Friday, October 13, 2017

Good Things Come In Small Packages

I'm hoping to have an action packed quilting weekend with my daughter Britt!  There was a time when we would quilt with each other, collaborate on a design and spend time cutting and piecing.  Hanging out talking fabric while I strip pieced and she pressed, making what sometimes could be a dull and uneventful process into something fun and enjoyable.  With that in mind, I thought I had better get a post put together for my latest quilt since I'll be undoubtedly preoccupied with spending time with her.  Not a bad thing at all!


5" x 6 1/4"
And now your thinking...what the heck?!  This isn't a quilt, not a real quilt...but, Oh yes it is!

I was making a Half Square Triangle quilt just like the one above, except baby quilt size, and decided to keep the tiny bonus HST's for just in case.  Normally I do not keep such small pieces, but what can I say?  I couldn't resist another challenge!



I trimmed the HST's to 1 1/4" and then stitched four of the same shades of color together.  My intention was to have each square have a center square, but as you can see that didn't work out.  Bad planning on my part!  The top left has a bit of what I wanted in all the centers.  



Not exactly a beautiful sight all those unruly seams!  I guess I must have thought it was pretty interesting since I took pictures of it!!



The inside border is 1/4" and the outside gray border is 3/4".  If you pretend there are centers in all six squares, this would be exactly like my larger baby quilts...which is where I was heading.

I layered my little quilt like any other quilt and proceeded to quilt it in the smallest of scale, exactly like I would quilt the big quilts.  I used the foot on my machine to guide the width of each row instead of marking like I normally do.  



I used Aurifil Thread #2615 Aluminum, also what I use on many of my gray or HST quilts.  Naturally on a large quilt the quilting stitches wouldn't stand out quite as much as these do.  So much for scale!



It isn't unusual for me to make mini mini's.  I had the mini obsession bug for quite a while.  Check out: Mini Mini Quilt, Star Thistle and Micro Mini Mini just to share a few.  This one was different.  I wanted to replicate a quilt, keep it to scale and piece/quilt/bind exactly like a larger quilt.

     
And I did just that!  I cut my bindings 1 1/4" wide, pressed the strip in half and stitched the binding on using 1/8" seams.  Mitered corners and all!



My quilts wouldn't be complete until the binding is hand stitched to the back.  This little one...no exception!  

Making a quilt this size and quilting the bejebbers out of it tends to leave the quilt ridged and stiff.  Which makes stitching the binding on a little harder than usual. 

While making this mini quilt, I kept thinking how fun it would be to make a mini of each quilt I make.  Unrealistic for sure, but can you imagine doing something like that?  Shoot me...I can!



The sewing machine in the picture was my Mom's when she was a little girl.  She received it for Christmas in 1939, and somehow after all these years it's still around.  A little wear and tear, but it matters not one little bit to me!  I wrote a post back in December 2014 - Priceless To Me.  

I couldn't resist using the mini sewing machine and the mini quilt for a fun photo!  You could almost believe it was a full size quilt on first glance!

What do you think?  Would you like to make a mini of one of your full size quilts?!


LINKING:

28 comments :

  1. I didn't really "get" the whole mini-mini thing until I made one. Then, oh my goodness, I was hooked! I've made a big stack of 5" square quilts (I call them tiny quilts) mostly from paper pieced blocks. I use a double layer of cotton batting and quilt them heavily so they are fairly stiff. I hang them on the wall in my sewing room. I also slip them inside a greeting card and mail them to friends and family.

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    1. I’ve always like to go small…but it wasn’t until the mini mini craze began that I really jumped in! I’ve made so many this past year. I love taking a paper pieced pattern and reducing it…just to see how small I can go! And yes, they are perfect little special gifts for everyone!

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  2. I love making minis, they are so rewarding. I have been sewing cutoff triangle units as leaders and enders, they are 1/2'' finished HST's.

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  3. The tiny sewing machine is the perfect photography prop for this mini mini quilt! I love seeing how you can take and idea and run with it, Jayne. This is stunning. I hope you have a wonderful time with your daughter. :)

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    1. I think I’ll have to motivate Britt to concentrate on this quilt! We are both excited about the ‘sew in’ since it’s been far too long since our last collaboration! After I dusted of the sewing machine it became the perfect prop!

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  4. No I don't think I'll be making a mini mini of all my quilts but I DO like the small project now and then. Love yours with the little machine!

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  5. Adorable! I make small pieces, but not that small!

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  6. Oh your 'mini mini' is adorable Jayne, though you do know you are slightly bonkers don't you :) Though, I've never seen scraps put to such beautiful use.

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  7. You are just so good at the mini's and mini mini's! Nope I have not thought of doing any mini versions, but I won't say I won't ever:)

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  8. Oh. Yes! The mini-er the merrier! Your photo with the machine is exquisite! I used to make teeny tiny quilts for cash--I was going to say for a living, but that didn't really happen. My big plan at one time was to make miniature versions of a bunch of Amish style quilts. I still have some of the fabric but the Amish collection never got finished. I do remember using 1/8 inch seams for piecing (the width of my Featherweight foot). I used the thinnest batting I could find--sometimes flannel, and fine thread. At that time I was hand quilting, but now you're making me want to make one to quilt by machine. That looks so fun!

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  9. You bet'cha ... I LOVE making minis Not sure why but there is something special about a 3" to 4" mini mini quilt. Almost any size mini makes me happy, though. Itsy Bitsy are even better. LOL Thanks for sharing our obsession!!

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  10. No minis for me! I would never get through my scrap bins if I kept leftovers that tiny. But you sure did a lovely job on yours!

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  11. I just don't do tiny. But you did a lovely job. Love the photo set up with your Mom's machine, that's very cute. Enjoy your stitching weekend with your daughter.

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  12. I love this mini mini. And very sweet with the tiny sewing machined. I have one of them too, from my great grandmother.

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  13. Oh my, this is just too cute and tiny!!

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  14. Enjoy your time with Britt. Nadine Willis N.Cali

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  15. I've never tried a mini quilt, but yours looks great

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  16. Unfortunately, the only full size quilt I have made probably wouldn't translate well into a mini because part of the design was to showcase some large prints but I love the idea!

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  17. Wow....can't imagine making HST's that small. But boy does it look awesome!!

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  18. Lovely quilt and fun pictures! I like working on minis occasionally but wouldn't be interested in replicating one of my quilt.

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  19. I love minis, and yours are always so much fun! The picture with your mom's sewing machine is wonderful!

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  20. What a cute little diversion! It's just darling. Love that it replicates a larger quilt, too. Using up scraps, a handful at a time!

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  21. Inspirational, I now may want to make a mini. So cute!

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  22. Wow! What a beautiful quilt! I can't believe how small those HSTs are. To me, a quilt is a quilt is a quilt regardless of its size.

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  23. I just love this! Love how you quilted it too.

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  24. I've never tried a mini that small, but after seeing yours, I might give it a try. I do keep very small triangles cut off from bindings and snowballing squares, but haven't used then in blocks YET! I love the idea of making a mini from leftovers of all our big quilts. If only I had thought of that when I started quilting! :)

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  25. A great mini! I have kept lots of teeny tiny triangles ..... they are just waiting for a project like this!
    Most of my projects are mini so this is right up my street!
    Love the quilting too!
    Barbara x

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