A Tiny Quilt for a Cup of Tea

I had an idea back in autumn, hiking in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales, a little plan to bring tiny craft projects along with me, to stitch while resting under the trees or waiting for the rain to pass. I even made myself a kit: small scraps of naturally dyed cotton, a needle, some thread - everything folded neatly into an envelope.

Hiking in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales

The weather turned wet, the walks were full, and somehow I never quite found that quiet moment to make it out in the wild. But the idea stayed with me, and once home, I began piecing together the tiniest quilt I think I’ve ever made.

It measures only about 11 by 15 centimetres - just enough to rest a warm cup of tea upon, with a little space left over to admire the colours. Golden yellows and rusty browns from onion skins and eucalyptus bark and leaves, soft madder pinks, a blush of cochineal, and three shades of indigo - dark, medium, and pale on the back. I joined the three indigo pieces of fabric for the backing, folding it around the edges to give a fine blue border.

On the front, ten irregular pieces form a tiny patchwork, with cotton batting in between and fairly neat rows of hand-stitching to hold it together. Across the top, I added three bold lines of chunky overstitching, just enough to give it texture and a little extra character. I still might add some across the other way.

It’s simple, useful, and so very pretty - a little quilt made from the natural colours I love most.

I’ve also prepared some little kits with the same naturally dyed fabrics I created last summer — everything you need to make your own tiny quilt. They’re all packed and ready, with the instructions coming soon.

I think this might just be the start of something - small, slow, and stitched by hand.