South: A Mini Quilt

In the midst of the craziness that is holiday gift making, it was refreshing to sew up something so simple, gratifying, and selfish for my new mini quilt wall.

I used the Botanics mini charms my friend Janet so selflessly offered me after she won some Quilt Market swag (at our CJMQG meeting). Really though, aren't quilters the best people around (like, she wouldn't let me give them back to her!)? I joked with her that I had a mile long list of projects to attend  to but that I didn't think I could resist playing with Botanics.

I struggled to find something to do with these mini charms - at 2.5" square, they are not as versatile as I would like (just how I feel generally about mini charms). I definitely wanted them to "vaguely" go in some kind of color order. I don't know about you guys, but typically, I hesitate to do patchwork (mostly because my seams never lined up the way I want them). Well, lo and behold, I took my time and pressed my seams in opposite directions, and all these seams line up, baby. Word.

It was still missing something, so I added in two shades of the bird print from Waterfront Park, and I'm so glad I did that! Then, I quilted in different kinds/sizes of circles, to offset all the angles. I used my FMQ/darning foot for the spirals, and my walking foot for the separating/overlapping circles (see my tutorial here if you are interested). To me, it looks like the birds are flying in circles.

The name came to me suddenly because of the birds: they remind me of their path south in the winter. I'm usually not a happy camper during the winter months and hate being cold, so I guess I wish I could fly south like the birds. However, this mini definitely cheers me up. It signals a "new beginning" for me in a new year of sewing and quilting. It's funny how something so easy and quick has so much behind it :)



Oh, and the mini quilt wall? Here is is :D For now, I am using clear pushpins. They are in the very corners and I don't see how it will ruin the quilts at all - IMHO. :) I plan to post more pics of my apartment this weekend when it is all cleaned up for the holidays. From left to right: "South," "Birds of a Feather" (my Madrona Road challenge), a very special swap Dresden, "Perspective" from Heidi, and two tiny mug rugs I won a while back.

Today we had a snow day, and it's my birthday, so I'm off to have a relaxing and fun day sewing and hanging out with my family! :) Woot!

Linking up to Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story, Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts, Crazy Mom Quilts, TGIFF