Pack Patch Mini Quilt Along, READY!

{Pack Patch Mini Quilt Along} started back in April and have completed the quilt along last Friday. To be so honest with you, I am still overwhelmed with the friends who joined and quilt along with me last ten weeks! I can't remember well why I decided to start the quilt along when our life was in between times! You probably don't know, there were many Fridays after I post the themes I quickly started packing for our Friday travel to search a permanent place to live. Indeed, it was exhausted between travel and life, unexpected events! Then on Saturday when we returned; I log in {Pack Patch Mini} and I see so many new blocks pop in the pool already! They really made me smile and glad you have enjoy this quilt along! This quilt along has giving me many opportunities to meet new friends and reconnect with some older friends.  Fresh energy to think the new themes right after I post. Giving me opportunity to share some of thoughts with you and thank you for joining me! Within 10 weeks, we completed 20 different themes and new challenges in seeking colors and giving more in-depth thoughts of their own color choice!  

In this mini quilt,  it comes with 20 blocks and each block has a theme to go behind it! My favorite block is the Cheddar block! It was a great reading about Cheddar quilt back in 1940's! I shared a little bit of the reading in the post. While I was reading the article; a quick lighting though of  Cheddar/bright yellow is either a "loved" and a "oh my goodness" color responds! So, the themes got changed the last mintues! I love how cheddar block pops up from the mini quilt, but also gets tone down by the other blocks. I'd say it highlight the mini quilt and give a focal point! 

My biggest challenge about this mini quilt along is that I am not able to visit everyone's block each week. Sometimes the day just fleet away and I've wished that I could have manage to get a day and  visit through the pool and visit with everyone! What I love about this quilt along is that I love reading your conversations in the posts! Indeed, I check on them daily and read through them! I try not to interrupt your conversations! It feels like hosting a tea party in our dinning room and everyone is having a great time! I wish you all can come to have some pie and tea/coffee with me! It would be real fun to play and brainstorms together~ 

Oh.. I am sure you are ready for the assembling tutorial now!  Let's get start it! 

Arrange blocks: I arranged the blocks by weekly themes, so I can see the change of the blocks from week to week and look into colors I've used. If you've remember that I mentioned in week 3,  I used too much greens and blues. Towards to the end of the blocks, these two colors "almost" eliminated!  However, you can decide on your block arrangement.

Sashing Fabric: You would need 1/2 yard of the sashing fabric. I used Kona Bone for the mini quilt. The options are open. You can try linen fabric that would be blend the colors down and give natural look to the quilt.

 - Cut 15 pieces of  1.5"x3.5" from the sashing fabric between each block
 - Lay the 1.5"x3.5" between first row of the blocks; as arrangement of ab ab ab ab
    ; a (block) b(sashing fabric)
 

-Set 1/4" seam allowance
-Join the blocks and sashing fabric together and make them into {Block Row}

 -Repeat for the next 4 sets of {Block Row}

 -Cut 4 pieces of 1.5"x 19"
  {Measure your joined {Block Row} width before cutting the sashing length, sometimes it might be  0.25" off}
 - Sew 1.5"x19" sashing stripe to the bottom of Block Row 1 piece

 - Bring the Block Row 2 piece out and join the top of the Block Row 2 piece to the 1.5"x19" sashing

 - I prefer sewing with open seam allowance in the back to avoid the thick seam allowance. I wish I have {fork pins} to avoid so many small pins, but pinning always help stabilized the pieces together

 -Repeat for all rows; press seam allowance open in the back

 -Cut 2 pieces of 2.5"x 21" {measure the length of your quilt block top, it might be 0.25 off; adjust the length according to your finished/press size}. Sew the sashing pieces to the right and left side of the quilt top.

 -Cut 2 pieces of 3"x 22" {measure the width of the press quilt top piece, it might be 0.25 off; adjust the size according to the finished size}. Sew the sashing pieces to the top and bottom of the quilt top.

- Use iron, press the seams open in the back! 

- Select your backing fabric; backing and batting pieces need at least 25"x25"

 -Sandwich the batting between quilt top and backing fabric

 - Hand-quilting or machine quilting would be personal preference.

 -Machine quilting goes really fast for this mini quilt!

 -Use 1/8" seam allowance and machine baste around the mini quilt after quilting the quilt.

 -Trim off the excess batting/backing pieces/ square the quilt

 - Cut 3 stripes of 2.25" WOF for binding

 -Attache the binding to mini quilt

 -Backing quilt detail

 - My favorite part of quilting... hand-binding the quilt! and you?

 { the wind pick up the quilt then a quick snapped of this photo} 

 {the backing fabric is from IKEA and it really is lovely}

 This mini quilt will be hang in the sewing space to be！

Thank you again for this fun quilt along journey with me! And you know that I will start the second quilt along after our next move, which is coming up in 2 weeks! This move will be permanent and I will share more later with you!! For the second quilt along, I have gave some thoughts already and putting ideas in the sketch book! It is still not too late for the {pack patch mini quilt along}. Thank you for making me feel amazing in hosting this quilt along and you are all so amazing!

xxc