Miniature Bonham Beauty...Ta Dah!

It's finished...my miniature version of the Bonham Beauty design is ready for the 2014 Yesterday & Today special issue. I enjoyed all the hand work, but found out that when I'm under a deadline, it takes some of the meditative quality out of my stitching time. Still, it was a fun project. Here's a detail of the quilting:

Cross this one off the list. On to bigger, if not necessarily better, things!

Breaking in the New Sewing Space

I finally got to sew in my new space, and it worked amazingly well. I definitely need a larger cutting space, but other than that, everything was very efficient and comfortable. And here's what I worked on this weekend:

This design will be for a McCall's Quilting Block Builders Workshop on partial seam construction.

And I'm pretty sure this will be for a Block Builders Workshop on string piecing on a foundation. This was made with random string piecing on a quarter-arc. Four arcs were sewn together, and then raw-edge circle was appliqued to the white square with machine buttonhole stitch. What a fun way to use up strippy scraps!

I also got a lot of hand quilting done on the mini Bonham Beauty this weekend. It's nearly done...photo to come!

Bonham Beauty Hand Quilting Begins

Today I've been working on the hand quilting for my mini Bonham Beauty. After all that hand appliqué, it only seemed right to hand quilt, and it's something I love to do but seldom take the time for.  I'm making up the quilting plan as I go, and I'm really excited about it so far. No marking on this quilt...I'm using 1/4" masking tape to mark lines:

Lots more to go, but the effect is good, I think. Back to work!

Bonham Beauty Update

I got the center circle of tiny ovals stitched down last night, and all the edge ovals glue-basted in place. So, this is pretty much how the top will look when finished. I've started thinking about quilting plans. The original bed size quilt had stuffed work, but I don't plan to attempt that at such a small scale. But I may try to replicate some of the motifs at smaller size. Flower shapes could be good in the small circles, and I'm leaning towards echo-quilting the larger cream areas...I think they'd look star-like. Lots of appliqué still to do first, though!

Appliqué Tip

I've been appliquéing circles of 8 oval shapes on my Bonham Beauty mini, and thought I'd show you how I'm keeping the circles...circular. I made a template with an opening the size of the circle I am aiming for, and I pin it, centered, on the area where I need to place the ovals.

The little black hash marks line up with seams, so it's easy to keep things centered. When I glue-baste the ovals so their outer edges are just touching the template, the circle formed looks pretty good.

Now on to more stitching!

Cutest Sewing Machine EVER

Sewmaster toy sewing machine, made in Germany

I've been working today on making more small applique ovals for my mini Bonham Beauty, so nothing new to show there. But I DO have something new to show you! My roommate Lisa was visiting her family in Texas this past week, and her stepfather sent this adorable little antique toy sewing machine home with her for me. And it actually sews when you crank the handle...makes a very respectable chain stitch. It's the perfect confluence of my loves of sewing and tiny things. A new obsession may have been born here. So cute! Thank you Richard!

More Bonham Beauty Bits

I'm back to working on the tiny appliqué ovals for the mini Bonham Beauty. I thought I'd try to show you just how tiny they really are...looks like about 3/8" x 5/8". More miniature fun!

Bonham Beauty Mini Update

My mini Bonham Beauty is coming along. I have half of the tiny ovals appliquéd now. Here's a closer look:

I sewed scrap fabric strips on the border, encasing the raw edges of the quilt, because it was starting to fray a bit with all the handling. I'm hoping that will protect it until the rest of the appliqué is finished. Due date is November 1, which sounds very far away but is NOT. It needs to be quilted and bound, too! I'm hoping for more progress this weekend, but I have a lot of work home with me. What are YOU quilting this weekend?

Mini House Quilt

The House that Kaffe Built, miniature version

I'm in the mood for another mini, even though I still have work to do on my mini Bonham Beauty appliqué quilt. The little house quilt shown here is foundation-pieced with Kaffe Fassett prints, and it was a LOT of fun to make. I need another pieced mini...soon! If you'd like a free pattern for the house quilt, you can download it here, thanks to McCall's Quilting.

Hand Stitching Sunday

I spent a good part of the day hand appliquéing tiny ovals onto my mini remake of the vintage Bonham Beauty quilt, and it was super relaxing. It made me think that maybe hand work would be a great thing to do every Sunday...very contemplative, almost like meditating. At any rate, I got a lot of ovals stitched down, but not nearly all. Plenty more to do for at least several Sundays to come!