So you joined a mini quilt swap... and are left wondering, "now what?"

I was so excited to join my very first mini quilt swap. It was a few years ago, and it seemed like such a good idea! Send and receive a small handmade item to a fellow quilter???! Brilliant! Just think of the joy this would be!

With that particular quilt swap, we were given the fabric likes, colours, and inspiration for the recipient of our project.  As soon as I received that, fear and indecision set in. The favourite colour was chartreuse (cue a quick Google search to make sure I'm thinking of the right colour when I think chartreuse... yep... I am.... ok) and fussy cutting was a top favourite of the recipient. I couldn't process, I couldn't think of anything that I could make that would suit the wish list and I had several false starts. 

Finally, about a week before the deadline, I threw something together.  I just spent 15 minutes scrolling on my phone to see if I could find a photo to show you.  I couldn't.  Apparently I was so embarrassed about the measly attempt that I didn't even document it with a photo on my phone. 

But - a week or so after sending it off, I got tagged in such a sweet and lovely Instagram post, gushing about the beautiful mini quilt that had been received.  Listen. I know it wasn't that great, but the appreciation felt real. And I think I figured it out - quilt swaps attract people who are genuinely interested in sharing a bit of their art and receiving a bit of beauty and inspiration back - these aren't people looking for perfection, but rather the joy of sharing in the craft with a fellow quilter.  So that leads me to my first piece of swap advice:

1. Don't stress.  Your recipient is a good person who will love whatever you send!

Just look at this gorgeous mini quilt that Autumn received all the way from Ireland.  The maker had free motion quilted it as a challenge to herself and it is so beautiful!

Let me follow that up really quick with my second piece of advice - the reciprocal piece. All levels of quilters join quilt swaps and you may receive a quilt that doesn't match the skill level you expected.  If that happens, remember that each quilter pours their heart and soul into this gift, and it is truly a gift of time, money, skill; one that likely left the sender feeling vulnerable. So,

2. Have no expectations on what you will receive, and know that it was made with the utmost care and love.

Alright. That feels like the two big important ones.  Now you're in the right mindset to make this bad boy (deep breath, square shoulders).

So what SHOULD you make? Sometimes a quilt swap comes with rules of which block to make and sometimes you're left with complete license to choose, as long as you stick to a size range. When you are given free rein to choose, I would,

3. Choose a pattern that makes you happy, that you'll enjoy making, and that you can make with success.

This doesn't mean that you should choose a basic pattern.  Go ahead and challenge yourself, but consider whether you can be successful with that challenge.  You DO want to represent yourself and your skill well!

This is a great time to try out one block of a large pattern you've been dying to make, or shrink down a pattern you've done successfully before (get out the calculator!), or try out a themed block. I'm going to give you some fun ideas of patterns you could consider!

The Blanket Statement
Almost all of Erin from The Blanket Statement's patterns have a wall hanging sized option. Her patterns are well-written and perfect for a beginner.  If this is one of your first quilted projects, do yourself a favour and look through her patterns for an option where the math has already been done for you!

Here is a Paint Lake Quilt - this is one of our most common pattern recommendations to beginner quilters! I grabbed this photo from Erin's site - it's one of her makes and I just love the combination of texture and colour!

Tessellate Textiles
Christine from Tessellate Textiles is Queen Bee of wall hangings.  Check out her Instagram site HERE - scroll and find the richly textured work, AND THEN SHE ADDS TASSLES!!! 

She and I hosted a recent mini quilt swap for her Whistle Stop quilt - it worked so well as a wall hanging! But I think my favourite pattern of her's for wall hangings is the Dayspring (this one made by me):

Taralee Quiltery
Another Canadian designer (all three have been so far!), Tara has the perfect pattern for a wall hanging in the Half Light quilt. Co-written with Paige from Ponderosa Creative, this is a striking, dramatic pattern that comes together quickly; but offers the simple challenge of curves. Isn't this version that Tara made so fantastic?

Okay, what about this idea - take a pattern that you love and shrink it down! This requires quilt math... which gets complicated so fast! Don't forget about the seam allowance!  I did this with Plains & Pine's Hyalite Quilt pattern for a swap earlier this year:

Perhaps you've made a pattern before that you absolutely loved but have already disqualified it because it is too large. Well, challenge yourself to make all the pieces mini! It is really the cutest thing ever.

Or, take one component or block of a larger block and just make it into the whole mini quilt.  Take a look at Apples and Beavers' quilt pattern First Contact: 

Wouldn't just one of those little aliens be perfect as a little quilt?

There are so many quilts you could do this with - just one block from Lo and Behold Stitchery's Knitted Star quilt would be perfect for a holiday quilt swap!

Would you consider taking a risk? Maybe trying a new technique with the thought that if it doesn't work out, you quickly whip something else together?  I was just visiting my sister a few days ago, and I was delighted to see this hanging on her wall:

Okay, listen, the blog is acting up right now and that photo should be rotated 90 degrees clockwise... but I'm done fighting with it.  This is a Cityscape mini quilt that I made in an online workshop with Peter Byrne. It's not perfect, but every time I see it, I love it more and am pleased with myself for taking the risk on a new technique. 

So maybe this is the chance to take a quick improv class or try out applique or test out new quilting techniques! Mini quilts are the perfect place to do this because they are mini!!

I just realized that I've gone on and on already and there's so many more patterns and options that I could share, but I've already made you read so much today!  I have one more important rule for you:

4. Keep up with the schedule.

Listen, someone, somewhere is organizing a quilt swap and is doing their best to keep it running smoothly and make sure that everyone knows what they are supposed to be doing and where they are supposed to be sending the mini quilt and when it will arrive and oh my goodness... please... just do your best and stay on schedule, k? Every once in awhile there is an emergency or life circumstance that throws a wrench in your well laid plans, but do your very best to keep your word to send that quilt out on time!! 

Now, in interest of keeping this blog post slightly short of novel length, I'm gonna conclude.  But, there is so much more that could be said, so why don't you chime in? Share in the comments your great ideas for patterns, where you find fabric for your mini quilts (cough, cough; the stash is a perfect place to look for these tiny projects), or your favourite swap gift you've received. 

And, if it's before October 23, 2022 when you read this, there's a mini quilt swap happening in November that you could still register for!!

Edit - registration now closed: Here's the link: https://forms.gle/j4xCKEw6DjjKVrru9

Maybe you'll be the lucky (unlucky?) recipient of a mini quilt that I've agonized over!!

Alright friends.... have the very best day, k?

-Kendra (please enjoy this photo of me holding a mini quilt (Siwa Quilt by Tessellate Textiles) in front of the Louvre).

Edited to add:  Oh, wait, wait.... one more thing.  Some swaps include an option to send a "surprise gift" to the recipient along with the mini quilt.  This is my biggest stress.  What if my little add on gift is too little? Too extravagant? Is this enough? Is it worth it?  Ugggghhhhh..... 

So my opinion, in case you care, is keep it modest or not at all.  You've done a great job at making a HANDMADE GIFT FOR A STRANGER! Is that not enough????? It's enough.  Feel free to disagree with me in the comments, lol!!

Edited one more time to add:  I forgot about one amazing source of blocks!! The Solstice Sampler is a series of blocks that are in the process of being released weekly RIGHT NOW by a group of nine very creative pattern designers.  Any one of these blocks would make a fantastic mini quilt and the are all free!  Sign up HERE!
(I am not affiliated with this, I just think it's brilliant!)