So I finished The Summer Sampler mini quilt. It’s always a little anti-climactic when I finish a good book or piece of sewing. I find myself investing in the characters, or the fabric. However I am really chuffed to finish this mini quilt!

The Summer Sampler mini quilt {update 4}

‘The Summer Sampler’ Block of the Month Club was purchased in 2019 from Pretty Fabrics and Trims. I love their kits and have quite a few (bought but not made!).

Spread over 4 months, each month I received a little packet containing Monthly instructions, super pretty fabrics and embroidery threads for three blocks. Over the 4 months this made a number of blocks which could be stitched together to make a super sweet Summer Sampler type mini quilt. Each block was different and allowed me to try different techniques.

The techniques included orange peel appliques, English Paper Piecing, embroidery and raw edged appliqué. There were lots of mistakes but I just needed to keep stitching. The blocks came together, I stitched them into rows until I had a quilt top. Then it was time to add borders and lace, layer with batting and the backing fabric, and hand quilt the entire thing.

I under-estimated how long the hand quilting would take me. I hand quilted each block and around the quilt top with a lovely Aurifil thread. It was a pleasure to quilt, even if it did break a needle or two.

Hand quilting gave the quilt top a lovely feel and I could easily imagine how lovely a proper bed-sized hand quilted quilt would feel.

When I finished the hand quilting I trimmed away the backing fabric and batting. Then I was able to add the binding. I tried it a different way, using my sewing machine to stitch it to the front, then finishing it by hand.