Playing It Cool

Yes, I am!  I received an email from Sarah @Cedar For Stitches showing me a mini quilt she made that was inspired from one of my quilts......I was thrilled (to say the least)!  It isn't often, maybe never, that this happens with one of my designs.    

Sarah was inspired by my 'Cool Waters' quilt (block tutorial here: Shadow Block).  But she did something different...something cool...something I wanted to do myself!

After buying a mini charm pack instead of a regular old charm pack, Sarah came up with the brilliant idea of making a mini shadow block!  She beat me to the punch and I'm so happy she did!  It turned out perfect and I'm a little jealous!

14" x 21"

 'Reminder Mini' is what she calls these.  What a great phrase!  A reminder of some of her favorites, and for me, an honor to be among them!

I found it hilarious that she calls her mini 'Cool Jayne'...only because 'Cool Puddles' didn't seem to fit!  I'm more than happy to let Sarah call it that!  

Big, huge heartfelt thank you Sarah!  You boosted my ego, made me laugh and it is a mini I will never forget!  Maybe you will let me use your measurements for my own? or to add beside the charm square 'Shadow' block?!  

Hanging A Mini Quilt ~ Tutorial

I have been asked many times about my method for hanging Mini Quilts, so I thought now was a good time to share my method with a quick and simple tutorial!

I've been using this hanging technique for a couple years and love it!  Not only is it easy, but your mini will hang flat...no drooping corners!  

While working on a quilt made of scraps, I had enough scraps from scraps (?) to make a mini quilt for this tutorial!

15 1/2" x 15 1/2"
Mini Quilt

Naturally you will need a quilt to make this tutorial work!

You will also need the following:
2 - 3 1/4" Squares
2 - 3" Pieces of Twill Tape or Ribbon
1 - Piece of Wood (size to be determined later)

Cut 2 - 3 1/2" squares and 2 - 3" twill tape.  You can use any width of ribbon or twill tape. Mine happens to be 1/2".

Fold your squares in half and press.

On the backside of your quilt, place the folded squares in the top left and right corners of your quilt and pin in place. 

Place your ribbon approximately 2 1/2" on either side of the center of your quilt pin. (Placement will depend on how big your quilt is)  The ribbon pieces will keep your quilt from pulling away from the board, keeping it flat and perfect.

I don't tack the twill/ribbon down at the bottom.  The smaller ones stay nice an snug to the board.  

If you use tags, now is a good time to add that too!

Stitch 1/8" around to secure the pinned pieces.

Finish your quilt by adding the binding in your usual method.

Next, the wooden slat!  If you wash your Mini's, do so before you cut the piece of wood to allow for quilt shrinkage.  

I use a couple different sizes of wood.  Both are less than 1/4" thick, and either works perfectly well.  I get my pieces at Home Depot, but I'm sure there are other sources that carry the same thing. 

  
The first piece is a precut 4 foot length.  The second piece is used as screen door trim, and comes in all different lengths.  

Measure across your quilt from just inside your binding and subtract 1/2".  Mine was 14 1/2", so I want the wood piece to be 14".  This will still keep your quilt flat, but also allows for a little wiggle room to adjust for hanging.  

Mark the center of the board, drill a small hole and viola! you have the perfect hanging system for those amazing mini's!  Before you drill the hole, make sure it's large enough to fit over the head of the nail you will be using.

I have my husband deal with the cutting and drilling for me, not that I couldn't do it...he just likes to feel needed sometimes!
   

I found that these little gadgets work great!!  You can find them in the picture hanging section everywhere!  (Home Depot, Joanns, Target)
  

There are many different ways to hang mini quilts/wall hangings.  This one is my favorite and works the best for me.

I used a modified version of this method for a large 3 foot wall hanging.  Instead of ribbon, I made four 'hanging sleeves' from fabric across the top.  I did tack them down on the bottom because they were bigger and I didn't want any issues.  

I hope this is a useful tutorial!  Do you have a favorite method to hang your Mini's?  I would love to hear what it is!

