And since I haven't set foot in my work room since before Christmas and the house is looking a little bare with all of the Christmas quilts packed away for next year, today I decided to kill two birds with one stone and start the year off with a warm-up project.
It's a mini snowflake quilt! Strictly speaking, it's a single 6" block, but since it's layered and bound, in my mind it's a quilt and if you stand back and squint at it, it kind of resembles a snowflake. Work with me here, I'm a little rusty.
Here's the quilt hanging by the door handle of our front door:
And here are a few EQ7 sketches of some coloring alternatives that I considered:
I'm always struck by how much you can change the look of a block just by moving color around.
If you'd like to make your own mini snowflake quilt, read on...
You'll need (and this is for my version):
White: 1 - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"; 8 - 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"; and 4 - 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"
Dark Blue: 1 - 4" x 4" and 20 - 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"
Light Blue: 1 - 4" x 4"
Here we go:
1. On the back of 16 blue 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" squares, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.
2. Place a white 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle wrong side down on a flat surface. Referring to quilt, lay dark blue 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" atop white rectangle with wrong side up (should be able to see drawn lines).
3. Stitch. Press towards blue and trim away excess fabric. Repeat steps on the other end of the white 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle.
4. Repeat to make 8 half chevron units. Note: 4 of the chevron units should slant down to the right and 4 should slant down to the left -- I know this because I originally made 8 identical units -- I told you, I'm rusty.
5. Next we'll make the dark blue and light blue half square triangles. On the wrong side of the light blue 4" x 4" square, draw diagonal lines a scant 1/4" from each side of the true diagonal as shown:
6. Lay light blue 4" x 4" square atop dark blue 4" x 4" square with right sides together. Stitch on drawn lines. Press seams and rotary cut unit as follows:
7. You should end up with 8 half square triangle units. Press the units open towards the dark blue and trim to 1 1/2" x 1 1/2".
8. Now lay out the assembled units and remaining patches as follows:
9. Stitch together 4 corner sections as follows, pressing away from the white when possible:
10. Also stitch together half chevron units to make 4 full chevrons. Press seams open.
11. Lay out units and center patch as follows:
12. Stitch together in rows, then stitch rows together.
13. Press, layer with batting and backing fabric, quilt if desired, and bind.
And voilà! A striking mini snowflake quilt or a ridiculously beautiful potholder! Your choice. Only kidding! I strenuously object to the use of mini quilts as potholders.
Happy Quilting!