Today's post is from Sarah Furrer, our Certified Instructor in residence, and mini making master!
Every six months at the wholesale Quilt Market when we debut a new fabric collection with Island Batik, I always make some mini projects to showcase the collection in our Sneak Peek that is set up in the lobby of the convention center. At Quilt Market Fall 2019, Deb’s Signature Collection, River Valley by Kathy Engle for Island Batik, was the collection we were premiering.
Deb Tucker's Signature collection River Valley by Kathy Engle for Island Batik
Many times the projects that I create are mini versions of new patterns or new technique sheets that are just being introduced at Quilt Market. The other criteria I use to make minis is to create something unique to showcase what a new tool can do.
I use minis in the Sneak Peek because they are a great way to showcase the fabric, show the versatility of the tools, and display a new pattern in the small space of the Sneak Peek. The space that we are afforded is only 24” wide by 32” in height, so big projects are not a viable option for the space. Miniature quilts are the perfect choice to show the most in the limited space.
Sneak Peak at Fall Quilt Market 2019
Because the River Valley Collection is starting to show up in quilt shops across the country, I wanted to show you the minis that I made with the collection. Working with the beautiful blues and greens was wonderful and with the range of scale, value and prints I was able to create some fun minis. I hope they inspire you to use the River Valley collection for your next project. And I hope they inspire you to try some minis of your own! All the tools have sizes that lend themselves to minis.
The first mini that I created was for the pattern Pyramid Power by Running with Scissors Quilters. When picking my fabrics for the mini I needed to make sure that I saved the Dark Navy for the shadows because you need solids, small prints and contrast to make a striking mini. With these things in mind I created this small version of Pyramid Power. The final size of this version comes in at 13" x 18".
Mini version of Pyramid Power.
The second mini that I created was a single block of Full Spectrum. I made just a single block from the pattern using the 6” block size on the Wedge Star tool. By setting the block on point I was able to get the feel of the pattern using just one block. This little project measure 12" x 12". The great colors of the collection allowed me to work with the small pieces and get the contrast needed for a successful mini.
One mini block from the Full Spectrum pattern.
The third mini that I created was a combination of the Shaded Nine Patch technique sheet and the Corner Pop III. I worked with the 3” unit size and the 3” size on the Corner Pop III. This project measures 9" x 12". It was a fun little project and was a great way to showcase the tools and technique. With the use of a limited number of fabrics I was able to create a strong diagonal that really gave movement to the design.
Look at how amazing the River Valley fabric looks here.
The final mini that I created was all done with the Corner Pop II. I used two different sizes of corner pops to create the star points and then different sizes to create the edge treatment. Again, contrasting fabrics were used to create the stars and then the edge was created using similar fabrics. The final size of this project is 18" x 18".
Don't you just love the blues and greens.
I hope that you like the minis that I created using the River Valley collection, and we can’t wait to see what you create using this amazing collection! Please remember tag us on Facebook (@DebTuckerStudio180Design) or on Instagram (@studio180design) so we see your gorgeous creations!