LINKING:

Let's Bee Social

WIP Wednesday
Tips & Tutorials  

I'm Good ~ For A While

All this talk about too much fabric, sew your stash...my head is spinning!  The New Year always starts with declarations, I've made them.  However, in the endless pursuit of a good stash of prints I couldn't very well pass up a few deals before I buckle down and really do sew my stash!

Beginning with a big stack of New Bedford ~ Denyse Schmidt.  I have a plan for this bundle, she said!  

There are some fabulous prints, great color and of course, plenty of grey which seems to be my go to color as of late.

I love the aqua and that yellow!  Yikes!  I'm excited to play with some prints again!

Another bundle I had to pop in my cart was Wanderer ~ April Rhodes.  Believe it or not, I may have a plan for this bundle as well!  

Most of the time when I buy fabric, especially bundles, I just buy with the intention of using it one day.  Having a plan before I even buy is something new to me!

Sun Print ~ Alison Glass.  A good stash builder, which is what this is all about!  This fat eight stack should help in that department! 

All three of the above collections were from Westwood Acres.  It seemed that all the stars aligned when buying these.  A great sale, me wanting to expand my horizons and frankly, no one bought me one stitch or one piece of quilt related anything this year!  What the heck?!  

Lastly, a rainbow of color.  Stash building.  Mini Pearl Bracelets ~ Lizzy House.  When these first came out I was itching to get my hands on them.  I didn't.  My level headiness prevailed and I kept letting it go.  Until one day I couldn't take it any longer and it happened, I caved!

Instagram pointed me in the direction and made me do it!  These are from Knotted Thread and I do not regret it!   

So there you have it, my year end or year start for fabric.  I'm pretty sure I am set for a while.  I KNOW, I am set!  Enough already...

Except I have one more little, bitty something I bought yesterday.  Just a little!  I am so drawn to Kona Cotton Color of the Year:  

Just a yard, one little yard!  I had to do it!  I have a feeling it is going to be a fun one to play with!  

That's that!  New, old, good, great...I've done the dirty deed and now I must live with it.  

LINKING:

Molli Sparkles Sunday Stash

A Former Time ~ 2010 Throwback

Here's to learning lessons and new techniques!  Back in the day...  Yes, it's that time of the month were we get to share our Throwback @ A Quarter Inch From The Edge.  Thank you for the reminder Jenn!

Digging in to the deep, dark recesses of Flickr, I decided to share this little lovely!  A baby quilt I made in September 2010. 

A virtual smorgasbord of feed sack prints and wonky delight!  I remember starting this and thinking how fun it is to make wonky blocks.  The tiny whimsical prints, the delicate colors and a very simplistic design...all together, pure sweetness to me!  

Even back in 2010 I wanted to be creative and change things up, take a chance.  Which is why I added a few applique circles to round (pun intended) out the design. 

One lesson I learned after this was finished, not all whites are the same whiteness!  A very hard lesson to learn at the time.  I was so angry, sad and disappointed.  I was too new to know better, too new to know what a quilt blog was and too new to google to know I could find an answer or ask a question!  Serious lesson learned!

That wasn't all I did that was new...

Of course, I felt like I had to add a colorful border.  But that just wasn't good enough...something weird, but perfect!

I don't know how this popped in to my head at the time.  It was one of those moments, you know what I mean?  A gathered border.  I've wanted to do this again for so, so long!  I'm glad I choose this quilt to share because I'm so doing this border again!  

It was a pain in the butt, that I remember.  Chunky.  Gathering is a pain on its own, a pieced strip to gather is twice as hard!

I love seeing the quilting on the back.  Though not perfect, it certainly touched my fancy at the time.

The tag.  The proof.  The mark of forever!    

You may be wondering what I did with this little mishap of a quilt.  As with many quilts it was gifted to my daughter.  She assured me that the different whites were not a problem, she loved it regardless and wanted it badly.  Who am I to argue?!  I just love her that much!!

I learned that all whites are not the same.  I learned to take chances, applique circles with wonky blocks.  And I learned that having an idea or vision is so worth exploring, just look at the border!   Even if you are a 'greenhorn' in the quilting world, you need to follow your gut and give it a go!