Studio Inspiration and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I don't know if you have noticed this, but I really don't make very many mini quilts.  I don't always know what to do with them, and even though I do have some display space in my studio, I like for the things on my wall to be a bit more cohesive (more on that later).  Because of this, I rarely sign up for swaps and challenges (even though I know I'm missing out on some fun).

Well, when I dove into my blue scraps last week for the BLUE show, I had a little epiphany.  I had so much fun with it, I decided that I'm going to create a giant scrap color wheel on the only available wall in my studio, and I'm SO excited about it.

I decided to pull out my reds next, because I knew the color gradient effect would be a little trickier to pull off.  I figured that if I could make the reds work, then the idea would be a go.  Lighter reds can very easily read as pink, which I tried hard to avoid.  Instead, for the lightest reds on the edge, I chose red prints mixed with lots of white.  It definitely works!  The color gradient shows up well, but the entire mini quilt still looks red.

I'm naming this little quilt Caboose, and I quilted it with the same swooping spiral design as the blue, using 50 wt. Aurifil #2265, Lobster Red.  I didn't mark the beginning spiral first with chalk this time though, so this one is not quite as smooth.  It isn't noticeable on the front, but lesson learned.  I'll mark them from here on out for sure.  The cloudy daylight is also casting some weird shadows making this one look wrinkly on the back, but it really isn't.

So, this wall is where my giant color wheel will go, and right now it is pretty uninspiring-

My original plan for the wall was to create a mini quilt for several of my favorite patterns, using similar colors as the quilt on the cover of each pattern.  Though it seemed like a good idea at the time, after making these four, I just wasn't feeling it.  I really don't like tiny piecing, and the wall was looking too hodge-podgy for my taste.  Without a better idea I just left them up, but now I can't wait to sew and hang my color wheel.  Two down, seven to go.  Stay tuned; orange is already in the works!

Last week's party was amazing.  Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts shared this beautiful quilt, and just look at how it sings against the snowy landscape!

This Fruit Salad quilt by Katie Mae Quilts is super fun.

And finally, this mermaid quilt by Jen at DeJong Dream House is so adorable that I can't stand it!

Okay y'all!  It's time to link up the latest happenings in your sewing space!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)