mini charm overload

This quilt is my last Q2 Finish - I managed 3/6 which is awesome since this is my busiest quarter.

I've wanted to try a post stamp style quilt, but really wasn't sold on cutting so many tiny squares to make it happen. Enter the mini charm! My favorite pre-cut size for sure as they are great to tuck in a stocking, use as a pillow treat or send in some happy mail envelopes.

But what to do with all those mini charms that stack up? Of course! If I used mini charms as the base for my post stamp quilt there would only be half the amount of 2.5" squares to cut: score! So I paired a good mix of mini charm packs with this bold Kona Glacier solid and went to work stitching squares into blocks (starting at quilt retreat:2014) and then blocks into a quilt top.

Once the top was together I went hunting backing fabric and found several remnants of this Feather Scallops by Zandra Rhodes for Free Spirit print at Hancock's. I pieced those with some solids from my stash that coordinated and had an epic basting session where I actually pinned it from the back. It was a little tricky, and did require some flipping to make sure I hadn't wrinkled the quilt top at all.

Basting from the back meant I could follow the clamshell type shapes on the feather print for my quilting which was a first for me. I used an Aurifil thread that matched the solid fabric in the bobbin and a grey Aurifil in the top thread to blend on the backing. Quilting came in two parts - I did all the line on the feather print that I could follow, then used a marking pen to draw lines in the solid fabrics so the pattern wouldn't be interrupted. It went very smoothly despite all of the seams on the front! 





This one has been sitting on the Finish Along list for a few quarters (original Q2 post) so I'm happy to have it finished and draped over the back of the couch. Linking up at Slo Studio for Q2 finishes.