Thimble Flag

This month’s challenge on the Kathleen Tracy's Small Quilt Lovers Facebook page is Tumbler Quilts. They’re also called Thimble Quilts, because the shape of all the pieces is similar to the profile of a finger thimble or a drinking tumbler. Kathleen recommends purchasing a 2 ½” acrylic template for cutting the wee little shapes. I browsed through photos of tiny thimble/tumbler quilts and thought, “I can do that,” and “I don’t need to buy a template.” Then I started hacking through my pile of Americana scraps. Apparently, a miniscule difference in the shape of each block makes a huge difference in the finished top. My flag turned out much longer and thinner than I’d intended. I could have added two extra stripes (one red, one cream) if I’d known. Maybe I’ll try this again, using itty bitty red, white and blue scraps from my 1930’s bins. Before I do, I should probably break down and buy that template.