ástərisk

ástərisk measures 31"X36"

Last month was plumb full of special projects and a vacation to boot. Arriving home a few days ago, I knew I was cutting it more than close to even consider entering the Modern Metallic challenge sponsored by Quilt! Knit! Stitch!™ this August. No, I hadn't started already, and no, I had no ideas. But really now. Our guild, one of just 9 invited to share their modern quilts in this exhibit, had been given lovely stacks of fabrics, courtesy of Robert Kaufman ~ Quilter's Tussah and Quilter's Linen Metallic.

So I got started, inspired in the beginning by these wonky triangle log cabin blocks by sewtakeahike. I added in some Timeless Treasures Dream (thanks, Marci!) and Michael Miller Mirror Ball Dots, and made several blocks, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Putting them up on the design wall, I initially thought I'd place them kind of tumbling down, but when I rearranged them more like an asterisk, I liked them even better.

Nothing in the stash was quite right for a background, so a quick outing yielded some {totally out of my comfort zone} metallic Hoffman Fabrics Asuka. It was a bit of a puzzle piecing the center of the main quilt top, but it eventually evolved. Taking a critical step back, I liked it but. Something was missing.

I decided it needed a flange. I consulted Jaybird Quilts' Binding Flange Tutorial, though I made the flange to play the part of a skinny border, rather than an accent to the binding. (Just fyi, I cut my flange fabric 1 1/2" wide.) To that I added borders, mitering the corners to imitate the look of a frame, using my go-to tutorial for mitering by Amy's Creative Side.

Whew! Time to quilt! After debating (and a bit of unpicking) I went with something I both liked and enjoyed doing - wonky spirals. When picking up that background fabric, I had also found the most awesome Aurifil 50wt #2975 ("brass" - love it! What else can I use it on??) for the background, and after a quick Ig poll, decided on #4060 (a variegated called "Silver Moon") in the triangles. Totally happy with both those choices!

With time running out, I opted for a faced binding to keep up the 'framed' look. And for that, I always refer to OPQuilt's tutorial over at she can quilt. Yes, I can't believe I mitered 2 features on this project. But isn't a miter a strange and wonderful thing?

In case you're wondering about the guy I'm standing by in the top photo, that would be The Hammering Man. He's a permanent (and tall!) feature outside the Seattle Art Museum. (Random fact: I had no idea he has siblings till I wrote this post!)

After a photo tour around the city today, and submitting my Modern Metallics registration, I'm breathing a sigh of relief. And pleased to have taken on a challenge once again.

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday.