Tiny Cottage Garden: Mini #25

August 9, 2015

After finishing my entry into the Modern Quilt Guild Riley Blake Challenge, I had quite a bit of fabric left so I thought that I would create a mini quilt using some of the extra fabric.  For this mini I used 60  45 degree triangle and 6.5″x24″ rotary cutting ruler, but no specific templates.Tiny Cottage Garden front view

This fabric line has designs in several color ways that seem to lend themselves to fussy cutting, so I wanted to explore this aspect of the fabric in the design.  Two colors of the floral fabric I used in the border had the same color flower center, and I thought it would be fun to piece them together to create a single border print.  The main part of the quilt design focuses on a fussy cut diamond star, and the yo-yos in the center of each diamond are also also fussy cut from the same fabric.Tiny Cottage Garden yo yo detail

For the batting in this quilt I used a piece from a sample pack that Hobbs Batting had given me at a quilt show several months ago.  This batting has a fusible on each side which allows you to iron the top and back into place simultaneously meaning that there is no basting!  I loved not having to baste!  This batting is fairly thin, so it isn’t necessarily perfect for every project, but it worked really well in this application.  I am thinking about getting some more to use for small projects- it was so great to not have to mess with safety pins, and I don’t do sprays (but that’s a conversation for another day!)

I enjoy creating designs that are asymmetrical so the border of this mini only encompasses two sides of the star.  The quilting pattern on the border embraces the garden theme with vines quilted in variegated green thread.Tiny Cottage Garden back view

The quilting on the stars is very simple with only a double row of stitching which echoes the diamond shape.  This allows the Zentangle quilting in the star surround to really shine.  I had never tried this type of design, but now I am in love.  It may be hard to not use this design on absolutely everything!  It was really easy to do using a walking foot, and I didn’t even have to do any marking since this project is so small.  I’m sure if you looked closely enough you would see differences between each area, but it isn’t immediately noticeable.Tiny Cottage Garden quilting detail

For the quilt binding, instead of cutting a true bias strip, I cut on the angle of the pattern instead.  This allowed for the equilateral triangles in the fabric print to line up along the edge of the quilt.Tiny Cottage Garden back detail

Quilt Stats:

Title:  Tiny Cottage Garden

Size: 15.5″ x 15.5″

Techniques:  Machine piecing, fussy cutting, Y-seams

Quilting:  Freemotion leaves; Zentangle and echo quilting using a walking foot on a Bernina 1008

Fabric:  Riley Blake Cottage Garden fabrics and RB light blue solid.

Batting:  Hobbs 80/20 Fusible Cotton Blend

Thread:  Pieced using Gutermann Mara 100 in white, quilted with grey cotton quilting thread, Connecting Threads 50wt Magenta Cotton Essentials, and Wonderfil teal and variegated green 50wt cotton thread.

Binding:  Strips cut following the pattern on the fabric (about a 60 degree angle), machine stitched on the front, hand stitched on the back

What was new?

  • Zentangle Quilting
  • Fussy cut yo-yos
  • Cutting binding on an angle which matches the pattern of the fabric
Quilt 25 / 50

Quilt 25 / 50

Goal #2 is finished!

Goal #2 is finished!

11 Comments

  • Reply
    Deb Chimes
    August 9, 2015 at 6:12 am

    A great way to use your leftover fabric. I love the way you offset the star and your quilting (and photos) are wonderful.

  • Reply
    Peggy Jebavy
    August 9, 2015 at 7:32 am

    I love your entry! Very nice. I love zentangle quilting, too!

  • Reply
    Cindy
    August 9, 2015 at 7:39 am

    A gorgeous mini! I like the zentangle quilting may have to try some of it soon.

  • Reply
    Diana @ Red Delicious Life
    August 9, 2015 at 9:25 am

    I love how zentangle lends itself so well to quilting designs. Looks great! I’ve never heard of fusible batting but I agree, I think it would be great for smaller projects.

  • Reply
    Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl
    August 9, 2015 at 11:39 am

    I really like how you worked with the elements of the prints in this mini. Piecing the flowers together for the border is a really nice touch, and the meticulous cutting / planning for the main elements and yo-yos are great. The zentangle quilting in the negative space really pulls me in, too!

  • Reply
    Rochelle
    August 9, 2015 at 12:59 pm

    I like the way the border is pieced from two identical fabrics of different colors. It was the first thing I looked at and wondered about. The star is beautifully pieced and the yo-yo’s give it great texture. The quilting is really great and I’m blown away by the fact that you didn’t mark it at all. Oh, and I’ll have to give consideration to the fusible batting. I had a bad experience with it (not sure of the brand) about 10 years ago and have steered clear ever since. Pinning is really a pain but I just can’t use those sprays.

  • Reply
    Kathleen
    August 9, 2015 at 9:26 pm

    Love how you used the printed design in the diamonds.

  • Reply
    Tish
    August 10, 2015 at 1:35 pm

    Beautiful! Love your quilting

  • Reply
    Cheryl
    August 10, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    Simply stunning! I love the yo-yos and the quilting.

  • Reply
    Mini Quilt Mania 2015 | The (not so) Dramatic Life
    August 14, 2015 at 5:36 pm

    […] Tiny Cottage Garden: Mini #25 […]

  • Reply
    Kirsten
    October 13, 2015 at 12:56 am

    I absolutely love the amazing quilting you have done in your beautiful mini quilt!!
    “Visiting as a member of the official 2015 Finish-Along cheerleading squad.”

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