ONE Pink Hummingbird Quilt

Saturday, January 7, 2023

It's the beginning of the new year, AND it's the first Project Quilting challenge of the year! I've participated several times before, and this weeks' prompt inspired me to participate again. The prompt was "ONE." That's it. 

Pink hummingbird mini quilt using yarn couching

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If you're not familiar with Project Quilting, it's a bit like the TV show Project Runway. There's a simple prompt, then you have one week to make a quilt from start to finish. There's a total of six challenges at the beginning of each year. Here are some of the quilts I've made before: a checkerboard, baby quilt, weaving quilt, reflective quilt, footprint quilt, motivational quiltMahomes quilt, football quilt, and now this one!

I love using the challenges as a way to try something new. And mini quilts are great for that. If I don't like the technique or how it turns out, I'm not committed to a whole king-sized quilt of it. And I don't feel guilty throwing it away if it doesn't work.

For this one, I started with hot pink solid from Island Batik, some baby pink cotton yarn, and Aurifil 50wt thread in colors #2452 Dusty Rose and #2423 Baby Pink. So far, ONE color.

Supplies for making a yarn couched mini quilt

I chose a design that was drawn with a single line. (Remember the "ONE" theme?) The artwork is by Kate of Ukraine, and I purchased it HERE.

I started by using a lightpad and tracing the design onto the fabric with an air erasable pen.

Tracing a design onto fabric using an air erasable pen

Next, I made a quilt sandwich with the same hot pink fabric on the top and bottom, and a scrap of Warm & Natural batting. I quilted a pretty small meander all over the quilt - ignoring the design I had drawn on the fabric. It measured about 14" x 18", so it only took about 30 minutes.

Meander quilting on a Juki sewing machine

After quilting the whole quilt, I switched to the lighter thread color and put the yarn through the hole of my free-motion foot.

Then I quilted along the drawn lines. Usually, when doing yarn couching, you would use a couching foot which has a smaller center hole. It keeps the yarn centered as you stitch. However, I don't have one. So I tried to keep the yarn centered as I sewed, and it still worked!

Yarn couching with a free-motion foot on a Juki sewing machine

After finishing the whole design, I cut 2 1/4" strips from a light pink solid for the binding.

Pink quilt binding

Last, I machine sewed the binding on (tutorial here) and added one of my satin quilt labels.

Machine sewing binding onto a quilt

I have never attempted yarn couching before, but I'm so thrilled that it worked!!

Pink hummingbird mini quilt using yarn couching

The design I chose had several intricate points (like the hummingbird's beak) and tight turns (like the hummingbird's eye), and I really didn't know how the yarn would work around those challenges.

Pink hummingbird mini quilt using yarn couching

But it worked so much better than I thought it would!

Pink hummingbird mini quilt using yarn couching

I love the look of the yarn on top of the quilted base. 

Back of wholecloth hummingbird quilt

You can see the light pink thread path on the back of the quilt too!

Pink hummingbird mini quilt using yarn couching

So, all from the prompt of "ONE," I made this quilt using ONE color, ONE piece of fabric for the quilt top, ONE length of yarn, ONE line for the design, and it's quilt finish number ONE for the year.

Pink hummingbird mini quilt using yarn couching

And I tried something I have never tried before! 

Pink hummingbird mini quilt using yarn couching

If you've never participated in Project Quilting, I challenge you to try it! There are still five more challenges yet this year! (The challenge dates are listed here.)

18 comments:

  1. Such a cool mini - love seeing the process. I purchased a pattern this week and it felt so good to support another creative - thank you for the link to the artwork!

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  2. This is so fabulous!

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  3. Amazing job on the hummingbird and flower. I've been wanting to try couching but haven't gotten to it yet. The closest I've come is stitching down chenille 'tape'. I did Project Quilting one year and then life happened and I kind of forgot about it. Now that you've reminded me, I think I'll try it again this year. :)

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  4. Great entry. I might have to try this also!!! I love new things.

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  5. Did you do a zigzag to hold the yarn down?

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  6. What a wonderful 'one' quilt. Love the design and your ability to simplify the whole quilt.

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  7. I love this! I made a crayon quilt and I need to quilt it and put the words Crayola on it. Maybe I’ll try the yarn couching!

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  8. I really loved following along with you as you worked on this and shared in your Instagram stories. Beautifully done and I love that you got to try something new. Such a fun way to start the new year!

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  9. I was pretty sure you were going to do couching when I saw it on instagram, but I couldn't envision what. Love your mini and your "one" quilt for PQ 14.1

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  10. It's an incredible finish...way to try something new and different!

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  11. Really cool. I love the color and the design.

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  12. Magnificent job on your FIRST couched quilt, Laura!!

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  13. You never cease to amaze me! Lovely design flows so nicely, very calming! And beautifully done!

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  14. So cool! Thanks for sharing your process!

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  15. Beautiful mini quilt! Your first venture into yarn couching turned out great! It's such a nice design.

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  16. This is super cool and makes couching look not so hard. I'm excited to try it soon, now! Thanks, Wilhelmina

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