When I started out quilting a few years ago or so my mum, although fully supporting my new hobby and indeed a very experienced dressmaker and talented sewist herself, made it clear that she herself wasn’t that fond of quilts and that I shouldn’t go to the effort of making one for her. Personally I think this sort of clear upfront statement would solve a lot of family angst!! By contrast my dear late mother-in-law, was always saying, when asked her opinion, she didn’t mind and you were left never really sure what she wanted! So I was a bit surprised when mum asked for a mini quilt mat to put on her side table in the lounge. I was free to choose the design and the only stipulation was the colours should blend with their white/grey/muted green decor.
With the time I have more limited at the moment for quilting, a mini quilt was perfect, something to get my teeth into but it wasn’t going to be too pressurising. And of course colours aside I could choose what I wanted to do and the top of the side table was a very convenient 12.5” square.
Mum had admired a paper pieced star designed by Esther I’d done way back and I settled on that but I then remembered it would need to lie flat and with all those seams coming into the centre it is hard to avoid a bit of a lump. A lump that may just tip over a cup of tea. So with that in mind I chose a design from Quilter’s Cache where the centre point had minimal seams.
Next to fabric choice. I settled on a variety of toning fabrics to suit their decor and then copied someone’s idea to photocopy the sections with the fabric swatches glued on to ensure the fabrics were correctly positioned
I used headliner as wadding as it gives the quilt more substance and makes it less floppy. Floppy is good for quilts but less good when you really want a sturdy fabric mat.
As you can see it’s now in pride of place and being put to good use.
As an aside another birthday request was a second quilt for my 21 year old. This will take much longer to pull together as there are a number of Siblings Together quilts much higher up the queue, but I thought I would present him with a selection of fabrics for him to pick the ones he liked the most. A family friend who dropped round with a card and present, looking at the modest stack of fabrics, marvelled at ‘how much fabric I’d got.’ I had to smile, little does she know…..
What a lovely project to have, and for someone really special. I was very interested in your planning, re the probable bump in one design, and the choice of wadding. The result is spot on , isn’t it? How satisfying.
I, too, had to smile at your visitor’s comment about your fabric! She’s obviously not a quilter…
By the way, my new Bernina has just had to go back to the “doctor” as the cutter would not work. It has been unreliable from the start, & was driving me mad. I hope it will be cured for good on its return. I went to London for a Bernina training day on Monday, very good. Neither of the other two participants have had any trouble with theirs.
I have another machine to use in the meantime, but it doesn’t have automatic foot up/down…I get so used to these convenient features…
Best wishes, Kate
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I love how you put so much thought into the mini quilt regarding bulk. It came out very pretty and the combination of pretty and functional is always a good one 🙂
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Graceful, beautiful, and humbly sized. Perfect in every way! Nicely done!
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Oh dear, you remind me that I promised my sister a mat for her glass coffee table…3 years ago now. It’s an octagon so a little more challenging. Perhaps I should get on that. But the best gifts are definitely those which are regularly used and loved. Have a great day!
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I love that your 21yo requested a quilt! And of course the fabric stash comment made me smile 🤣
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