Little bits of pieces

This past week I've been finishing some quilting, and sewing patchwork.  I'm talking about little one inch finished squares, hand quilted, and looking very Zakka, kind of patchwork.
I used to shy away from tiny squares.  The precision needed for the cutting and fitting of minuscule seams, the pressing and pinning (mostly of my fingers) never appealed to me. Why make something so small when you can cover more ground with a 9 or 12 inch block?  Big blocks are simple, forgiving, and fast.  Sew a few together and you've got a quilt top in less than 48 hours.
Bam, you're done.
But  I have to say, these cute little blocks are really fun.  Since joining the Pack Patch Mini QAL at 1/4" mark, I only need to make 2 blocks per week, and I'm finding I want to make more!   Every Friday, Chase gives you a new theme for choosing the colors of your patchwork (ten weeks in all) to make a 22 x 24 inch mini quilt.  Tomorrow is week three.  Here are my finishes for the first two weeks.

These little blocks certainly won't de-stash your cupboard in a big way, but it's fun to dig around for pieces that you may have thought were too small to be useful.
And just to prove sewing is not always gumdrops and rainbows for a seasoned old quilter like me......

My first attempt was very humbling.  When I flipped it over for pressing, the cockiness was slapped right out of me.  Whaaaat is up with those seams?  My "I got this "attitude left the room in shame.   This will never do!  It cannot be posted on Flickr with it's QAL friends, sewn into a quilt or even a pincushion (really, this is way too much drama over a 3x4 inch block).  But despite being challenged by sewing together little bits of pieces, I'm looking forward to the next set of block instructions.

 I also have two other quilts on the design wall.  One is a graduation present for a friend, and the other I'm very excited about because it's going to be a family gift.  Not just for my little circle of 5, but for everyone on both sides,  the in laws and outlaws. I'm hoping to complete it by Thanksgiving, so I have plenty of time to fuss with it.  The best part is that it's all made with scraps.
 So how do you share a quilt with that many people?
Stay tuned.........