wip~~~hexagons and naps

We are spending a quiet week in Colorado.  As you can see, Tiger loves the sunshine.  He claims the spot that I want to take pictures and won't budge : ) 

I am playing with my Colorado fabric stash and cut some 5.5 inch hexagons using the Darlene Zimmerman hexagon template.  At first I was machine sewing them together, but I decided that it was too tedious and changed my plan to applique.

I have a few more ready to machine applique, but first I need to iron around the edges.  I decided not to make these blocks raw edge applique.  I will plan how to use them in a quilt after I get them all sewn.

We move pretty slow while in Colorado, so I am not sure if I will iron and sew before or after my nap.   Tiger  just made me yawn!

piece,

elizabeth

I am linking up to WIP Wednesday.

2005 graduation quilt

While spending time with my family in Colorado, I noticed my daughter had her graduation quilt and I thought I'd show it on my blog.  It was a very sunny day, and the pictures are really bright, but so is the quilt.

This is my original pattern.  I have used it to make several other quilts throughout the years, including graduation quilts, so I always refer to the pattern as the Graduation Quilt : )   I plan to make another quilt with this pattern soon, so I will take pictures of the process, keep track of the fabric used, and do my best to make a tutorial.  Maybe I will have a better name for the pattern by then.

It always makes me happy to see my quilts being used!

My labels are always pretty simple.  I think I need to start doing a little embroidery on them....so that will be my goal for my next finished quilt : )

piece,

elizabeth

vintage fabric

I have some vintage fabric yardage that I found in an antique store in Colorado that has been sitting in my stash for a while.  In the spirit of finishing a WIP, or as some might say a PIP(project in progress), I decided to use this fabric while I was here at the cabin.  It is a simple finish, but a finish is a finish : )

I cut the fabric in half and evened up the edges.  Then I ironed the sides over 1/2 inch and then ironed again 1/2 inch to give a neat edge.  All that was left to do was top stitch the sides that I had ironed, and now I have two cute vintage tea towels.   Do you call them tea towels or dish towels?

It feels good to finish some things that have been patiently waiting for my attention.  

I wonder what else I will find?

piece,

elizabeth

little quilt monday~~~yo-yo mini quilt

Little Quilt Monday

Happy New Year and welcome to the first Little Quilt Monday of 2012!

I thought I'd remind you of the rules for this weekly link-up party:

1.  This link-up party is for any small project.  For example, mini quilts, doll quilts, baby quilts, place mats, mug rugs,

wall quilts, table runners, etc.

2.  They can be a WIP(work-in-progress) or finished.

3.  If it is something from the past there is no need to write a new blog post, just link the one that you have already written, and, please link back to my blog post.

The reason I started this link-up party is to provide inspiration for me and my blog readers.  I have found that making a mini quilt is a great way to try new techniques or patterns,  practice machine or hand quilting, or experiment with different color combinations.  I am enjoying this process and I will try to have something new to show you each Monday.
  

This week I am going to finish a UFO(unfinished object : )  It is in the WIP stage, because I am still enjoying my family time in Colorado, but I hope to finish this mini quilt this week.  While here at our Colorado cabin,  I have found these 1 1/2 inch yo-yos that I made at least 10 years ago.(obvious by the homespun plaids!)

There are 100 yo-yos.

I started with  3 1/4 inch circles to make the 1 1/2 inch yo-yos.

I am sewing them together with black embroidery floss.  The finished mini quilt will be 10 X 10.                                        

The original plan for this UFO was to make more green yo-yos and place them in a tree shape using the black for the trunk and the red as the background.   Now I plan to make the layout above, giving a more modern look to the homespun fabrics.

And now it is your turn to link-up a small project below to

Little Quilt Monday.

Let's inspire each other!
piece,
elizabeth

wip with my go! baby

I finally broke down and purchased a Go! Baby while visiting Colorado last week.  There is a fun, crafty store called Fringe in Salida, Colorado.  They sell a wonderful selection of fabrics, yarns, and gifts.  They also have a nice class schedule each month.  I always try to visit Fringe when I am in Colorado, and this time they were having a sale : )  I came home with a Go! Baby and the tumbler and 2.5 inch strip dies.  I am now deciding what new dies I need to add to my collection!

My fabric stash in Colorado is limited but this is what I came up with while I was there using the tumbler die:

I really like the wavy colorful design of this little mini quilt and I will probably end up hand stitching with more color.

