Marvelous Mini Challenge

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

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.

Repurposing Scraps

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.

Appliqued and Layered

I used Hobbs Cotton Batting and Schmetz 90/14 Needles.

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.

Zippered Vinyl Bag

Project Bag

I was so happy with my finish that I decided to make a second one :-D Here is my response #2.

Kalpataru (Tree of Life)

I followed the same construction process. 

Neutral Background, Scrappy Borders

Tree Trunk and Branches

Adding Foliage

Ready to Quilt

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.

Slippery Slope Rabbit Hole

The Alison Glass Trinket Sew Along was done. A very long paper-pieced journey, resulting in just under 100 blocks.

The Trinket blocks

After several layout options were considered (and discarded), opinions sought (and received) on Instagram (and Facebook), the final layout was determined and the flimsy was completed.

The finished flimsy

It was time to quilt it.  I found this absolutely perfect backing.

Floral on Black

I went to get the batting roll that stands in the corner of my bedroom, in its original shipping box. As I turned the worn out cardboard flaps, something fell.  It was the roll of vinyl I had purchased a few weeks (months?) ago.

Three brain clicks later, the Trinket flimsy was abandoned and I was sewing little 2.5" squares together. If that is not a Dreami, I don't know what is.

Blue Squares

It really started here when I saw Diann's zippered pouch. You can read my comment on her blogpost. At that time, I dodged that squirrel successfully but bought the heavy duty vinyl, which was then stored behind the batting roll.

This weekend when I was in a happy and relaxed mode, I was much more vulnerable to the charms of this vinyl zippered pouch of a squirrel. Off I went, sewing little 2.5" squares together.

Work in Progress

When I cut the requisite width of the vinyl, it was long enough to make more than two pouches.
So I decided to make a second one at the same time.  Do you see how these darned squirrels are multiplying?

Pink Squares

Sewing and Quilting were a breeze. Although cutting the vinyl was a wee bit of a challenge, the zippers went fairly easily.  It was the binding that turned out to be the speed bump, because I am not much of a hand quilter. How do you sew these bindings by hand - quilt after quilt?

Watching (or is it listening) TV. Since it was the long weekend, why not, I reasoned.
I chose Season 1, Episode 1 of the show "Call the Midwife".
Bad idea, Big mistake.

After an hour, I had cried three times and had taken only three stitches.  This show is much too riveting for hand sewing.  So I switched to Bollywood music (audio only) to complete the hand binding on the two pouches.

Completed Pouch One

Finished size  12" by 12"

Completed Pouch Two

Pretty in Pink

I admired my handiwork and took a few pictures, when I heard this whiny noise coming from the cutting table.

Hey what about me?
Are you going to just leave me here?
Is that because I am small?

It was the leftover vinyl rectangle 6" by 9".  Geez, I really could not just add it to my scrap basket. It is not like I could just sew it with my other scrap pieces to make the next scrap vortex quilt.

Can you believe it? This was the third squirrel. They had really led me down this vinyl rabbit hole.

Stitched RST, clipped corners

Using some of the same techniques as the original tutorial, I made a smaller pouch with vinyl window, but I wanted no pesky binding and absolutely no hand sewing.

Pouch #3

I sewed the zipper+vinyl unit right sides together with the quilted unit.
Clipped the corners and turned it right sides out.  I made sure that there was no vinyl in the seams because turning that would be kinda ghastly.

Goldilocks

I think I love this little one the most. It is not too big, not too small. It has vinyl window for a peek but not too much. The best part - no binding and no hand sewing.


Let's meet the entire Pouch family. The Papa, the Mama and Goldilocks.

The Pouch family - Papa, Mama and Baby

And they lived happily ever after

On a completely different note, all the Orange International Sisters are now complete and will join the Red, Yellow, Green and Turquoise ones.  I wonder what color is June?

International Sisters in Orange

If you are wondering about the Trinket quilt, well, I will post about it once it is finished, in the hopes that I can resist the next squirrel.

Oh but wait. I saw this block on Pinterest - little wedges forming a circle.  Can I make that using freezer paper?

Freezer Paper Template

Just one (or two quadrants). Just an audition block.  Just to see if it is feasible. Not wasting fabric. Only using leftover scraps from the Orange ladies. 

Two Juicy Orange Wedges

Is this the end of my (block) trial or beginning of another troublesome tale? Only time will tell.
Hope you will stick around to find out.


I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties including Sandra's Dreami and Angela's Scrappy.
Was your weekend as chaotic? I'd love to hear from you, as always.

#TrinketSAL
#TrinketQuilt
#VinylProjectPouch
#SewPreetiQuilts
#DreamiMoment