A charming Let's Book It

   Finally, I get to share my mini....A Wee Bit of Charm.  This is my  Let's Book It project.  I scaled the project down to fit the table top display stand.  I wanted something bright and cheerful for the spring/summer here.
  This is based on the Charming quilt by Carol Armstrong that was published in 2007 in McCall's Quilting magazine. (I shared Kathryn's saga for this project here.) Again I did not follow directions as published---rather I used raw edged applique for all the squares.  And yes, they are not quite perfect, but who's looking!
  The raw-edge applique took a lot of trimming to get rid of all the whiskers.  Maybe I should have just fused them down.  Anyway, while trimming, I ponder a variation to this little one.  And decided to give it a try.  Here's a bit of my thought process......

  I cut bricks....2 " by 4" pieces from a huge stack/ pile / assortment of floral fabrics. I uncovered a charming minty green fabric in the stash closet and cut about 25 1" strips.  The mint green was to be the "mortar" between the "bricks", like a garden path.  This idea lead me to the layout using the running bond pattern so favored by brick masons for a walkway.

   You will notice I am avoiding the use of the word "sashing" because it is well known that I don't like to do sashing between blocks.  I much prefer the  reference to mortar  :)     Even so,  I mortared my way through the garden fabric, a little each day, cutting and fitting, making things fit.  Amazingly, I did not abandon the project, but rather enjoyed seeing how it developed.  Or it could be I was enjoying the fabric I was playing with?

  For the wall hanging size....I made up a variation too for the applique, which I staggered in the layout.  I mean, why follow the pattern/rules when you are just playing with an idea!
  I wanted all the colorful bricks of fabric to be the stars, so the  green mortar was quilted down with wiggles, and pebbles and whatever.  I love how it makes the bricks puff up just enough.

  My two Let's Book It projects together....A Wee Bit of Charm and Charming Bricks.
   Charming Bricks is now ready for binding!  This one is going to fill the blank space on  the sewing room wall.  It finished at 26" by 36".

   Thanks to Sharon at Vrooman's Quilts for hosting this idea and linky party.  You can find the other participants here. You might want to join in next month....just choose a project  and stitch away.

Happy stitching.

Linking to Freemotion by the River for Linky Tuesday.