Do you have any suggestions for me?

I pieced a circle with some of the leftover tumbler blocks so I need to decide what to do with it too : )

What an easy way to make a color wheel.

I wonder what die I should get next?

You didn't think we would go to Colorado without Tiger, did you?  He hates the long drive in the car, but he loves the destination!

I am linking up to WIP Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced blog.

piece,

elizabeth

Don't forget to add your mini/little quilts to Little Quilt Monday each week : )

1st edition: little quilt monday----ticker tape doll quilt

Welcome to Little Quilt Monday linky party.  I am looking forward to this challenge to try some new things in a small project and I hope I am not alone : )  You can link up(below) your mini projects that are a WIP or finished at the bottom of this post.  I am sure I will be inspired by all the little quilts that are being made and I know you will be too!

This week I decided to make a ticker tape doll quilt.  I have seen these and have always wanted to make one.  I found several tutorials for this type of quilt.  Here are a few of the tutorials that you might like to try sometime:  Crazy Mom Quilts,  Sew Take A Hike, and Stitched In Color.

I decided to add my little pieces by hand instead of machine like the tutorials.  I am happy with the way it turned out and I even like the look from the back!  The aspen leaves are from my week in Colorado.

I will be linking up with Celebrate Color, Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story, and Fuddy is not Duddy at Naptime Quilter.

Now it is your turn to link up your little quilts below and please, add my link to your post.  I have a button on my side bar but it is just a picture, I haven't learned how to add the box of detail below it yet.  You can add it as a picture and then link to my post if you would like to do that : )

piece,

elizabeth

moda's summer house by lily ashbury

I found the fabric I want to use for the Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt-along.   It is very bright, cheerful and refreshing considering the heat we are experiencing in June!  I think most people are going for a scrap look, but this Layer Cake of Summer House caught my eye while I was in Colorado at a shop in Salida called Fringe.  Now to get to cutting and piecing some of these 6 inch blocks so I don't get too far behind everyone else : )

piece,
elizabeth

farmer's wife quilt-along

I have decided to join the Farmer's Wife Quilt-Along hosted by Amanda and Angela.

I got the book last week while I was in Colorado.  My sweet mother was a farmer's wife, so I am enjoying reading the letters that accompany the blocks in the book.   I haven't made any blocks yet, so I will be a few blocks behind.  I will get started this week and show you my fabric choices and the first couple of blocks as soon as I get settled from my week away from home : )

piece,

elizabeth

swap block

I finally finished my swap block for the Block Swap Adventure swap in April.  The last two weeks have been pretty hectic around here.   I didn't think I was ever going to get a chance to spend some time in my sewing room.  We have been doing major remodeling on the outside of our home since the middle of November and it is almost finished!  We spent one week in Colorado to get away from the mess : )  Anyway, I am now able to spend more time sewing and that also means I have something to blog about.

I made this block for Sylvia from Australia.  She requested a pastel block of my choice.  She will be making a baby quilt with her swap blocks.  I made this 12 inch disappearing four patch block and although it is going to be late, I am hoping she will like it!

~piece~

elizabeth

one flower wednesdays

I am going to begin posting my hexagon flower progress on Wednesdays.   A group of quilters are having a garden party each Wednesday, and I will now join them!  The hexagon I made today is from some 3" squares I bought in Leadville, Colorado.  They are vintage fabrics, and I am enjoying the old designs, many that are beginning to show up in new fabric designs today!  I have no big plans for my hexagon flowers, and I often put two together with some batting to make a coaster.  But who knows, I may end up with enough to make a quilt one day....let the garden party begin : )

~piece~
elizabeth

antique quilts

The last few quilts I will show you from my Colorado house are antique quilts.  They are full of interesting fabrics and some of the blocks are designs I would like to try to make sometime in the future.  I don't know the maker of any of these lovelies, but I hope they would be happy to know that they are appreciated by me : )

piece,
elizabeth

quilt for mother

I made a chemo quilt for my sweet mother in 2005, and she passed away in April of 2010.   I keep it at our Colorado cabin.  When I asked her what color to make it, she picked green and purple.  Those just happen to be our favorite colors, hers was green and mine is purple : )  I made up a quick pattern and my LAQ friend, Debbie Croft,  quilted it as soon as I finished, so that my mother could have it for comfort and love.  My mother was a wonderful lady, and a joy to be around to the very end.

piece,

elizabeth