Sunday, July 31, 2011

Small , Smaller, Smallest


Have you noticed how things are getting smaller? Packages of cereal - no wonder my son says he is having a box of cereal for breakfast, not a bowl of cereal! Ice cream - two scoops anyone? Print - fine print is now everything. And Quilt patterns - everyone seems to be going for the 1.5" blocks and strips for design. Now that is OK if you are use to handling small pieces, but for a new quilter - oh, just chase them with a stick. Now that being said - I do like to work small........


The largest piece I worked on this weekend. The newest embroidery block for Clover and Violet's stitch and quilt along. I didn't want to stitch the tiny bird, remembered my 'Incompareable Buttons I won - so a cute little red button bird sits on the branch. AND yes a tiny button heart on the house. This is my 'small' project.



My next SQUARED UP project - using a jelly roll strip folded in two, I cut just the salvage - (3) 2.5" squares - (3) 4.5" bricks - and just that smidge of the nasty fold is scrap(I threw it away). The project is using 16 light and 16 dark strips if you want to use from stash.



I layed out a dark brick, light/dark square, and light brick - this is how you will sew your block together. Take care that your light/dark squares are placed in this order at all times. Yes, you will get an odd size block - 4.5" x 6.5" - but there are no rules that say you have to have a 'squared block' to make a quilt. More will follow on Thursday. This is my smaller project.




Yes - these are 1.5" squares. A special gift from someone who knows how I love to play with small bits of fabric. These are going into a special project that I will show when done. Yes, this is smallest - OR IS IT?



OK that bag of scraps that I have been playing out of has bugged me to use it up. This will be an on-going project. There is a dime on one of the blocks and layed them out on one of my cutting matts so you can see how small. Yes 1/2" strips - these are paper pieced - please, not that crazy! I think I will make a black skinny sash as I don't want to try and match all those seams.



SEEING ORANGE AND GOING LARGE

I added the new orange button for Stash Manicure for the Wantobe 3 month give away - just click on it each day and it will take you to the new posting. Nuf said. BUT, I see I have hit the 200 follower mark - holy quacamole!! That deserves a HUGE thank you and a give away in itself. YES, right here!! SO.....



I so tried the orange colour thing - just cannot wrap myself around that much orange - sorry orange lovers. This is a Connecting Threads quilt kit using the fabric line - Canning Day. Everything you need is in there. All the fabric, templates, instructions (nicely colored, too) - I only opened it to check all the items there and to photo it. This quilt needs a home. Is your color orange? Just leave a comment and be a follower. I will draw the winner on Saturday, August 6th ** will ship international**

CLOSING THOUGHT

"Little by little does the trick."
Aesop - on 'Things and Little Things'

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

57 comments:

Wendy said...

Sharon ... big things come in little packages ;) Wonderful work!! Beautiful really :) Thank you for sharing and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!

Quiet Quilter said...

Lovely work! I still couldn't find the dime...I guess my eyes aren't cut out for small work....

RobynLouise said...

Lol, I found the dime but only after I enlarged the pic as it's next to a white fabric and the angle makes it difficult to see. Black sashing would look nice with all those colours.
Cheers,
RobynK

Jessica said...

I actually love orange - I'd love to win that quilt kit! I follow of course :)

Anonymous said...

Congrats Sharon on 200 followers and as usual a great post and thankyou for a chance to win this lovely prize

Sarah Craig said...

First of all, congratulations on 200 followers!! Woohoo!! And I love all your little works - that last top (with the dime on it) is gorgeous!!! Thanks for the chance to celebrate with you!!

Linda said...

All these projects are perfect and beautiful. And a this giveaway is super cool too. Congrats on 200+ followers :)

Teresa in Music City said...

Your small work is wonderful! I always enjoy seeing what people can create in the smaller sizes. And I LOVE orange, so if I'm the winner I'll do the happy dance! Thanks for sharing!

evelyn said...

Congrats on all the new followers. Love your blog. Your small projects are beautiful. My eyes would never co-operate. I had to enlarge photo to find the dime. I also enlarged the giveaway photo. Lovely fabric. Great pattern. Hoping to win!

