Michael Miller Fabric Challenge 2014
Challenge accepted!
I was so happy to get my Michael Miller Fabric Challenge quilt completed and uploaded to the Modern Quilt Guild site this week. If I had to give it a name...I'd call it "Geometry is Hard".
Sponsored by Michael Miller Fabrics and the Modern Quilt Guild the MM Fabric Challenge is open to members of the Modern Quilt Guild and each participant is given 6 fat-eighths of a new fabric line produced by Michael Miller Fabrics. A fat-eighth is cut 9” x 22”, so it’s not a lot of fabric. Participants may add prints from any other Michael Miller line and solids from any manufacturer. I was happy to find several solids in my stash that coordinated beautifully. (Hint: If you are part of a guild, participate in solid fabric swaps. It’s a great way to get colors that you wouldn’t normally purchase and I’ve been amazed how many times I’ve found just the right color for a project.)Here's a look at the fabric we received:
While I really liked the fabric choice and thought it was a cute line, it didn’t speak to me for this project. Because this challenge was sponsored, in part, by the Modern Quilt Guild, I really wanted to make something, well…modern. Modern and out of my normal quilt-box.
I looked through my drafts of quilt layouts and deemed them all unsuitable. I looked at favorite blogs, Flickr and Pinterest for some kind of inspiration. Somehow I stumbled upon 100 Days of Art – Day 14: on Tip Top Gallery and saw Relative Geometry 3 by Jorge Chamorro. (Click. Light on.)
At first glance it just looks like diagonal lines. But what makes Chamorro's piece fabulous is the way the ends of the diagonals line up. That’s the key. You can almost see six vertical sections.
I calculated that my imaginary vertical sections would be 5.5 inches. Fabric strips were cut 2.5” x 9”, 2” x 8.5” and 1.5” x 8”. When joined with a diagonal seam, I would be left with a 5.5” section.
It was more difficult than I originally anticipated, but dozens of straight line quilted rows later...I'm happy with the outcome.
I used another fabric from the line for the back and bound it in white. I know...white?! My husband loves it too and we may hang it on the wall for a while.
