Monday, June 18, 2012

Modified Mist Mini, a Tote, and a WIP


quilted tote-001


If you are looking for the blog hop, the giveaway, the advice series, the figure it out series, or the Monday link up, click here.  Otherwise, here are some quilty things I've been working on lately. (As suggested in yesterday's comments, I uploaded the pictures for this post directly from Flickr.)


quilted tote



quilted tote-003


I made another quilted tote bag - these are fun to make and have so many uses - diaper bag, pool bag, library bag, school bag, crochet project bag . . .  I took lots of photos when I made this one so I'll be writing up a tutorial soon.  

My other project this week was this mini quilt:


love in a mist mini quilt

After finishing the HST blocks I wrote about last week, I decided to look around to find some other fun blocks.  This is a modified version of a block called Love in the Mist.  I just changed it up a bit by adding the middle section.  The block finished at about 24 inches square (I just used a picture to make it with my own measurements) so I decided to quilt, bind, and call it a doll quilt.   

love in a mist block-002

And my WIP?  I finished my first Swoon block (though if I'm going to make a whole quilt, I'm going to use this one for a small project and start again without the pink background!)

swoon

And I'm still working on my big WIP - finding a sewing machine!

Question:  In the comments of one of the past blog hop news, one commenter asked what the etiquette was for how many link parties you can/should link one post to?  I have the same question - what do you all think???  As for me, since I usually only write one or two "linkable" posts each week, I tend to link the same post until I write a new one.  


And on the subject of link ups, to see where I like to sometimes link my posts, click here.  Some of these, I link to every week but most, I only link up intermittently.



30 comments:

  1. Such cute projects! Love the tote =D

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  2. Great bag! Can't wait for the tute!

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  3. Great bag! Can't wait for the tute!

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  4. Love your use of color!!! Another amazing tote!!!!

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  5. Beautiful bag. Looking forward to the tutorial. And thank you for all the good information links on blogging.

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  6. Love your bags and your doll quilt -- the aqua background on it is awesome!
    Linky parties--I usually only link to two, maybe three per week at the most sometimes it just depends on what the item/post is about; I think some sites are more in tune to certain types of quilting and therefore the amount of feedback/comments you get :) Not that I have found that to be a rule or anything, its just what I do and have time for. Love your Swoon too, I have the pattern and hopefully will be able to start soon!

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  7. Love it! I think linking one or two projects is fine, unless the hostess says you can link more.

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  8. You make the cutest bags! I love the straight line quilting too, with the darker thread color, it looks great.

    On the subject of link ups. That's a tough one. If it weren't for link ups, a lot less people would be looking at my blog. When you are starting up a blog and you only have a handful of followers, the link ups are really helpful to meet new people and get exposure for your blog. I love link ups and I love finding new blogs so I do them a couple times a week.

    The only problem I see potentially could be.. if someone is linking one post up to several linkups, say, more than three or four, how would that person have time to visit a decent amount of the other blogs on all of those link ups? I guess if you only visit a few from each link up then it works out, you know, spread the love and all. :) I just sometimes see someone go crazy with link ups and I wonder how they manage to visit someone from every link up! :P

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  9. Love the tote bag! A good way to incorporate a lot of "just because I liked them" fabrics in the stash in a very visible and enjoyable way!

    Thanks for asking the linky question. I'm looking forward to the answers!

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  10. Love that quilted bag! The colors are so fresh!

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  11. Love your projects! The colors of the bag are so cheerful, so pretty!

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  12. Love the doll quilt! I usually link to 2 with one post, no more

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  13. Beautiful bag and mini quilt. I really like the aqua solid in the mini - what is it? As for linking, I agree with Bethany that it is a great way to generate traffic as a new blogger, so I link up often. Typically, not more than three of the same post, though. I comment on at least 4 or 5 other blogs at each link up, usually the ones right before me and any thumbnails that grab me.

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  14. Love your totes!

