More inspiration from Kelly at Jelli Quilts

Today we have the super talented Kelly from Jeli Quilts sharing some SMALL inspiration with us and showing some of her gorgeous makes!


I love the theme of this months Le Challenge, and so was so happy to be asked to guest post about it and hopefully give a little inspiration.  There are so many directions you could take with the theme 'small', but for me two in particular stand out. Small makes - I love them!  Perfect for when you need that quick sewing fix, which for me is half way through a quilt or in avoidance of hand sewing the binding.  Bags, pouches, coasters, cushions - they all fit that small make bill and generally take only a couple of hours to whip up.

Here are a few of my favourite small makes made over the last couple of years:

Top left  - Log cabin pouch (Oh Fransson prefect zip bags pattern - http://www.ohfransson.bigcartel.com/product/perfect-zip-bags-pdf-sewing-pattern)
Top right - Netbook cases - (modified version of the Ipad cover tutorial by One Shabby Chickhttp://oneshabbychick.typepad.com/one_shabby_chick/2011/01/an-ipad-cover-tutorial.html)
Bottom left - Michelle patterns Strap clutch (http://www.michellepatterns.com/product/strap-clutch-pdf-sewing-pattern)
Bottom right - Ipad mini case -  pattern by Schoolhouse Patterns (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/119876841/eclutch-sewing-pattern-sleeve-case-with?ref=shop_home_feat_3)

The other direction is to literally go 'small' and make tiny blocks.  When I look at certain types of quilt blocks (mainly geese, I admit!), the first thing I want to do is scale them down to ridiculous size and see if I can still make them. There is just something so ridiculously cool about a teeny tiny quilt block, well to me anyway ;-)

They are perfect blocks to turn into pincushions, mug rugs, pouches and tote bags!

Top left - Mouthy Stitches tote - Tiny circle of wonky stars (tutorial by http://zonnah.com/2010/07/20/wonky-star-ring-tutorial/)
Top right - Tiny geese pincushions  -  Goosed Up pattern (http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/other/goosed-up--paper-pieced-block/89918)
Middle right - Ipad case with mini dresden circle
Bottom right - Super teeny pincushion - Juicy Goosey pattern (http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/other/juicy-goosey-paper-pieced-block/101226)

Hopefully that has given you some inspiration for this months challenge, I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.


Thank you so much Kelly! I know that's inspired me to get sewing and finish my small project :)

Create something based on the theme 'small' using any type of craft and come and link up your finished project (with a blog post or Flickr picture) on the 15th July for a random chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop!

Small {fabric inspiration}

There are so many ways to interpret this month's theme SMALL that I doubt you need any help with ideas for your projects but just in case here are a few. Let's start with the obvious...

You could use fabric with small prints:

like these cute apples or small dots

Or fabric created for children and babies (because they are small!):

Littlest and Wee Wander

You might want to make something small:

A small zipper pouch or even a Sleeping bag for toys

Or have small parts make up a whole:

small hexagons

It could be fun to add embellishments to your make:

some small lights or use some glue dots to add small details

You might only need a small amount of materials:

Thread box and mini charm pack

And of course good things come in small packages!

jewellery boxes

Are you overwhelmed with small ideas?! Have you started working on your SMALL project?

Remember to come back and link up your finished project on the 15th and we'll have more SMALL inspiration soon!

Charity {More Inspiration}

Charity... Not the easiest of theme and then again, pretty easy when you think about the possibilities. Lucy and I came from two different angles on this - she was thinking of making something for a charity (which is an amazing thing to do); I was thinking shopping - in charity shops. 

During my maternity leave I have had time to go to charity shops, a lot - they close at 5 pm, and because there are none near my work in London, it is not as easy now for me to shop there. But I do love finding gems in these shops. And believe me you can find amazing stuff, my mother-in-law found a real Mulberry purse for £8, I am not joking - I saw it, and it is the real deal. However I would not be prepared to upcycle a Mulberry purse.. 

However I have been known to upcycle jumpers from charity shops into cushions.. 

The tutorial is here

paint jars I did not like the look of, but like the form of.. 

More info on this here

 Buy a necklace, and make the wood beads more golden

More here

 Or just add interest to a chunky necklace

More here

These are not big projects, and easily manageable until the 15th ;) As for me, my entry is currently looking like this - a bit obscure but it is all in the structure... 

We hope to see many of you joining the linky party on 15th! 

Charity {fabric inspiration}

Are you finding this theme tricky? I have a project in mind but here's what I could find to inspire you...

There is the virtue of charity: love and kindness

 blankets or quilts for charities such as Project Linus / Project Linus UK

Horses? There was a racehorse called 'Charity'
(I'm already stretching this theme!!)

and a British Royal Navy ship HMS Charity
(I realise that's a boat pattern - this is getting tougher!)

Precious

Originally in Latin the word caritas meant preciousness, dearness, high price (thanks Wikipedia).

The encompassing idea of charity seems to be giving.

A gift of time, thought and handmade goodness maybe?

How is everyone getting on? Any more out of the box ideas?

Remember to come back and link up your finished projects on 15th June!

More inspiration from Martha of Weekend Doings

Today's guest post is from Martha who blogs at Weekend Doings.

Hi everyone, I hope you are finding lots of inspiration for this month's challenge. 

I think the theme is super fun. I love nature and it is definitely a great influence on my creations. I love taking photographs of my surroundings and sometimes the smallest details captured by the lens of my camera serve as inspiration for my projects. 

