I'M HERE TO INSPIRE AND BE INSPIRED!

Friday, March 2, 2012

Modern Mini Challenge!



Good Morning, Sunshine!

   I was so excited to enter the modern Mini Challenge! It's technically the first quilting contest I have ever entered. I ended up entering the Sliced contest the other day(and it's not really a quilting contest). But I committed to this contest first, and I completed this project first. I just had to wait until today to submit my quilt!
  I tried a few techniques I have never tried before. I did curved piecing which I learned by a tutorial posted by Blogger Diane Bohn at from blank pages. She made it look so easy, and really, it was. Thanks, Diane! 




   The other thing I tried was my new dresden ruler. I needed bigger rays for my sun than the ruler could provide. All I had to do was extend them out. The hardest part was getting the half circle right. I thought I could apply the same principal as curved piecing to cut it. When I went to piece them It wouldn't lay flat. there was a BIG rippleright in the middle of my rays. So the second time around I cut my half circle 1/4 in bigger than the inner part of the rays. I held my breath as I pieced and voila, it worked. 
  Another thing I haven't tried is working with all solids. My quilts are usually a little to busy with prints quite frankly. I have a love prints and would rather spend my money on them I guess.But I am really starting to appreciate solids!
  With the quilting I  pretty much did the same thing on the top as the bottom with the exception of clouds on top and water on the bottom all FMQing on a home sewing machine. The sun was quilted using a design based on Leah Day's Flame Spiral. I was aiming for a reflection of the sun in the water type look. I'm not sure if I achieved this, but the ideas in my head rarely look the same as the finished product.
   I really had fun with this. My quilt made many changes before the sewing stage. I am really happy with how it turned out!! Oh, one more thing. the quilt measures 23 and 7/8 inches. Just under the 24 in. maximum.

42 comments:

  1. Wow! Beautiful quilting and quilt!

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    1. thanks! This challenge really got me inspired!

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  2. Breath taking! The colours and design of your mini grabbed my eye... then I saw your quilting. Amazing! Beautiful entry for the challenge.

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    1. Thanks! colors are the hardest for me to choose. I think I get overwhelmed by all of those choices. But I can tell with your mini, you have no problems with colors because your color choices are amazing.

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  3. Oh my! The quilting on this looks super advanced! It makes my MINI look "mini." I haven't posted it yet, but it's been done for a week now :)

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    1. thanks Mike! I have been practicing...hehe...now go post yours!!!

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  4. O. It's beautiful! And the quilting looks real professional!

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    1. Thanks, Dea! Practice, practice, practice, makes....well, maybe not perfect, but, I'm very happy with it!

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  5. This is really stunning. Your quilting is phenomenal!

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    1. thank you! I have only been FMQ for about 6 months so you just made my day!

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  6. Oh goodness, it looks like you learned a bunch through this challenge, too! Oh my goodness, lady, this quilting is AMAZING!!! I love the different stitches, and how you put it all together. I also love that your solids are the perfect compliment to the quilting. Such delicate stitching might have been lost on a print! Great job!!!

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    1. thanks Caren! This is the first all solid quilt! I'm really liking it, because FMQ is my favorite part, and it really does show up better! Some people think you shoud use prints to hide your mistakes, but I feel like if you did all that work, you should show it off. Mistakes and all!

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  7. wow - the quilting on this is just amazing!

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    1. Thank you! This challenge really got me excited, and I'm quite happy with the outcome!

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  8. It's beautiful! I love your FMQ, it really gives it lots of texture.

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    1. Thank you! I was hoping it wasn't overkill.

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  9. Your quilt is fantastic! It's so beautiful and unique and your quilting is just amazing!
    Wishes from Greece!

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    1. Thank you! I checked out your blog. You must get a lot of inspiration from living in such a beautiful place in the world, because your work is beautiful!

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  10. It is amazing!!! I love it! :h and like everyone else, your fmq is awesome! You are very talented! :) (thanks for the reference about the curves too! I appreciate it)

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    1. hey, thanks! I'm glad you found it and took the time to check it out! I'm really proud of it because I don't have much to show for my quilting. I have probably only made about 10 baby quilts in my life, starting out with whole cloth panels, tied. And this is the first contest I entered. This one I am keeping for myself! And thanks for teaching me curved piecing.;)

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  11. Wow! I love the quilting on this one!!!

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  12. Really awesome! I love everything about this quilt!

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  13. Wonderful, just wonderful!!!!!

    Nana

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  14. Wow - this is stunning! The quilting, especially, is fantastic. I really love this mini! Good luck in the challenge!

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    1. than you so much! This was really fun to make!

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  15. It is really just amazing! I love your quilting too. Just stunning! Thanks so much for entering the contest. Best of luck!

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    1. THANK YOU!!! :) This is my first contest and the most FUN quilting!!!!!

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    1. Thank you! I have been practicing FMQ for about 6 mo. so I'm really proud of this one! This has been really FUN!

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  17. Beautiful quilting. Lovely mini!

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