    I think with the link-ups it really depends on the amount of time you are willing to spend! I tend to link up to the same two or three link parties but I have seen posts where the blogger lists a couple of dozen links. I don't have the time or the inclination to do all that, but if they do, good luck to them! I would rather be sewing :)

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  15. These are so fun and colorful...love the mix of prints! I usually link up a post to all the link-ups for that day only (2 on Monday, 1 on Tuesday, 1 on Wednesday, 1 on Thursday, and 2 on Friday -- at least those are the ones I usually join) if I have anything to post that day. Sometimes I'll link something up on Monday that I finished over the weekend too.

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  16. Love the mini and the tote :)

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  17. love all of these makes the first wee bag is mega cute! x

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  18. The totes are great and I love that mini! Such great use of color!

    As for link parties, I usually post one project to two or three mostly because that is as much I can handle actually participating in! It has never bothered me to see one project on multiple link parties, because different sites have different audiences.

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  19. Great looking tote and love the mini quilt - love the cheerful colours! Swoon block looks fantastic too =)

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  20. Good question! And great answers.
    I was just thinking I should link through my Flickr page, then didn't, LOL! I could use smaller pictures, plus up my views over there... Hmmm...
    I need to catch up on yesterdays read!
    Loving that background color on your mini quilt. It just pops! Cute bag, too!
    loritfrench@comcast.net

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  21. i've been meaning to make a tote like that. i'm sick of our canvas reuseable shopping bags...
    and that mini quilt is amazing. i'm off to pin it right now.

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  22. I can't wait to see your tutorial for the bag. I only link up to 2 maybe 3 parties a week. I used to link up to as many as I could but I realized it wasn't doing anything for me or my blog. Now I link up to only blogs who I actively follow and comment on. I love your Swoon block. I have 4 done, but I am going king size so I have a ton more to make!

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  23. Love the tote! And I am dying to jump into my swoon quilt but not sure exactly where to begin...I keep waffling on the fabrics to use... As for the linky parties excellent question! I don't think linking to multiple parties is necessarily a problem. However, I take greater issue when a post is linked up without reference to the linky party in the post. Without a reference in the post how else are each blog's readers to know about the party and share the love by checking out other people's blogs in the party? So I say, link up to as many as you'd like but try your best to refer to it in your post even as a P.S. I'm linking up to XYZ's linky party. Speaking of, I'm glad I found you through TGIFF!!!

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  24. Great projects, Beth! I love the aqua as a neutral in your mini - it pops beautifully! As for linkies, I figure it's find to link up to as many parties as you can actually participate in touring for. I dropped out of a few recently because I couldn't find the time to tour some of the other link ups. t agree with Rebecca Lynne that those participating should refer to the party they are linking to in their post. Oh, and the post should be relevant to the theme of the party. So glad you linked up to TGIFF!

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  25. Gosh, I just love the scrappy colour combinations in the bag, just gorgeous! Beautiful quilt too. Thanks for linking up with TGIFF :) I'm off to explore your blog now :)

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  26. I really like the look of that bag, so I'm very pleased to hear you're going to put together a tutorial! The scrappy look is really appealing to me, and I seem to have been bitten by a bag-bug recently.

    How did you find making the Swoon block? I've been eyeing it with a little bit of nervousness, because it's an awful lot of piecing. (I would agree about using another color than pink as the background for a larger quilt.)

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  27. I'm loving the colors you used in your swoon block. As for linky parties, if I have something awesome and want to show it off, I'll link it to whichever parties I think are relevant. But that's sporadic. I always link to that party with a link at the bottom of my post (not a button, because its too complicated for me to do quickly and I feel like it clutters up a post). That said, I think it looks a little over the top to have a huge paragraph of link ups at the bottom, know what I mean? Plus it's usually the same people posting to the same link ups, so you aren't really seeing anything new or gaining new exposure. Smaller link ups I think get you more, more people genuinely interested in talking to you, more or a community feel. which is why i blog.

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