Our instructions???
What a silly question! Anyone under the influence of fiber pheromones is sure to be able to imagine Carla's instructions for the Winter Blues Blog Hop. The main one:
Use BLUE!!!
Anything from deep dark indigo to the palest light blue and anything in between. Moving toward green with her favorite teal is fine, too. As long as there is a shade of BLUE in your quilted item, you can add any other color you would like.
What did I do???
I thought long and hard about what I should make for the Hop. At first, I thought I might use the Hop to make progress on my niece's wedding quilt, which just happens to include blue in the color scheme for the Herringbone Quilt that I had planned:
I got as far as cutting triangles from each of the fabrics:
But then...
The squirrels took over my thought process!!! Darn that Julie and her Squirrel Club for Quilters! This project would certainly qualify. It's only saving grace? It used up a handful of Orphan blocks.
You see, I had been noticing a baggy of Bonus HSTs in BLUE on top of the dresser in my studio. It's been sitting there for a VERY long time! Inside the bag was a set sample blocks, also in blue:
I laid them out in a pleasing arrangement...
... And set aside the block of a different size:
Which I quilted up for my Blog Hop giveaway:
I bound it before switching back to my main Hop project:
 |
| In case I didn't manage to complete the other project, you know?!! |
About that main Hop project...
I stitched those 4 orphan blocks into a mini quilt. Somehow, I neglected to get a photo at that stage. Next, I did some stabilizing quilting and went back in to add some detail quilting:
Once that was done, I squared up the little quilt...
... And it was ready to add the binding:
Here it is, in all its Winter Blues Blog Hop glory. It's been added to the Gallery Wire and is waiting patiently for Dark BLUE month at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge:
It measures 8.5" square(ish.) Honestly, I couldn't be more pleased. Well, unless I had remembered to add my label and put the corner rod pocket hanging system in place! :o((
About that GIVEAWAY...
Here's how it might look with your favorite BLUE mug...
... Or, perhaps, you enjoy your favorite warm beverage in a hand thrown pottery mug:
Entry comments must be received by
Wednesday, January 29th
@ 9 PM (EST)
in order to qualify for the drawing!
These projects came to you courtesy of the Winter Blues Blog Hop hosted over on Creatin' in the Sticks. Thank you for hosting, Carla. I had SEW much fun!
Be sure to visit all the other bloggers on the Hop! They have SEW many cute projects to share. Here is the complete participant list:
Monday, January 20th
Tuesday, January 21st
Homespun Hannah's Blog
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Quilting & Learning: What a Combo
Life in the Scrapatch
PamelaQuilts
Home Sewn By Us
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Quilting & Learning: What a Combo
Life in the Scrapatch
PamelaQuilts
Home Sewn By Us
Wednesday, January 22nd
Thursday, January 23rd
Storied Quilts
Patchwork Breeze
Seams To Be Sew
HeARTsCreations
Becky’s quilts and adventures
DesertSky Quilting
Patchwork Breeze
Seams To Be Sew
HeARTsCreations
Becky’s quilts and adventures
DesertSky Quilting
Friday, January 24th
MooseStashQuilting
Selina Quilts
LimeLeaves Design
Karrin's Crazy World
Sew Many Yarns
Domestic Felicity
DayBrook Designs
Note for you early birds:
I'm releasing my post early (the night before) because Carla wants us up at the crack of dawn. Yeah, NO! SEW not going to happen. LOL!
Linking up with Alycia
Until next time...
QUILT away those Winter Blues!!!
So fun to read your post early in the morning. Just as you, I made those pincushions for the hop, in case I wasn't able to finish more. I didn't make a giveaway in my post, but if you like a pincushion from me, just join Bea's pincushion swap for the next round, coming in March. It's so much fun.
ReplyDeleteYour quilt and mug rug are so lovely!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on a cute little quilt for the quilt line! Blues are always so fun to work with. The kids know my favorite mugs.... big ones =) I have 2 I rotate - a VT mug, and a VSECU mug.... but I have to swap out with the lighthouse one the kids got me for my birthday occasionally.
