If you are wondering how to make a mini quilt, here is a great way to do it using any quilt pattern you like. Let me show you how I created this small quilt that is great for beginners.
[Edited: June 22, 2020]
This is All-Star, a patriotic quilt pattern I designed with beautiful fabrics from the Tonga Patriot collection by Timeless Treasures. The red white and blue colorway is enhanced by the texture of the batiks and each fabric as more interest to the quilt. It would be a great quilt of valor!
This is not my first red white and blue quilt pattern. Woven Together is also easy to put together and could be turned into a mini quilt or a small quilt, too.
I know you have seen this quilt before – it measures 74” x 88” and the blocks finish at 12”. They are so easy to make! I used the same Star quilt block in the entire quilt, changing fabrics to give the final project a scrappy look. I designed the center of the star to resemble the American Flag and I love how it turned out.
I had one of these blocks on my design wall for the longest time, made with scraps. Before I began working on another project, I pulled the block down and turned it into a mini quilt.
As you can see, this is the basic Star quilt block with the fun center. It is the perfect project for you to get your toes wet and learn the basics about quilting. Following the cutting and piecing instructions on the pattern, you will make the flying geese blocks, make the center strip sets, piece the center row together, then add the top and bottom rows.
Then, stop there as this is a mini project. For a small quilt, make four blocks with two blue and two red stars, for instance, and put them together in two rows: first row – one blue and one red star, second row – one red and one blue star.
Once the star quilt block is assembled, cut a piece of fabric to use as backing. It should be about 1.5″ or so wider than the block. Cut a piece of batting the same size as the backing, and layer them: backing fabric (wrong side of the fabric facing you), batting on top, and finally the quilt block with the right side up. This is called the quilt sandwich.
I made the sandwich, pinned the three layers together, and decided to Stitch in the Ditch, meaning, I used the walking foot (because it handles thickness better) to stitch on top of every seem. I used a clear thread, or monofilament, both on top and in the bobbin. Why clear thread? Because if I stray from ‘the ditch’ it will not show!
Then, using 40 wt navy blue thread and large stitches, I shadowed the star points.
As I told you, I needed to work on another project so there would be no time to hand stitch the binding. Still, I stitched it to the front, flipped it to the back of the quilt and pinned every 2″ or so, making sure the pin caught the edge of the binding.
Working on the front of the quilt, I used the walking foot and the monofilament again to stitch in the ditch all around the edge, next to the binding.
And here is what the binding looks like on the back.
Voila’! My friend Connie gave me this stand a little while ago. I have a wood barn quilt block behind the mini quilt so it stands flat. It is already in my dining room where I can see it every time I pass by. Love it, don’t you? A fast and simple way to prepare my house for the Fourth of July celebrations.
You can find the All-Star pattern on my Etsy Store, PiecedBrain. There is still time to make the whole quilt! If you do not have time for a large quilt, look at this small quilt for another idea.
How about you? Have you made any new quilted projects for the 4th of July?
Have a wonderful Monday,
