It was similar to this Delectable Mountains Variation in my favorite book, Calico and Chintz.
My initial thought was to make a table runner but after making 4 individual blocks I decided to add a hst border and finish it for October's mini.
I ended up hand quilting it at the cabin.
The backing is from the Henry Ford Archive for Windham Fabrics. Make sure you hop on over to Wendy's to see more October minis :)
On another note . . .
Ever since I read an article in this magazine about using avocado pits to make a beautiful blush pink dye, I couldn't wait to give it a try.
I started saving pits and kept them in the freezer until I was ready. Then I put them in a pot filled with water and let them simmer for 2 hours.
I had an assortment of items I wanted to dye including fabric scraps, paper, shipping tags, trim, etc.
I couldn't wait to see the finished product but was a little disappointed to see that the color wasn't as strong as I had hoped. It was a fun experiment though and I have no idea if I will ever do anything with these pieces :)
A few more autumn pics:
This is our driveway in full autumn glory. So beautiful!
Yep! That's snow on Whiteface Mountain!
Another view :)
Have a great week! I've got plenty of projects to work on, do you?
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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer
Your mini is gorgeous. Just perfect for your final photo of your "delectable mountains". I love the prints you chose and the hand quilting really does it justice. Thanks for participating again. I am going to post today because I will be "unplugged" tomorrow. Thanks or sharing the avocado pit tip. I have used coffee in the past, but will give this one a try.
ReplyDeleteThat Cheddarback block made a cute mini and your quilting is beautiful! Very interesting info on the avocado pits. I hadn't heard of that before and never would have imagined they could produce that color!
ReplyDeleteI saw a Youtube video that suggested you also use the avocado skins along with the pits for a darker coloration...
ReplyDeletei am going to try it with muslin myself...
hugs, Julierose
I love your October mini. The quilt in the book is awesome. No wonder you were inspired by it. I've never heard of avocado dye. Looks like a lot of work for not much though. Love, love, love your driveway. Soooo beautiful. Sigh! Fall is basically over here. We are expecting rain for the rest of the week and I doubt there'll be a leaf left in the trees. So enjoy it. ;^)
ReplyDeleteYour little block is beautiful, and your quilting looks perfect for it! Loved seeing your pretty foliage and snow! It's cold enough here for snow, but none is expected, thank goodness! ---"Love"
ReplyDeleteYou made a beautiful mini, Barbara. The hand quilting finishes it off so nicely.I love the Delectable Mountain block, but have only ever used it in one quilt.
ReplyDeleteI have tried a few natural dyes, but never avocado pits.
Love your Fall photos.
Love that Delectable Mountains variation. Such a sweet mini and so special with the hand quilting. Your trees - and the mountain in the distance - just so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love this little mini, the combination of the rich hues and patterns, so nearly like the original! It has a wonderful late fall look. My monitor showed your avocado dye results appearing like a brownish tea dye, making me wonder if the magazine left out an important step in the process. Did you see any pinkish tinge in the dyed pieces? I know monitors see colors differently and I just wondered. The scenic photos are so serene and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe Delectable Mountain block is a fun block and your interpretation with those large scale prints is great. It has the colors of fall minus those brillant yellow leaves in your driveway. Interesting experiment with the avocado pits. Maybe some kind of mordant. Alum?... natural eyes can produce all kinds of results.
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful mini with such nice details and small pieces.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, the color isn't that strong. I wonder if letting them dry out and turn darker brown would help. On the other hand, tea dying works well and I like to use coffee grounds in spots to make "fake stains"
beautiful yellow tree. Such pretty scenery
I never heard that tip about avocado pits. However I've ended up with an (unplanned) pink tinge, compliments of a tiny patch of red in my quilt ~
ReplyDeleteI love the mini Delectable Mountains, and agree the colors and scale of the prints really make it. Beautiful hand quilting!
Pretty fabrics in your mini quilt. Doesn't take much fabric to make the small quilts but I so seldom take the time to do it. I enjoy seeing what others do though.
ReplyDeleteInteresting experiment with the avocado pits - looks like it mellowed your fabric nicely even though you were hoping for deeper results. The Cheddarback Delectable Mountains block turned out super pretty with your choice of fabrics - I found it to be a fun block to piece also.
ReplyDelete