Mini quilts

In our continuing journey of exploration and challenges, what could be better than making a little treasure? Why not try your hand at creating a true miniature quilt? Mini quilts are the perfect choice for experimenting and playing in your sewing room. I know many of you have shied away from mini quilts for fear of little pieces, but they are really fun. Read on for the myriad benefits of little quilts.

What Is a Miniature Quilt?

A true miniature quilt should be done in a small scale with small pieces rather than making just one large, pieced block. In addition, for most quilt shows or competitions, the rules are that the finished quilt must measure 24 inches or smaller. Another important consideration is the scale or proportion of the fabrics. Solid fabrics work well in miniatures. Miniature quilts are an effective way to highlight little novelty prints and fussy cut motifs. But do not forget large-scale prints, which can be creatively cut to look like several different fabrics.

Why Work Small?

Working small means that you do not need a lot of material. Charm squares and layer cakes and other pre-cuts are perfect for miniature quilts. And it is a terrific way to make a dent in your overflowing bucket of scraps. We all have leftover cuts and bits from old projects – a miniature quilt is just waiting to be discovered in the forgotten pieces. You will be amazed at how far scraps will go when you are making a 3- or 4-inch block. A miniature quilt can give you a big bang for your buck.

Easier to Make and Finish

You only need to make a few little blocks for your miniature quilt — a much more doable time investment than a full-sized quilt. Pick four or five blocks you have always been interested in and create a little sampler. Because the finished quilt may only be 12 or 24 inches square, it is much easier to hand or machine quilt. No wrestling with a sewing machine like when trying to quilt a king size quilt.

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Since we are working on getting out of our comfort zones and trying something new this year, I thought I’d inspire you to share your quilts with the world. This is a gentle nudge especially for those quilters who have never put a quilt in a quilt show or a local county fair. It is also a push for those who have only showed quilts in small local shows to branch out and try a larger venue like a regional or national show. And if you have shared your quilts in the past but have not done so for several years, this is a prompt to get busy and get your work out there again.

Show off your talent

If you are new to shows, please do not be afraid to join in the fun. Many small shows are very easy to enter by simply bringing in your quilt and giving them your name and a bit of information about your quilt. While some bigger quilt shows can be very competitive and turn away many entries, local and regional shows are often eager for more quilts to fill their racks. Remember, it is pretty hard to hold a quilt show without quilts. If you like seeing beautiful quilts, you should share your work, too. You never know when you will inspire someone else or make someone smile with your quilting. And seeing your quilts hanging may give you a boost as well. It is empowering to experience your work shown as art.

Try out a bigger show or a virtual show

If you have only shown locally, why not try to enter your quilts into a larger show? You may need to practice some new skills, like photography or online entry programs, but that is always good exercise for your brain. There are many shows now that allow you to enter online via photos and then you send or bring in your quilt if it is accepted. Other shows are completely virtual or online and you enter by sending in a photo or posting an image at the show website. Do a search for quilt shows, quilt competitions, and quilt challenges and you will be amazed at all the possibilities.

Read (and follow) the rules

One of the most important steps to successfully entering quilt shows, challenges, or other competitions is to read and follow the show rules. There may be guidelines on quilt size such as a minimum or maximum size allowed, or certain sizes placed in specific categories. Just pay attention to those details and make sure you enter the right quilt category. Do not be afraid to reach out to the show officials to ask questions. Another common issue is the age of the quilt aka when it was made. Many shows will only exhibit quilts made recently or within the last two or three years.

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If you are like me, you find antique quilts very inspiring. Old quilts can really get your creativity flowing. Studying antique quilts is a wonderful way to not only understand history but also learn from early quilt makers. They did not have all the sewing tools and quilting gadgets that we have today, but they created some amazing quilts. And many of the most striking feature zigzags. The most commonly seen use of zigzags is a strippy vertical zigzag setting. Next most popular are horizontal settings followed by framing zigzag borders especially outer borders. The setting usually involves alternating light and dark triangles to create a zigzag look though rectangles, V blocks, and Flying Geese can also be used to make zigzags. Other blocks like Log Cabins can also create zigzags with careful color placement.

Zigzag patterns tend to have strong contrasting colors which along with the movement of the design gives a dynamic appearance to the quilt. Another name for the block or setting is Streak of Lightning, which gives a clue to its electric or graphic presence. No wonder zigzags are a very popular part of the quilting tradition. Quilt historians have noted that zigzags yield dramatic and showy quilts.

