Mini Whimsical Bicycle for Island Batik
The Magnificent Minis are the first project of the season for Island Batik Ambassadors. Our challenge is create a miniature quilt smaller than 24” X 24” using an technique and any of the fabulous fabrics they have sent us this season.
Mini Whimsical Bicycle Art Quilt
Getting Started
Did you ever have one of those times when everything falls in place? This project was one of those times. In January I taught my Whimsical Bicycle Art Quilt at the Keeping the Piece Guild in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Guild member Joanne Gray, who specializes in miniature quilts, challenged me to make the WB as a mini. The February Island Batik Ambassador challenge AND Kim Lapacek of Persimon Dreams Project Quilting challenge were BOTH minis! It was off to Adobe InDesign Desktop Publishing to begin pattern design.
Armed with freezer paper from the Gypsy Quilter, wheel patterns were transferred with my laser printer. Fabrics are selected from recent box sent by Island Batik. Colors are arranged and pieced with the freezer paper piecing technique.
The tiny bicycle wheels are trimmed perfectly round. Each seam is carefully pressed open to eliminate bulk. I use Karen Kay Buckley Perfect Circles to shape the curves on the Dresden plate.
After marking the curves on the bike wheels, fusible web is bonded to the wrong side of batik. The curves are then careful cut out. Lots of scraps of batiks create the background for this quilt. A fat quarter could also be used. Again seams are pressed open to eliminate bulk.
Bike Construction Begins
Selected the bike frame fabric then rejected it...too busy. The purple seemed to be a better choice. The Clover USA 3/8" bias tape maker creates smooth even framework for the little bike. Steam A Seam in the 1/4” width, keeps it all in place.
Designing shapes for bike parts next. They are created on freezer paper then cut from Island Batik backed with Misty Fuse fusible webbing. All raw edge applique is stitched using the blanket stitch on my Viking Sapphire 870 with Aurifil thread.
Fun Creative Touches
Time for a bit of creativity. Bike baskets are added by couching Aurifil Cotton Floss over my sketches. The AccuQuilt Go and a flower die are used for cutting flowers. A Whimsical Bicycle really needs baskets filled with flowers and greenery.
Mini quilt marked and ready to quilt with Baby Lock USA Sashiko machine which simulates hand stitches. On to auditioning bead embellishments then hand stitching to flowers. Thermore quilt batting provide by Hobbs Quilt Batting.
Susan K Cleveland's Piping Hot Binding technique was used to finish the mini art quilt in yellow and purple Island Batik fabrics.
Details, details…they are what can send your quilting to the next level. Finished size: 17” X 12”Watch for the release of Mini Whimsical Bicycle in my Etsy Shop.
