I've been collecting snowflake fabric almost as long as I've been sewing – nearly 44 years. (What?!? They made snowflake fabric back then?!? They made sewing machines back then?!?) Most of those earliest yard cuts are long gone now, but the stash has never stopped growing.
a third of the collection in 2011
I've fashioned and shared snowflake quilts in the past:
Spindrift
Snowflake Heartburn (still not finished...)
pin quilt, with my own Spoonflower fabric design
Tickled Pink, with my own Spoonflower fabric on the front
Snowdyed, with my Spoonflower snowflake fabric on the back
Pink Wave Pin Quilt with my Spoonflower fabric on the front
Snowbike, with NO snowflake fabric but plenty of crocheted snowflakes hand-appliqued!!!
Snowflake Race Quilt, a team project by both me AND Lizard, featuring
my Spoonflower fabric on both the front and the back
Blue Christmas last April
Lavender Christmas last April
And then there is one more kind of secret snowflake WIP on my quarterly Ravelry challenge list...
Snowflake Strip Bar
Creativity happens when you get tired of working with jelly roll strips.
Back in 2015 when I first began teaching The Lizard to sew and quilt, I cut out two sets of snowflake charm squares so we could work on matching quilts together.
I can't remember what distracted us, but the project never got done. Now that I'm not crocheting as much due to elbow pain, I've been focusing quite a bit more on quilting. I recently dug out our twin charm square projects, and I thought this might be a fun way to keep Snowflake Monday going. I hope you will join in and use up some of your scraps, too!
Although Lizard and I both will be working on a snowflake-themed quilt for this quiltalong, you are by no means limited to snowflakes. Although both of us will be using mostly charm squares, you also are not restricted to 5-inch blocks or even just squares. Any kind of fabric is welcome! We love to drool over projects others are doing!
Specifically for this project, I picked out a cool frost fabric when it went clearance a while back. I initially planned to sash all my charm squares with this fabric.
When I began preparing to piece this quilt top, I realized some of the squares were disappearing in what looks like the windshield frost, plus, I like the frost design so much, I want it to be bigger than sashing. I want the design to really stand out but not completely hide the blizzard of snowflake fabrics.
I played around with a few design options.
wide sashing
lost in the storm
alternating darker blocks, larger blocks of focus fabric
sashed alternating darker blocks, even larger blocks of focus fabric
Lizard didn't care much for some of these ideas. While he was stewing on how to break that news to me, I got another wild idea. Cut the focus fabric into even more charm squares!
All Charm, On Point
So, once again, I've taken a completely different direction than what I initially planned, but I really like this new layout.
I bought two yards of this fabric just a couple of weeks ago for the quilt backing. If there isn't enough, I'll fill in with stash snowflake leftovers.
Thousands of Bolts has a pretty good selection of snowflake fabrics for reasonable prices. No, I do not receive anything for sharing that; I'm just passing along what I think is a great bargain.
For the quilt along, if you would like to make a charm square quilt, you will need:
approximately 49 charm squares of various fabrics (depending upon desired finished size)
two yards of sashing or focus fabric to cut into 2.5-inch to 3-inch strips or 5-inch charm squares
approximately two yards of backing fabric (depending upon finished size)
OR pieced leftovers big enough to cover the back of the quilt
approximately one yard of contrast fabric for binding, depending upon desired finished size
OR pieced leftovers to make a binding
thread
Here is a helpful blog post describing how to calculate how much fabric you will need for a quilt, just in case this particular project is not your cup of snowflake tea.
I also plan to applique at least one crocheted snowflake to a dark non-snowflake fabric charm square, probably a batik or gradient. If you'd like to include that in your project, too, you'll need a shaped but not stiffened snowflake, and a charm square suitable for applique. I'll share how I applique my crocheted snowflakes onto fabric when we get to that leg of the journey.
Next week, I plan to have my focus fabric cut into charm squares, and I'll begin piecing. I'll also share my method of sashing, just in case you'd rather sash your blocks.
Lizard's quilt will be a rag quilt, and we'll share photos of that process as well. First off, he has to decide if he wants to use the snowflake flannel or one of our two snowflake fleeces as the quilt back.
If anyone would like to trade some of my existing 5x5-inch snowflake charm squares for charm squares or suitably sized leftovers of predominately blue young-but-not-baby boy fabric, please show me what you've got at snowcatcher at att dot net. Also, if anyone would like to purchase a bundle of snowflake charm squares through my Etsy shop, please let me know at snowcatcher at att dot net, and I will do my best to try to get them sliced up, listed and mailed in time for the official quiltalong start next week.
In case you're wondering what I'm doing with the little boy charm squares, I've almost finished all the girl quilt tops (and even a few complete quilts) for my goal to finish 15 grandchild and grandchild sibling quilts by Christmas. I'm ready to start making boy quilts. I stocked up on some boy fabrics late last year and early this year, but I noticed while winding up this week's flimsy that I've got a lot of blue remnants that would be look great in a little boy's quilt. Yet not quite enough for a whole quilt. So I'm looking to expand the existing blue boy fabric collection without expanding my overflowing fabric stash, if that makes sense... I'm not in an austerity challenge - yet - but the available fabric storage space in our home is saying it's time.
See you next week!
Linking up with Busy Hands Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts.
Look at you go. 44 years? Did the dinosaurs still walk back then? lol The dark blue squares really capture the eye. A different direction than planned can sometimes turn out better indeed.
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