A "Littles" More Love: Stitching Words, Names, and Initials into Your Quilts

There's always more love to give. Shall we call it a "littles" more? (Stay with us.)

For Karla Alexander, quilting began with a powerful moment of connection. After moving with her young family to Kodiak Island, Alaska, she rediscovered a quilt her mother had made for her as a teenager. In a place that felt far from family and familiar comforts, that well-loved quilt was a solace. That moment set her on a path that led, eventually, to something entirely her own: a miniature piecing approach she calls "Littles."

Littles are small pieced elements with enormous impact. And yes, absolutely a way to give more love. Let's talk about those letters. Using her Reveal Method, Karla shows quilters how to build these tiny details into their work with surprising ease. No elaborate templates. No advanced techniques. Just fabric and a small ruler.

Imagine piecing a child's initial into a quilt made just for them. A loved one's name worked into a wall hanging. A profound quote that says exactly what you mean. Words in quilts are nothing new, but having a flexible, approachable method to create them? That's for every quilter.

As Karla puts it: "It's such a joy to teach and watch my students light up when they realize how doable these projects are—and that they won't need a multitude of tools or years of experience to accomplish extraordinary results."

Let's give a "littles" love!

Learn these techniques in Quilt Small, Dream Big. Find it here! 

--

Karla Alexander is a veteran art quilter, teacher, specialty ruler designer, owner of Saginaw Street Quilt Company, and author of eight quilting books. In Quilt Small, Dream Big, she brings her long-running fascination with miniature piecing to quilters ready to add their own expressive details.