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Monday, February 9

Elephant Parade Week 2 and ... I got carried away!

It was just so much fun making these blocks for Lorna's Elephant Parade. This is week 2 in the quilt along, but it isn't too late to join in; it never is.  Lorna's Elephant Parade Pattern and the Quilt Along page at Sew Fresh Quilts will always be ready for you!  

Originally, I bought the pattern (you don't need to, but it is a bargain!) to have as a handy reference and bam!  Before I knew it, I had "Oh, just one more"-d my way into getting the whole quilt top sewn.   It isn't just that the quilt is sooo cute; Lorna did an exceptional job with her instructions, and everything is so logically organized and easy to understand.  This quilt top was a pleasure to make from start to finish!  


Elephant Parade quilt top - sewn with Peppered Cottons
I'm not going to quilt and bind it just yet.  That will take some thinking through and some bravery on my part.  Do any of you have ideas for how you would quilt up designs like this one?  

Here are some close up shots so that you can see what the fabrics look like.  I was really happy with the Peppered cottons.  They are a thick and very soft fabric, with nice visual texture.   
Elephant Parade - Momma Elephant
Elephant Parade - Baby Elephant
Elephant Parade - a Cheeky Bird

Mr. Frog had always imagined that elephants would be bigger.


I think, when I do finish this, that it is going to be the sweetest quilt for a little one.  Thank you Lorna for sharing your adorable pattern with us!  

I'm going to be a copycat and use the same backing fabric that inspired Lorna to design her quilt:

Happy Elephants in Grey by Ed Emberley for Cloud9 Fabrics


And Thank You for coming by for a visit!
Lara


47 comments:

  1. That is so stinkin' cute! All the creatures are just adorable, and the backing fabric is perfect. Love it, and love that you had so much fun making it!

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  2. I'm sooooo jealous.....in a nice way!!! Look at how adorable this is!!!!! I think I'll get the pattern too for future use though as I'm just in love with it! Your little frogs expression totally cracked me up!!!!!! Congrats on a fun finish!!

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  3. That is just adorable! I want to make at least a few of those elephants. They are too fun to resist.

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  4. That is so adorable, I love your elephants!

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  5. Oh my gosh, that is just adorable! I love, love, love the fabrics you picked! I better get busy so I can catch up with you. :O)

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  6. What a sweet baby quilt! Thanks for the fabric closeups - the texture shows up and adds so much interest - every animal is just delightful - large and small alike!

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  7. This is one of the cutest baby quilts I have seen! It is adorable. The frog really makes me smile. Just too cute!!

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  8. Oh wow! This is so cute! For quilting there are two basic options: something to emphasize the piecing or an all over design. I like to think about my purpose. Is this to be fancy as a wall hanging, or something to cuddle in. If you want it for cuddles, quilt it cuddly.

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  9. Lara, this top is too cute and so beautifully done!! Peppered cotton was the perfect choice!! It is not hard to understand how you got carried away :) As for quilting, maybe a cloud like design in the background and stitch around the elephants, flowers, and turtles - the big elephants are big enough that I think you might have to quilt some inside. . . I know you will come up with something fabulous! Wavy lines with your walking foot would look awesome too!

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  10. Oh, Lara! It's beautiful! And your frog.... He's adorable. What a cute post. I really enjoyed reading about how your frog thought that elephants would be bigger. Hahaha! Looking forward to seeing what you decide for the quilting. Lots of great suggestions here!

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  11. Well, I didn't realize what an overachiever you were, LOL. I just wrote to you that I had finished the large elephants and here you are with the whole thing and it's wonderful! I haven't really thought about the quilting yet and maybe I don't have to, I'll be watching what you do :)

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  12. What a fun and beautiful quilt for a little one! I definitely love your choice of fabric and colors, I am very fond of chambray like fabric and shot cotton as well. I like Judy's suggestion with the cloud-like quilting design ... I am probably not the one to advise on quilting design, but I think any curvy design would look nice ... Fabulous work! I can't wait to see it completed!

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  13. I love your version, Lara! Your elephants have a beautiful skin and elegant colors. For the quilting, I'm thinking of a landscape after a downpour... dry soil with newly grown plants here and there, a few puddles for the frogs. But don't ask me how to do that... because I don't know. lol

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  14. How cute Lara and.....wow are you fast! Love your little frog!

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  15. This is absolutely adorable! The addition of the frog and sweet tweet, superb!!

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  16. Your quilt is so beautiful, and so adorable - that it made me want to have a baby!!!! Seriously.... (love it!)

