Cardinals

Cardinals Modern Mini

I love making holiday projects early.   I also  have found that if I don't make my Christmas projects "way- before" ( that's not a real word, is it? ) Christmas, I end up making no major projects. 

Do you sew this way, or do you "sew well" under pressure?

I was delighted to make a modern mini pattern during September. It is a cool  design from the new issue of the digital magazine Paper Piecing 1/4 "  ( issue 7  Oct-Dec 2015).

The designs are by Janeen, over at Quilt Art Designs blog!  Her modern designs are incredible and fun, and take me out of my  traditional "comfort zone" !  

Paper Piecing 1/4 "   issue 7  Oct-Dec 2015  (Here)

*** This new issue  # 7 includes-  Pine Cones, Cardinals, Santa, Deer, Baby Rudolph, Stars, Christmas Bells, Modern Mini Ornaments , and more!!   ***

Cardinals-            design by Janeen  at Quilt Art Designs      { here }

Size -   14 "  x 18 "     Mini wallhanging or quilt

Foundation Paper Piecing -   Intermediate level

Fabrics-    White    Lotta Dots- White on White tonal   from Connecting Threads 
                Cardinals-  scraps Moda fabrics
               Pine Needles-   Lime Green  Kona Cotton  Michael Miller
                
Batting-   Warm and Natural   (scraps sewn together)

Thread-   Aurifil White  50 weight

Cardinals        made by Susie's Sunroom

I was so excited to put all of the sections together!   Can you see the white dots on the white background fabric?  I wanted it to feel like it was snowing on Mr  and Mrs Cardinal.
This may become my favorite winter background fabric. ( Lotta Dots by Connecting Threads)

The flimsy top

I was "auditioning" binding fabrics,in the above photo .  I  liked seeing  something that felt earthy and bark-like.

  I  also had to figure out how to quilt and  fill up  the "negative" space on this design.
I decided to pick a focal point :  the center of the  spray of pine needles in the top right corner . Then I would continue lines of quilting outward from this point.    
I hoped it would give a feeling of  light radiating from this point, and also of snow blowing from  this direction.

I used my  trusty Walking Foot and Aurifil White 2024 thread,  for machine quilting the flimsy top .   It didn't take long to mark my lines with creases , using a long ruler and a Clover Hera Marker tool.  (here )

The  quilting focal point is the spray of pine needles
 in the right hand corner of the quilt 

This is a close up of Mr and Mrs Cardinal.   I love the details that Janeen put into each of these birds!  The eye sections have 9 and 10 sections in them, with  just a teensy bit of white!           

Close up of the Cardinals              

The binding was sewn  on the front, by machine, using my walking foot.  Then I  pressed it into place,  and sewed it  by hand onto the back.  ( I love using these small,  but mighty, Wonder Clips. )   I finished the hand sewing in one evening on this small quilt.  This  last bit of sewing the binding by hand is very comforting to me.  It really connects me to the "quilt part" of the project !

It's  ready for sewing the binding to the back of the quilt!

This  Cardinals Mini project even  got the "husband seal of approval !"  

Stay tuned for more projects coming from this issue 7  of Paper Piecing 1/4 "  !


I am linking up at:    Paper Piecing Party @ Quilt Art Designs      and
                               Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!  @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict  and
                                Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio  and
                               Let's Bee Social  @ Sew Fresh Quilts   and
                               And Sew We Craft Together @  And Sew We Craft     and
                               Sew Darn Crafty  @ Sew Many Ways

I'm off to my sewing room!

Pattern provided by QAD Publishing