This successful little quilt was a plan B and FOMO all wrapped into one.
It’s Project QUILTING season again! I’ve participated the last five years. (Though some years I don’t complete all six challenges.) In the last many months I have been focusing on finishing up works in progress. I even updated the full UFO/WIP list. (Updated list coming later this month.) So... I decided what I would do for Project QUILTING this year would be to finish a project that was in progress for each of the challenges. I figured with the lengthy list of projects I would be able to fins a project to suit any challenge. I even looked over that UFO list and narrowed down to five contenders. But it's been a busy week and it's Saturday evening and I hadn't sewn a stitch.
One of the drawbacks to finishing an in progress project is that most of my WIPs are larger. Many are finished quilt tops, but I'm interested in doing detailed quilting that could take a while for some of them. But more importantly since those wouldn't be new projects started and finished in the challenge period my finish wouldn't count toward the collective total; I wouldn't really be part of the community this season. (Relatedly, I wouldn't be eligible for prizes, but that bothers me less.)
In past years I have often chosen small projects. I got the big idea that maybe I could do my unofficial project and a small official project. So now I'm trying to make TWO quilts in one week. (Are you laughing?) Then the next natural thought was that I should do the official one first.
I've finished a bunch of mini mini quilts recently. I really love the artist trading card size for a mini mini quilt (2 1/2" x 3 1/2"). And I have a couple fabulous rainbow fabrics that would be perfect for the All The Colors challenge. This week I decided on a whole cloth mini mini quilt. I quilted it with seven colors of thread, Aurifil 50wt in Dark Violet (#2582), Turquoise (#2810), Spring Green (#1231), Light Magenta (#2588), Bright Orange (#1133), Canary (#2120), and Light Delft Blue (#2720). I used a contour line motif, following the pattern in the fabric.
I encourage anyone who is interested to dive into the Project QUILTING challenges. If you want to participate and don't have enough time, just make a smaller project. Not enough time for that? Think even smaller. I quilted mine in the hour before dinner this evening. And after dinner I bound it while I played a game of Bloom with my sister on Zoom. Start time 5:40pm. Finish time 8:40pm.
I'm still planning for finishing a WIP that meets the theme of this week's challenge. It probably won't be by the deadline, but since it's unofficial, that's just fine. Maybe I'll use the off week between challenges to finish it. And as for the rest of the Project QUILTING season... I am now planning for a series of ATC mini mini quilts (perhaps all whole cloth) as well as finishing a WIP that ties to each challenge theme.
I'm linking up with Kim for Project QUILTING 13.1: All the Colors. Be sure to hop over and see the over 136 finished projects that folks created in just one week! Such an inspirational list. A big, giant thank you to Kim and Trish for creating this amazing community of makers. Also, a big thanks to my daughter. She selected all my thread colors and assisted with swapping thread as I quilted. She also filmed my video for the reel I shared on Instagram of my quilting.
Dolores
Lovely!
sarah
Post authorThank you, Dolores.
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
I love your trading card finish, Sarah! It makes a cute little wall hanging!
sarah
Post authorAnd easy to mail! Thank you, Nancy.
Stitchin at Home
What a great idea and a lovely mini mini!
sarah
Post authorThank you.
Nancy
Just a note to encourage you! I am delighted by your creations and astonished by how you fit so much into a week!
sarah
Post authorAww. Thank you, Nancy.
Joan
Beautiful finish on the rainbow mini! Perhaps you can practice or try out/warm up etc. your FMQ patterns that you want to do on the "unofficial" big quilts by trying them on the "official mini" one! Just an idea to make good use of limited time! Your work is always so much fun to see. Tempted to join in but life this winter is being uncooperative! Have fun.
sarah
Post authorThat's a great idea, Joan! In this case the experience quilting this one made me want to design a new quilt. I have a challenge coming up that the idea could work for. We'll see if I go for it.
Anja @ Anja Quilts
FOMO gets you all the time!! LOL Your mini is awesome. I wonder what next week's theme will be.
sarah
Post authorDoesn't it!? Thank you so much. I'm looking forward to the new challenge and seeing if I can fit it onto an ATC.
Mel Beach
I am glad FOMO led to this lovely rainbow ATC!! Such lovely quilting using a rainbow of thread!
sarah
Post authorThank you, Mel. It's nice to dive into some of the lesser used colors of thread in my collection.
Kim Lapacek
This is wonderful! I'm so glad you found a way to make it fit your goal. I LOVE ATCs! We might have to trade at some point ;)
sarah
Post authorSounds like a great plan. What's your favorite color, Kim?