ReplyDeleteSalvaging stray blocks is always wonderful and you did a great piece with yours. I was amazed when I realized how tiny the pieces were. Love the mug rug too. My favorite mug was gifted to me many years ago. It has a picture of our first dog Pookie on it.
ReplyDeleteOh my all those tiny hst's, I wouldn't have the patience. Both look great.
ReplyDeleteNice blues. My favorite mug is a clear glass mug from hot chocolate at the Walnut room in downtown Chicago Marshall Fields. Keep on sewing. Thanks for all the inspiration and squirrels
ReplyDeleteIt is always great to use up those "bonus" pieces.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite mug (at the moment) is a mug that my brother and his wife brought to me from their trip to Hawaii. It is a classic pale green with a brown ring on the top of the lip. The colors remind me of mugs that my grandmother had, so it makes me happy for several reasons. And it feels good in my hand.
Excellent work and use of blue. My favorite mug has a photo of my late twin sister and myself on out first Christmas at our tree. We were 11 months old.
ReplyDeleteThose darn squirrels get me every time, but at least you made them be productive. HST's that tiny scare me, but you really made them into a beautiful little quilt and mug rug...love them both! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLove your mug rug. My favorite mug is my Kansas City Chiefs mug. I will be drinking from it while I watch them in the Super Bowl!!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning! Why or why have you not been posting?! I love your sense of humor, and it comes through loud and clear in your pose. What a fabulous use of those HSTs in the baggy. I have some of those and they didn't present any good ideas for me - they must still be fermenting. Cute, cute, cute plus you're ahead of the game. That's a win/win. ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteI would love this mug rug. I love blues. My favorite mug is one of my mother's that I kept after she passed away. Such comfort... can almost feel her hands around it.
ReplyDeleteI've been using the same coffee mug for over 20 years. When I travel I take it with me. Coffee just doesn't taste the same without it.
ReplyDeleteCshelleyqbq (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI have the starry night mug. I use it for stuff. My favorite mug is a red starbucks one. Great tiny project. I am always amazed at people that can do small piecing.
ReplyDeleteLook what the squirrel dragged in :-)
ReplyDeleteYour blue HST quilt is so lovely as are the mug rugs. You must be happy you used up the bag of HSTs from a long time ago. I have bags of partial blocks I try to ignore as much as possible!
Well your "Squirrel" moments are delightfully productive. That mini is gorgeous! I love my coffee in my new color changing mug from a quilt club friend.
ReplyDeleteLove your squirrel project. My favorite mug is a mermaid tail!
ReplyDeleteYour blue mini is wonderful, Joy! Perfect way to use up those little HSTs. My favorite mug happens to be blue (wink!), with a B on it for my last name! I just used it this morning as a matter of fact.
ReplyDeleteThat is so cute and tiny! And you still have a head start on the wedding quilt. The mug rug is wonderful and would look great with my favorite mug - one my older son got for me that says "Dear Mom, Thanks for putting up with a spoiled, ungrateful, messy, bratty child like my brother. Love, Your Favorite". It so fits my children. LOL Thanks for the chance to win the beautiful blue mug rug!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great mini! I enjoy my warm beverage in a hand-thrown mug that is tan, but it does some pretty blue flowers on it.
ReplyDeleteLove your little blues wallhanging! My favorite mug was a gift from a student in my classroom many years ago. It's pink and has a raised figure of Tinkerbell on the front and her back on the reverse. Love it!
