The Lovebirds

Happy Friday friends and followers - I am finally back to share my Bitty Blocks finish with you! I have been busy sewing/quilting several large (VERY time-consuming) projects that have a rapidly approaching deadline, but I made time this afternoon to bind my mini "The Lovebirds" quilt. Amazing how frustration can turn to happiness, just by switching projects...my mood has gone from "tearing my hair out" to "ready to take on the world" in one hour of time...

I started out making piles of Bitty Blocks using fabrics from my scrap bin (on the first Monday of each month during 2015, Quiltmaker Magazine will post a Bitty Block on their blog Quilty Pleasures...the blocks will be approximately 3″ or 4″ square). The Bitty Block for January is a 3" Bow Tie block....here is a sampling of my blocks....

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the monthly blocks can be sewn together to create a sampler quilt...but I thought I would do something different. I have a cute little 12" quilt stand that was in desperate need of a new miniature quilt...so I thought, why not use the Bitty Blocks to make a set of small monthly quilts. This month, I decided to use my 3" Bow Tie Blocks to make a mini Valentine quilt. I settled on an appliquéd center block featuring birds, hearts, and a flower - all cut with my AccuQuilt Fabric Cutters. I used an assortment of GO! dies and one Studio die (GO Square-6 1/2" (6" Finished), GO! Queen of Hearts, GO! Simple Shapes by Edyta Sitar, and Studio Flowers #3 (Mini). I also used the GO! Strip Cutter-1" (1/2" Finished) to cut a strip, folded it in half and pressed to make a flat flange border.

Next, I added my 3" Bow Tie Blocks as a border...I played with the layout and my different fabric combinations to find the grouping I liked best...

Next I added a small sleeve on the back and binding, so it would be ready for hanging...

So, here it is...my finished "The Lovebirds" miniature quilt...it was just what I needed to bring a smile to my face! As you can see from the photo above, it fits perfectly in my little stand...and it definitely brightens up my living room...

Now, I am waiting to see what the February Bitty Block will be...I am thinking I will *have to* make a mini St. Patrick's Day quilt next! I'm sure I have plenty of green fabric scraps...