Saturday, October 27, 2018

An October Mini

I've been collecting bits of 1930s fabrics for quite a few years, collecting fat quarters, yard sale finds, gifts from quilty friends, and even purchased some 2-yard pieces a few years back with the intention of making some aprons.  Have never used any of them, until this month.  There's a little pre-holiday gathering coming up in mid-November that required a hand-made gift.   Browsing some of my older quilting magazines I spotted this, on the very last page of the Spring 2012 issue of Quilt Sampler, designed by Leslie Main.

This looked like fun and completely doable, even noting all those miniscule triangles.  I'm sure you can't miss them - the entire quilt measures a whole 18 inches square.  I thought some of my 1930s repros would make for a fun version, and after several evenings of cutting, piecing, and more cutting and piecing, I had this, all pinned and ready for quilting.

Love this backing fabric


I quilted it pretty much as shown in the inspiration piece, and attempted one of my machine's embroidery stitches in the outer green border.  I used two strands of fairly closely matched 50 wt. Aurifil through the needle to do that part of the stitching.  Had to switch from my usual microtex 70/10 needle to a universal 80/12 in order to get two strands through the eye, but it worked well, and I think there is a little better definition to the stitching, though my green threads matched the green fabrics a bit too closely and the stitching isn't as defined as I'd like.  It shows up best on this fabric:

All finished and bound and ready for gifting. 

It's another dreary, rainy day as we're getting the last remnants of Hurricane Willa (or was it William?) this weekend.  Thankfully not snow, at least not yet, that's coming tonight and tomorrow.  The creek is flooding and by tomorrow the basement will be too.  So, with all the dreariness I played around with a couple new-to-me filters while editing the photos, and will continue the amusement by planning borders for two Norman Rockwell Christmas panels that I'm finally getting around to quilting, hopefully in time for a some family gifts this season.   Oh yes, there's a baby quilt to plan too!

"Icarus" filter

"Sunscreen" filter

"Zeke" filter

I'm easily amused on a rainy day!   I hope you all are having a beautiful warm sunfilled fall day!


7 comments:

Lizzy D said...

What an adorable little quilt! So beautifully made. Is your sewing room in the basement that will flood!? How awful! It looks so lovely and peaceful [and neat!].


love

lizzy at gone to the beach

lizzzz.d@gmail.com [or] robin750@msn.com

---"Love" said...

You've made a beautiful little quilt! In times past, I had some of that same backing fabric; may still have a few tiny scraps somewhere. Hope you get some dry weather soon, with no flooding! ---"Love"

Kyle said...

You turned your dreary rainy day into something bright and cheerful. Those 30's fabrics do that everytime. Love the embroidery stitching. I never would have thought of using two threads. It's a fabulous mini quilt for the month plus with a purpose. Another baby quilt? Sounds good!

Janet O. said...

Got a chuckle out of your amusement. :)
I absolutely adore this little creation. How sweet is that?
And it seemed rather a coincidence that today I "unburied" a little kit I received from a blogger for a mini made of 30s fabrics. This makes me wish I could drop everything and make it right now

Debbie said...

Precious little quilt....love the filter play. Rains will pass soon I hope.

Barbara said...

Oh my gosh...that is adorable! Now I want one! I like using those fancy stitches. It really adds a little something to the quilting, I think. Your stitches look great.

Ruth said...

What a wonderful mini for a gift!! I love 30's fabric and have a small collection too. This is just beautiful! We are in Florida now and before coming to Pensacole, where we are visiting DS & family, I met my sister and 3 cousins near Orlando and it was too hot for me there. We had a lot of fun though.