tell Friday.

Let's inspire each other!

piece,

elizabeth

finished yo-yo mini quilt

I finished the little quilt that I showed here on Little Quilt Monday.  

I hand stitched with variegated crochet thread and used a scrappy binding to finish this little mini.

I backed this little quilt with some of my favorite Kaffe fabric.  I have a Little/mini quilt flickr group for fun and inspiration and you are welcome to add pictures of the little quilts you have made.  I also have a facebook page for mini quilts that is for the same reason : )

The yo-yos were so easy to make.  I plan to make some using Christmas fabric scraps, but I don't know for sure how I will use them.  They would probably look cute in a jar....hum....I like that idea : ) 

I am linking up at Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story, Finish it up Friday, Sew and Tell Friday, and Celebrate Color.

piece,

elizabeth

little quilt monday~~~yo-yo mini

Little Quilt Monday

I am working on a yo-yo mini quilt.  I got the idea from the June 2011 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting.

This was the first time that I have used the Clover yo-yo maker and I definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to make yo-yos.

I have my little quilt sandwich ready to quilt with variegated crochet thread and I hope to have it finished in a day or two : )  I used my Kaffe Fassett stash for the yo-yos and Kona black for the background.  The mini measurements before binding are 12 X 14 inches.

Little Quilt Monday

Now it is your turn to link up one of your little projects that you have finished or a WIP.  Let's inspire each other!

piece,

elizabeth 

lazy bargello mini quilt

I had so much fun making this mini quilt.  It was made with a colorful, bright stripe fabric cut in strips of 1 inch, 1.24 inches, and 1.5 inches.  To make it look like a bargello pattern, I stepped the colored strips up and down to form a lazy flame stitch or zig-zag motif.

I am trying old and new techniques and hosting a Little Quilt Monday

link up party each week.  I am enjoying making something small, and it is my desire that we inspire each other with the small projects that we are working on each week.  I am concentrating on mini quilts, but any small projects are welcome to join the party!

I added a linen border and hand stitched with a variegated crochet thread.  The measurements for this lazy bargello mini quilt are 14 X 20 inches.

I have a flickr group for mini quilts and I hope you will add more mini quilt pictures.  If you try any of the techniques that I have been using in my mini quilts I would enjoy seeing them!  I also have a facebook page called Mini Quilts that you are welcome to join : )  

For now my lazy bargello mini quilt is a table mat in my outdoor room, but it will eventually end up on my sewing room wall.  

I am linking up to Amylouwho.  She is having a mini quilt party!

I am also linking up to Celebrate Color : )

piece,

elizabeth

pincushions

I have a board on my Pinterest of pincushions.  I discovered some that were made of small cross-stitched pieces and  that inspired me to look through my projects for something that might work, and this is what I found....made in 1988 : )  It is about 5 X 7 inches.

I cut out a pretty piece of fabric for the back.

Sewed them with right sides together, and left a small opening to turn the fabric.

I like to stuff my pincushions with crushed walnut shells(I can purchase these at my LQS) and a small amount of polyester batting or stuffing.

Stuff and then sew my opening closed.

I added some pins and now it is an official pincushion!

I have another pincushion started.  I added some embroidery in the center of this circle and I am on the lookout for a button to add to the middle.

I need to go to the LQS and stock up on more crushed walnut shells because I imagine my Pinterest board will keep inspiring me.

Do you Pinterest?

It is WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

piece,

elizabeth