Modern Batik Challenge with Island Batik

New month, new theme.

I do love the monthly challenges, that "Island Batik" puts the ambassadors up to. 

They are always different and make us all work outside our comfort zone,

from time to time.

"Modern" challenges, for me are the toughest of all.

The requirements were clear.

Our projects must include one of the following characteristics:

                             1. The use of bold colors

                             2. High contrast and graphic areas of solid color

                             3. Improvisational piecing

                             4. Minimalism

                             5.  Expansive negative space

                             6. Alternate grid work

Whew, that's a tall order for this applique junkie and a traditional piecing quilter. What to do? What to do? 

When in doubt, "Google" it, or check out "Pinterest", right?

Google images, won out this year.

Cherry-O

What better name for this bright and cherry...I mean cheery piece.

Best yet, I'm pretty sure it includes at least a couple of the requirements.

Giving credit where credit is due. When I found this image on "Google"

it was from a "Craftsy" class called 

"Contemporary Quilting" 5 Tips for using negative space"

The particular photo was uploaded from member "PaWo".

You can check this and many others out right

HERE

I even tried to incorporate some of "PaWo's" incredible quilting into my piece. I've got a long way to go, but it was nice to break out of my "box", all the way around. 

I used 2 extra layers of wool batting under the "piano keys", 

as I like to think of them.

This gave it some fabulous dimension, but with the good, comes the bad.

Hind sight, is always 20/20.

With that great texture comes shrinking. 

It must be that science thing...what goes up, shrinks up!

It took a lot of stream and blocking to get this guy to lay flat and almost square. Who knew? Oh... that would be me now!

LOL!!

I must admit that before I pressed it there was a certain "wavy look" that was really fun and funky...

I know, the quilt police would have a hay  day picking that apart! And I'm guessing that if I took the class at "Craftsy", I might have learned that!

:-)

Regardless, it stretched my imagination, and allowed for practicing new quilting techniques, all while getting to work with the best fabric around.

Thanks to "Island Batik" 

Til next time...

Stretch your imagination and...

Keep on Stitchin'