I've been experimenting with the little one inch cut squares I can cut so quickly with my custom Sizzix die.
When piecing the tiny squares together, the seams can end up making the squares look a little lopsided and lumpy so I'm taking the time to twirl the seams for a flatter finish.
Even with careful piecing and pressing these squares seem to have a life of their own.I learned a lot in making this 16 inch mini and now have some new ideas and techniques to try in future small scale piecing projects.
This is the first in a series of tiny pieced mini quilts that I have planned.Now, I'm trying to decide how to quilt it. With such small pieces I don't want the quilting to muddy the overall effect. I'm thinking of a variegated for the print squares and white, red, and black in the solid areas to keep the colors there clear and crisp.
Every Last Piece - feature quilt of the week - Paris on a Shoestring
This week's feature quilt is Paris on a Shoestring. It is a variation of Nancy, one of the quilts that is patterned in my book. Both quilts use the same string pieced triangle units.
I had this fabulous Paris Maps print that I wanted to use and I wanted to keep it in the largest possible pieces. Instead of making four large star blocks, I pieced this quilt in rows leaving each area of the map print as a single piece of fabric.
There are a lot of ways to put together quilts using the string pieced triangle units.
This quilt also features a scrappy binding. I cut lots of scrap pieces to the 2 1/4 size that I like to use and sewed them together as usual.
Finished size: 47'' by 47''.There is still quite a large pile of string pieced triangles and squares that I plan to combine into one quilt.
Barn Quilt
I've been wanting to share this quilt with you but I needed some helpers to hold it for photographing. D was eager to help as long as he got to climb out on the roof of the barn. Hm. This is a BIG quilt.
I made this king size quilt for B's parents back in 1999. B's dad had told me that he always wanted a handmade quilt on his bed but had never had one. I let him look through some of my quilt books and he chose this Dahlia pattern, Dahlia Delight, from Quick and Easy Scrap Quilts
The hand applique blocks made a nice travel project.
I hand quilted this one on a big frame in our living room and had a couple of friends who came over to helped quilt it. The boys also each put in a few stitches. They weren't very old then!
It is nice to have this one at our house now. M has been sleeping under it while he's been home for Thanksgiving break. It has a flannel sheet for the batting and is quite warm.
Butterfly Basting
I made enough progress on some other projects that I decided to pull out an old WIP. It is pressed and ready for pin basting.
I am eager to have this quilt on my bed! It is so bright and colorful, AND it will actually be big enough to cover the sides of our super thick mattress.
I plan to quilt in in a pretty brown/tan thread with something that looks breezy. I'm not sure what that is yet, though.Do you have any thoughts on breezy looking quilting designs?Previous posts on this project:Spring Butterflies - Miss P paired the fabrics for the blocksColor Play - arranging the blocksMore Color Play - a different lookButterfly Migration - the quilt that inspired this one.
