Modern Mini Challenge

I decided fairly early on that it was my Gee`s Bend inspired quilt that I would enter in Jennifer`s Modern Mini Challenge.  I was so happy to be involved in the blog hop and to be honest with you, there were a fair few attempts at other minis before this one.  Somehow, once I had decided on a solids improv.pieced mini, everything was plain sailing.

I am so happy with how it came together - the pops of red, the wibbly wobbly lines, the white and the neutral space it created, the Gee`s Bend inspired house top blocks.

I am completely in love with it and can`t wait to get it on the wall! Improv.piecing is definitely something I would love to do more of - it`s fun seeing how it comes together - no ruler, no measuring, just cutting as your heart desires and your eye leads you.

Gee`s Bend house tops inspired block

It measures 22" x 22" (and a slight wonk).

The link up for your minis is here and is open until midnight on Monday March 5. There is still time for you to whip one up and enter the contest - while it`s the taking part that clearly counts, there are some amazing prizes.  Just saying. Anyway, pop over and have a look at the fabulous variety of minis! You could be inspired. By the way, I interviewed Jennifer yesterday as part of the My Modern Muse series - do take a look!

Modern Mini Challenge

To say I`m excited to be participating in Jennifer`s Modern Mini Challenge is an understatement, and today`s my day! I`m sharing it with Twin Fibers, so be sure to pop over there too.

When I got Jennifer`s email inviting me to take part, ideas whizzed around in my head.  I certainly didn`t want to let her or you down. The mini quilt I`m sharing with you was made for the challenge.  It is the first mini I have made, the first quilt made completely from scraps, and the first made from solids (well almost - the red is from Moroccan Mirage by Kristian A.Howell).

I am currently participating in a solids swap and my partner loves improv.piecing. In my research to see how to approach this style of patchwork, I came across the Gee`s Bend quilts and I am head over heels in love with them.  The Gee`s Bend quilters are a group of women who live in Alabama in the isolated hamlet of Gee`s Bend and create amazing improv.pieced quilts. They are bright, unique, abstract and just a little bit crazy.

Using the blue and green (Delft, teal, olive, artichoke and peridot) Kona scraps left over from my partner`s quilt and adding in some Kona charcoal, Kona ash, white and a pop of red, I made this mini. It measures 22in.

Gee`s Bend Inspired Mini

The Gee`s Bend quilts were a big source of inspiration for some of the block designs...

...particularly the house top quilts - examples of which you can see here and here.

I didn`t use a ruler to measure or cut, and simply pieced different sized scraps of fabric together, making it up as I went along.  There are 12 blocks of varying sizes in total. It was liberating and huge fun but to get the design looking `right` was a lot harder than I thought!

There`s a certain wonk to this quilt as is typical of the Gee`s Bend quilts.  Whether or not that was deliberate, I`ll leave you to decide!

Jennifer`s challenge certainly inspired me to try something new.  I really hope you have been left inspired by the bloggers participating in this blog hop.  As Jennifer says, "Think big make small". Why not make your own mini and enter it in Jennifer`s challenge. The linkie opens on March 5 and remember, you don`t have to have a blog to enter.

The Modern Mini Challenge is generously sponsored by the Fat Quarter Shop.

Your mini could be one of 5 winners! 

James’ choice (Jennifer`s husband chooses his favorite) 

Viewer’s choice Mug Rugs

Viewer’s choice Mini Quilts 

(mug rugs and mini quilts- the viewers choose from a selection chosen by myself and three other bloggers) 

Luck of the Draw (Random Number Generator chooses 2 winners)

Source: fatquartershop.com via Jennifer Mathis on Pinterest

Both Viewer’s Choice Winners will receive a fat quarter bundle of the FULL LINE of Flea Market Fancy reprint by Denyse Schmidt. 

James’ Choice Winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop

Both Luck of the Draw Winners will receive a $75 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop

There are still a couple more days of the blog hop to go.

 2/18: Cut to Pieces & Sew Sweetness

2/19: Swim Bike Quilt

I can`t wait to see what you come up with.  Good luck!