A number of years ago (OK, so I don't actually know the number, and the timespan since lapsed may or may not have moved into double digits, but it was certainly this Century), I took a class with Virginia Enright at Threadbear in Castlemaine. The quilt for the class was her Fairfax Sampler but primarily I wanted to learn her foundation piecing technique. Designed as five miniatures linked together as a non-traditional (as in not sashed blocks side by side) sampler, I intended to make the whole quilt, even though I
wasn't keen on the finished design, preferring the miniatures that made it up.
Worked on very spasmodically over the years, I had stitched three of the miniature designs - the stars, grandmother's braid and flying geese - with a fourth, the log cabins, half stitched. Taking it off the shelf a few weeks ago I looked at the quilt design and made a decision, something I'd toyed with previously - finish the four components already worked on as individual miniature quilts, skip the fifth (it's just half square triangle strips) and ditch the project as a whole quilt that I was never going to really like.
And now, on the design wall, I have four thread basted ready to quilt miniature quilts and that makes me happy. Each will finish up at about 10 inches square. I found a simple quilting design which I'm thinking will work for all four - a continuity along with the fabrics used, a miniature quilt family. Haven't yet decided whether to machine or hand quilt. I'll probably end up doing it by hand even with the extra layer of the vilene foundation and a quizzilion seams. Somehow it seems wrong to machine quilt a hand pieced top (not that there is a right or wrong to these things) even though I'll happily machine the binding on - go figure that one out!
And, as a bonus...fabric is liberated back into the wild to play in other projects. Some has already made its way into a different project box for a group challenge quilt we are doing at local quilt group this year - but that is a story for another day.
Happy Stitching...
And, as a bonus...fabric is liberated back into the wild to play in other projects. Some has already made its way into a different project box for a group challenge quilt we are doing at local quilt group this year - but that is a story for another day.
Happy Stitching...
13 comments:
they are really gorgeous, they will make a wonderful mini collection.
Such tiny pieces and beautiful fabrics.
Well done for bringing them out again and planning their finish.
They make a wonderful mini quilt family. So much work in them so it is good to finish them off in a way you are happy with.
They are great love the colours
Those flying geese are pretty darn impressive.
Nice to see your mojo isnt cowering under the bed !
They are very sweet. The hand quilting won't take long. It is a bit hard with lots of seams, but I found with my mini that it's not quite so imperative that the stitches look good on the back!
those are awesome.. what tiny little pieces to work with...
Hugz
They look great Annette.
Fabulous Annette. It is great to get them finished the way you want so you can appreciate all your hard work. I visited that shop last year on our holiday....oh it is gorgeous!!!
i can see why they make you happy Annette,well done my friend and also on doing another post so soon,yipee we have you back.xx
Love the little family of minis. I agree with the hand quilting and machine stitching the binding!
Love them, Annette. Better to have them finished and being appreciated, than still on a shelf in an unloved half-finished quilt.
Oh well done Annette- after all that time of neglect, you have made good progress and the decision to make into mini quilts is a wise one, methinks... x
Great to catch up on what's been happening in your world
Oh these are awesome! Can't imagine how tiny those log cabin strips must be though... bet it feels good to be letting fabric go back into the wild...lol...
Post a Comment