Roma said...

Thanks for the chance to win again Sharon. And I love orange. Makes me happy~

Me and My Stitches said...

Love all of your little projects. My daughters favorite colors are pink and orange (the brighter, the better) so orange has grown on me a little bit!

Stray Stitches (Linda G) said...

I like working with 'little' too but sometimes need a break with bigger things. You are certainly working on your share of tiny creations :) Thanks for the opportunity to enter your giveaway!

Kathleen C said...

Black will be just the thing for sashing between your neat blocks. What a good feeling to come up with an idea like that.
I enjoy your blog posts. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway; I'd give the orange fabrics a try!

krisgray said...

Love seeing your projects - such variety. Maybe it's the heat, but the small projects have been getting my attention lately. I also started the Clover & Violet block #4.

Barb H said...

I'm amazed at the little pieces you're using! I don't think I have the patience for making such minatures, . . . but I could work with the orange quilt package. :)
Congratulations on reaching 200 flolowers.

PolkaDotClassic said...

Congratulations on your 200 followers!!
I Love Orange :)

Marta

StitchinByTheLake said...

Sharon I love orange so I'd love to win this quilt kit! blessings, marlene

Anonymous said...

Hi Sharon! I think your "little" projects are incredible! So pretty! I had trouble finding the dime too...enbiggened the picture and finally spotted it! Those are very small strips!
I've been into orange for a little while now, and even collecting orange FQs for a quilt design that has not made it to paper yet. Would love to give your Connecting Threads kit a good home!
Jacque in SC aka Snoodles at Lilypadquilting
quiltnsrep(at)yahoo(dot)com

Flo @ Butterfly Quilting said...

Congratulations on the 200 !
I love your "little projects". .....will have to dig through my scraps again!
And yes, I seem to be on an orange kick these days, so would love your giveaway!

Sallie said...

Congratulations on 200 followers! Thanks for the giveaway!

Shannon said...

Congrats!! Wow, 200! How cool. I love orange. I am glad I followed your advice about Connecting Threads. I love their fabric. Those buttons you used are so cute!

Michele said...

You have some great projects going on :-) I have noticed how everything is getting smaller! When I go to buy a can or box of something for a recipe, many times it is just a bit smaller than the size I need. Then I wonder, do I buy two and use a little from the other box or can? Congrats on 200 followers! I'm a follower now too! I thought I was one before but I guess I wasn't! Anyway.....great giveaway!

Miss Hillbilly said...

You are working in small. I look forward to your little tiny blocks project.

I do love orange but have NO time in the world at all...so please let the drawing go to another. Since orange is so popular right now...I am actually staying away from it.

Silly aren't I? I am ANTI what the crowd is doing. Well, except I do love my handwork.

KatieQ said...

I love how you found the perfect little bird for the branch. Just looking at the tiny scraps you are playing with makes my eyes cross.
Congratulations on reaching 200 followers. I'm sure someone will enjoy the orange fabrics. Please do not include me in the drawing. I am still petting the Fig Tree fabrics I won at your blog.

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

My oldest (23) has always been an orange and lime green fanatic. After looking for orange clothes and shoes for him (not to mention sheets, etc.) the color has grown on me.

I love to hand piece little hexagons but I do not like to use my sewing machine for little blocks. Too fiddly for me.

And this would be . . . . said...

I am in an Orange Bee and would love to add those fabric to my collection! Congrats on the 200 followers (of which I am one of).

quiltzyx said...

Everything is looking so good here today!

I could deal with some orange & would be happy to take the kit off of your hands.... :D

Sheila said...

It's difficult to wrap my mind around working with such SMALL PIECES OF FABRIC! Thought I'm saving my small 1" strips to give it a shot when I collect enough scraps. haha.
Sweet needle work :)
Nice projects happening at you house.
Yes, I like Connecting Threads.
Congratulations, 203 followers :D
Good for you!

Sandy said...

