Friday, October 23, 2015

Mod Mood


The making of Mod Mood has been an interesting excursion, beginning with some twist of fate when I was asked to join Bee Sewcial at the beginning of the year. I wasn't looking to be in another bee, but this bee was so different. It was all about using solid fabric. It was all about improv. It was all about derived inspiration. And it sounded challenging in a new way that quite honestly, I just couldn't resist. As the months went by, we were given the most interesting inspiration cues - a Chihuly glass exhibit, poster blocks, transparency, curved shapes, a song(!). Along the way, I indeed was challenged, both by the prompts themselves, as well as the techniques (or lack of?) needed to actually create quilt blocks.


So when it came time for my month, there was alot to consider. I finally settled on the theme of "Bee Sewcial Goes Mid-Century", providing my bee-mates with a pin board which included mid-century modern shapes and patterns as well as my chosen palette. I asked for blocks that borrowed elements from typical mid-century modern graphics and boy did they deliver! Block size was left to their discretion, asking only that they equal the equivalent of 2 - 12 1/2" blocks, which led to a wide variety of sizes and the need for a unique block layout.


When it came time to put the quilt top together, it was a tad tricky, so I came up with a solution that worked for me, adding some order to the random-sized blocks yet preserving the improv feel and look. I made an 18"x22" frame of painters tape on my design wall, then pieced together a few blocks to fill the space, using other solids as filler as needed. And so it continued.


Backing is the very fitting mustard martini from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern collection. When it came time for quilting, I didn't think twice, as a few weeks before I'd happened upon an organic zig zag stitch when doodling in a free-motion class with Christina Camelli, and I knew it would perfectly suit this quilt. As the final finishing touch, I did a faced or knife-edged binding, using a tutorial by Anita/Bloomin' Workshop


To put it mildly, the entire process of bringing this quilt to fruition has provided alot of satisfaction. There is so much I love about it, from the opportunity to create with such gifted women to the challenges of piecing the components into a whole and free-motion quilting a quilt this size, to seeing it hang in our family room. It's totally put me in a mod mood.


Quilt stats:
Finished size: 62"x65"
Fabric: variety of solids
Thread: Aurifil 50wt - #2600 (light gray)
Collaboration: blocks were made by the amazing women of BeeSewcial
Quilted by: myself, freemotion
Binding: faced, using this tutorial
Category: Modern Quilts

Previous entries in the Blogger's Quilt Festival:
Room Temp, 5/29/15 ~ Keychain, 5/19/15
Red Hots, 10/27/14 ~ Unlocked, 5/16/14
Crazy Rainbow, 10/25/13 ~ Absolutely Mod Pop, 5/19/13 ~ HST Love, 5/17/13
The Stars of Summer, 10/26/12 ~ Hopscotch, 5/19/12
Mango Revisited, 10/28/11 ~ Supernova, 5/13/11

AmysCreativeSide.com

Feel free to create alongside Bee Sewcial by using the hashtag #inspiredbybeesewcial on Instagram. 
This quilt was on my 2015 Q4 Finish-A-Long listLinking up with the Bloggers Quilt FestivalFinish It Up Friday, and Fabric Tuesday.

43 comments:

  1. Thank you for putting words to the process that as you said has pulled from many different and varied inspirations as participants. I loved your month. It's such fun to see all blocks together and very Mod indeed.

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  2. This is awesome in so many ways~I love how you worked through it. And even though the colors kind of remind me of the 70's, I love the colors too! Very well done Debbie! A piece of art~

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  3. I loved making blocks for your quilt, Debbie! This quilt is just so stunning. I'm proud to be a part of it.

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  4. What a great quilt! Love the mood, feel and spirit of it.:)

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  5. This beauty could almost make me a "mod" lover. lol But seriously it is stunning. Great job!

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  6. Очень стильно и прекрасно!

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  7. Oh wow, I love the whole look of this with all those fun blocks. Great job of putting it all together and the quilting is so cool!

