Don't drop your computer - two posts in two days. I'm going for a record here...

News flash.  Mini quilts are like mini M&Ms.  you can't have just one can you?   I literally came in out of working on weeding my garden to make this mini.  It's another entry for the Curated Quilts 2nd Mini contest.

I was pulling those weeds and thinking about how much  I love being out in the country.  Weeds and all.  But I was also thinking about how the city is slowing creeping into our agricultural area (which creates the wonderful buffer from the city) and how I'd hate to be stuck in all the urban crawl (and...there is no political agenda here -it's strictly just a comment...).

Bingo.  Inspiration.  Tired of weeding.

and this is the result.  I'm calling this one - Little Log Cabin lost in the city.  Lots of matchstick quilting in a chartreuse color.  Thank you Aurifil - you make some luscious colors.  It's 10.5 x 12 inches.

Enjoy!!

Rocks Optional

Apparently words are, too.  In a hurry to post this to Curated Quilts.  More later....

It's later now.

So this all started with a little peer pressure.  My dear friend and quilt enabler @Marymenzerdesigns posted a photo of what she was working on for the latest round of mini challenge by Curated Quilts.  I'd been seeing some of the entries -all little works of art but once I saw Mary's efforts- I knew I had to knuckle down and get to work.  And there was a full 24 hours left to make and complete the project.  All the time in the world, right?

They wanted us to use a certain palette.  Charcoal, chartreuse, pale pink, mango, and greyish beige.  Ok...not gonna lie here- these are not my colors.   Having said that- sure enough...there they were in my stash (snickering at me for poo-pooing them).  I needed reassurance about my fabric pull and of course, consulted Ping.   She confirmed my selection met the criteria.

 

Oops.  Here's the photo with the chartreuse.   Ping reminded me off camera I'd neglected to put it on the table. Hard to see it when she's positioned a big fluffy sprawled out body on top of it...

We were to incorporate a log cabin design or be inspired by a log cabin design.  It could range from 10 inches by 10 inches up to 16x16.  I love making mini's.  you get to be creative but not beat yourself up if you don't like the direction it took.  Nothing like making a twin-sized dud.  And all crafters have those hideous projects that we got so far into... and then realised ...yuck- what was I thinking- this stinks.  And then you can't stop making it because you've invested so much time and money so you finish it.  And then it's folded up and hidden away.  Yep- got a few of those.  

The wonk is my groove.  When I'm trying to be free from rulers and precision- go to the wonk.  Wonky log cabins are my favourite block so I knew I'd love the process if I could start from there.   I made three but only two made it into the final design.  

The heavy quilting is kind of an undercurrent to pull your eye away from the graphics of the piece...  I liked the way it turned out.

I added the rocks because it looked lonely when I was photographing it.  Which just helped me give it a name - Rocks Optional.  Silly name but it just seems to fit. Enjoy the eye candy and don't forget to check out Curated Quilts!

Time for my annual post... or "The Pillow that ate Cleveland".

My DH is always saying-please- stop laughing at your own jokes.  But I couldn't help but chuckle to see it's almost been a year since I last posted.  Sorry about that- that little thing called a job (which pays for this quilting obsession) tends to get in the way.  On to the quilting - which is what we're all here for....

Wednesday, June 28th, I'll be the guest blogger for the PaintBrush Studio Fabrics Bloghop.  I ADORE their silky smooth solids.  The colors are deep and saturated and get my creative juices flowing.  This time around we were given beautiful Red White and Blue fabrics just in time for 4th of July.... and they Went together like a harmonious soup of color.   Let's face it.  Do any of us have to be goaded that hard in to being convinced we need to see another grouping of gorgeous fabrics?   So please.  Keep coming along here....

I have had the pineapple design on my mind lately and felt like this might be a good mash up (as all the kids say now) with the colors at hand.   I love the simple design of the pineapple and it's graphically strong- so I weighed the options of making a wall hanging or pillow.  The pillow won the fight when I rummaged through my notions box and found.....Pompons!!!!!   Nothing makes a pillow more fun than some happy little pompons.

My design was simple- 2.5 inch squares or HST's.   I added a 2.5 inch border around the pineapple- and then bordered that with a strip of red and blue at 1.25 inches.   I added more white to enlarge the pillow to fit my form.  I thought I had an 18 inch pillow form but alas- imagine my surprise when all I had was a 24 inch form.  Yikes - this is like the pillow that ate Cleveland!   It's YUGE....   Its a conversation piece alright- with the conversation being- where is there left for me to fit on this chair with that big honking pillow taking up so much space?  But ....I love it 💕💕❤️❤️❤️and wouldn't change a thing.

And if looking at this pillow wasn't enough fun for you- would you like to get some fabric for free????  Head over to Fabri-Quilt blog (@pbstudiofabrics) to check out how you can get some of this lovely palette of fabric. 

Uh oh.  Total tech failure Partial tech failure update.... Blogger isn't letting me add any photos to this😳😳😳😳😳😳. I'll try again shortly - sorry for the inconvenience!!! See gratuitous photos on my IG feed   @shelleybrooksquilts   until then.... 

In the meantime- check out my fellow patriotic sewists and their imaginative and inspiring Red White and Blue fabric creations:

6/22: Fabri-Quilt blog (@pbstudiofabrics)

6/23: Jayne of TwiggyandOpal (@twiggyandopal)

6/26: Elizabeth of OPQuilt (@occasionalpiecequilt)

6/27: Stephanie of Spontaneous Threads (@spontaneousthreads)

6/28: Shelley of A Pigeon in Pungo (@shelleybrooksquilts)

6/29: Linda of Flourishing Palms (@flourishingpalms)

6/30: Cindy Wiens of Live a Colorful Life (@liveacolorfullife)

7/3: Stephanie of Peas in a Pod (@stephiepeterson)