Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition 2014 - Dark

Because I like to work under imaginary pressure I've waited until the last minute to finish up my entries for the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition 2014.

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I finished up the construction of this little guy last week, but wanted to mount it in a way that was more pleasing to my aesthetic. I'm very utilitarian, so the idea of making a mini quilt for decoration is very foreign. That being said, I've recently become OBSESSED with mini quilts and small piecing. Awesome. We've also got a huge blank wall over the bed, and I decided that I would use this opportunity to push myself and make a mini quilt for the bedroom.

Broken Umbrellas

**Edited to add:

Voting is live!

If you want to show your love comment on the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition 2014 pin here!

To see all entries check out the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition Pinterest Board here!
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"Broken Umbrella" is 18 inches square, and hand quilted. I used just about a complete dark trimmings pack (including a selvedge!), with a creamy/white chambray for the background and a cotton/linen blend for the binding. The dark pack I got was mostly heavier weight fabrics, so I thought these background and binding fabrics played off the texture nicely.

I made a stack of 'converging corners' (Film in the Fridge) - inspired blocks and started arranging them until I was happy. I went more modern for this layout because I was already out of my comfort zone and figured: "in for a penny, in for a pound." The mini is named 'Broken Umbrella" because I couldn't remember the name of the block I was making and kept calling it a broken cabin, and since the fabric is Umbrella Prints...you see where I'm heading.

Waiting for layout inspiration to strike. 

I then hand quilted the quilt using a radiating circular pattern over each of the colored portions. I used Aurifil Lana 12 wt floss in a maroon and oatmeal-y color (sorry, lost the color codes).

100% hand quilted. I've got the index finger callus to prove it!

Quilting close-up. 

Quilting close-up. See the selvedge? It's like I cited the fabric designer!

I finished it off by mounting it in a large frame from Ikea. I've got a store about a 10 minute walk away, which is both a blessing and a curse. Especially when you are browsing for pillow forms and instead end up walking home with a gigantic picture frame.

I glued some leftover burlap to the background and sewed the mini onto that with some basting stitches. We'll see how long it holds together, but I'm enjoying it for now.

Almost in it's final resting place.
Looks strangely wrinkly and bowed in this photo. 

All entries will be posted to the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition Pinterest Page May 30th. There's a judged winner and a people's choice winner (so don't be shy about commenting - on any entry). Feel free to use this as an opportunity to pin-crastinate.