Modern Mini Quilt Challenge

Every now and then I get a hair brained idea that usually equals a lot of work for me.  I had one of those moments last night.  I’ve been seeing all the Modern Mini Quilts entered in the Modern Mini Challenge over at Ellison Lane Quilts and I thought I should get in on the action.

I just had one teeny tiny problem…I didn’t have a finished mini quilt I could enter.  I’m not sure what possessed me to take on the challenge of finishing a mini quilt in one day.  Especially since I was supposed to be packing today.  Packing…quilting…packing…quilting…I think you all see where this is going.

I found my Swirly Twirly Dresden block that’s been laying around since February and I started brainstorming.

Here’s my Modern Mini Quilt.

I alternated pebbles, swirls and teardrops in the negative space that extends past the colored sections.  I did a very simple straight line stitch back and forth in the negative space that extends past the black sections.

I didn’t exactly get my swirl centered so I just went with it.  It kind of matches the overall affect of the quilt.

Here’s a look at the back.

I really love how it turned out.  It’s super dense and teeny tiny quilting.  I’m not sure that would be very fun on a regular size quilt.  This is by far the fastest mini quilt I have ever finished!  I started quilting at 2PM and finished the binding at 4:30PM.  Whew!  It’s a 16″ square mini quilt.

I used Hobbs black batting and I’m not sure I’m a fan.  It was really wrinkly.  I also used a double layer of batting just for fun.  It made the colored sections really puffy.  Overall, I love it.

Deep down inside I know I’m slightly crazy.  There’s really no other explanation for my last minute frenzy to submit a quilt for the Modern Mini Quilt Challenge.  Now I’m off to pack…

30 thoughts on “Modern Mini Quilt Challenge”

  1. Oooh I always love seeing how people quilt their lovely projects, I see I have a long ways to go 😉 that just turned out great!

  2. I guess you already know how much I LOVED your Swirly Twirly Dresden before. But even love it more with all the beautiful quilting! Right now we seem to be in 2nd… From Your Swirly Twirly Friend–Helen

  3. I found your pattern of the Swirly Twirly Dresden through the Modern Mini Challenge. I had to do it right away and made a low volume version. It is wonderful and I will sew more of them. Thank you for the tutorial.

  4. Love the quilting! And I totally understand the last-minute decision. I considered making a quilt for the Quilt Alliance contest at 6 pm the night before it was due in the mail. The only reason I didn’t? I still had to start (and finish) another mini for the next day for the online art group I started. 🙂 Nice job!

  5. I saw your swirly twirly Dresden on the aurifil site and had to check out your site. Wonderful I would like to try the Dresden,can only admire the quilting that went with it. Fantastic!

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