Welcome to the Small,Smaller, Smallest Blog hop Hosted by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt. You can be certain that there will be lots of creative quilts and inspiration to be found all week. You can follow the links provided at the end of this post to visit all of today's participants.
In more recent years I have found a love for small quilts. For a very long time I focused on throw sized (or larger) and table runners.
In 2016 I was in need of a quilted wall hanging gift for a friend and used the pattern from Amy Ellis at Amy's Creative Side and her Majestic Mountains. It finished at 22" x 28".
This was small for me...
Last year when Jen & Jan announced their Quilter's Laundry Day hop I was hesitant to join in because of our daughter's wedding date quickly approaching... but I took a day's break and joined the fun! The mini finished at 16" square and had lots of opportunity for creative license.
I used Amy Ellis' paper piecing technique for my mountains and made a play on my "Pieces of My Heart" block from volume 8 of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks publication.
This one was Smaller...
This year when Yvonne announced her Transparency Quilt along, it was offered in two sizes, but I wanted to do something smaller than the given patterns. So with some time spent on figuring out the math, I was able to create a 24 inch square wall hanging... Another Small
And then last month The American Quilters Society made a challenge in their facebook Project Parade group to create a landscape quilt. This is something that I have long desired to do. So I finally picked a Sunday afternoon and did some improv layering to create a postcard... I shared my pictures and they were featured, along with others, in their recent monthly challenge wrap up. How fun seeing my mini-mini as the "cover" for their story as it appeared on fb!I started with a photograph as my inspiration...
I cropped the photo and then pulled out my scrap bin and started trimming and placing and changing and trying something new until I was pleased with the look.
Smallest!
I had some fall vegetable fabric on the table and thought it would be fun to use this as my "advertisement" for when I will be at the Farmer's Market... thus the incorporation of a head of lettuce... or cabbage, or brussel sprout or whatever it is. ((giggle)) It is 5 inches by 7 inches.
I had such fun with it that I wanted to try another, not quite so whimsical, and maybe 8x10...
Well, maybe a few more... so I took a quick walk up the road and snapped a few more pictures for my inspiration - The Sangre de Cristo mountain range.
When I returned home, I pulled the scrap bin out and started layering and trimming and such...
You can't see it in the photo, but Trinidad lake is there but obstructed by the trees... I chose to place the lake in the appropriate place. Creative licence.
The whole process is really easy! And addictive. I just love the hand-dyed fabric as the mountain range... and those trees - they came from some light house and soaring eagle fabrics.
I have several more photos that I want to play around with, but was running short on time... BUT I had just one more thing that I wanted to try...
Last fall while in Ouray, CO I purchased a quilted card (measuring 5x7) that I have been wanting to replicate.
Using one of the same photos I used for the mini landscapes, I pulled out my xacto knife and cut out the areas I wanted to have fabric. I glued the fabric to the inside of the card, added a layer of batting and another layer of cardstock and stitched around the openings...
Now, admittedly, this is not a final template for the cards, but it is a good start. It needs some tweaking... and I need to acquire more batik fabrics. As I finished the card I kept telling myself "I don't have time to do any more"...
yet, I pulled out more scraps, wanting to make a quick card to send to a friend who recently had a double mastectomy and will begin chemo in a few weeks. I want to offer her some love and encouragement...
so...
with the picture to the right as my inspiration, I quickly (I mean quickly - I really wanted to spend more time!) made this card letting her know she is loved and supported in prayer...
I could easily get caught up in making cards like these to sell at the Community Farmers Market... I mean people spend up to $5 on Hallmark cards at the store all the time, right? Maybe cards is a new niche for me...
Small, Smaller, Smallest...
From 24+ inches to 5x7... all blessed from above and made with love.
Which is your favorite?
Let me know in the comments below... I love to hear from my readers.
Quilt Small, Love BIG.
Melva
Be sure to visit all of the other blogs to see their Small, smaller, smallest quilts!
Melva Loves Scraps - home of Quilters Through The Generations
Wonderful Projects! Hard to choose my favourite, all are wonderful. I definitely love your cards, that is something would like to try sometime! But I am also very inspired by your approach with the landscapes. Really fun and so lovely!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun, lots of small projects here. You did a nice job on them all.
ReplyDeleteIf love your landscapes, but all are fantastic
ReplyDeleteI love them all!!!! I have recently started playing with postcards and they are fun and addictive.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific idea to make quilted cards!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Small Blog Hopping!
What pretty projects, it would be too hard to pick a favorite :)
ReplyDeleteSo many beautiful projects and way too difficult to chose a favorite. They each have such a unique style of creativity to them and I can see they would become addictive to make. The sweet little heart postcards are treasures! Thanks for sharing and for playing along in the hop. :O)
ReplyDeleteThey are all gorgeous and impossible to pick a favorite. I love your mountains and that card is fabulous. That would cheer up anyone. YES....make and sell those cards. They would be a big hit.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful, each and every one.
ReplyDeleteYou do have an art with your cards! I love them all. I'm especially inspired that you can see them in photographs. That's my dream some day to be able to quilt from photos. I'm guessing you live in Colorado.
ReplyDeleteThat part of the country is just beautiful. I'm in Denver with all the traffic....ugggggh!
Hard to decide - love them all!
ReplyDeleteYour Majestic Mountains immediately grabbed me, but I'm also loving your cards...may need to make some myself!! So pretty!!!
ReplyDeleteThey're all beautiful. But my love goes to your cards.
ReplyDeleteWoW, this is awesome, I too love landscape quilts, and they are so not easy to do, but you've projected this in a wonderful design. I love the abstract nature of the design.
ReplyDeleteFavorite? "You are well loved..." Bible verse postcard. Loved the colors and of course, the verse. You have mastered the art of small...wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI admire your creativity. Your landscapes are awesome. And I like your cards!
ReplyDeleteHow to pick just one favorite!? Well, your lake landscape is beautiful and such a great snapshot of the area. I do also love that postcard for your friend undergoing cancer treatment. What a sweet gesture to make her something while she goes through this battle. I hope she is doing well. Support from friends like you can never be wrong! Well done on so many lovely projects.
ReplyDeleteLove those quilted cards. I've only made one postcard, but I remember how fun it was. Beautiful projects and great inspiration! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGreat projects. Love your quilted cards, they are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous and creative projects. Well done. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteFun projects in small packages. Hard to pick a fav.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I agree, my favorite changes depending on the day... I hope that you have enjoyed the hop. Blessings...
DeleteIt is difficult to pick a favorite! Trinidad stands out for me. Beautiful workmanship and creativity.
ReplyDeleteYour card turned out wonderful! I bet they would sell at the Market. I smiled to see your Quilter's Laundry Day mini again because I got to see this one in person and also the Transparency one while you were deciding on the final layout. It looks like you've been having some fun with landscape quilting too. I've got a couple of them started but they are larger 14x20 which is why they aren't done yet.
ReplyDeleteLove these!
ReplyDeleteOoooh, No wonder AQS chose your landscape as the one for their cover. They're all beautiful, but I especially like the 8x10 landscape for the farmer's market. These are all wonderful projects!
ReplyDeleteMaking small projects is your niche! So many gorgeous pieces, it's hard to pick a favorite. I love to make cards using fabric, too, and enjoy giving them to special friends and relatives.
ReplyDeleteWow, you are ambitious! I love all your projects, but the heart cards have to be my favorites! Landscape quilting is something I want to tackle soon too. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLovely projects, the postcards are my favorites, so sweet!
ReplyDelete