Mini Quilt swap

I have just heard from Mary, my mini quilt swap partner, that she has finally received my little offering.  You may remember I gave you a sneak preview a few weeks back. But here is the whole thing!

It is called 'Tudor Vine' as the inspiration was of a black and white photo of a fence with an orange coloured vine creeping over it. I decided to make the 'wall' a checkerboard to make the most of the black and white fabrics and it reminds me of the Tudor houses you get in England, especially in a wee town called Knaresborough in Yorkshire which has black and white checkerboard houses.

I tried to find an image of the ones I had seen, but here is Mother Shipton's Cave which is nearby, to give you an idea. 

The mini quilt had to be black and white with one other colour and NOT square or rectangular. I don't know what this shape is called (I guess a pentagon) but it certainly isn't square or rectangular!

I was really fun to do. I pieced all the little squares (each cut individually as I couldn't work out how to do it with a strip method when I wanted a '(monotone!) colourwash effect'). The I hand quilted it (nice and quick compared to the queen-size one I was working on at the same time!).

Then  I made little felt leaves and appliqued them on to the quilt, then added fabric on to those and finally got to work with the little beads! I love using beads. Last thing was the embroidered stem (I used a 'whipped backstitch'). I like the way the fabric middles look like hearts.

The finishing touch was making the tassel. I have never done this before, it is actually very easy! Like making a pompom but quicker. It is black wool, bound with orange wool and then I added some more beads.

Here is the back as well before I put the label on.

Here is the package I sent out to Mary in Portland Oregon. I wanted to send some Scottish made stuff so here is a Scott-Inness tea towel (lovely scottish designs), an Arran Aromatics soap, some Orkney 'tablet', and one of my little crocheted chickens. Also some Edinburgh postcards as Mary collects them.

Now I just have to wait to see what Mary sends me! It is in the post on it's way to me already!!