Magnificent Minis with Island Batik

The February challenge for Island Batik is to make a mini quilt, less than 24″ square. I wasn’t quite finished with my Gypsy Rose collection. After cleaning off my cutting table, I had a stack of Gypsy Rose scraps that called out to be used again.

Everything used in this project was given to me as part of my Island Batik Ambassador box. Thank you to Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, and Aurifil Threads for supporting my creativity.

I started with 4 1/2″ squares – one of each of the 20 pieces of Gypsy Rose. I also used up some scraps of Whatnot Double Dots in eggshell. I decided to do improv curves, but just skinny inserts of the white into the squares. I don’t really know what has happened to me – I am really in love with improv curves. The more I do with them, the more possibilities I see.

The first step was to put the squares onto my design wall and distribute the colors. This collection is just so much fun to play with.

I started by laying a white scrap on top of a colored square. I cut a curve into the block freehand.

I stitched the white wedge to the red arc. Then I pressed, making it flatten out nicely.

I laid the remaining red piece on top of the stitched block, giving myself a nice thin strip of white. I made sure it was more than 1/4″ wide at the narrowest bit, so some white would show. I did make it uneven on purpose.

I pressed, then trimmed the blocks to 4″ square. I neglected to take a picture of that step. Sorry!

The blocks went back up onto the wall, and I found this clamshell line pattern that I liked. I did fix the alignment of the lower left block before assembly.

The blue square on the lower right jumps out at me a bit – it was the first one I cut and I hadn’t decided to be so curvy. I left it because to me an improv project means experimentation. Also, what would I do with that guy if I replaced him?

I layered the top, Hobbs 80/20 cotton batting (bleached), and a piece of pink batik on the back. I was considering machine quilting, but it just didn’t feel right. I ended up hand quilting, which was a fantastic way to spend my Saturday afternoon. I used Aurifil Floss in Peachy Pink and Aurifil Mako 28 weight in Mulberry.

The Aurifil Floss is fun to use. It feels a little different than the DMC I used to use for embroidery. It is less slick. It also comes on a wooden spool, which is so cute! I liked the 28 weight Mako, too. It gives a nice line of stitches. I haven’t done much hand quilting lately, and it is a nice break from my usual intense machine quilting.

My thimble is a Roxanne Thimble. It is very fancy – I bought it when I learned to do hand quilting at a shop in Hawaii. It is an excellent vacation souvenir. It’s also quite comfortable. I’ve had it for more than 16 years. It should last the rest of my life, and well beyond.

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I’m still working on better photography skills. Which photo do you prefer? Bright sunny morning at the mercy of the wind and having to be creative with hanging on the left. On my table in front of a bright sunny window on the right. I prefer the outdoors shot, even with the stray shadow and the weird angle. The colors are so much more intense.

I decided to use a faced binding technique. There are lots of tutorials out there – I liked the one from the Bernina website. I do this on my artsy minis a lot, when it feels like the composition would suffer with a frame.

I decided on a name for this one – Clam Strips! That is still my favorite food to get at a seafood restaurant.

Quilt Specs – Clam Strips Mini
Dimensions – 12″ x 16″
Fabrics – Gypsy Rose and Whatnot Double Dots by Island Batik
Batting – Hobbs Heirloom Bleached Cotton Blend
Thread – Aurifil Floss #2435 and 28 weight #2568
Technique – Improv curves

Do you enjoy making mini quilts? I used to think they were a waste of time. Now I love them. They give me an opportunity to experiment with a new technique without wasting a lot of time or materials. They use up some of my batting scraps. Mini tops can be used up in other projects, too. Totes and pouches with pieced panels are awesome.

They also look amazing when hung up together. This is the staircase leading down to my studio. My own little gallery.

Be sure to check out my fellow ambassadors as they share their mini quilts all month long. Prepare to be inspired.

Carolina Asmussen ~ Carolina Asmussen
Gene Black ~ Gene Black
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Connie K Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River
Anja Clyke ~ Anja Quilts
Tina Dillard ~ Quilting Affection Designs
Becca Fenstermaker ~Pretty Piney
Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter
Barbara Gaddy ~ Bejeweled Quilts by Barb
Dione Gardner-Stephen ~ Clever Chameleon
Sarah Goer ~ Sarah Goer Quilts
Vasudha Govindan ~ Storied Quilts
Lori Haase ~ Dakota City Quilter II
Joanne Hart ~ Unicorn Harts
Mania (Magdalini) Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for Quilts
Carla Henton ~ Create in the Sticks
Stephanie Jacobson ~ Steph Jacobson Designs
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Joan Kawano ~ Moosestash Quilting
Kim Lapacek ~ Persimon Dreams
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Leanne Parsons ~ Devoted Quilter
Bea Lee ~ BeaQuilter
Toby Lischko ~ Gateway Quilts & Stuff
Bill Locke ~ Studio Bill Locke
Denise Looney ~ For the Love of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Sally Manke ~ Sally Manke
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack’s Blog
Kathleen McCormick ~ Kathleen McMusing
Carol Moellers ~ Carol Moellers Designs
Karen Neary ~ Sew Karen-ly Created
Lisa Nielsen ~ Lisa Lisa and the Quilt Jam
Jackie O’Brien ~ If These Threads Could Talk
Laura Piland ~ Slice of Pi Quilts
Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde
Vicki Schlimmer ~ Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sherry Shish ~ Powered by Quilting
Anita Skjellanger ~ Quilt in a not-Shell
Laticia “Tish” Stemple ~ Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland
Jennifer Strauser ~ Dizzy Quilter <–That’s me!
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Terri Vanden Bosch ~ Lizard Creek Quilts
Alison Vermilya ~ Little Bunny Quilts
Sandra Walker ~ mmm! quilts
Suzy Webster ~ Adventurous Applique and Quilting
Anne Wiens ~ Seams Like a Dream
Geraldine Wilkins ~ Living Water Quilter
Janet Yamamoto ~ Whispers of Yore