Sunday Quilt Inspiration: E L E P H A N T S

This post first appeared in February of 2015, and it's still a favorite--over 12,000 views. How is that even possible? Well anyway, I thought I'd make it easy to find, again. 

Try spelling elephants with spaces between the letters....it's strange. This morning I was reading a few blogs, as I tend to do pretty often now that I've cut back on the number of quilt magazines I purchase. I ran across Sew Fresh Quilts and had to take a closer look at her darling "Elephant Parade" quilt.

See that cute little pink guy near the bottom?  That one just gets me.  I like elephants.  But baby elephants, well, they are too adorable.  They look hugable and loveable and cuddly.  I know, it's a crazy fantasy to want to hug a baby elephant that probably weighs as much as I do (and I'm not skinny!) but I can't help myself.

Recently it seems, Facebook is wrought with baby elephant videos. One in which a baby is stuck in a hole and can't get out is just heartbreaking.  Of course, the folks with the video camera help and save the day, but the struggle is real...because the little guy is not so little.  But he's cute and mom is right there in a panic unable to help.  Heart-wrenching, I tell you.  

This video shows a newborn baby being protected and helped by the entire group of elephants as he struggles to get up.  The video is a bit long (9 mins.) but let it stream and advance it so that you get to the end if you just have to see that he makes it.

Since they're so darling, I thought I'd look for a few quilts with elephants on them.  Turns out that there are more than just a few. Plus, there are elephant fabrics, softies, pincushions, and other items.  These are some of my favorites.

And this brings us back to the Sew Fresh Quilts "Elephant Parade" quilt along.  This is the quilt you'd be making if you quilt along with Lorna, but she suggests that you can make other items just by using the pattern to make the elephants, then modify the project to suit your needs.  I'm thinking pillow since I have too many other projects going right now.  

Lorna is already in week two, so maybe you should scoot on over and get started!

Happy Quilting,

Pin It Weekly #249

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Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Little Ones

You know you're getting close to retiring when former students become co-workers. When they begin having children in multiples, it's so much more fun. For me, it's a reason to continue working. For a little while anyway. I need time to get used to the idea of watching these children grow up on Facebook. So in honor of my "month of many children," let's be inspired by new babies.

So now that you're inspired....baby quilts!

Aren't you inspired? I think I want to start a new quilt for one of those new babies!

Elephant Family

I finished my Louisiana Traveling Quilt today and still had a bit of daylight, so to speak.  I'd been wanting to make a pillow using this pattern that I found on Pinterest and followed.  Sew Fresh Quilts is having a quilt along using Lorna's pattern here.  Her pattern is quite easy to follow, but you know me, I had to do my own thing, so I made a few changes.  

I wasn't interested in making a quilt because I have too many other projects going, but I really liked the idea of a pillow.  The color came about based on the scraps that were still sitting on my worktable.  

Those are the fabric scraps that I won on Silly Mama Quilts blog.  I've had them for a few weeks but didn't want to put them in the big scrap bin for fear they would get lost, so they've been waiting patiently for me to get to them, and this seemed to be the perfect project.  The little pieces in the pattern worked perfectly for using the scraps.

In Brooke's picture (above) I see one of the ears and, I think, the flower garden fabric.  I also used fabric from this bag for the little elephant and some of the background on the pillow.  

I really like this pillow.  I am excited for the grand-kids to come. They will want to play and take naps on it.  If that works, I may make a few with other animals.  

It's 18 X 18 inches so it's plenty big enough for napping.  Because I didn't have a pillow form that large, I just stuffed it and stitched it closed.  I may consider making a pillow form then adding a zipper in the bottom but perhaps not.  We'll see how it goes. 

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#‎elephantparadeQAL