Nature's Patterns & Colors

Hello Friends,

I'm often asked where I get my ideas for using color in my quilts. You don't have to look far. Color, patterns and shapes surround us every minute of the day. Where I go, the camera goes.

In a sea of white, one little, yet brilliant red berry refuses to "let go" of home. It reminds me of the story The Last Leaf by O'Henry.

The shape, color and texture of these leaves will probably make it into my next quilt.
I look at this wall and see the beginning of a flying geese pattern.
Here are those green leaves coming to life in a 4-1/2" English paper-pieced block for the Party in the Garden quilt. The hexagons are no bigger than a nickel...but so sweet.
I love English paper-piecing. It is so relaxing and fun to create these beautiful little blocks. It's a good thing I'm enjoying this process....because they take FOREVER to make and I have to make fourteen of them for the quilt. Well, I don't have to, but I think they are going to work into the quilt quite nicely. I'll be so relaxed after making them that I'll be borderline comatose!
Remember the leftover fabrics from the Civil War Tribute BOM from earlier this week? Well here are two examples of what I going to do with them. I just added one more "light" fabric and voila! I'm on my way to two quilts for the price of one. These blocks end up measuring 6-1/2" so your scraps can be just that, tiny pieces of fabrics that you just can't part with.

I could make these blocks in my sleep. I've made two Lil' Orphan Scrappy quilts by myself. My sister, Gail, and I made another one together for our Aunt's surprise 80th birthday. Each month, I'll make the required blocks for the Civil War quilt, then combine all of my leftovers and make blocks for another scrappy quilt. As more and more colors are introduced each month, the blocks will just get prettier and prettier. Here's an example of the finished product.

Well friends, it's time to get back to work up here in the Little House in the Big Woods. (My last name is Wilder, but no relation to Laura Ingalls Wilder....darn, I think we are kindred spirits.) It has been snowing most of the last five days, and we've enjoyed every minute of it.

Hope your day was a good one.

As always,

Lynn