Ever made a mini quilt?
 

Our quilt guild has an auction to sell mini-quilts during our Quilt Show (every other year). They said in our meeting this week that they needed some more, so I decided to give it a try.

I tell you, I have learned a lot. I have learned that I need to be VERY precise in both my 1/4 stitches and my ironing. I have also gotten very acquainted with my seam ripper. But it is kind of fun.

I started to make one, then didn't like how my fabrics looked together, so I turned one into two. And then my sister showed me a pattern I might want to try, and I did want to try...

So, here is where I am. I have one top finished and two on my design wall waiting to be finished. All three are purple, though the top right one looks deep blue in the picture.

They may not be true miniatures. I think those are supposed to be more traditional and complicated patterns, but maybe they will bring in a bit of money for the guild. :)

Dina

What I meant to ask was....if you have made a mini-quilt before, what size binding did you put on it? I normally use a 2 1/2 strip. Is that what I do here too?

Dina

i tend to prefer a narrower binding on small projects-including miniture quilts- i cut my fabric 2" instead of the (general 2 1/2") even on large quilts i usually only use 2- 2 1/4" binding strips- i just like them narrower. you don't want your binding to (over power or become a border) on your mini's.

I like them! I have heard that 1/8 inch seam is used on miniatures. Maybe that would be something to try. I've always wanted to make a mini storm at sea, so i purchased a lazer cut kit SAS at the John Flynn booth in Des Moines last year. Still on my to do list. ;)

Thanks to both of you. I will try both suggestions.

Dina

Love your quilts. I like the narrower border, too. I cut mine 2".

You might want to look at The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative at www.alzquilt.org
The sell small format quilts (no larger than 9" x 12") that are donated to finance Alzheimer's research.
The quilts are fantastic.

Sorry wrong web site - Should be www.alzquilts.org

I highly recommend Sally Collins Precision Piecing book or DVD. I took a class from her and well worth the time and effort.

Absolutely. She spoke at our guild a couple of years ago and it pushed me to do a miniature quilt for the guild silent auction. I'm glad I did it, but I don't know that I will do another one again. My quilt had 49 2" LeMoyne stars. It can be seen in this blog post I wrote. http://knitnoid.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/it-is-done/

Don't try to stitch with an 1/8" seam. Stitch with 1/4" seam -- use tweezers to hold the pieces together -- then trim the seams. And above all, don't think a miniature quilt will take less time than a full size quilt.

I opted for a 1/4" binding -- I think I did a single fold to eliminate bulk.

What do you do with mini quilts???

Great Mini!!

Many on this Board do quilts for the AAQI and a quick search and you'll find that many of their completed projects have been posted here on the QB. AAQI has a size limitation. YOu might want to check if your Guild has a max size you need to work within.

Some have been traditional quilts. Some abstract. Some liberated. ETC.
... my first was an Irish Chain complete with a micro mini flange! :)

Just as in any quilting ... anything goes!!

Good Luck!!! and have FUN

I really don't know. I have made a few this size for my cats, but I think most end up as wall hangings? They look like place mats to me, but way too much work for a place mat. For some reason, our guild has always sold them at an auction at the end of our quilt show. I have had fun making them though. Probably won't make any more.

Dina

[QUOTE=Knitnoid;5515196]Absolutely. She spoke at our guild a couple of years ago and it pushed me to do a miniature quilt for the guild silent auction. I'm glad I did it, but I don't know that I will do another one again. My quilt had 49 2" LeMoyne stars. It can be seen in this blog post I wrote. http://knitnoid.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/it-is-done/

What a beautiful quilt! I love it.

Dina

I took a class from George Siciliano and did one of his minis. Finished at 15" square. Love his techniques because he prints his foundation on a very light stabilizer that can go thru the printer. Then it stays in and no stretch bias edges - and there are lots in his patterns. But I've used the stabilizer technique for other foundation quilts and it is wonderful, especially because you don't have to tear out all that paper.

check out his sign http://www.georgesiciliano.com/


When I heard his lecture he said he kept getting smaller because that way the quilt fit under his machine. Note, his wife Virginia is a magnificent hand quilter.

Dina, On my 15" square mini I used 1.5 single strip - not french fold - that seemed about right on the small quilt.

There are lots of paper pieced mini patterns out there. I just finished a 6 inch square feathered star in tiny Halloween fabrics and a black on black. I am not sure I will make it much bigger, just add a border.

I just drew out a pattern for a paper pieced girl and four of them would make a cute small quilt. I can embellish the skirt.

Log cabin blocks are also an easy thing to make and mostly use scrap. I made a whole wallhanging with 4 inch log cabin blocks out of scraps from a civil war quilt kit.