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  17. This is going to be ADORABLE and so sweet! I love your fabrics and the colors. What fun ... a pattern that makes you want to just keep going to finish it!!
    Susie

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  18. Haha!! Way to go. :) I probably would have gotten sucked in, too! LOVE the elephant fabric!!

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  19. So cute! I love all the animals!

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  20. I am working on mine, but am too frugal to buy it so I am waiting each Sunday. I am planning on quilting mine horizontally with a wavy stitch like Lorna did. Thank you for the inspiration!

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  21. I have to take a look ... and another one ... and another one .... It is so adorable cute, I love it!

    Especially the face of the frog is so funny, he's a big one isn't he?

    Congrats!! Well done. I wish my elephants were as accurate as yours ;-)
    And the backing fabric is surely a great choice.

    Have a nice day (in Germany it is 7 am )

    Sabine

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  22. Wow, you made this so fast! I thought it was a great pattern when Lorna showed it and I really love your version. I love your fabric choices - somehow they are elegant and cute at the same time (and I wouldn't have thought that was possible).

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  23. The elephants are lovely and your frog ist nice.
    A wonderful work
    Hugs from Germany
    Alexandra

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  24. You finished this top so quickly! And it's so fun. What a wonderful gift for someone special.

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  25. Really great job on a really cute quilt , I am so tempted :-)

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  26. I can see how you got carried away - it's just stinkin' cute, isn't it? I LOVE elephants, but the addition of the other animals really adds so much!

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  27. Your quilt is so freakin' cute! I'm sticking to the schedule but have expanded to make elephants for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge too so there are tons of elephants going on. :) I adore your little frog.

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  28. Cute! I love the story behind your frog. Sorry he was disappointed! ;)

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  29. Adorable :). I am working on mine too and I also bought the same fabric for backing. I am not sure I am going to be able to give this one away:)

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  30. Gorgeous - the animals have such wonderful expressions - love the colours you've used for the baby elephant!

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  31. How absolutely adorable!!! Thanks for the closeups of the peppered cottons; they do look fantastic. Glad to hear of the good weight of them too. As for quilting, I think swirls in the white background. Ha, maybe you could originate them from the elephant trunks à la spraying water as they love to do?! I am taking Angela Walters' newest class which I got half price and so far it's great; she discusses the types of quilts and how to decide what to quilt, as well as giving instructions/demos and a project on which to practise. There is a lesson on quilting paper-pieced quilts! btw love your frog's comment ;-)

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  32. Just adorable!! That frog <3

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  33. Lara, that's so pretty.., I love your frog! He is so handsome.
    I just wondered how you made the eyes. I still haven't figured out a way how to do it best...

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  34. I just love this! What a great pattern and quilt along. When I get better I must make this! That bird just makes me happy, and the frog is too darn cute :)

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  35. Lara your quilt is so pretty! I've been admiring Lorna's pattern since she started posting sneak peaks on Instagram. The frog is just adorable. Your work is always amazing.

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  36. It's so great!!! :) That frog! :)

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  37. Wow !!! What a lovely quilt, Lara !!! I love the frog. Your quilt is adorable !!!

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  38. Beautiful, I love the details. :)

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    1. Thank you Linda! Lorna added some very cute touches to her pattern! (Just in case you check back, I've replied here because you are a "no-reply" commenter.)

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  39. Looks great and I love the frog as well :) I have no idea about quilting. I like the version Lorna made :)

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  40. Just fabulous! I have elephants on the brain at the moment and I think there will be an elephant quilt in my future.

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  41. Love your quilt!!!!!! I especially liked the way you did the elephant eyes and the bird eyes and the frog's mouth. I hope you won't mind if I copy them (as well as I can anyway) for my quilt. So cute!!!!!

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  42. I would have loved to have had the time to tackle this project with you and the other quilt-alongers! It's so sweet, and you were wise to use that amazing elephant fabric -- the inspiration for it all! -- as your backing.

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  43. Hi Lara! Your quilt is soooooo pretty - I love it so much!

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  44. I know this is an old post, but saw the elephant on your main page and had to comment because I made one too, and actually found out about you from one of her blog posts! I just gifted my little quilt on the 15th. THe mom to be had bought a Pottery Barn elephant bedding set but now she thinks the Elephant Parade puts it to shame. I left out the frog and turtle per grandma's request and added another red bird. Love how it turned out. I quilted mine with wavy lines using light grey thread and love how it turned out. I made sure not to run through any eyes.

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