Modern Quilt Challenge

As I mentioned before, I made a quilt to enter into the Modern Quilt Guild's Challenge.  You can read more about it here.  I really enjoyed making this quilt.  It was a stretch for me artistically--I made up the pattern myself, which I do sometimes, but this one I really planned out.  I also used a color scheme I NEVER use, so that was good to push myself.  Many people say that quilters are afraid of yellow.  Well, my quilt is all about yellow!

So here is the inspiration photo I used:

This is taken at a bakery in Lisbon, Portugal, called Pasteis de Belem (Belem is the neighborhood).  We went to Portugal for our honeymoon and it was fabulous--I highly recommend it! The bakery makes thousands of these little custards every day. The line is out the door, but it moves quickly.  We didn't know when we first got some that most people order them by the sleeve (of 10!).  We got 4 to start and came back for more. You have to have them hot, and you sprinkle a little bit of powdered sugar and cinnamon on them.  They are just heavenly!!!

Here is a picture of the inside of one.

Anyway, the original picture inspired me with the little circles against a dark background.  I abstracted them out and decided that 20 circles per block was about right. As I showed in earlier pictures, I cut out a bunch of circles of varying yellows and stuck them onto fabric using fusible web (Steam a Seam) and my trusty iron.  For the yellows I chose a variety to give it more interest.  Same goes for the greys--no two baking sheets are ever the same, so I found a couple different greys to use.  After sashing and sandwiching the quilt, I then stitched down each circle.  Some people would have done that before quilting, but I wanted them to end up a little "puffy" like the pastries they represent, so I opted for doing it all at once.  If it was a larger quilt I may not have had the patience for that.

I REALLY love how it turned out.  Even if I don't win, I am glad I made this quilt.  The process was incredibly worthwhile for me.  Not sure what I'll do with it next, as it doesn't really go with my house (at all) but a friend of mine moved to a new house and was thinking of doing her guest room in gray/yellow, so this might be a good housewarming gift.