learning to do miniatures
 

I am trying to teach myself miniature quilting. I did this by machine... I have a long way to go... learning not to use strips... even though it is crooked in the main fabric... don't want it crooked here... also I was suppose to end with a 2 1/2 inch block.... mmmmmm didn't happen. My center squares aren't even right... back to the drawing board.... I will get it... any suggestions are welcome... thanks in advance

I meant stripes..... oops

paper piecing is a great way to do miniatures.

I can't do a regular size log cabin without it being wonky! I do either paper piecing or foundation piecing to keep them square. Good job for your first try and you must have the patience of Job to be willing to work on something that small!!!

Here is a nice website for miniatures. I took a class from this couple and it was a great. I learned so much.

http://www.georgesiciliano.com/photo...ry-of-designs/

years ago, i visited the national quilt museum in paducah and was awestruck at the beautiful miniatures there. and before that, when i was beginning to quilt, i had read that miniatures sewers would sew with the 1/4" seam and then cut them back to 1/8" to reduce bulk. i do small quilts, but have not yet mastered a mini :)

thanks for the link... those are truly awesome!

Seems to be a popular topic. This was just posted yesterday:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...s-t242814.html

I have only done a few miniatures. Thanks for posting this thread.

I have books from the mid-90s that required a 1/8" seam. You used the inside of the 1/4" foot. I have a pinwheel and a triple Irish Chain.

Oh my goodness!!! That is fantastic!! I, too, saw the amazing miniatures at Paducah... I have no idea how anyone can physically handle such tiny pieces of fabric! I think your block is really neat!!

I think you are off to a great start.
I like to use a foundation (thin fabric) for LC blocks.
My favorite rulers are Creative Grids or Olfa frosted with very thin lines for precise cutting.
Starch.
Beware of the LR swing. We tend to sew a bit too wide at the beginning of a seam and then narrow it down when we finish off. When sewing miniatures this small error is magnified. Sewing leaders and enders helps keep one on the straight and narrow! Using a stiletto helps too.

Oh and are you a BB fan?--Go Cyclones!

We enjoy football more.... I know I know... but everyone in Iowa is a Cyclone BB fan this year... we have two boys and two DIL's who graduated from ISU..... great school.

I love doing miniatures also and I am also from Iowa. Just finished a Dear Jane quilt and have done many mini quilts. Spray starch is your friend. I see Oksewglad responded to your thread, she is a fantastic mini quilter. Also saw a post from a gal from Salem, Iowa that does minis.

Go Hawkeyes!!!!

second attempt on miniature
 

Ok , so I took the advice of the wonderful quilters on this site. I marked each piece and hand sewed. There is a lot of improvement. I measured after each addition and my block did come out the size it was suppose to. It still isn't perfect. But I will keep practicing.

Yeah!! You will get it and next you will be at the machine sewing these!
almond has created some very beautiful miniatures--check them out, even if she is a Hawkeye fan.

Oh and we're both FB and BB fans, but favor BB. Also have 3 ISU Alums and 1 DIL. Currently nephew from out east is attending. He loves being in Iowa and may have become a permanent resident.

Starch your fabric and make strips longer than needed and trim them as you go around the block. I also trim the seam allowance after it is sewn to 1/8", don't think an 1/8" seam is easy to sew. make the bigger seam and trim it. and try pressing them open before you trim them. Use a fine thread like Aurifil 50 wt.
I like to make mini quilts. Look up Rhonda on the board, she loves to make minis' and has some great tutorials.
peace

How do I look up post by Rhonda???

Go to her post in this thread. Click on her name and a box pops up. I like to use "View Profile" and click on it. here under her avator is a list in blue letters. Click on "Find latest started threads" and you will be directed to all the threads that she has posted. You can do this to anyone on the board to see what they have shared.

I've only done a few miniatures for Christmas ornaments (i hung them inside clear glass Christmas ornaments) - and as attachments to book markers.....but i always did them by paper piecing. It worked really well - particularly with any kind of log cabin / log cabin variation.

What a fabulous idea! Do you have pictures??? I have several clear glass bulbs and didn't know what to do with them!!!

WOW thank you ok... this will be great... I learned my "something new" today...

I don't see her name ( Rhonda) in the thread so go to member list and look for her name, click on it and that will take you to her.
peace

You just made a wonky log cabin. You wanted it that way, it a design feature. LOL Cute little thing.