Tiny Envelopes
Quilt #129 on the 200 Quilts List
I was happy and pleased to hang this one out on my back-fence studio, and be able to see the shading of the Kona Snow and the Kona White in the background. I smiled.
This quilt had its origins in another, my most recent Four-in-Art, and instead of discarding the small envelopes, I let the fabrics and little squares and colors and strips guide me to another quilt, an interesting journey.
Usually, with me, it’s always a block in my head, or a pattern done up in my quilt software, or a photo of a quilt I’ve seen and want to make, but this one? It formed itself.
I quilted wavy lines, an occasional circle to designate a postmark, and loops in the borders.
The backing is one of my favorites, with pictures of a samara, those little maple seeds you split apart in summer and affix to things — like your nose — little seeds destined to fly away, like a letter to a friend.
The quilt sleeve and binding, a batik fabric, shown close up.
It’s not so big, really, but it was the size it needed to be.
I put two stickers on my Goals Chart–two things finished!
I’m listening to Someone, by Alice McDermott and find that I’ve worked for hours, swept away as I am in this tale. I’m more than halfway through, and need to take up another project so I can finish the novel. Recommended by my mother, but really recommended by my sister Susan, who told my mother about it.
Believe it or not, California is supposed to get some rain. So far right now we have about 1″ of rainfall, when normally it is 10.” We’ve contacted a garden designer to rip out our lawn in front and put in some xeriscaping–plants that are more native to our area and require little water.
But this weekend? It’s supposed to pour, and I know it will knock all the blossoms off my lovely blooming wisteria, the heady fragrance a spring’s welcome when I walk outside to photograph quilts.
This is the view from the top of the trellis–a thick carpet of lavender and purple.
I hope that lovely blossoms are in your future, and that you receive some tiny — or large — envelopes in the mail, tiny, but with grand messages. Which reminds me that I need to get going on my Bee Blocks and my Cross-X blocks, and get those envelopes out in the mail!
Linking up with Lee, of Freshly Pieced on her WIP Wednesday.
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
I am so looking forward to the rain, but I am sorry about the falling blossoms there. They are beautiful.
Your envelopes look awesome!
Again, so much to look at and love about your blogposts Elizabeth! I love wisteria too! And the maple seeds are such fun- I have used them with Science classes in the past to explain rotocopters and flight! Your mini envelopes quilt is so sweet! I am anticipating some happy mail this week! I hope you receive some too! And that much needed rain!
What a great idea! I love the envelopes and I love you are using it to hang up! Every time I join WIP I add to my to do list! So beautiful! I wish Tx would get some rain! We are VERY dry here! Summer is coming! Those flowers are amazing and I am jealous of how close you are to mountains! 🙂
Elizabeth, this tiny envelopes quilt turned out beautiful! Funny how some quilts design themselves. Your wisteria is gorgeous! Be safe in this big approaching storm.
What a fun quilt you created! “Cute as a button”, as my Grandmother would say. Maybe the rain is coming ahead of us folk from Oregon – we are happy to share. Sorry about the wisteria – it is gorgeous!
Your quilt is wonderful. I love the wisteria too, I don’t suppose you can protect them with a tarp?
There is so much I love about that little quilt–especially the little journey that it took you on! The wisteria is lovely. The neighbor behind us has some and I get to enjoy that just a little bit. I can hardly wait for it to start pouring.
Your little envelopes are adorable. You didn’t say what size they were (though maybe you did in a previous post and I forgot). I always think it’s interesting when a quilt offers input into its own making or even takes the lead in the creative process.
Thanks for mentioning the book you’re enjoying. I’ve been looking for a recommendation for a good fiction book.
Your wisteria are beautiful. I’ve never smelled them (so strange to be my age and not come in contact with wisteria in bloom in real life) but they are gorgeous. It seems like you feel about wisteria like I feel about honeysuckle….
I love the border fabric, which reinforces your theme of messages traveling from one home to another.
Just love the way those extra blocks grow into something else, instead of landing in the bottom of a bin. Enjoy the rain. Your flowers will be back!
Very creative. Thanks for sharing your process. The flowers are beautiful. We’re still frozen here : (
wow! That came out beautifully! Perfect.
I love your ‘Tiny Envelopes’, such a sweet little block. And that wisteria is just amazing, wish you could share the smell as well as the look of it!