Not landing at IAH? At least you found BQF at QHH

Welcome to another of my entries in Blogger's Quilt Festival, the answer to the "I decided to stay home from Market and now I'm a little bit sad about it" doldrums. Thank you to Amy's Creative Side for always giving those of us who stayed home a reason to live.

Click to head on over to the Festival. But maybe finish reading my entry first. You're already here and all.

This year I decided to enter the mini category. Who doesn't love mini stuff? Mini chocolate chips are good. Mini Coopers, while not spacious and comfy for a cross country roadtrip, are quite cute. Mini marshmallows are always a fun surprise in the day. Min(n)i(e) Mouse epitomizes womanly mousedom. Mini quilts can't be bad either.

I don't tend to make true mini quilts, but this week I actually was all hopped up to make a new sample and shape of quilt for my "Mod-ified Trees" pattern, which itself is just a table runner and therefore pretty mini itself. A fellow designer suggested a one-tree version based on comments she was getting in her booth, so armed with a challenge and knowing a one-tree version would take me two hours tops, I whipped one up. And I love it enough to show it off. The whole thing measures 16" x 16", so well under the 80" total mini limit.

Mod-ified Trees 2.0

I love a Christmas quilt that is anything but red and green. Pink and teal and a touch of lime? That works for me, and always reminds me of Charlie Brown wandering the tree lot being all disgusted by the pink aluminum trees. Deal with it, Chuck. I like this tree.

The quilt is made by first sandwiching the background with backing and batting and "pre-quilting" it, if you will. Or even if you won't. Because like it or not, that's what I do. I quilt the entire background before doing anything else, with the possible exception of eating a cookie or something if I am needing a snack. This time I decided to use two different variegated threads in teals and pinks in a stipple pattern. Next time I'd separate the two threads a little more, but I still like the effect.

"There's always next time" - one of my many mottos.

The tree and border shapes are cut using the Leaves Galore TM "petite" size template by Sue Pelland Designs. I chose some cool fabrics out of my stash and my scrap bins, because you really don't need much for this project. They were fused in place and machine applique threads carefully chosen (read: a pink and a teal

It's just a bit of squiggly wonderment.

were grabbed off the rack because they looked like they had enough thread on the spool to make it around all these shapes without running out) and a few iron-on jewels thrown in between the fronds of the tree for added glitzy fun.

I'd like to make this project sound amazingly artsy, but come on, let's be real. I quilted a background, and I machine appliqued some waves onto it and because I had them in the embellishment closet, I added some sparkle. (Yes. I have an embellishment closet. I feel your jealousy. If it makes you feel better, I found the actual cabinet on the side of the road for free. True story. It was also empty at the time, which was very sad.) That's really about it. I do absolutely adore the self bordering situation I have going on, though, so am willing to pat my own back over that part. I love borders, but hey, one less thing, right?

Here's the thing - a quilt doesn't have to be a project that took you seven years start to finish and is worthy of a special glass case in a museum in order to be considered art. Maybe this is more along the lines of "a cute little piece of art" than "a masterpiece" but I love it, and that is what matters. I hope you enjoyed it, too. If not, well, there are lots more minis in the BQF, so go enjoy!

Thank you so much for stopping by. Happy festival to all!