Friday, February 25, 2011

"My Favorite Things" Mini Quilt

Making miniature quilts is one of my many hobbies.  I tend to go in cycles with my hobbies.  Cross stitching was one of my first obsessions many years ago.  I'm thinking of getting back into that.  I just gave my DIL a cross stitch lesson.  Lately I've been very much into knitting.  I like knitting because it's so portable and I can travel easily with it.  But between the cross stitching and the knitting was a large obsession with quilting.  I especially liked making miniature quilts.  I find it to be more of an art than utilitarian.  I 've continued to quilt, even through my knitting phase.  There's just something about the feel of good fabrics and making the seems and stitches and points as perfect as I can get them.

Here is one of my first miniature quilts.  I tend to really enjoy small, precise work and so challenged myself at making miniature applique squares.  Here is my little sampler that I call, "My Favorite Things".



Since I can't stand to part with this, it hangs on the wall with several of my other mini quilts in my little studio.


This quilt is a total of 17" square.  Each of the nine little squares is 3-3/4".



 All the applique is done by hand by the "turn under" method.  Then I padded or stuffed many of the appliques to give it some puff and dimension.
These little berries were a little time consuming in order to keep them as round as I could.  They're very tiny.
I embroidered the veins on the leaves and the eye of the bird.

Beads and pearls were sewn onto the center of the flowers.




The center of these flowers I made with silk ribbon french knots.



I put little heart charms on the collars of the cat and the dog.

A few little button embellishments.


I hand quilted this, which I love to do, but it is very time consuming.  It's not too bad on these little quilts, though.  This whole process is so relaxing for me and I love to see all these little bits and pieces of fabrics, beads, buttons and floss come together into a "picture".

I do make little 4" quilts that I frame and sell in my Etsy shop, but I won't part with these larger minis.

I'm linking today to Cindy's Show and Tell Friday
And Alison's Fridays Unfolded

8 comments:

Denise said...

Beautiful work, I'm currently learning applique and couldn't imagine working with such small pieces.

Bridget said...

I am the same way with hobbies, some I continue but most of them I do a little and then years later pick it up again. I have not tried quilting yet and it is on my list to try.

DJan said...

I absolutely love your mini quilts. Today I saw a quilt shop and I thought of you, for some reason, although mostly I think of you sewing and knitting. Maybe you were writing this post when I saw it...

Gaspegirl said...

The detail in that quilt is BEAUTIFUL!

Visiting from SITS, make it a great day!

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

The colors and designs are beautiful, and the work is exquisite. I haven't yet tried quilting, but I expect I will some day because I love the colors and textures.

Theresa said...

Sooooo pretty, Nina! Love it and I totally understand why you won't part with it:) Enjoy your weekend my friend! HUGS!

Valerie said...

Beautiful work, Nina. My WI would love to have you as a member.

Alison Agnew said...

these are beautiful! i think these work well as art, but would also be excellent as doll quilts...you might have a little cottage industry there my friend! thanks for sharing with my readers on fridays unfolded...have a wonderful weekend.

blessings,

alison
stuff and nonsense

BlogCatalog

Family Blogs - Blog Catalog Blog Directory

Stumble Upon