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  8. The ladies in your group did a terrific job on creating these blocks. You took it to the next level in your combining them into a finished quilt. The quilting is a perfect choice. Also love your photos, great visit.

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  9. I just love this one so much. amazing!

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  10. What a fun quilt. I love how you quilted it.

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  11. Your quilt is just fantastic. I just want to keep looking at it and I can imagine nice it would be to have it on your wall. The quilting and the binding are perfect additions. I am so glad you are in the bee.

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  12. Gorgeous!!! This quilt came together perfectly! It looks like it was planned from start to finish! The binding is something I have never done or seen, thank you for sharing the tutorial!

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  13. Awesome quilt! The quilting you chose is perfect, too!

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  14. You pulled it off in a big way - from the guidance you gave to your bee mates to the photo shoot. Love that you are linking to the festival and the story you tell. Cheers!

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  15. Debbie, this one is a HUGE winner! I love it to pieces! Wow. Everyone really did a fabulous job interpreting the theme, and your FMQ is spot on!

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  16. This is spectacular!! That last picture really does the quilt justice. Beautiful finish.

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  17. This is so gorgeous - I lie the blocks, and the work you added to make it all come together. And the colors are so spot-on fall without being, well, leaves. You never cease to amaze.

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  18. I really LOVE this quilt! Gorgeous!!

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  19. This is awesome, I love everything about this quilt!!

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  20. This quilt is so COOL and the story behind it makes it so much more interesting!! I, too, have found it difficult to "translate" inspiration and attempt any sort of improv, but seeing the end result sure makes it seem worth trying. :) Thank you so much for sharing this in the online blogger's quilt festival!

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  21. This is awesome, your bee mates made great blocks. I love how you combined them and your quilting pattern.

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  22. This is such a stunner, Debbie. A real piece of art, just fabulous!!! Everything about this quilt is amazing, well done indeed. I love the non-binding finish, it fits this quilt so well.

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  23. A winner for sure! The saturated colours and bold blocks just draw me in. Mid Century Modern for sure. What a great keepsake from your group. The quilting is just perfect too. Well done Debbie ; )

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  24. How fun...what a wonderful quilt. Everyone did a fabulous job - congrats. Micki@2dogsstudio.us.

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  25. Love the use of solids and the quilting is perfect! Good luck!

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  26. Your quilt is wonderful. It takes me back in time to beehive hair dos, eye liner and bell bottom pants. I love that quilting stitch that you used, too. It's new to me and one that I am now excited to try. Thank you for your inspiration . . . enjoy your lovely quilt.
    Connie :)

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  27. I'm going to gush...
    This quilt is fabulous! Love the blocks, love the colour, love the layout, love the quilting, love the faced binding.
    Ok gushing over... i like this quilt!

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  28. Ah you finished it and it's totally fabulous. I love the colors, the blocks,everything about it - I am a huge mid-century modern lover myself! Terrific work.

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  29. This is one of the coolest looking quilts and the quilting fit it perfectly. Five thumbs up^^^^^.

    tushaythreeatyahoodotcom

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  30. You are so talented and I so enjoy your musings on the whole quilting process from start to finish. I hope I see more of this from you! Just amazing. Your friends (bee mates) are talented too.

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  31. This is SO fantastic! I've never seen anything like it -- and I would LOVE to have a quilt like this! Beautiful finish.

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  32. Oh my goodness Debbie! So stunning and that photo standing on the bench with the tree changing colors! Wow wow wow!!! I really want to get back to mine now. It really turned out fabulous.

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  33. I love it! The quilting fits it perfectly. You should totally enter it in the Bee category of QuiltCon.

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  34. I love the improv look, the colours and how you managed to make it a cohesive quilt!

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  35. Such a fabulous quilt! You should be very proud!

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  36. I love everything about this quilt. And anything mid century modern makes my heart flutter. Great quilting choice too.

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  37. Verra nice work! Good providence in the festival!

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  38. I just saw this quilt in Simply Moderne - and had to buy it despite costing $21.99 here in Australia. I love this quilt - very inspiring for me, a lover of mid century modern and quilting - it is superb.

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