Blog Tour Day Eight

It's the LAST day of the blog tour!  Thanks for coming along to meet Simply Charming Minis!

Today is the day to visit:

Quilting Gallery

and

Moose on the Porch Quilts 

Oh!  I guess you are here already!

I scheduled myself for the last day so I could see which pictures you hadn't seen.  But you've seen them all!  Well -- you will after you visit the Quilting Gallery anyway!

I will tell you one story about making this book.  Before writing this book, I have never tried to make a mini quilt.  I have relatively large hands that aren't too dextrious.  I thought for sure that my hands would be too big and clumsy to make a mini quilt.  BUT mini blocks started soming back with Dear Jane and the Farmer's Wife, etc.  Frankly, they intimidated me.  I asked myself if I wanted to make some mini blocks, how would I do it?  I started designing.  I designed mini quilts because I didn't want it to take me two years - or a lifetime - to finish!  Then I tried making one of the quilts I designed.  It was so fun!  I was done making it before I had a chance to think twice about my decision! 

With some of the quilts, I used different techniques than I would a larger block.  It made working with the small blocks easier.  I still had the question - what would I do with all of these quilts!  I answered this question in two ways.  One, I would learn.  That is why I asked the ladies on the blog tour to tell you what they do with mini quilts.  My second answer was my fall back position if I didn't end up learning a thing - which, of course, isn't the case - is I owuld use them for doll quilts.  I have six kids.  Chances are I will have grandkids.  If nothing else works out, I will have a doll quilt for every grandchild!

I have the perfect spot over my sewing machine that needs a mini quilt right away!  Now to decide which one!!!

Remember everyone's giving away a copy of the book and some of them still have the drawing open.  Be sure to stop by them all!

Lissa Alexander http://modalissa.blogspot.com

Emily Herrick http://crazyoldladiesquilts.blogspot.com

Nannette Merrill http://fredashive.blogspot.com

Pam Lincoln http://www.mamaspark.blogspot.com

Brooke Johnsen http://pitterputterstitch.blogspot.com

Sherri McConnell http://www.aquiltinglife.com

April Mazzoleni http://april-makingendsmeet.blogspot.com

Vickie Eapen http://www.spunsugarquilt.com

Konda Luckau http://moosequilts.blogspot.com

 

Michele Foster http://quiltinggallery.com 

 

Since I'm on the list, I will be giving one of the books away too! 

 

Enter to win by commenting on this post and telling me what you like to do with mini quilts. 

 

 I will draw the winner Monday morning, Aug 6. 

Blog Tour Day Seven

Tomorrow is the last day of the blog tour which means today is the day to visit:

Spun Sugar Quilts!

Here is another page of pictures from Simply Charming Minis.  This one shows Cherry on Top on the left and Flying around in Circles on the Right.  The upper left quilt was the first one of the two of those quilts that was made.  The name came from the center red squares.  The bottom left is a more Christmasy version with green centers.  Olive on top doesn't sound quite as fun though.

My favorite part of Flying Around in Circles is the 16 patch in the center.  I think it's a great addition to lots of quilts.  This pattern is fun to see the difference when you switch the lights and darks.

Thanks for visiting!  On the road again this morning heading home!

Blog Tour Day Six

Today is the day to hop over to:

Making Ends Meet!

And here is another picture from Simply Charming Minis!

This picture includes the other In Love with Minis.  To me it is a little more teenage version.  The other two quilts are called Criss Cross Applesauce.  On the traditional one, I custom quilted it as if it was a large quilt.  There are straight lines through the diagonal chain and feather wreaths between.  The batik version is already so busy that it actually has hibiscus flowers on it.  I wanted it to look tropical!

When I was a kid we sat Indian style.  Now all my kids learn to sit criss cross applesauce at school - sitting cross legged.  The name of that pattern came from my kids.

Blog Tour Day Five

Today is the day to visit:

A Quilting Life

Here's another page from Simply Charming Minis.  The orange and blue ones are called Morse Code.  I introduced it a few months ago on THIS POST. 

The other one is called In Love with Minis.  That one really looks different in the two colors.  I will post the other one tomorrow. 

It is so nice that computers are mobile these days.  I am on an impromptu trip to visit my sister in Boise!  See you tomorrow!

Blog Tour Day Four

Today is the day to visit:

Pitter Putter Stitch

You can find out how we met - of course it's quilt related! - and see a few pictures from the book!

Here's one more picture.  The two larger quilts (that are 17" square) are called Nine Patch Magic.  The red one from French General Fabric by Moda was the first project that I came up with for the book.  There are two things I like about this quilt: 1) I didn't use any funny shaped pieces.  I used a couple techniques that made this small block really easy.  2) There were leftover nine patch blocks that made a really fun bonus quilt!

In case you were wondering, the other two quilts were made from Salt Air by Cosmo Cricket for Moda.  That's actually another story.  I had to use this fabric because when I was little, the Great Salt Lake was really cool!  It isn't now.  I loved going to the lake.  The salt in the lake was suppose to make it so you could float.  I actually didn't notice that.  I was little.  What I liked was that there was a long shallow part of the lake.  We could run and play in the water without worrying about accidentally getting in over our heads.  Salt Air was the happenin' place at the Great Salt Lake that has been destroyed and rebuilt several times.  I think it actually is there now, but it isn't what it use to be.  It represents the glory days of the Great Salt Lake.  Aren't you glad to know that?!?  I don't know if that is what Cosmo Cricket was thinking when she named her line, but that is what it meant to me!

Blog Tour Day Three

Today's day on the blog tour is

Mama Spark

where she creates the word catoflauge!  You have to read it to see what it means - and what it has to do with mini quilts!

Here's another page from the book.  These quilts are both Rosebud Bouquet.  They are 13" square. With the rosebud block, I use a different technique that I love!  It makes them easy to sew despite the small size - 2" block.

The background photo was taken in Maryland.  I had a chance to go back and visit  after having not been there for 20 years!  The visit was surreal.  We drove this street to school and back every day for three years.  I never got tired of this part of the drive!  I love having it included in the book.

Blog Tour Day Two

Today hop over to

Freda's Hive

and see her version on Mini Baskets!  You have to see her binding!