Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Small, Smaller, Smallest Blog Hop


Thank you for stopping by today to check out what I came up for this blog hop. Thanks to Carol too for organizing this fun hop and awesome group. Small, smaller, smallest...I have been thinking about this hop and thinking, geez what can I do.... ideas didn't come easily for this one. I thought of what I would do late one night. You know, those nights when it's hard to get to sleep. Well that's when it dawned on me what to do and share with you. Lately I have been doing a little catching up on UFO's. Those that follow me have seen my 'Snowball' Quilt that I finally finished piecing... well there were scraps, a few fat quarters, a little yardage, orphan blocks and a pattern for a smaller 'Snowball' quilt (table topper) so let me show you what I made to share with you today!

We all have ophan blocks. You know the blocks that didn't quite work out right, extra blocks left over when finished with a project and sometimes a block we make that we have decided we don't ever want to make again...Well, these blocks make great mini quilts and mug rugs. Just add some borders and voila! A cute mug rug.... it's also a great way to use up batting strips.  I had extra blocks left over from my Snowball quilt so I made a cute mug rug. 

I just love how it turned out! 

I then made a smaller snowball block... using all the extra fabric I still had left over I made a blue-tiful table topper. In this picture you can see how large my quilt block was compared with the table topper block. It's smaller...

The finished size of my snowball table topper is 36" x 36"
When I made my original snowball quilt, I saved all of my triangle scraps that I trimmed off my snowball blocks. What's great about saving these is they are perfect for triangle squares! Don't throw those scraps away, let me show you some wonderful uses for these little scraps. It's great for a smaller project!

I turned my pile of half square triangles into a healthy stack of  2" triangle blocks.(with the seam allowance) These little beauties will be 1 1/2" blocks when finished.
One thing I really like to do is make matching pillowcases for quilts that I make. So I thought these little blocks just screamed pillowcase border!
It took a ka-zillion triangle blocks to make a pieced strip for my pillowcase. 

I just love how the border turned out on my pillowcase. I used the burrito style pillowcase pattern that can be found FREE online and I inserted my pieced border in for the coordinating pillowcase hem. It took a little thought when pinning it together so that the pieced border would end up on the outside of the pillowcase and not on the inside.
Here's a close up look at the hem of my pillowcase.

I still had a stack of triangle squares leftover. So I pieced them together to make some pinwheel squares.
I then used these pinwheel squares to make some simple chicken pincushions! 
So the next time you finish a project. Look at the fabric you have left, even the little bits. Think of the fun possibilities you have for small projects. I will never look at those triangle trimmings the same way again. Just think, out of an couple orphan blocks, my leftover fabric and my 'trimmings' I was able to make a table topper, mug rug, pillowcase and a bunch of little chickens. Can you believe I still have some fabric left over! 

I hope that you have fun hopping around, I have included the entire blog list. Just in case you missed yesterday and want to join us for the rest of the week. I'm joined by a bunch of talented ladies! Oh, I'm also having a little giveaway... leave a sweet comment for a chance to win a fun little Quilt Doodle Gift bag... it includes a mug, Snowman Trio pattern, some handy clips and three carrot noses.



March 5













March 6







Quilt Doodle Designs (You are here!)







March 7














March 8












Happy quilting!
Cindy and Belvedere

45 comments:

  1. Wow! You made a lot of different items from that pile of fabric - well done!

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  2. Those bonus HSTs are fabulous! I love how you just kept using the scraps from your other project to make more beauty! Your chicken pincushion is too cute!!! Mug rug, table topper, pillow cases and pincushions all from scraps and all beautiful!!

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  3. You totally got into the "small" mode with all these cute projects! I'm not good at saving those little pieces, but now I need to rethink it. Obviously, there's so many things to do with them! It amazes me how many snowballs you made for that table topper...so cute! Thanks for hopping along with us and for sharing all these sweet projects! :O)

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  4. I do save my little pieces but am never really sure what to do with them. I think I may 'steal' your pillow border idea though. That is really cute and I love the fabrics you used!

    Beth
    oneoldgoat1962@gmail.com

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  5. Such cute ideas! And I definitely will think over my triangels, lol! The chickem is awesome!

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  6. I always save my bonus hst's and like making pot holders and mug rugs from them. I like your pillow case idea.

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  7. I love your blue fabric. Thank you for sharing your projects.

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  8. Love your mug rug and the pillow case is over the moon. Great job.

