Mini Barn Quilts

If you have been to my blog before, I don't think that it's a mystery that I love things that are miniature (except candy bars, those should always be supersized).  At barely 5 ft tall, I'm practically miniature myself.   So when Terri Ann over at Childlike Fascination announced her brain child Mini Barn Quilts, I knew that I had to have some.  I have a few people on my Christmas list that I thought would appreciate these tiny creations, so I ordered four to assemble during my week off from work.

The first items of business was to acquire Mod Podge, brushes and wood glue, then sort through my fat quarters (and of course purchase a few more) for smaller print fabrics.  Scale is very important for this project.  Once I decided on fabrics, I could begin using the Mod Podge to adhere the fabric to the wooden pieces so that they could dry overnight.  The next morning, I used an x-acto knife to cut out my pieces.

Before I glued the pieces to the base, I arranged them to make sure everything fit together they way I wanted them too.

Now for a step that I almost missed...or rather almost forgot.  When you take the small wooden pieces out of the bag and begin adhering your fabric, pay attention.  One side is the wooden surface and the other has a paper covering.  You glue your fabric to the wooden side and then peel the wooden paper off the other side before you glue it to the base.  I was so excited to start gluing to the base I almost forgot.

In no time at all I had my four mini barn quilts finished, two Missouri Star kits and two Flocks of Swallows.

So, if you are just looking for a change of pace project or need an idea for a loved one, head over to Mini Barn Quilts and give them a try.

My last thought before I leave...I wonder if I can con someone into building me a miniature barn for my barn quilt?

Come join the party!  Today I'm linking up with Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts, Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts, Richard and Tanya Quilts and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Late Night Quilting Casualty

Since I work full time during the day at my job that finances my quilting addiction, I find myself quilting late at night.  These sewing sessions can lead to big time mistakes that call for the seam ripper or sometimes they are just funny.

I recently caught up on a few projects and decided to work on some of my bitty blocks for Quiltmaker's Bitty Block BOM .  I have been working on these little fellows using scraps for a few months now.

They are too stinking cute!!  And a great way to use all those tiny little pieces you just hate to throw away...wink wink.

Last night I found myself needing to make six flying geese units and used a technique that produces four at once.  So I marked my blocks lined them up and...

sewed straight down the line on all of them.  I realized when I went to cut on the line to make two separate units what I had done.  No biggie.  I thought I would just stop for the night, get up this morning and...

 sew 1/4" away from the line on each side then cut on the line.  This worked perfect until I picked up this little square.  Something didn't feel right when I picked it up.  I flipped it over...

I managed to sew a random bitty square to the back!  If that's the worst mistake I make today, I think it's gonna be a good day!  Late night quilting...you never know what can happen.

Is It Cheating/Why Do I Feel Guilty?

Four days into March and I am completely caught up on my BOM that I'm working on.  I'm absolutely in love with my bitty blocks for the Quilty Pleasures Bitty Blocks BOM .

The block sizes are either 3" or 4" and it will be a row quilt.  Sometimes its the small things that make us happy.

So why do I have a guilty conscience? 

The answer is this note.  I wrote the names of all the quilt tops I have that need quilted and taped it to my desk at work.  It's my daily reminder to get on the ball, my motivation to make the list go away.  So last month I pulled out the Jelly Roll Race Quilt, its backing fabric, batting, an issue of Quilty Magazine, went to the fabric store...and promptly pieced thirteen of these blocks...

Wait!  That is not how that was suppose to go.  Too many distractions!  Now my pretty little strawberry blocks are just waiting to be joined together with sashing and setting triangles to become a finished quilt top.  What's the problem?  It then becomes another name on my list.  By opening that magazine I allowed myself to cheat on my list of UFO's.  So will I finish piecing together the strawberries or pull out the brand new spool of thread and quilt a quilt top?  I'm thinking the best thing to do is take a deep breath, go home, open a new bottle of wine and figure it out then :) 

What do you do when your not in the mood?

When I went home yesterday, I just wasn't in the mood to set at my machine or work on my quilt binding.  Was I sick?  Nope just wan't in the mood to sew.

 I had been working hard in the evenings piecing on some of my quilt blocks and needed a break.

I chose three unfinished tops and tried to find some inspiration on how to quilt them.  I started off with my Holiday in Kashmir top.  It is made up of the same block with sashing.  

I was pretty happy with what I came up with so I moved on to my Jelly Roll Race quilt top.  It is basically a strip quilt and my two basic thoughts are to quilt something different in each strip section or do an all over design of some sort.  

As of right now, if I can find a nice variegated thread, my favorite is the wavy lines in the middle picture.  They should add a nice texture and movement to the quilt.

My last quilt top is something I pieced very early on.  I have allowed it to set around forever because I hate my fabric choices.  Looking at it today, I don't feel like they flow well together, so every time I try to figure out a way to quilt it I get frustrated.  I could just do a very basic over all design, but I think a more custom job will do it justice.  (At least it will in my head)  

So after drawing and erasing I came up with two possibilities for the pieced blocks.  I still have not figured out how to deal with the background.  Maybe a few more glasses of wine tonight and I'll find some inspiration.

It's like Christmas every month

It's the time of month I look forward to every month, New Block of the Month Day!

Kinda like Ralphie and his longing for the Red Ryder BB Gun I cannot wait to see all the new blocks for the quilt-a-longs I am trying to keep up with.  Two or three days before the beginning of the month I start checking the pages (sometimes they post early) to see if they are out yet.  I MUST HAVE THEM!  Most have posted that they will not be posting them until the 2nd of the month for February, so instead of pouting I've decided to write about them.

Goal one for the year is tackling all of the UFO quilt tops laying around, but my second goal for the year is to lessen my fabric stash.  I'm happy to say that the piles of unused fabric laying around are not as bad as they could be but I do not want to turn into a hoarder either.  I want to be known for beautiful creations not as that crazy chick from that one episode of Hoarders Buried Alive.  BOM are a great way to use up fabric plus it's kind of exciting not knowing what you are going to end up with.  Plus most of them are FREE (all the ones I'm participating are).  Last year I participated in Pal Sloan's Globetrotting  BOM and her Aurifil designer block challenge.

This year I'm joining Pat again for her Vacation Time Mystery Challange and the Aurifil challenge as well.  Instead of a block of the month the Aurifil challenge will be 12 mini quilts!  Who doesn't love a mini quilt!  I should have Flurry finished this weekend.

  My husband asked me several years ago to make him a quilt with an Asian feel and I jumped on the fabric collecting.  Huge problem, I had no idea what to do with it and could not find a pattern that spoke to me.  So I stumbled onto this BOM hosted by Gold Coast Quilter's Guild.  Each month they are posting a Japanese block designed by Susan Briscoe.  Perfect! Sign me up!

The Gold Coast Quilter's Guild also has a mystery quilt underway.  Clue one is a supply list and these fabrics seem like this quilt will be a nice home for them.  Now to wait for clue two.

These are two of my smallest totes of "stash" containing mostly 2.5 and 3 inch blocks or strips.  I think the QM Bitty Blocks BOM will be the answer for weeding these babies out.  Really it's more of a row by row challenge.

The rest of my collection will fall victim to the Quilt Art Designs Beginners BOM 2015 and the Adventurous Quliters 2015 BOM.  Both are using paper piecing for their blocks.  I could use a little more work on my paper piecing so this kills two birds with one stone.  Quilt art Designs also has a Bitty Block going on as well but I think I might need to improve my skills be before I tackle that one.