Saturday, January 7, 2012

Twelve Days of Christmas Quilt

The day after Christmas, the Temecula Quilt Co started a twelve days of Christmas quilt.  One block a day for 12 days -- 3 1/2" blocks because that's their favorite size block.


It started out so easy.  Block 1 was a 3 1/2" square.  Block 2 was a half square triangle.  The miniature quilts they do always look so fun.  When it looked like there wouldn't be applique, I decided to do it.

The fabric I chose was a Collection for a Cause charm pack from Moda. 

It wasn't until they asked if we had figured it out that I realized that there was something to figure out.  Day 1 was a block with 1 piece, day 2 had 2 pieces, all the way up until the twelfth day of Christmas that was a block with 12 pieces.  It worried me a little, so I decided to play it by ear.

I didn't do a block every day.  I think I did them all in 3 days.  The eleventh day was the only block that worried me.  By the time I had gotten that far, I figured I better try it.  It turned out okay.  (It's the "X" block on the bottom row.)

Along the way, a couple of the blocks had enough pieces cut to make two blocks, so I just made them both.  Then I loved the 9 patch so I cut the scraps to size to make more 9 patches.  I made three extra.  The tenth day was my favorite block, the four patch in a four patch, so I decided I had to make a 16 patch.  By the time I was done I had 20 blocks.  Perfect!  The finished size is about 22" x 26."


Now that it's done, I feel like I should have switched the 1 patch with the 16 patch, but I didn't catch that before.  I thought the plain block would stick out, but I think the red and tan hourglass sticks out the most.  That wasn't one of the blocks.  That was the left over from the third day.  I had to hurry and finish it because I had a quilting design that I was anxious to try.


Here's a close up of the quiling.  It's called the Baptist Fan.  It is an old pattern.  It is my understanding that it was a popular pattern for hand quilting because it didn't need to be marked.  The point of  the fan was where the quilter's wrist would be.  The stitching was in the path of the wrist moving.  If that makes sense.  I like the design a lot.


I recently bought the pattern for my Statler.  I love how it turned out!

To bind the quilt, I wanted to be brave, so I went with red.  I had a rust brown fabric that I wanted to use.  It would have looked good, but the red is striking.  I'm glad I was brave.  I used a 1 1/2" single thickness binding.  While the single thickness is nice and flat, I don't think that the thickness of a double fold binding bothers me.  I think I will stick with the double fold.

I thought miniature quilts would be too fiddly for me, but I actually like them now.  What do you think about Minis? 

15 comments:

Lesley said...

You did a wonderful job! I also did this sampler and loved making it. You put your individual spin on it and it is lovely with the extra blocks and the perfect red binding...I love the pop of color! And yes, I think i am now hooked on mini-quilts!

Katie said...

what a cute pattern and idea!!!
YOur quilt is lovely!

Miki Willa said...

Your quilt looks great. I have become more interested in minis lately. They are a challenge, but I enjoy putting them together.

Cindy said...

I love your mini! I haven't done one in a very long time but I've been thinking about it more and more. Sometimes working on the larger quilts bogs me down and then I set it aside and it will take me forever to finish.

Lucky Duck Dreams said...

Looks great! I used my Sherbet Pipps charms for it. I just pearl cottoned random rectangles in red blue and pink. I have to bind it yet. http://www.flickr.com/photos/luckyduckdreams/6656925769/in/photostream I wish there was a flickr group to see all the different versions.

Kim West said...

very nice - I have my top done, but wanted to get another quilt finished before I got this one done.

rubyslipperz1052 said...

Many years ago, I tried one...and it scared me for life! =P

I luv to look at them...really appreciate the work involved. =)

hugZ,
annie
anniesrubyslipperz.com

Sunnybec said...

Well, this could be me writing this post, everything you said is how I feel about minis and small blocks. When I have some time to play I may just have a go at this one....if I don't like it I can blame you ROFL. Linda x

Gene Black said...

Very nice. I love the 12 days (one more piece in each block) idea.

Vickie E said...

dang yours is quilted! awesome...

Loves to Quilt said...

Love how your quilt turned out. I finished mine yesterday, except for the quilting and plan to make another one today with a different fabric collection!

It was a fun "12 Days"!

KatieQ said...

I love the way your quilt looks. Great fabric choice. I saved all of the instructions, but haven't made any of the blocks. I am intimidated by little pieces. After seeing yours, I may have to give it a try.

Johanna said...

Love it! I have the fabric that you used for the border and I see it differently now - thanks! It was one of those fabrics that I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it. Minis are lots of fun. Lots of work but fun.

Kitty Pearl said...

How clever! which one has 7 pieces?

Moose on the Porch Quilts said...

A flickr group would be fun! Feel free to post links to your quilts in the comments here!

The one with seven pieces is in the bottom left corner. The tan looks like one piece, but it is really 3 strips and the middle strip has 3 pieces with the red in the center.