A rich history is always in fashion, especially for quilts! Betsy Chutchian's first book with It's Sew Emma combines 1800's inspiration with current sensibilities for eight opulent quilts. I was invited to participate in a book sew along for Classic Heirloom Quilts and It's Sew Emma and the Fat Quarter Shop. Of course, I didn't stick with traditional civil war colors. I promptly rummaged through my newly organized 1.5" strips and went to town. Each quilt offers three size options of mini, lap and queen, and some can be made from modern-day precuts. The book has 8 great classic quilts and I chose the Stepping Out Mini. { obligatory cute cat photo on a pile of fabric} As you know I have been sorting my scraps and strips. This little quilt was a perfect way to use some of them. I built it brick by brick. This is not a beginner quilt. The pattern clearly states the number of pieces for each option. I found I needed to count the number in each strip and piece it diagonally. Once the center is trimmed it will be all bias edges. I recommend attaching the borders and THEN trimming the 'ears' away from the sides, top and bottom to control the bias. The result is a beauty of a mini. I can't wait to quilt it....