ReplyDeleteAnd the squirrels, they get to all of us because there are just so many possible projects. I like that yours led you to bonus blocks, and you made 2 wonderful blue projects. My favorite mug is one a dear friend gave me many years ago that arrived broken. I took the broken pieces to a friend who made "Broken China" jewelry, and she made me two pair of earrings for my friend and I. My friend felt bad and gifted me a second mug, arrived unbroken, and I use it to hold some of my art brushes.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite right now is one shaped like an upside-down bell. When it breaks, and it will, somehow, I will find another. The favorite at the moment does bring comfort for the morning brew.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful! Love that miniature quilt! I have never made a mini quilt before, but after seeing yours, I just might give it a try. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteHaving such a mini quilt is exquisite and in blues makes it perfect. Wonderful that you used what you had, too. My favorite mug is usually the newest...black/white and red/black buffalo print mugs are the newest. I'm really fond of my Winnie the Pooh mug, too; it always makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteI hate when the squirrels take over! You HSTs made a beautiful little quilt. You'll enjoy that for years. My mug of choice is a old gray stoneware mug that keeps my coffee toasty warm.
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun squirrel!! Love the mini and the mug mate! Thanks for the inspiration and opportunity to win!
ReplyDeleteOh wow those were some tiny pieces in your very cute blue block;) I love my snowman mugs, the bigger ones!
ReplyDeleteHow tiny and adorable this is. LOVE IT!!! I love how we all thought it was larger until the end. Aren't you the sneaky one. Your mug rug is super sweet, too. Thanks for joining the Winter Blues Blog Hop.
ReplyDeleteVery cute! My favorite blue and brown plaid mug would look great on this.
ReplyDeleteslrdowney at hotmail dot com
Love all your blue projects and I'm looking forward to seeing the wedding quilt finished!! My favorite mug was a pottery mug that had blues and browns, with a sailboat on it. Unfortunately it was broken in a move and since it was a one-of-a-kind, it has never been replaced. Although I did receive a beautiful blue pottery mug as a gift for Christmas a year ago from a friend in England and I love it.
ReplyDeleteThat squirrel was a good one - and reminded me that I too have a baggie of blue and white triangles stashed somewhere! My favorite mug is one handmade by a friend. It's a beautiful mottled green that looks like hand dyed fabric and fits in my hand just perfect, plus she imprinted a dolphin on it as her special maker's mark. I love it so much!
ReplyDeleteThe mini is darling! I do hope you get back to your wedding quilt. I really don't drink coffee, but occasionally have tea or hot chocolate. I found a HUGE mug from the Hershey's store in New York City a number of years ago, and use it when I can. It is blue and has the word KISSES on it. I think it holds about 18 oz. It's huge!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite mug says i am only talking to my cat today
ReplyDeleteLove your blue projects. Sooooo pretty and my fav color.
My favorite mug says i am only talking to my cat today. Love your projects. Blue is my fav color
ReplyDeleteoh gosh, I had two. A rainy day cup...it was covered with sunshine and sweet spring photos with NO chips.... perfect for rainy days... And a sunny day mug... chips and all with pictures of Hummels under an umbrella during the rain storm...Well I dropped and broke the perfect rainy day mug...but I still have my well loved chipped one
ReplyDeleteGreat projects! My favorite mug is the one that I bought in Montana for my birthday present from the MSU bookstore. It says "Montana Al U Mn I", with the letters in chemical symbol script. I'm a chemical engineering alumni, so this was perfection.
ReplyDeleteGreat projects! And sooo tiny!
ReplyDeleteGreat project, to tiny for me to try, but I sure admire you for doing it. The mugrug is lovely... I am also a huge lover of anything pottery... I've several coffee cups in pottery but I don't use them anymore as they crack so easily under the heat of the coffee. But when ever I go to a craft fair where pottery is offered I always always always end up finding something I really like.
ReplyDeleteLove your thought process - and the little quilt is just perfect!!
ReplyDeleteYour blog and white mini is so cute! Sure to chase the winter blues away! And look at you rocking the dark blue nails!! My favorite mug, ( of way too many, according to my DH) is the one with the coffee in it!
ReplyDeleteCute little mug rug.
ReplyDelete