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Feathered Photo Pop

The pattern is a take on the Binding Tool Star pattern by Missouri Star Quilt Company. By scaling it down even smaller than a mini binding tool, I was able to construct about a 14″ mini quilt from only four fat eighths, including the backing and binding.

I call it the “photo pop” because I inserted fabric photo corners in the seams of the center block. You can slip your favorite photograph into the corners for a quilted frame.

If you don’t want to use a photo, you can embroider or big stitch quilt in the center block.

I am excited about my pattern idea and can see other mini quilt patterns with this concept in my head.

Perhaps after the contest is over, I can post the pattern I have worked up. I can’t wait to work up a series of photo pops. They will be so much fun to hang in my studio throughout the year.

This is known. A new baby, especially the first is a life changing, schedule changing, priority changing event. The smaller the package, the bigger the change! You might say life takes a 180-degree turn.

When I saw geometrics with these colors on a colleagues registry for their first child, I just couldn’t help it. Instead of well wishes of diapers, I couldn’t resist “just” making a quilt! The idea for “180 Baby” was born.

I was heading to a quilt retreat with the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild at the “Disneyland of Quilting”, Missouri Star Quilt Company. This quilt presented itself as a perfect excuse to shop and sew a project that I could finish fairly quickly. Another friend and colleague, Randy, thought it sounded fun and offered to go in on it with me, so we made it a dual gift.

I laid out the colors, and size ahead of time in EQ7 and was able to get an easy estimate of yardage required for each color. After applying colors in the expecting couple’s registry, I decided that it needed something extra. A “pop” of non-symmetrical color is used often in modern quilts, so I wasn’t surprised when I landed on the peachy-orange triangle and binding.

I had fun at MSQC Modern, and selected fabrics from Cotton+Steel, Timeless Treasures, Moda, Red Rooster Fabrics, Robert Kauffman, and Michael Miller. I don’t think that any two of the fabrics were from the same line. This was a very fun combination to select.

Triangles for this design were cut from 8 1/2″ strips using Jaybird Quilts Super Sidekick Ruler. I’m looking forward to making their pattern called “Gravity” later this year!

The only trick to tumbling these triangles is to make sure that you get the 1/4″ seam allowance accurate and line each up over the other before sewing. If you do this, then you will not cut off the points of the triangles when you sew your rows together.

The new design wall at the Missouri Star Quilt Company Retreat Center was a perfect canvas for laying everything out. I really enjoyed the weekend I spent with my wonderful Mom! Here are some pics soon after we arrived. Ignore my mug, and take a look at the new design wall. Also, if you look above, you can see details of the restored original ceiling tiles of the building. I love how MSQC uses some of the existing architecture when possible to add historic interest to the main street buildings!

I was able to finish the top late the first evening, and then worked on the back early the next morning. My friends at the retreat snapped some images of my reveal. I laughed when one friend said “What happens if we like the backside better than the front?”. The back was put together with yardage and leftover triangles.

After bringing it home, I quilted it on my longarm. The batting is 100% cotton Dream Angel. I used a larger spaced quilt design to keep it soft and cuddly. The finished quilt is a little larger than a typical crib quilt, but would be perfect for a day at the park, or snuggles with dad… Congratulations Daren on your new baby girl!