"Small, smaller, smallest"... A Blog Hop

Sew Tiny Lanyard Pattern

Hi, and welcome to Quiltscapes!  The quilts I make are becoming smaller.  Is it just me, or has this happened to you, too?  When I first dabbled in quilting, I made quilts for everyone in my family.  King size, queen size, no matter that they dragged on the floor around the kids' beds.  Once those were made and everyone's beds were all covered, I thought, what now?  I was hooked and wanted to make more!

Next were lap quilts and couch throws. Then wall hangings and table toppers and table runners for every occasion/season/excuse imaginable.  Then came mini quilts, pillows, pot-holders, coasters and mug-rugs (didn't even know those were a thing!).  And now, I have a whole collection of nametags!

And then, there's that teeny tiny paper-pieced lanyard.  Sew cute, sew tiny, and I've been wanting to make a new lanyard for years!  Luckily, Carol @ JustLetMeQuilt has provided the motivation I needed with this week's blog hop!

My new lanyard includes blocks that kinda tell my story. Four kids: a son who served in the military (flag), and triplet daughters, poor little things, they've been color-coded their entire life (pink, purple and green).  Log cabin blocks and a little house represent the houses my husband has built for us.  Little songbirds because I love to sing.  Also three little spools (I have a thing for threes) and a little (ahem) "Singer" sewing machine to represent my passion for quilting and sewing (and singing).  These precious little paper-pieced blocks finish at three-quarters of an inch!

#quiltinsanity #takesjustaslongasregularquiltblocks

A few tips for teensy piecing:  Use a pattern that is super-simplified if going this small.  Solids or small tone-on-tone prints that read as a solid work best.  I used solid Confetti Cottons from Riley Blake Designs.  And, thank heaven for the Add-an-Eighth ruler which really helped in my paper piecing.  OK, they are a little bit fiddly, but I think you'll agree they are worth it, and so, sew dang cute!

My favorites are the little people with baby button faces, and I giggle every time I look at them.  And that sewing machine, eek!!

I used Riley Blake Designs' Confetti and Crayola cotton solids, with Vivid Kisses for the binding/back.

When I finished the lanyard, I had to make a new nametag to go with it, right?  No time to embroider or quilt, so I photo-shopped a few details of what I have in mind  (I pinned a safety pin vertically on the back so the hook could go through the hole for hanging).  Quilting small is so satisfying, and hey, it's technically still a quilt!  This one measures 4" square.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT*  I'll be giving away a "Sew Tiny" Lanyard pattern with a 1 x 6" Add-an-Eighth ruler and a swivel hook, and will draw a name from comments on Sunday, March 11th.
*UPDATE*  Giveaway ended and a winner selected:  Congratulations Martina!  

You may also purchase the pattern and supplies on my Etsy store:  Sew Tiny Lanyard.  Feel free to browse through my Snippets page for lots more small project ideas and tutorials.  Thanks for coming!  And thanks to Carol for lighting the fire under my tail!  One more "quilt" off the checklist!

Click the button below to go to a list of this week's full lineup on this sweet little hop.  Or swing over to Carol's small, smaller, smallest collection on Pinterest.