Thrift Store Finds, Taryn's Tiny 9 Patch Challenge Project

We've been taking our Vitamin D regularly. The lack of sunshine had been appalling most of the fall and it is continuing into winter it seems. Though today a weak sun is trying to peak through the cloud cover. I just read an online report that a multivitamin a day might help slow down dementia. Wouldn't it be wonderful if it did!

Here is a trio of thrift store finds to share with you as promised... I watched as a lady ahead of me picked up this mug and thought-oh no, she's going to want it.

 But she looked at the price tag, $4.99, and put it back (most mugs were $2.99 with a $1 bin too). I had spied it and knew it was a Rifle Paper Co. mug. Online price with gold trim averages $22 US. 

It has a big M on it and even though my initial is not M, I figured I'm forever a Mom and that counts too. 

I also found this brand new, never cracked open book by the wonderful Gwen Marston. I had the thought this might be inspiration for the Bramble Blooms QAL. (I've since had the thought I may own a copy of this-it looked so familiar...haven't checked that out yet. But then again I may have gotten it from the library at some point.)

I was also able to buy this beautiful stain free reversable table cloth with a pretty plaid trim...a thickish kind of material that doesn't need ironing. My thought was the lighter mustard yellow would look good in our wooden house and it is big enough to fit the table with the inserts. And I only have a Christmas and a summer cloth at that size. It's already been through the washing machine and came out great. Our brown Johnson Brothers Winter Village dishes look pretty against it too. So I had a great shop looking about and kept well within my $25 limit per visit. 

  I've been following Taryn, the Repro Quilter, for years. Recently she has been making teeny tiny Nine Patch Quilt Blocks and I became quite enamored with them. Her completed blocks are some ridiculous size like 2 inches! Really? That can't be true. I want to make these little squares too but my fingers cannot mange that small. I experimented on the machine first. I think these were 1.5 in patches.

And then decided to try EPP with a one inch patch which would give a 3 inch block finish, the largest in Taryn's challenge. I can stitch this size fine. My first blocks have been hand stitched EPP but I'm going to try it out at this size on the machine today to see if I can get it to work. These tiny blocks in various colours will work out for another RSC project too. They still have their thin cardboard templates in them so appear bumpier. 

Improved a bit as I went along.

Anyway, Taryn is running a QAL called The Tiny Nine Patch Challenge Project and I signed on. She is basing this project on a beautiful late 19th century quilt in her collection that is made up of 480 of these hand sewn tiny blocks. 

I've played some more with my Bramble Blooms project.  Update next time. 

I work on most of my projects in front of the tv watching/listening to a variety of programs. I prefer this as I feel it is more productive...I'm actually doing two things at once which makes me sound very productive, :D. And in the sewing room, I usually listen to audio books there. Do you feel like you have to be listening/watching something while stitching too?

I'm really loving the projects I'm working on for the start of 2024. Hope it is similar at your house!

Joining linky parties at Quilt Fabrication, Alycia Quilts, A Quiltery, Creations Art Quilts, Quilting Patchwork Applique and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.