Abundantly Blessed

During the holiday break, I've been able to complete my Abundantly Blessed quilt!

I'm so happy with this one!

Both Sherri and I were really excited about using this pattern by Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way as one of the featured patterns for Minis and More this month.

There were two other fun patterns to choose from that I was tempted to make, but this one has been on my list for so long.

It's a quilt as you go pattern and with no binding at all, so it was finished in no time!

  In fact, mine has the label on it and everything.

That has got to be some kind of a record for me!

There was a Layer Cake of Charlevoix by Minick and Simpson that I've had for awhile that has been languishing in my stash waiting for just the right project. 

After much consideration, I broke down and cut it into charm squares to use for this project and hopefully a for a few more too.

It was a hard decision to cut it down, but I'm glad I did. 

Am I the only one who has trouble doing that?

The solid I used was Moda Bella Solid Off White.  I put it on in two layers to make the frayed edges more full.  I'm happy with how that worked.

Oh, and I shortened my stitch length a little too, since I knew it was going to get washed right away.

The Abundantly Blessed pattern calls for a 1/4 inch seam allowance and I made mine a bit smaller to keep the fraying on the edges down.

I found that decision to be both good and bad.

Good, in that it did keep the fraying down a bit, but bad, in that I did cut it a bit too close in a few areas and had to do a little resewing.

But that wasn't the end of the world, and I think I'd do it again if I was going for less fraying.

And I definitely plan on making one of these again!

I see this quilt being used this Spring and Summer and maybe being hung on my new quilt ladder when its not in use.

I love the cathedral window look to it.

I've always loved cathedral window quilts!

Be sure to join us on Monday for the Minis and More Parade.

You can find half on the blog of my friend Sherri and the other half right here at the beginning of the New Year.

I can't wait to see what the New Year brings!

See you then!

It's the December Minis and More Parade!

This was a fun month!

I always love free choice of a pattern for the Parade.

It's fun to see the same pattern made so many different ways, but I also enjoy seeing what everyone chooses when the pattern is up to them!  You can find half of the parade here, and the other half is on Sherri's blog A Quilting Life.

Patty D. from A Stitch In Time is starting the parade today with her Twelve Days of Christmas mini quilt.  She fussy cut the fabric to put the Twelve Days Of Christmas front and center.  A very fun and modern Christmas mini!  The paper piecing pattern Patty used was from the blog Piece By Number.

Mindy send her Mini Nordic Sampler made with Holly Tree Farm fabric for the Parade.  The pattern is by Sherri Falls.  The Christmas theme is perfect for December!  I especially love the ornament and the wreath blocks!

This Joy To The World table runner was made by Mary from the blog Needledmom.  She added the words with machine embroidery and she used fun red music fabric, perfect for this runner! Mary played off of an idea she had when making a large Silent Night Quilt from Seams and Dreams.

Here's the mini I made this month!  It's the Vintage Tulip Mini by Thimbleblossoms that we did a few months back, but I ran out of time to get mine done, so this was the perfect motivation for me to get that pattern out and get it completed! The fabric is mostly by V and Co.  

And moving on to next month, you have three patterns to choose from this time!

You can choose between two free Christmas themed patterns found in the Moda Bakeshop or a quilt pattern appropriate for anytime of the year,  Abundantly Blessed by Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way. 

Abundantly Blessed is a small Cathedral Window-like quilt that uses a raw edge quilt-as-you-go method.  So if this is the quilt you choose, you'll be finished with the whole thing, quilting and all, once you are finished with the top! I do love a Cathedral Window quilt and I've been interested in trying this pattern for awhile!

The first of the two Christmas themed choices is the Oh, Christmas Tree Quilt by Amy Rivera.  Its a quilt pattern with a more modern look to it, but I can see it looking amazing with any kind of fabric.  It uses half square triangles and Amy says it goes together quickly and easily.  I'm sure you can have it finished in time for Christmas!

The other Christmas themed option is another Moda Bakeshop pattern called Christmas Baubles by Jen Daly.  This pattern uses mini charms, a bit of gray fabric, and some background fabric to make an ornament tree all ready for the holiday!

Enjoy picking your pattern and sewing your mini quilt for the January parade.

I thought I knew which one I wanted to make, but now I'm not so sure.......

Don't forget to run over to Sherri's blog A Quilting Life to see the rest of the parade.  I'm excited to see what everyone has made over there!

If you have any questions about how the Parade works or what to do to join in, email me here or email Sherri at A Quilting Life and we'll fill you in.  Everyone is welcome!