Wow, You do like to play with small pieces! LOL! I love orange and that kit looks great. Thanks for the opportunity to win!=)

Anonymous said...

I LOVE working with small pieces! Thanks for the chance to win your giveaway!

Michele T said...

Nice little package : )
I am a follower for some time now.

yorkie mom said...

love Orange! I would give it a good home! I have been a faithful follower!

Melody said...

I'm now follower 206. Thanks for the chance to win this great prize.

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

Congrats on over 200 followers Sharon! I love orange!

Jo said...

I am now a follower. Who is to say that smaller is not better. Ok Orange is definatly on of my favorite colors! After all we own 4 Harleys and what are their colors?
Thank you so much for taking your time to have this giveaway.

Charlene S said...

I enjoy every color except PINK! I would love that kit.

hueisei said...

I am a happy follower to your blog... Loves the orange...
Thanks for the generous giveaway!!

Anonymous said...

CONGRATS!
THANKS FOR SHARING!
NEAT GIVEAWAY!

jldouglas@wispwest.net

robin said...

I'm a follower and would love to win the kit. Thanks! :)

Alina said...

Thanks for the giveaway. I love the color! Please let me win.

Thanks for the chance.

Catskill Quilter said...

CONGRATS on hitting 200! I love Connecting Threads' fabrics, even the orange! Canning Day is such a cute line...

Kathy H said...

Enjoyed looking at your projects. I hadn't really liked orange much until one of my daughters decided it was her favorite color. Now I really like it too. Guess I have made her a few orange things.

Sheila said...

I enjoy working in small when I get the chance and love what you have made . Love to win the kit as I do like orange . Thanks for the chance .

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

What a lovely giveaway! I just love anything fabric....grin.

Debbie said...

Im a follower :)

thanks for the giveaway- I know people who are orange lovers!

JustPam said...

I really like orange. I am not a blue person, but oranges, salmons, corals, etc are a joy for my eyes.

tpott said...

Congrats on 200 followers!!! What rhymes with orange? Thanks for the great giveaway! ;>

Deborah in Atlanta said...

You're right!!!! Holy quacamole!! Congratulations, my friend. Wonderful giveaway. And oh yeah, baby, I love orange.

Winona said...

I just became a follower. You showed some wonderful works in progress. I recently found the Clover and Violet stitch and quilt along. I almost have my blocks ready. Now I need to really get with it to finish the first 4 blocks. I love Connecting Threads, so this is a great giveaway.

LisaT said...

Would love to make it an pass it on, thanks for the chance!

Marcia W. said...

Wow! I cannot work that well with such small pieces.
Now, orange is a great color. My first car was orange. What can I say - my college colors are orange and blue - Gator orange. My first house had an orange front door!
So, please put my name into the hat for the kit. Thanks.

Gene Black said...

Yes! Orange is a color I use and love. I had an orange car just like Marcia W did. It was my second car though, not my first. It was a Ford Pinto. (and I showing my age there?)
I loved my little orange car.

Deb said...

Hi! I've seen your name all around blogland...but this is my first visit to your blog! Congrats on your follower; I just became one! I'm an orange person and would love to win the kit!

Anne said...

Love those diminutive, scrappy blocks! Love CT's canning day collection!

After I read Gene Black's comment, I remembered that my grandfather handed down his burnt-orange Ford Pinto to me! I had completely forgotten about that car. I loved driving it. It's probably rusting away in a junk yard -- so sad. :-( (I am easily distracted, huh?)

Glad to be a follower!

Peach Rainbow said...

Congrats on your 200+ followers & I am one of them :D

I am more onto pink/peach/pastels, but those fabrics are beautiful!
Thanks for the chance.

quilt cookie said...

I love the Canning Day fabric . Thanks for the chance to win.

Anonymous said...

Just found your blog and love it. I wanted to become a follower but the button is missing? I just see 'followers' but nothing to 'click' :-((.
( I did reload the page, but no button appeared then either)Please do not inclue me in this lovely give-away, I'm not an orange-lover either LOL>