Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Modern Mini Challenge

Hooray! It's here! My day to participate in the Inspiration Blog Hop as part of the Modern Mini Challenge hosted by Ellison Lane Quilts.

Modern Mini Challenge

I discovered the world of Modern Quilts early in 2010 when I turned to blogging as a way to hold myself accountable for my Resolution of that year to spend at least 20 minutes a day quilting.

I'll echo a sentiment that has appeared in many of the guest posts for this Blog Hop: a mini is a perfect way to try out a new technique without committing to a really big project. They finish up quickly - who doesn't love a finish? - and are so satisfying.

Today, I'm featuring a mini that is very dear to me, because it represents a lot of "firsts" for me:
- first time making a mini quilt
- first time using solids in a quilt
- first time using grey in a quilt
- first time consciously making what I felt was a "modern" quilt
- first time using close-set straightish line quilting
- first time using a new-to-me binding technique

modern mini
My first modern mini

Its construction was pretty simple - just 3 strips of Kona Medium Grey (which I still love to this day), and two strips of a Kaffe Fassett print that caught my eye at my Local Quilt Shop. As soon as I saw the print, the quilt composed itself in my brain.

Modern Mini quilting
Quilting closeup

It doesn't lie quite flat, and a couple of the corners are a wee bit wonky, but more than two years later, this remains one of my favourite projects - one I am so happy to look at every day as I sit at my desk at work and eagerly await my daily stitching therapy time.

I hope you continue to be inspired by all the minis you are seeing in the Blog Hop, and that you make something to enter to win one of those incredible prizes! Deadline to enter is March 5th. So get stitching and enter your creation!


2/15: Mon Petit Lyons & Felicity Quilts (you're here!)

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Wednesday (WIP Wednesday will resume its regularly scheduled appearance next week).

24 comments:

  1. Delighted to have you in our blog hop Felicity and love that mini! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. ya it's pretty great, and makes a lovely memory too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. SO striking - just love your design, such a strong idea that came together beautifully!

    ReplyDelete
  4. so many firsts, and such a wonderful little quilt, would definitely make me happy to see it everyday.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for sharing your first modern quilt! That's cool that you've got it hanging at work to inspire you to finish up so you can get home to sew!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It looks great! So simple, but that Kaffe Fassett prints makes is amazing. Love the dense horizontal quilting lines too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This "firsts" quilt is perfect. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love the narrow quilting, it looks so wonderful, and I am sure I couldn't face doing that on a full size quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So pretty! I think I'm in love with medium grey now!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oooh, love your mini! Its fab - and so you too :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love your quilting on your mini. Congrats on all of your firsts!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great list of firsts! I can see why it's a favourite of yours.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is so lovely - I really like the quilting too!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love that! I really love the stitching, I need to practice my straight lines. For some reason the little bar that came w/ my walking foot doesn't always like to stay where it should.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I really love everything about your mini, Felicity! I would adore looking at that quilt too. Although I'm lucky enough to have one of your works of art. I have it on a wall where I can see it from my sewing machine, and all the lucky people passing by my sewing room (because it used to be our living room and has a window that faces the street), who are voyeuristic, can also see it. I know they are all jealous!

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is super pretty. Something is so striking about the stripes in those fabrics!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Fabulous mini, Felicity! Yay for all those firsts!

    ReplyDelete

I *love* comments, and I try to respond to every one by email (but I can't if you're a no-reply blogger!). So go on, don't be shy - leave one to let me know you've stopped by!