modern maple mini quilt

I'm joining in with the fun over at Amy's Creative Side & The Bloggers Quilt Festival! 

I'm entering the modern maple mini quilt I completed this fall & have hanging on my wall. 
I have to tell you here at the beginning that I am rather new to quilting, I've only made a few mini's & baby size quilts so far. I love the feeling of satisfaction after one is finished!!

Anyway, I was just introduced to this block pattern a few weeks ago when I saw a few of them popping up over on Flickr. I was so intrigued I had to make a few myself!!:) 
Since fall was already half over I knew I wouldn't have time to make a whole quilt so I just made up four blocks & sewed them together to make a mini quilt. 

I used essex linen for the back ground & a red FMF print, Sandy Garvis yellow print, brown Lizzie House print & a Micheal Miller print. I also used a bit of text print in the background of the MM print for a bit of visual interest. 

Again I  used two different binding scraps I had & love the other extra bit of interest it added!

Because this quilt is so small I was inspired to hand quilt it & I sure am glad I did! I love the texture it adds to the quilt.

 

Here's a detail shot of the quilt where you can really see the hand quilting & the texture it brings!

..............Bloggers Quilt Festival stats..............

finished quilt measures 18x19

hand quilted by me: Karen Peachey

Best category: hand quilted, wall hanging, doll/mini quilt

scrappy swap 2012

I was very honored to be asked by Kat to join her as co-mama in the scrappy swap 2012!!! She was my partner in the first round of the swap & we hit it off quite well! 

The swap is just beginning, as sign ups have ended & we are working on partner match ups & will be sending out partner information shortly.
It's a great small & no stress swap. All you have to swap is a fq worth of scraps, a small handmade goodie & a local goodie not totaling over $3.00. 

Here is the inspiration mosaic I made for my partner to give her ideas of what I'd love to receive. I am such a sucker for swaps & love the fun in stalking my partner to find out her likes & then sewing her something she'll hopefully! love!:)

pretty {little} pouch swap

Round 5 of the PLPS has just come to an end, so I thought I'd better show you all the beautiful pouch I received as well as the pouch I sent. 
This was the start of the scrappy gayg pouch I made. You can find the pattern here. 

 

My partner requested that the pouch be for her 13yr. old daughter & she loved greens, aquas & browns, so that is what I went with. 

The back has some special HR bits in it. (fishies & brown dolls!)

For the extras I made up this key fob & a tiny little snap pouch that I drafted a pattern for.

A peek at the inside & I even managed to remember to add a label!

I was very impressed with how well this pattern was written. This was the first time I made it & it went together like a breeze! The magnetic snap and all! My partner said in her thank you that her daughter just LOVES it & carries it with her everywhere!! It's so awesome when you know something you made brings another person so much joy!:) This was the complete package I mailed her then.

After waiting a month past the mail by date I finally received my pouch in the mail!!!! How gorgeous is this?? Amazing. My partner did & excellent job of "stalking" me & finding my likes out as look what else she included! A book on canning, (I had posted pics of my big canning shelf on flickr) a crocheted dish cloth (I had mentioned in another group that we were a part of that I'd love one) & some fabulous scraps from the pouch.

It was definitely worth the wait for this one! So beautiful! Check out that stitching on he leaves. Wow. 

It's the perfect size for my embroidery hoop, but I decided to use it to carry my epp project with me. Absolute perfection!! Yay, for another satisfied round in the pouch swap!

modern maples mini

I've been seeing a few modern maple blocks popping up over on flickr & just had to try my own! This one, this one & this one are just gorgeous, aren't they? 

Feeling the need to sew something pretty, I sat down one saturday & whipped up four blocks to make a mini. This was the first block. I used essex linen as the background & red dotty leaves from the Flea Market Fancy Legacy line.

A yellow Sandy Garvis print, LH brown pearl bracelets, & one my favorites, Elle by Micheal Miller, completed my mini.

I sat down with the quilt & a movie the other night & got it all quilted up! I love the added texture that the hand quilting brings to it.

All it needs is the binding & it's officially done. Here's one more close up peek of the quilting!

I'm linking up with Megan & Sew modern monday!

To fabric tuesday over at Quilt Story.

And to Jenna at Sew Happy Geek & 

A sewing retreat!!!

Just read the fabulous news of a new sewing retreat  happening on March 21-24 in Charlotte NC!!!! How exciting is that to have something here on the east coast? I would absolutely die if I had a chance to go! Wow. The inspiration & meeting all those fabulous "famous" quilters.:):) Go check it out & mark your calender's for the registration opening at noon Oct. 24!!!