The first mini, Fun Fish, came together in a few hours! You can't make just one block! You'll be well on to making lots of them! They are fun to do! I made the blocks reversible so when you're finished, you can make the head the tail and vice versa if you don't like the fabrics you picked out. I did that on one of the blocks. The fin blocks are reversible too! Just by moving the top block to the bottom and the bottom block to the top, the outer fin then becomes the inner and the inner becomes the outer! When you're done sewing, you can change the whole look of the fish!! This becomes possible because of placing the fabrics in opposing positions in the 2 fin blocks. No seam ripper needed!! Talking about a versatile block!! I call it Fun Fish because ANY combo of fabrics works best! Another reason is that the stamen of the hibiscus flower became the eye for the bottom fish much to my surprise! I didn't notice til all the borders were on. Another surprising element to Fun Fish! Have fun and swap fins with body blocks for a real scrappy look!

The 2nd mini is called Spiky Poppies. We always bought the plant called "Spikes" and planted them in the large yard containers among the annuals. I used vintage prints for this mini and I marbelized the fabric for the inner border which I love! Been wanting to do this for quite awhile. Finally, got around to it. I just mixed my paints, painted on muslin and threw the piece in the microwave for 1 min. exactly. It set the paint perfectly and eliminated all that required 36 hr. drying time when using fabric paints. It may have stiffened the fabric, but ironing it later softened it and set the color. I first designed the block with a longer petal, but changed the pattern to a shorter design as I wanted to emphasize those big centers! I might add this was extremely challenging and I was glad to be done with it (although I love the great big centers so I achieved the look I was after). Hope you enjoy these 2 minis as much as I do! The patterns are included for both. ;) Thanks for looking!!

I love the fish, but I had to admit that I would make them bigger. LOL Both are cute and I love the handpainted border.

Love the fish!

Love the fish perfecy size for me You did a great job with the fabric

No reason the fish could not be bigger. I love the fishies, too.

Thanks for sharing! Adorable!

Such fun little pieces!! I love them!

really cute!

Both very cute! I especially like the fish.

pretty :thumbup:

the more I see mini's the more I want to make them. Thanks for adding your blocks!

Cute!

those are too cute...I want to make some of those fish!!!

what fun!

Thanks everyone!! I love the fishies so!!! Just couldn't resist putting those hearts on it! I had first thought about adding some little ones half size smaller to go along with these 'big' haha fish but decided against it -- just the four were enough for this size mini! Some of you suggested bigger fish and I think they'd look great - a whole lap or twin size full of them@!! Thanks everyone! I love reading your comments!! Be sure and PM me when you post your Fun Fish quilts = I'd love to see them!! :-D :-D :-D ;-)

Both are just a cute as can be! I love them.

oh my! This is my favorite thread of the MONTH! I love your ideas. How fun would this be to work off my scraps. Thanx. Yours turned out SO beautiful. Great, super great, fantastic job!

Thank you so much, quiltnmom!! Hope you'll give them a try!!

:-D :-D :-D ;-) ;-)

Wow!! What a compliment!! Thank you very much, SaraSewing!! You just made my day!! Yes, the more graphic the fabric, the better they'll look! I don't have any I Spy fabric but I think they would do wonders in this block! I think the reason this quilt came together so fast is because I couldn't wait to see it done!! After one fish is made up, you just CAN'T wait to do another!! A must for using up scraps!!

;-) ;) :D :thumbup:

n2, just love the way you slow down the eye with the black (or white) fabrics. Then slow it down again with the gingham (or marbled) fabrics. And then pow another burst of color in the outer border! Looking good, I'd say! G

Very nice! Love them both!

Ooooo I love those fish!!! Those embellishments for the bubble are awesome!! Very creative handpainting the borders, too :D
The poppies are beautiful! You did a magnificent job on these :D:D:D

I have a bathroom decorated in tropical fish, all bright yellow and navy blue. I'm making this for there.

Thank you so much, amma!! I sure appreciate your kind compliments and everyone else's here on the board! So glad to hear you like the embellishments!! I thought I overdid it, but it just shows my love for the fishies so I'll leave them on. The rhinestones had peel-off backs but I just glued it all on as they are just so tiny to handle! What a super compliment on the poppies! I didn't think they turned out so well, but glad they are enjoyed! I used a premade outer border from gathering scraps into strips and just threw it on the design wall and it matched good! The other 3 sides of the border I opened up and slipped in some coordinating strips of the poppies to make it look authentic! It worked!! Thank you, amma, for your super comments!!! I appreciate it!! :-D :-D :-D ;-) ;-) :thumbup:

Thank you, G, for your nice comments!! Just wanted to tell you that the poppies' border was premade from months earlier of gathering scraps into strings for future use. Had no idea it would look so good until I tried putting the two together! A few of the borders I opened up at intervals and slipped in some coordinating fabrics of the poppies to make it look authentic!! How's that for clearing out the scrap bag?? LOL.

:D :D

Thank you, LindaM!!! It's so nice to hear! :D :D :D ;-)

How cool that is!! Very creative ... :thumbup: :D

Oh, oh.oh. It will be Bu tee ful!!! What liveliness your mini will make to that bathroom and the colors are fabulous!!! We can't wait to see this one!!!

:-D ;) ;) ;) :!: :!:

Thank you, Ditter!!!!!!! :-D :-D ;-) ;-)

very pretty!

Thank you, Letia!!!

:D :D ;) ;)

This board never ceases to amaze me of what talented women and men we have.
wish I still had my 55 gal. tank. I would make this for the back drop.

I love your fun fish. I can see why you call them that.

My parents live in St Thomas for most of the year and I have been considering making a few wall quilts for their house - this is now added to my to do list. Just fabulous.

Okay - I like the poppies as well but the fish just won't let go of my attention :D

Both fabulous

Cool fish! I'd love to see that as a big quilt´as well. Thanks for sharing, I love your creative ideas.

OMG, what a great idea this is!! It'd be the perfect backdrop!!! Thank you so much, luv-e, for that nice compliment!! You should go for it anyway -- these fish would last much longer!!

:-D ;) ;) ;)

Thank you, Yarn or Fabric!!! Yep, I love my fishies! This little mini would fit right in for the V.I. I bet your DP would treasure it! We'll look forward to seeing your post sometime!!!

:D :D ;) :!: ;-)

Thank you, PurpleBecca, so much!!! :-D ;-) :!: ;)

Thank you so much, salmonsweet!! It would be great made into a big quilt!! I'm thinking of designing a different fish block for a larger quilt. They make exciting looking quilts!!

;-) :D :D ;)

Amazing! Love them. Another to add to my list and thanks sooooo much for sharing! :)