chicken crossing

My mini quilt this week was a personal challenge to work with the color orange.  It is not my favorite color to use in quilts, however, I have seen many gorgeous quilts using this color.  I decided to make a cross quilt block mini because I plan to make a larger version using different fabrics later.

I started with some Heather Ross chicken fabric.  There were four  5.5 inch squares that I cut in half.
I cut my orange fabric in 1.75 inch strips to make the cross in the blocks.  Remember that I don't have a pattern, I am just winging it : )  Did you get the joke??

 After trimming the four cross blocks I sewed them together and added a border.  I decided not to use binding.  I put my quilt top and back right sides together with my batting under the quilt top and I sewed around the three layers.  I left about 3 inches to turn the fabric and I sewed the small opening shut.  Then I sat outside with my husband and watched some college football and quilted this little mini quilt.  While watching the games, I used variegated orange perle cotton thread to do my new favorite "big stitch quilting"!

My Chicken Crossing mini quilt finished 12 X 12 inches.  I am really enjoying making these mini quilts. What a great way to try something new : )  I am adding my link to Mini Quilt Monday with Faith at Fresh Lemons, Celebrate Color with Rachel at Stitched in Color,  Sew Modern Monday with Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations and Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story!

Don't forget about my giveaway here!

piece,

elizabeth

favorite fabric friday

Today is the day that Mary and Susan are having a linky party for showing off your favorite bits of fabric!

Here are a few fabrics from Erin Michael's Up Town that I am saving for something special:

I still have lots of scraps of Amy Butler's Gypsy Caravan that show up in my work, but these two pieces are my favorites and I will be sad when they are gone.

I also have some Liberty of London scraps that I have been hoarding for years, and I have them well hidden(I couldn't find them : ).

piece,

elizabeth

100th post giveaway

I missed celebrating the 100th post for my blog, but I am almost at my 100th post for the year 2011, so I am going to have a giveaway to celebrate that instead : )  I will let you know details soon!

piece,
elizabeth

another quilt top to add to the pile

I finished this little quilt top that will be added to my "to be quilted pile".  It will make a nice baby quilt or table topper someday : )  I love the colors!

And I am happy to tell you that the Mississippi kite has earned his wings and has flown away!

Well it is Friday and I still need to make a couple Farmer's Wife blocks, so I hope to have some to show soon.

piece,

elizabeth

sidetracked

I have been sidetracked from being very productive today because of this baby bird:

 Notice my sad looking flowers(they aren't happy with the 100 plus degree weather)

It is a Mississippi Kite and the nest is in our Pin Oak tree not far from the front porch.  He and his mom have been communicating all morning and she has come close to feed him a few times.  But someone else is watching the baby bird:

As you can see, Tiger is very interested in our visitor ; )

piece,

elizabeth

snow days

I have been homebound due to the snowstorm...blizzard... and I have had fun working on several projects. I am working on a cute little stitchery with the Moda Sunkissed fabric line.  I must admit that I have so many projects planned, I hope I can keep up with my desire to finish : )  I plan to add a few more embroidery blocks to this project and make this a little quilt suitable for a tabletop or wallhanging.

The free pattern is called Little Birdie Block by Paula Stoddard at www.pacificpatchwork.com.  Then go to her blog, Quilt Happy Quilt Often, where there are several free stitchery patterns!
om
~piece~
elizabeth

birdie stitches

I just finished my Block 1 of Birdie Stitches and I wanted to show you how I prepared my block for stitching, because each month I will prepare my block the same way.  I decided to use my stash of fabric in black and white, and I am happy with the result.

First I sewed my 2 1/2" strips in sets of 6 and 4(two sets of each).

Then I cut 2 1/2" strips off each set.

Then I sewed the pieced strips to the the 8 1/2" kona ash square.

Finally, I embroidered the cute pattern!

I will repeat these steps each month.  There is a flickr group with everyones blocks, and they are all different and oh, so cute!  Why not click the Birdie Stitches badge and join me in this cute stitchery adventure : )

piece,

elizabeth

swallow on the farm