Saturday, March 21, 2015

The "W" Word: A Mini Quilt

  This finish was on my Finish-A-Long Quarter 1 goal list, and it was done on time! Yay! I'm linking up with Adrianne @ On The Windy Side.

It seems only fair that I share this mini quilt on the second day of spring (when it snowed yet again here in New Jersey - we even had an early dismissal from school yesterday!). I started 2015 with a goal to make a mini quilt for our apartment for each season. So, I finished this in early February and it hung in our kitchen area to cheer us up from the gloomy/downright depressing winter weather. I shouldn't complain because I know my friends in Boston, for example, got hit much harder with the bad weather... but it really was a long winter here (hence "The 'W' Word" - I'm bitter). :)


I used Elizabeth Hartman's Glam Garlands pattern from Modern Patchwork, which is my favorite pattern in the book (I also made a strand of these for my 2014 Sisterhood quilt). I need to make a whole quilt of these, stat. They are so, so, so pretty! I am head over heels in love with my friend/beemate Laura's version. The pattern evokes icicles to me (a little bit of a stretch, but it applied to winter). I grouped wintry colors into strands to create a bit of interest. What can I say - I'm fascinated with solids, but my true love is printed fabric. Oh yeah, and Netorious for the binding again. My name is Jessica and I have an obsession with that print (though it is hard to photograph!).


I quilted a few different free motion motifs across the icicle strands. Then, I used white thread to create more icicles, and black thread to create shadows of said icicles. I'm not 100% happy with the quilting though (especially the word quilting), and I've considered ripping it out several times. I kind of like the idea of it being more an interpretation than "in your face" winter. The whole quilt has grown on me bit by bit, though - it's a fun bit of whimsy. So for now, my best friend the seam ripper can relax. What do you think? I'm asking for some honest quilty feedback here. :)


This project was something fun to work on in between prep for QuiltCon. I really enjoy these little side projects; I've even started a mini for spring that will also serve as another sample for my Orange Peels and Improv classes. It's inspired by these two drop dead gorgeous prints from Anna Maria Horner prints from Honor Roll (I *may* have bought a yard of each from QuiltCon - seriously - LOOK at those COLORS!) . I'm not sure it's actually going to fit in our dining area though... it keeps growing! :) Stay tuned!

Happy Worldwide Quilting Day! Go and sew something (and/or teach or inspire someone else)!

Linking up to TGIFF,
Fabric Tuesday, and Sew Cute Tuesday.


9 comments:

  1. I think you made the right call letting your seam ripper rest, the words and quilting look good one this quilt and all go with the theme!

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  2. I would not change a thing.....moody and bright st the same time....great mini

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  3. When I read through this, at first I thought you said "I'm 100% happy with the quilting," but then somehow the "not" registered with me, and I thought, "What???" The quilting is really good; in fact, I'm going to pin a pic (with credit, of course) of it to my FMQ Board.

    But since you asked for feedback, I took a very close look and I can say that I'm not crazy about the diamond with diamonds inside, just because the inner ones start to really collapse in on themselves. However, everything else (the word, the circles down a line, the lightning bolt lines) are fantastic, pat-yourself-on-the-back and take a ride in the TARDIS fantastic.

    I kind of laughed when I read that you got a *yard* of each of those fabrics. They're absolutely lovely, but a yard tends to be my minimum. ;) The exception is if a fabric is very specifically only going to be useful for only one project, and then I might get a smaller amount. But I love to have heaps of fabric available so when I start something, I shop my stash and don't have to buy more just to start. (And when I say "heaps," of course I mean washed, ironed, and nicely folded just waiting for me to find the right project.)

    However, I'm also one who almost never spend a whole lot of money per yard on fabric. I wait for sales & good coupons, shop the "red tag" shelves at JoAnn's, and don't mind not having "the latest." It often takes a while before a fabric is used, so it would never stay "the latest" long enough anyway!

    Lovely winter quilt for a not-so-lovely winter (I'm in the Boston area, and we just got a bit more snow, too -- when will it really end?) Great fabric/color choices!

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  4. See? Pinned! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/143200463128431995/

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  5. I love this! And I love the idea that you are going to make one for each season! Looking forward to seeing what spring brings!

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  6. I love this. It is a wonderful idea! A mini for every season! Also that quilting is gorgeous. I don't think my handwriting is that nice. Your seam ripper deserves his rest. ;)

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  7. You cannot go wrong with Anna Marie Horner fabric. It is the best.

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  8. I like your use of 2 colored threads for the quilting, and I think this mini is fabulous just the way it is. Also, your cursive FMQing is about 1,000 times neater than my cursive by hand, which is why I print everything in block letters. :)

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  9. It's lovely! I also like the use of two coloured threads - it adds a layer of interest to the quilt that makes you look twice.

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Let's start a conversation! I love comments and I'd be happy to reply to all who have an email address accessible. Thanks for commenting!

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