Everything is better with zigzags!

The blocks can be used alone for a great effect but are wonderful when paired with other blocks to frame and highlight them. One thing you can learn from early quilters is that even the simplest blocks will look amazing if joined in an alternating arrangement with zigzags. When doing antique trunk shows, I have noticed that the audience always gasps with joy when I pull out a quilt with a zigzag setting. A particular crowd favorite is the pictured quilt, a circa 1870 Cactus Basket quilt with a horizontal zigzag setting. The purple rectangles create a triangular look that sets off the little scrappy baskets. Another reason zigzag settings are so effective is that they place the blocks on point, which adds movement and interest. And pro-tip: blocks go much farther when set on point. And combined with the volume added when they are framed with a medium sized zigzag sashing, and you will see fast progress.

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This year, I have been focusing my column on the benefits of learning new quilting skills whether to stretch your brain or finish old projects. One great way to learn a new technique or method is by taking a quilting class. There are many choices available for taking quilt classes and truly something for everyone.

Whether you have never sewn a stitch or are an expert sewist, there is a class for you. They range from traditional, in-person classes available at quilt shops, guilds, and shows (local, regional, or national venues) to the now-many online computer selections (live or recorded/on demand).

It should come as no surprise that online classes have become an even more popular option with the Zoom-ifaction of life. As we have become more used to and confident using Zoom and other online opportunities, the demand for online classes, which exploded due to necessity during the pandemic, continues to grow.

While in-person classes are coming back as people enjoy meeting together, the ease of learning from home and sewing in your comfy pajamas is hard to beat. Online classes are perfect if you are trying to fit sewing into a busy schedule as you can find recorded classes to watch when you want.

Beginning Quilters

If you are a beginner, it is good to start with a basic class to get acquainted with Quilting 101. You will learn about tools like rotary cutter and rulers, cuts of fabric, different techniques, and the super-important quarter-inch seam allowance, a necessary part of making pieces fit together. Starting off with a good foundation will help lessen the learning curve.
Quilting does have its own language, and getting an inside scoop helps make it less mysterious and more fun! A class at a local shop or guild will help you meet new quilty friends, too.

Intermediate to Advanced

You know the basics; now take your quilting to a new level. A class can help you begin that quilt you have always wanted to make but been scared to start, like a New York Beauty or hand applique project.
Challenge yourself to learn a technique you have never tried before or a new style. If you have always done hand quilting or applique, try machine quilting or vice versa.

General Guidelines

In-person or online – make sure you have all the necessary class supplies. Get the supply list and ask questions about what you will need for the class time. The class list may include what you will need for the whole quilt project like batting and backing, but you won’t need those in the basic piecing class. But they are essential for a machine quilting class.

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What is in your work room?

If you are like most quilters, you have lots of partial projects, leftovers or orphan blocks lurking in your sewing room. Does it seem like you have started a college with all the PHDs you have stashed away? You may not know all the quilting lingo, but you likely have many of these items. First, let us define some terms: UFOs = unfinished objects, PIGs = projects in grocery sacks, WIPS = works in progress, PHDs = projects half done. You have probably noticed a connection with all these terms: projects started and then discarded. Why not start a search-and-rescue mission to find and finish those orphaned items or give them a new home?

Time to round-up the orphans and finish those projects!

First step – do an inventory of all those bags, baskets, and bins and see what treasures are hiding away. You will most likely be surprised at how many projects are almost done. Decide what needs to be completed on each; for example, make two more blocks, sew finished blocks together, quilt, sew on binding, etc. It is exciting to have projects you can now easily finish by doing a task or two.

Second step – figure out which projects you WANT to complete and how you want to finish them. You may have started a quilt in a workshop and made a few blocks, but they no longer appeal to you. Perhaps you learned a skill or technique from that class, and you can now pass the blocks on to someone who will use them to make a fabulous quilt. Or maybe you don’t want to make the full quilt, but those four blocks would be perfect for creating an awesome project bag for another quilt.

Third step – find new homes for the projects that don’t spark joy. Unfinished projects have a tendency to weigh you down and make you feel guilty. Keep the items that make you smile and find new purposes or lives for the others. Guilds often have fundraising yard sales or collect orphan blocks for charity quilts and would love your blocks or tops.

Start playing!

Remember quilting is supposed to be joyful. You can gather up those partial blocks and have fun creating a scrappy back for a top that is also waiting to be finished.

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