Island Batik's August Challenge is simple. Make a mini quilt using the fabrics and techniques of your choice in a size not to exceed 24" on any side.
Here is my response #1
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| Goddess Lakshmi's Feet |
It is a simple response to a simple challenge. If you are familiar with Hindu culture, this image needs no explanation. But I want to explain so please humor me.
Goddess Lakshmi is often called the Goddess of Wealth, but that is not entirely correct. She is the Goddess of Prosperity. The difference may seem subtle, but Prosperity includes well-being and happiness, whereas wealth is just riches. And although it is not bad to be wealthy, it is pointless if you don't have health and happiness to enjoy your good fortune.
During Diwali celebrations, Hindus draw Rangoli patterns that sometimes include Goddess Lakshmi's Feet pointing towards the front door of the house, as if She is entering your home.
The following pictures show my process.
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| Repurposing Scraps |
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| Scrappy Borders Added |
I improv pieced bright fabrics from Juicy Mosaics, Celebrate, Lace and Grace, and Flutter Wings collections to make strata which I then cut into feet shapes. The toes were tricky since they are tiny and not much room for stabilizing. I used Steam A Seam 2, purchased from Missouri Star Quilt Company.
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| Appliqued and Layered |
I used
Hobbs Cotton Batting and
Schmetz 90/14 Needles.
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| Quilted and Trimmed |
At this point, I could add binding and call it done. But there has to be more to the Goddess than just a pretty picture. I love this mini quilt and it would be absolutely lovely as a wall-hanging but I wanted to add more meaning. So I used a zipper and leftover vinyl (from
Rooms with a View Bags) to make a see-through bag.
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| Zippered Vinyl Bag |
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| Project Bag |
I was so happy with my finish that I decided to make a second one :-D Here is my response #2.
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| Kalpataru (Tree of Life) |
I followed the same construction process.
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| Neutral Background, Scrappy Borders |
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| Tree Trunk and Branches |
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| Adding Foliage |
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| Ready to Quilt |
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| See-Through Zippered Bag |
What do you think about making Mini Quilts? How do you use them? Do you like my twist to the mini quilt challenge? Do share your thoughts.
I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.
I am no longer making big quilts--too hard for me to handle; so minis are my jam right now.;)))
ReplyDeleteLove your Lakshmi's Feet piece--so evocative--before I saw your title I thought :"Oh, a Summer beach quilt;)) "--but I much prefer your impetus for this one...nice sidebar on your culture...
I make table toppers, placemats, and little hangings to fill in smaller wall spaces in our home so I can then rotate them seasonally...
Great work--thanks for showing us your process and the materials you used-- very inspiring.....hugs, Julierose
I love them! I appreciate learning more about Hindu culture. That was interesting. I like the way you made this challenge into multi use project bags, too. Now you can enjoy your mini quilts every time you use the bags. Have a great day! Happy Sewing!
ReplyDeleteSuper!!!
ReplyDeletethat is neat - I like the look of the little quilts but I don't make them as I really have no place to put them or use in anyway
ReplyDeleteThese are fun little designs, and such a great idea to make them into zippered project bags! I enjoy making mini quilts, and decorate all over my house with them. You can never have too many quilted things around, is my theory!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the lesson and I like both your minis. Multi-fabric backgrounds add such interest.
ReplyDeleteThese are both wonderful, Preeti! I especially love the Goddess Lakshmi, the story behind it, and the surprise of turning it into a project bag. I only made a mini quilt once, when I had to do it for a book review blog hop commitment. It was fun and exhilarating to start and finish something so quickly and I thought at the time that I'd like to do more smaller and faster-finished projects, but I keep getting sucked in and bogged down in monster projects full of complexity. How to use minis: Since Kelly's mini scrappy improv book had such a nice variety of seasonal themes, one of these days I'd like to make some of the others (the one I made already is kind of Valentine's Day) and then display them on my front door instead of a wreath, rotating them out from month to month. Downside to this: the sun is strong in the South and even though the front door is in a covered entryway, I worry about fading and whether any of the mini quilts would survive long enough to make the effort of making them worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI love the blue tree!! Very creative (as always!)
ReplyDeleteOne of our guild members invited everyone to her home for a Christmas party. Every single table top and flat surface had a Christmas table topper (quilted, of course) on it. She revealed that every one of them had a non-Christmas reverse side. When Christmas season was done, all she had to do was flip them over to change the look. I always thought that was so clever!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun minis! I love how you made them into project bags. Great idea! Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2024/08/07/wednesday-wait-loss-392
Very fun minis! Making them into project bags was a great idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea turning your minis into project bags, Preeti! Love the fronts as well as the backs. Thanks for the explanation of the meaning as well!
ReplyDeleteI love your minis. The project bags are great, I did that with a few blocks I had and love them. I mostly make lap size (due to my frame) with the intention of giving them away. I have lots of quilts...too many...there is such a thing!
ReplyDeleteGreat projects that you turned your minis into. Never can have enough project bags or any bags in my opinion. I like the 2 themes that you chose and thanks for explaining the story. Minis are also so much easier, faster to make than a larger quilt and much easier on the body like shoulders if you quilt on a domestic machine and not a longarm like I do and I assume you do too, Preeti? I do similar quilting like you do, using a walking foot a straight or serpentine stitch. Uses less thread than free motion quilting and I don't have to wrestle with quilting as much as I do with FMQ.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the symbolism behind the feet. I was thinking Lakshmi's toes would be difficult. Steam a Seam to the rescue. Especially since the toes are a crucial component. Personally, all my mini quilts are wrapped around canvas and designed to be hung on the wall. They tend to be far more intense than my larger work.
ReplyDeleteThese are two lovely minis! I love mini quilts, and yours would make fabulous quilts for babies. I may be inspired ;) Love the meaning of the feet, I'm very happy that you were thrilled to explain about Goddess Lakshmi's Feet. Such happy quilts!
ReplyDeleteOh to have access to what your head can come up with even for an hour would be marvelous! Your two minis are lovely. I especially was drawn to the first for the warm colors and for the story!--TerryK@OnGoingProjects
ReplyDeleteHi Preeti, those are both such cute minis and making them into project pouches is a great idea! Thanks so much for linking up to Free Motion Mavericks!
ReplyDeleteThese are both so great - I love that you did one in Warm and one in cool colors. That had to be fun to play with ( the colors!!) I am glad you explained the Goddess Lakshmi - I did not know about that.
ReplyDeleteBoth are so pretty and very clever to use them as project bags. I'm not sure which I like more but I'm loving the colors especially in both.
ReplyDeleteI love mini quilts - and even smaller (mug rug / mini mini size). I think using them as project bags is very smart. Thanks for linking up with Favorite Finish!
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