I made a really big, little thing.

I’ve had this idea written down in a notebook and in the back of my mind for a long time and I’m so stoked about how it turned out! It was a simple mini to go along with my “Larger than Life” project. A paper clip. Just a basic paper clip. I have a thing for office stationery; ask my co-workers. I’ve got a massive collection of post-it notes, “special” pens (I’m a leftie so the struggle is real to find a decent non-smudging pen), and my favourite notebooks. But I’ve always felt that the paper clip was under appreciated.

I was lucky enough to be gifted a massive collection of vintage and just plain old bias tape and I never use it. I had also been working on a commissioned quilt for a few hours, and wasn’t the slightest big tired (this was at midnight last Friday night) and wanted to just make SOMETHING that didn’t have a deadline, or needed to be made. Something fun and frivolous. And it all came together so perfectly!

I grabbed this piece of Libs Elliott‘s Gem Stripe in Teal fabric from her Tattooed collection (which I’ve been hoarding) and it was actually pretty fantastic because I used the stripes on the fabric to guide the placement of the bias tape. I used a double sided fusible hem tape to position it, then ironed it all down. I quilted the background randomly following the lines using a nice shiny Glide thread and then stitched down the edges of the bias tape to secure it.

I still have my scrap bag from the #100days100blocks2017 quilt-along sitting beside my sewing table, so I snuck in a few bright scraps to liven up the black binding. The finished piece measures 16″ square. And thanks to my little helper for holding it up during our little photoshoot!