Hi! My name is Lizzy and I have NO will power. LOL!
My friend Lori at Humble Quilts began a new quiltalong last week! As if Flags isn't keeping me busy enough? But oooooh---the new quiltalong is mystery! And it's a 1" postage stamp doll quilt, how adorable is that.
But no! At first I was good. I decided I'd save the doll quilt til January, something fun to look forward to after Christmas. With my problem hand, I can only cut and sew so much and my etsy shop needs fun stocking stuffers and hostess gifts. [maybe an angel too?].
But then, well, you know---I was sorting through my Civil War repro fabrics for inspiration for the Flags sawtooth star block, and all that beautiful calico just kept calling to me. "Use me. Use me! Just a tiny bit? Please?" Because some of the vintage and antique fabrics, I just don't want to chop up.
I figured I could give the mystery quilt two days, a couple hours each.
One day to cut a zillion 1 1/2" squares and another to piece the little four patch blocks.
Fine. (Yeah, okay, took me three days. I'm slow...and I had a helper.)
Isn't it pretty!?
Whatever will it turn out to be? It's called the Cascadia Mystery quilt. What is Cascadia anyway, sounds like bottled water to me. Or maybe it's a place?
Maybe the little quilt will be something like this? A 1" postage stamp doll quilt top or larger quilt section.
I decided not to use this piece because it is so charming as is, and quite old, perhaps preCivil War. The little squares aren't pieced with running or back stitch, they are whipstitched together from the front, with the tiniest finest stitches you can imagine. Need a magnifier to really see them. Maybe if you click and enlarge you can see the tiny stitches on the edges of the brown squares?
Besides my collection of recent repro fabrics and my antique and vintage yardage, I reused some c. 1875-1890? blocks, using the unsoiled, un-tattered remnants. I think they blend in okay.
It's interesting to see hoarded fabrics finally used. I've been collecting fabric for a brown and blue quilt for many years, and these are the fabrics that now appeal to me the most. (Despite my large collection of double pinks and chrome orange/ chrome yellow.)
Now when you have a project you need a helper, right?
If you look at any Pug breed description it will say pugs have been only lap dogs for thousands of years. Their sole function is to cuddle and be cuddled.
And one of their main personality traits is that they hate to be ignored.
These are just a few of Mo's contributions over the past couple days.
He ate my Thanksgiving gourds:
He demolished Mel's package and tore up the cashmere! yarn and embroidery thread, and hand written notes inside.
He ruined my alpaca hat from Hunter's pattern This is the third time! This time he added blue duct tape to the messy mix. Oh, yes, he really hates knitting, lol.
And he chewed four rolls of Charmin, and a giant roll of paper towels, and my new grey cashmere sweater. Then he threw up.
Just in two days! I for one was exhausted, but not Mo!
And for Kelley [and everyone]--- Look! I went out late last night to pick the last nasturtiums in case that cold front came to the beach---
and look what I found. My sweet peas are blooming. Just a few but, to me, Wow!
See---it's never too late to try!
love
lizzy
gone to the beach.....
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| silhouettes of little brown birds, like a William Morris print |
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| warm November evenings |
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