Flags from my Stash

It isn't like I want for something to do on a daily basis, but every now and then I just need to work on something that isn't for a pattern or just to get my juices flowing again or..... do I really need a reason?  :)

Fourth of July is coming and I haven't done anything for that holiday in quite some time.  I pulled out my little boxes of scraps not expecting to find enough of anything to accomplish a project, when the thought of mini flags jumped into my head.  How cute are these?? 
Do you have a 3-1/2" x 4-1/2" scrap of blue?  Do you have enough red and white to cut: 2 strips of each color @ 1-1/4" x 4-1/2" and 2 strips of each color @ 1-1/4" x 8-1/2"?  Then you have enough to make a cute little mini flag before the holiday gets here! 
I sewed my short stripes together and trimmed to match the blue rectangle.  Then I sewed the blue area and the short stripes together.
After the long stripes were sewn together, they were added to the top half of the flag.  For quilting, I just quilted wavy lines through all the stripes and one star in the blue rectangle.  This was all straight line sewing--no free motion. I then decided to face them vs. traditional binding so that I could add a bit of a wave to my flag. 

I had all 3 done in a day but that wasn't enough for me.....  A few days before, I had seen a yo yo flag on one of the sale sites.  Why buy when I could make it?  (Now I know why!!)
So I started cutting circles after I had decided how many I needed and thinking, "That isn't very many, I can do this!". 

If you have a Fat Quarter of each color, you too can make one of these old fashioned yet adorable flags.  It does have a throwback quality about it but I just love it...now that it is done!! 
You need 24 blue circles and 40 each of white and red circles.  I traced mine at 2-1/2" and the finished piece is 9" x 15-1/2".
I hadn't done a yo yo project in all my quilting years and now I can cross that off my list:)  The first 40-50 were fun and then I was pretty much over it.  Thankfully I was motivated to finish the other half when I saw how cute the top half was!  I think next time I might just buy the finished one but what sense of accomplishment would I get out of that, I ask you?  When I look at this one, I swell with pride for ALL that it stands for in regards to our country and the satisfaction of knowing I made it!!
Happy Fourth of July a bit early.

What I have been working on...

Depending on how much you stop by, you may remember this post from May when I had a new block in Quiltmaker's 100 Quilt Blocks.  I will wait while you go read it:))
http://nestlingsbyrobin.blogspot.com/2012/05/volume-5-has-arrived.html

Back in February while at the Mancuso Mid-Atlantic show, I bought this piece of fabric for my mom.  She has a Pfaltzgraff kitchen and this indigo was perfect.  I have never worked with true indigo fabric before and the hand is very stiff until you rinse it extremely well following the instructions that come with it.  After rinsing, it sort of has the hand of a light chambray.  It worked very well for paper piecing.

So when Mom comes to visit, this will be my gift to her.

The blue in this photo is truer to the real color.....better lighting:)  I love how it turned out and if she didn't already know I was making it, she might not get it!  Love you Mom:)

Hidden Stitches Musical Moments

Welcome to some of my Hidden Stitches applique group.  I joined this group shortly after moving to Florida last summer and they have been very friendly and inviting and even LET me be the leader of their group:)) 

Recently the challenge of Musical Moments was put forth to the group: Be inspired by a song title or line from a song and it couldn't be more than an 80" perimeter (which leaves a lot of leeway:).

Here is what talent sung out:)

  

Liz M's  "I'll Fly Away", a hymm.

Her eagle's name is Spirit.
  Her wing applique uses different fabrics

for a wonderfully realistic feel.

                                               Barbara H's "There's a Hole in the Bucket"
                               There really is a hole too with a drop of water coming out:)

 Carol C did a Beatles Tribute and my pictures won't do it justice.  There is so much handwork

detailing each song and then there are more titles embroidered in the pink border.

 Here Carol holds up Barb L's "Daisy Daisy".

The reverse applique here is great because of the
pieced background.  The butterfly is 3D as well.

 Diane D's "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend"

Simple, Sweet, and great graphically.

 Pat O's
"Teddy Bear"








We had an Elvis thing going here and lots of reminiscencing!  Pat had the cutest album pin that was perfect for the bear's belly. 

Lynn T's Elvis Tribute and I am pretty sure the look on her face

says it all about how Elvis made her feel:)))

 Great appliques representing different songs and don't forget those "Blue Suede Shoes" !

 Marva brought us another eagle for "Wind Beneath My Wings".  This is another great technique for adding texture and movement to an applique-choose a wonderful print!  

Lynn W's "Tea for Two"

Paper piecing and the tea bags are adorable!

Carol Q's rendition of "Daisy Daisy"  So sweet!