Small Cousteau's Calypso Quilt Block

You got 'em too, don't ya? Fabric scraps, I mean? Yeah, me too... So I thought I'd gradually try to put a dent in the pile by rustling up a collection of small 3-1/2 inch (3-inch finished) quilt blocks. Slowly. Here and there. Now and again...

I've got a few made so far. They're cute, eh?

In a clockwise direction, I've got a blue and white shoo-fly block, and then a new-to-me block called Cousteau's Calypso in purply-pink 'n yellow. Had to paper-piece that one. Then there's a navy blue and white Patience block, and finally a pink and grey Cracker block.

What will I make with them? Heaven only knows... Got any ideas? I'm all ears.

♥M

Reversible Scrappy String Rug

Chilly extremities run in the family. I, like my father before me, am forever finding ways to get just a little warmer. Multiple layers of socks will often do the trick. A hot pot of tea can work. The donning of 17 sweaters? A perennial favourite. My children are no exception to the rule. Often, on a frosty winter night, we have found ourselves bundled together under a stack of blankets watching a favourite television show, keeping each other cozy. Now that's the life, eh?

A recent addition to the quest for warm toes is the scrappy little rug. I've made a few in the last few months like the quilted heart rug and, my personal favourite, the crazed little rug of scraps, for example.

And here is yet another made especially for Elle who lives far away but whose toes should certainly not be neglected. A nice way to simultaneously use up scraps and keep those tootsies toasty, don't ya think?

♥M

What is Beautiful...

I was thinking today that, sometimes when my spirits are low, all it takes to lift them again is to ask myself one little question: "What is beautiful about this moment?" And, you know what? The universe always has an answer for me. In fact, the universe usually has several.

Two of today's beautiful answers pictured above.

♥M

Portable Love for Father's Day

Confession. Made this wallet last year. Then, forgot I made this wallet last year. Then, never blogged about the wallet. Then, remembered I made this wallet. So now, I blog the wallet.

Truth. This wallet is a year old and in perfect condition. Lo loves this wallet. He uses this wallet everyday. It is a soft wallet. It is an un-bulky wallet. This wallet holds the most important things he carries with him throughout his day. Money. Plastic money. Identification. And love, of course.

This wallet contains love. I made it with love. I mixed love into every stitch. And added some portable love too. Just because.

The portable love is a card made from a tissue box. I cut it out. And wrote down some love words on the back. Then, I slipped the portable love into the wallet. That way, he has it with him always. Maybe he reads it when he's feeling blue. Maybe he pulls it out when he's frustrated with me because I yelled at him about the sock issue. And it reminds him. That I feel the love-thing for him. I do. Despite the sock issue. Our love-thing is strong. And everything is okay.

Happy Father's Day my sweet Lo. My love is yours. 

♥M

NOTE: I used some scraps and THIS little tutorial courtesy of Insatiable Need to create the above wallet. I made another version of the same wallet HERE.

Sand and Beach Balls: A Baby Quilt

Introducing "Sand & Beach Balls", a baby quilt I designed and made for my newest young nephew.

When I set out making this scrappy little quilt, I knew I wanted to capture the feelings you sometimes get on a lovely beach outing. A combination of serenity, warmth and playfulness, you know? I hope that by doing so, my nephew will feel those good feelings whenever he wraps himself in this blanket.

Working from my stash, I went with the following colour combination. For my collection of beach balls, I chose aquas, blues, yellows, oranges and browns to bring to mind water, sunshine, and sand. For the remainder of the quilt, I kept to off-whites and beige tones to reflect the beach underfoot.

In a few places on the quilt, I added subtle embroidery stitching to echo the sun's rays. I also embroidered a quiet To/From inscription so that my nephew will always know that this quilt was made especially for him by me in the year of his birth.

I chose a simple hatching pattern for the quilting because, frankly, I'm still such a newbie when it comes to machine-quilting. I wasn't so sure it would work out either, but I went with it because it mimicked the main backing fabric. And speaking of which, the simple backing was pieced from an old gingham sheet and a blue remnant, both longtime stash-dwellers.

I'm so happy to have it completed. I'm pleased with it. Now I can send it off to my brother, the new daddy and his sweet little family, where hopefully it will be used and loved for a long long time.

Wishing you the pleasantest of weekends!

♥M

More on this quilt here, here and here.

I'm a Hexagonner

Wee hexies! Oh how I love thee...

For a week now, I've been making wee 3/4" fabric hexagons. This here is what got me going in the first place. I've made 120 so far. My goal is to make 15 per day for 133 consecutive days for a grand total of 2000 hexagons. And then, I'll sew them all together into a fantastical quilt. It's a lofty goal, yes. Don't know if I'm being realistic... But now is not the time for realism I figure. No, right now I have a dream and I figure it can't hurt to dream big, right? Anyway, I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy about it at the moment. Hopefully that feeling lasts a while.

In the meantime, I play. Above is an appliqué block possibility. See? Good times are being had.

♥M

FYI: 
Found a great resource page for new quilters at Martingale. Check it out: How To Quilt. And a great hexagon english paper piecing tutorial resides right HERE at Craft Zine.