The littlest squares I cut at 1¼" and they will finish at ¾". Each little four-patch will finish at 1½".
Suddenly I find myself thinking of all the tiny fabric scraps--especially strings--that are laying around here, wide enough to become tiny 4-patch blocks! It's crazy.
Here's a possible layout. Most of the little double 4-patch blocks are not sewn into larger blocks so there are plenty of possibilities.
I'm so pleased to have had sun today when I had time to take photos outside to capture the true colors. (Only the first two photos and the last were taken outside.) The browns are really warm and the reds are mostly bright.
A pro of tiny quilt blocks:
They are quick to unstitch if you make a mistake.
A con of tiny quilt blocks:
There's a lot of cutting and sewing to get a quilt of any size.
Do you sew with tiny pieces?
I'm linking this post to
> wip link-up at Silly Mama Quilts
> Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
> Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
> WOW at Esther's Blog
> Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE at Koka Quilts
Thank you for hosting, ladies.
--Nancy.
oh wow!!
ReplyDeletethey look so awesome!
love the possible layout too!
thanks for linking up!
brooke@sillymamaquilts.com
Thanks so much, Brooke. And thanks for hosting the link-up.
DeleteI am right there with you. I find working with little pieces a challenge.
ReplyDeleteBut, Karen, you applique such small pieces and do it so well! I'm surprised to hear you say that. I struggle with small applique pieces maybe more than stitching them on a machine. But I'm still so new to quilting that I'm willing to try (almost) anything.
DeleteLittle Rubies--I LOVE that name!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great layout. Anything with chains catches my eye.
Don't say I didn't warn you. :)
Thank you, Janet. The name may change slightly (and the layout, too) but I still imagine rubies when I'm sewing those tiny blocks. (Does it matter that I've never seen a ruby in person?)
DeleteI know that forever more when I sew tiny blocks I will think of you!
I have always like this color combination. Your layout looks amazing. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cynthia. I don't often use red and brown but I love those two together. The brown makes me think of velvet (for who knows what reason). Thank you for hosting Oh Scrap!
DeleteI've sewn with tiny pieces before, and not my favorite activity! Wonky or off-kilter seams show up to easily.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed how precise tiny pieces have to be sewn, Susan. It's almost like they exaggerate any tiny mistake -- one that would be lost on a larger block!
DeleteThanks for hosting the link-up.
Janet is right for sure! These are delicious!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Wendy! Speaking of delicious, others said the blocks made them think of chocolate covered cherries and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Both fun images for red on brown.
DeleteI love your sweet little chocolate covered blocks!
ReplyDeleteAnd I've always been a fan of small pieces - my motto is "Go small or go home", after all...
I always feel like I'm getting more out of my fabric with smaller blocks. Mathematically, it's not true (more seams per sq in means more fabric wasted in seam allowances), but I guess I'm getting more *entertainment* out of it, so there's that. 8)
LOL. Thanks, Gayle. I'm still going back and forth between velvet and chocolate but it's hard to imagine rubies laying on chocolate....
DeleteYou know, small spreads the fabric around so it does seem like there's more but, like you, I've noticed that the smaller a block, the more fabric is hidden in seams. But yes, true, there is that entertainment aspect which I think is very important!
I sometimes end up with small pieces in my quilts, but I've never made one entirely out of such tiny bits. There's something very appealing about them, isn't there?
ReplyDeleteYes, Kaja, tiny is appealing for some reason. It's slow going with this quilt. It takes a long time to cut and sew tiny pieces for a large quilt, though this quilt might not become very large.
DeleteThose blocks just glow. They will make a beautiful quilt.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa. That's what I thought, too -- glow, sparkle like gems, hence "rubies." I think they will become a small quilt. I'm finding it hard to sustain enthusiasm for such tiny pieces to make a large quilt, but we'll see.
DeleteHaha yes, they are very addictive...I like what you're doing with them too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Raewyn. I've been playing with the layout of these little blocks. I don't know how they'll go together yet.
DeleteAs I scrolled through your post, I just loved what you are doing with these! Very appealing! And good to use up those tiny bits. Thanks for sharing with 'sew stitch snap SHARE'.
ReplyDeleteHi, Linda. Thanks for your comments. The tiny bits are addictive to begin with but when trying to make a larger quilt with them ... well, they are time-consuming.
DeleteWhat a pretty color combo - I wouldn't have thought of it on my own, and it yields such a nice result!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynette. I've always loved brown with red (and green, too). I hope the variety of brown scraps I'm using will look okay when I'm finished and not give the quilt a disjointed appearance.
Delete