Modern Mini

I've been seeing mini quilts of beautiful retro style houses pop up all over my Pinterest feed for a couple years now. It seems like all the links go to flickr, which is good because it usually gets even more examples of what I'm drooling over, but seems strange to link to (especially when I'm not always certain who to give credit to).

One of my long term goals is to get the pattern and learn how to make this mini quilt thing. I love it so. But, for today, I thought I'd just use my favorite as inspiration to make one of my own.

I turned on one of my favorite audio books ("Leviathan" by Scott Westerfeld, performed by Alan Cumming - which not only is an amazing book, but seriously one of the best audio book performances I've heard), grabbed a stack of fat quarters that mysteriously leaped into my hands recently, and spent a happy hour or so cutting and sewing.

And ultimately, I wound up with a little something like this:

Already basted and ready to quilt!

I just love the fabric I chose for the house itself. It's kind of an olive/avocado color scheme, but it really works - and I guess I have a little thing for circles and dots...

I decided against making any of the accompanying houses, or trees, but just to concentrate on this little retro/modern house.

Well... I guess I did try one tree...

I almost like the back better - at least for showing off the quilting.

It isn't quite as cute as the ones I've been drooling over (probably because those people are using paper piecing and/or patterns and I was just winging it). And as much as I like my fabrics, when I do this again I'm going to have to go with something less patterned for the 'sky' pieces. The disconnected way the pattern meets up is a little distracting here. I knew I was taking a chance, as this kind of thing has always bothered me, but I had hoped the finished piece would distract me from it. No such luck. I still like it, but I've learned something for next time. Which is probably the number two reason I make these minis.