Selfie: My Black To White Challenge Quilt

I really wasn't intending to enter the Black to White Challenge for the Quilt! Knit! Stitch! Show.

Then Stacey (@hushrules on Instagram) did a wonderful presentation on Youpatch at the May VMQG meeting and I became intrigued. I came home and fiddled around with a few stock images, seeing if I could develop a pixelated quilt that appealed to me, but I wasn't successful.

A night or so later, I happened to take a selfie:

I assure you that the outcome - which I really like, not going to lie - was purely accidental. The angle of the afternoon sun coming onto my face and hitting my glasses frames is what created the shadow on my eyelid that looks like makeup. I happened to be looking down at just the right angle.

Anyway, an idea began to germinate. I applied a black and white filter in instagram and uploaded the filtered photo to Youpatch. A little playing with colours and I had my pattern. Less than a week later, thanks to a full day Quilt By The Bay retreat, the top was done and the quilt was basted and I had (EDITED) less than a two weeks until the Black to White challenge deadline.

I had this done even before they announced the deadline extension - conduct definitely not befitting the president of the Last Minute Club, but what can I say? I quilted like a woman possessed.

All of the quilting is free motion, and I used Aurifil 50 wt in black, grey and white. I tested some ideas on my trusty mylar overlay but ended up winging it when it came to actually quilting. 

The quilt is about 35" square and the smallest piece finishes at 3/4" square. I am thrilled to report that my piecing accuracy is spot on - all of the blocks fit together really nicely. Yay me!

Colours in the quilt are Robert Kaufman Kona solids in Black, Coal, Medium Grey and Snow.

This one really shows the different thread colours:

I expect to hear soon whether it's been accepted to the challenge but nevertheless, I absolutely adore this finish. 

Linking up to TGIFF with Quilter in the Closet!