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How Small

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Old 05-09-2011, 01:11 AM
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Is too small? I know several of you do the mini quilts etc. Hubby found a pattern that he wants me to make and several of the blocks are 1" cut. That is smaller than I have ever done. Any tips to working with pieces this small? I really want to make the quilt since he doesn't show my interest in my sewing and HE has picked this quilt out along with the colors. :shock:
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Old 05-09-2011, 01:18 AM
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Is there any way you could enlarge the whole pattern? A one inch block is gonna be really small by the time you add the seams. Some people can handle small pieces- not me! I don't like working with less that an inch and a half- which is 1 inch finished.
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Old 05-09-2011, 01:18 AM
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In my opinion THAT IS TOO SMALL. LOL. But then again, I have never sewed anything that small. I dont think my fingers are nimble enough and I definitely know my vision isnt' good enough to see that small. :) Good luck to you and I am sure someone will come on and have some good hints for you. :)
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Old 05-09-2011, 02:17 AM
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What is the finished size that you are going for? I've worked with 1" finished and I believe the one thing that has helped me is starch, starch and starch. Serious, give it a good starching and much easier to work with. Like Jane Q said, if the quilt is a small version of what you want, enlarge the block size. Could you tell us the pattern and maybe we could help.
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Old 05-09-2011, 02:55 AM
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Sounds like a dollhouse quilt. I've worked with pieces that started at 3/4" sq and ended at 1/4" when I did an Attic Windows quilt for my dollhouse, but I hand pieced them, I used a ruler and traced the seamlines onto the fabric so I had a seam line to follow, at that size you have to be pretty exact. I trimmed the seams after stitching them. Be careful what you use for a batt if you use one, because it can make it chunky. Either don't use any or just a thin layer of flannel or something similar.

Some of the people on here do miniature quilts and I'm sure they'll give you some expert advice. Mine were strictly amateur.
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Old 05-09-2011, 03:18 AM
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I did a quilt that used 120+ 6" Pennsylvania blocks that incorporated 16 1" pieces in each one and I nearly went mad doing it. I had to set up a production line and do it differently than the directions. Basically making the pieces bigger and trimming the mini portions to size after assembly.

Good luck!
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Old 05-09-2011, 03:48 AM
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a short stitch length. pin carefully and use a (scant) seam.
takes a little patience to work with the small pieces but once you get the hang of it- they go quickly because they are small.
i'm working on a (totally insane) quilt now- lots of itty bitty blocks.
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Old 05-09-2011, 04:05 AM
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I like minis - this is one I did for a four poster bed in a dolls house.
Attached Thumbnails attachment-194872.jpe  
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Old 05-09-2011, 05:19 AM
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some folks who make mini's that small sew with the 1/4" but then trim them to 1/8". good luck. they are the ones that fascinated me the most when i visited the Paducah museum.
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Old 05-09-2011, 05:32 AM
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try to sew accurate 1/4 inch seams if you are off it will really show
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