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  9. Oh, fun! What a brilliant use of your orphan blocks and leftover bits. The pillowcases look too beautiful to use. I'd hate to slobber on them... but wait, there's more! A couple of extras and you have a pincushion! Inspiring!

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  10. Beautiful projects. Have a great day! angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom

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  11. I've never made a pillow case. Love yours!! I save all my scraps but haven't stopped to make anything with them - some day:).

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  12. Love your samples! Love the colors! Love your blog!

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  13. Thank you for the information and for sharing your Snowman BOM, also.

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  14. Adorable projects! I grew up with a Bassett hound!!

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  15. Such a great idea to use leftover HSTs for a pillowcase edge!
    I might steal that idea since I have soooo many HSTs!
    Love the giveaway... I wonder what happened to the 3 noseless snowmen!?! LOL

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  16. I love all your great idea! And blue and white is my favorite color combo. Thanks for sharing!!

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  17. Love all your blue & white mini things & who wouldn't love Belvedere
    lyn.robyn.smith@gmail.com

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  18. What a great idea for the pillowcase border! I have about a zillion HSTs I could use to do that. And now I want to make a blue snowball quilt like yours! I have a lot of Quilt Minnesota 2010 (I think that's the year) fabric that I should really use sometime....

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  19. You've definitely inspired me to dig out my bag of tiny triangles! I've save them from so many projects, always thinking that a project would come along for them. They're perfect for pillowcase borders! Tiny, yes, but so very pretty!

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  20. What a great idea to use your scraps for small quilted things. I really loved the pillowcase. Your colors for the quilt are perfect.

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  21. I love all your small projects, especially the snowball table topper. Love the colors too.

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  22. Beautiful colors and workmanship. Waste not, want not!

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  23. Bringing life to all those tiny pieces, lovely.

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  24. Great little projects while using up scraps. There's a lovely theme running through each of your creations. That chicken makes me smile! As I'm writing this, we're getting a huge snowstorm beginning tonight and through tomorrow so your snowball topper is very timely! Schools are closed and my work cancelled so it's going to be a sewing day for sure. I would love to hunker down with that mug rug and a cup of hot chocolate while watching the snow falling. Thank you for sharing your talent with your ensemble of projects .

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  25. You are an inspiration to save those scraps to make the cutest projects. rozz01(at)cox(dot)net

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  26. A clever way to use the bits of your fabric left. Land of 1000 Flakes cracked me up :-)

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  27. Your creativity knows no bounds! Excellent projects and a wonderful giveaway to boot! I love that snowman on your cup, too adorable as are all your projects. Thanks Cindy.

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  28. I love the little chicken pin cushion.

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  29. What creative ways to use scraps!

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  30. I just love the pillow case you made with your scraps. Gotta love getting something so cute "for free" by using up those pretty scraps.

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  31. What a great reminder to use what is left! All of your projects are great!

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  32. Hi, Cincy, That patchwork pinwheel pillowcase is perfect. I am so relieved. I don't throw any scrap of fabric away that is larger than 3/4" as one never knows and I always keep my little HSTs that finish at 1". Maybe that's why things always seem to take me so long as I'm always making extra bits to eventually use in something. Your projects are perfectly sweet for this hop. kthurn(at)bektel(dot)com

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  33. Oh, Cindy!! I love all your projects. The pillowcase is my favorite. I just love all of those HST in blue. Is that your snowman design on the mug? Too Cute!!

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  34. Love your projects! Especially the pillowcase border, how clever!

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  35. I would be cross eyed after that table topper. I really like the pinwheels too.. Made such cute chickens.
    Thanks fora the chance to win those cute snowmen.

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  36. WoW Cindy, this is beautiful and so much fun. Next to Log Cabin, the snowball is my favorite pattern, it is just so versatile and can be combined so nicely with so many projects. I love love love the pillowcase, absolutely wonderful. I would never have thought to do that.

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  37. Love your projects! They're beautiful. I have made some snowball blocks and they're so quick and easy to put together.

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  38. What fun! I always like to come up with a way to use those leftover triangles when I'm making snowballs or flying geese. What a nice idea!

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  39. You are so creative. I love your chicken pincushion.

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  40. Great tiny projects. I really like the chicken pincushion. But I think I have some orphan blocks that need some love.

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  41. How cute - love the chicken pincushion! You have great projects!

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  42. It seems there is never an end to the ways to use those little hst's--which is a good thing, since that keeps me from feeling like a hoarder!

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