The greatest influence that I get from nature is color palettes. I don't know about you, but many times I find it difficult to choose fabrics. So when in doubt or when searching for a spark in creativity I always turn to nature. 

I want to share with you a couple of my projects and the pieces of nature that inspired them.

The colors of my Feathers and Patchwork quilt were inspired by the colors of fall. I created this quilt for Christmas of 2013. So when I decided to start this quilt fall colors were all around. Bare branches and brown leaves were abundant and the mossy surfaces were starting to pop up everywhere. So I couldn't help myself but grab inspiration from those lovely autumn colors and translate them into the color palette for this quilt (one of my favorites). 

Another project that I borrowed inspiration from nature was this Half Square Triangle Quilt. I took the photo of a beautiful rose in my garden that caught my attention. The bright pink and the different shades of green seemed the perfect color combo for a summer quilt.  

There are so many ways to use nature as inspiration or to incorporate it into our projects. Nature offers us infinite sources of inspiration and I'm really looking forward to seeing your projects inspired by it. 

Isn't she talented, and those pictures are so beautiful! Thanks ever so much Martha for sharing with us how you are inspired by nature... 

Hope you are all getting on well with your own interpretation of NATURE! 

Nature {fabric inspiration}

*If you are new to le challenge please read all about le challenge here*

We can see nature all around us and this is really the tip of the iceberg to inspire your projects...

Flowers; Leaves; Clouds

Insects; Butterflies; Birds

Quilt Dad has done the hard work for me and created this great bundle incorporating lots of nature's elements, fun prints and earthy tones.

All the creatures and animals...

There's so many I'm just going to the zoo

You could be inspired by outdoor activities...

A beautiful Nature Walk; Fishing; Sailing

Or by the colours of nature...

Sky; Grass; Sun

There's really so many ways to incorporate this theme into a project. Are you making something natural, going with one of the ideas suggested above or are you thinking outside the box?

Remember to come back on the 15th of May to link up your finished project based on the theme NATURE and have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop!

More inspiration from Molli Sparkles

Today's guest post is from Molli Sparkles with a BRIGHT teenage tale!


It's Molli Sparkles here, and I must tell y'all a story from way back. I've interspersed it with my inspiration pictures for this month's Le Challenge theme.

It was 1993 and I stood in my bedroom looking down over the vastness of my single bed. My Grandma-Sparkles-designed Micky Mouse quilt suddenly seemed so childishly obsolete. I was on the edge of thirteen and I needed a grown up quilt of my own design. But what, pray tell, did a soon to be thirteen year old Molli need in order to declare his independence and step into the world of quilt maturity? One word: neon. 

That’s right, I marched right into the living room and declared to Grandma Sparkles, “We must scour the Oklahoma fabric landscape for neon immediately.” To which she replied with a raised brow, “Um, okay.” And that we did. We brought home electrified yardage of pink, green, orange, yellow, and even a blue that would have had Cyndi Lauper’s eye shadow taking. down. my. name. Grandma Sparkles sewed it all up into pounds of oversized patchwork. After the top was quilted with puffy, polyester batting—trust me, it was the look of the times!—it was handed over. It was mine, and it represented a chic, new me.

I instantly became the coolest person in my house. (Our pet Siamese cat had put up a noble fight, but there was no denying he was all shades of brown). Sunglasses were now the must-have accessory upon entering my room. And for the next few years I lived under that quilt—loved under it too—until slowly, over time, with each successive wash it started to fade. By the end of its lifespan, most of that neon fabric had dulled to a lustre, paling in comparison to its intense, former glory. Not once did I care though. Its appearance may have changed, but I knew where it had come from, and what it would always be at its core.

That neon quilt accompanied me into my formable, teenage years; an early metaphor for life and the people in mine. It was also partly responsible for shaping my undeniable aesthetic views in the worlds of art and design, and if we’re being perfectly honest, even my personality. So snaps to my thirteen year old self for teaching me what I know now. Because honey, listen up: If you’re gonna make it right, you gotta make it BRIGHT. Now werk!


I've been reminded of the neon socks and friendship bracelets of my younger days! Thanks for the great inspiration!

We hope you're getting on well with your BRIGHT projects, any neon?

Bright {sort of inspiration}

I have really struggled writing this post, I can't seem to get past the obvious... bright fabric!

neon

neon texture

all out psychedelic bright fabric

this reminded me of neon lights

I love these bright cassette tapes

Which leaves the only 'outside the box' option I have for you...

bright and early (not when I like to get up!)

So how is everyone doing? Are we all using bright colours or is anyone interpreting the theme in another way?

Order {More Inspiration}

It is hard to write another inspiration post after Lucy's - even I had not thought about all these potential interpretations of order, I set the themes!

Going back to my own project for order, I started by thinking 'order' - as in someone giving me an order, which should always be along these lines... 

I really wished someone gave me that order for life - especially for Monday mornings (oh, I hate Monday mornings, definitely not awesome). 

or maybe something like this.. 

 

Totally doable craft projects, right... 

Or put some order, as in organisation, in your house - if you can take that many portraits of yourself of course...

 And you could add a splash of colour order of course

 

 Or follow the order of a beautiful colour scheme

Or, like I am doing, try to have some order amongst the disorder...

So hopefully that has made you want to participate to le Challengethis month. All you need to do is come back on 15th with your 'order' entry (small, big, it does not matter as long as it is finished)! Cannot wait to see what everyone comes up with!