Compass Quilters: Domestic Deficit Disorder

Sadly, Compass Quilters is in its final month. All good things must come to an end.

Tanyia from Domestic Deficit Disorder is our queen bee in March, and she asked for tiny Polaroid blocks. We did not have to make the background – she will add that later – we just had to find some cute fabrics to make the ‘photographs’.

Normally, we make two 12-inch blocks for each queen. This time, as each block is miniscule and easy to make, I just kept going until I ran out of fun prints to fussy cut. Who knew I had so many novelty prints in my stash?

I could not use all of my novelty prints – only those with small images. Some were too large to suit this block.

Each image is only 2 inches square.

This is such a cute idea, I might use it for one of my humidicrib quilts.

And, as I have for every Compass Quilter, I made Tanyia a pincushion. This one was inspired by some tiny, colourful fabric trimmings and all of the lovely matchstick quilting I have seen lately.

Some tiny fabrics scraps were too pretty to throw out, so I made this pincushion.

I made it up as I went along, but I am really happy with the end result. The ticker-tape effect is cheery and colourful, and the matchstick quilting over one layer of quilt wadding really helps the pincushion retain its shape.

To make one, all you need is:

• one 9 x 12-inch piece of background fabric
• one 9 x 12-inch piece of quilt wadding
• some small colourful scraps
• a 3-inch piece of ribbon (optional)
• stuffing.

All of the materials came from my scrap box, so I am counting this as another scrap box challenge project.

The pincushion was so simple to make, I think a handful of pictures explain it all, but here are a few notes that are not explained in the photographs I took while sewing:

• I made my pincushion 4 inches square and 2 inches deep. This is a little large, and I think I would modify it to 3 inches square and 1.5 inches deep next time.
• The grid I marked had the 4-inch top in the centre, the four 2 x 4-inch sides surrounding it and half of the base on each end. You can modify the measurements to make any shape square or rectangle.
• I used an ordinary craft glue stick (Bostick BluStik) to glue the scraps in place before sewing.
• I sewed quilting lines close to the raw edges of the scraps to help stop them from fraying. I also sewed a line of quilting stitches on all of the fold lines to help get crisp folds.
• When sewing the sides, I stopped and back-stitched at the corners. I did not sew into the seam allowance.
• I sewed the ribbon in while sewing up two sides.
• I left an opening in middle of the base seam through which I could turn and stuff the pincushion.
• I had to clip the seam allowances to allow the base to fold as it should before I sewed the final two seams.

I marked my grid with a water-erasable pen, trimmed the tiny scraps to fit and glued them to hold them in place. Then I pinned the fabric to a scrap of quilt wadding and started matchstick quilting, working from the centre out.

When all of the quilting was done, I marked my ¼-inch seam allowances.

When I had cut away the excess fabric and wadding, I had a piece that looked like this.

I left an opening in the base through which to turn and stuff the pincushion.

The opening is hand stitched closed in the middle of the base.

I added a loop of ribbon just in case Tanyia wants to clip it to a sewing bag.

I was really thrilled to see Tanyia’s ticker-tape table topper recently on her blog and Instagram feed. I had already started the pincushion, and seeing her ticker-tape project reassured me that she might like the pincushion. I also really love a flying geese mini quilt she made in February for a friend. You can check out these and other projects on her blog: Domestic Deficit Disorder.