-a mini complete!-

I finished my little mini quilt for The Fab Little Quilt swap over on Flickr.  I admit when I saw my partner's mosaic I was filled with anxiety.  She had picked such amazing pieces filled with details.  I didn't know what in the world I could make.  So, I started browsing through my copy of Cathy Gaubert's Doll Quilt Book.  In fact, this quilt is one of the featured minis on the cover!  It really suited so many of my partner's requests and likes.  I didn't change much.

This little quilt features fun bright colors, raw edge applique and some embroidery.  I definitely think my favorite part is the house with the birdie on top.  

Overall, I am pleased with how it turned out.  The pattern was relatively easy to follow.  The only thing that I did not like was that this quilt required 1/2" seam allowances.  I had already started cutting before I realized this, but I recommend adjusting it to 1/4" seam allowances.  There was quite a bit of bulk.  I also like to use single fold binding for small quilts and mug rugs. I have been a convert ever since reading this little tutorial.  

Lucky for me, I finished this just in time to enter it into Jennifer's Modern Mini Quilt contest!  There are some amazing prizes and lots of amazing entries!  I am getting this in just in time!  *whew*

Mini Red Cross Quilt

I finished the top for my doll quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap.  I made one block just to test this idea, and once I started there was no going back!  I haven't worked on anything else!  

I had all sorts of ideas going for this swap.  It was driving me crazy.  I was falling asleep thinking of what I should do.  Last week I made the Greek Cross block in the Summer Sampler Series Quilt-a-long.  It was such a fun, easy block, and I loved the big simple cross.  My partner in this swap seems to have a love for crosses, and so finally I had a plan!  

I shrunk this block down to five inches unfinished, so this little quilt should end up about 13 1/2 inches when it is all done!  Teeny.  I had originally planned to have the different red crosses all spread out, but the big red dot crosses stood out so much.  So, I lined them up and was more pleased with this layout.  This little quiltie has a few little quirks too it.  However, my partner strikes me as someone who likes things just a bit "off". 

 So here is where I need help...I don't know how to quilt it!  I don't want to do anything that will distract from the crosses.  So maybe I will just do some outline quilting of the crosses and diamonds?  What do you think?