Ultraviolet Lightning

Well, yesterday was a Good day friends!

Had a fun group of elementary students in for a tour at work, managed a 10 mile bike ride on the greenway trail, stopped for frozen yogurt on the way home because it feels like summer, the Capitals won their first game against Tampa & I made the mini quilt I'm sharing today! So. Good.

Each year when the Pantone Quilt Challenge has been announced, I start thinking how much I wish I had a good idea or plan to make something to enter. I did manage a quilt top for the Marsala challenge (read more about that here), but was excited about the color for this year: Ultraviolet.

It brings to mind black lights & crime shows & light spectrums, but nothing that prompted a quilt design in my brain. Until last night. Seriously - last night, as in the final hours for the challenge. There's nothing like last minute ideas & the threat of a deadline, am I right?!

In anticipation of the Eastern Conference Finals hockey game >Go CAPS!< it finally hit me - a lightning strike! Seeing as it was the Tampa Bay Lightning of course. I searched some storm photos on Google for inspiration, dug through my purple drawer of fabrics and started cutting. It was fun to work fast on this one - it meant I had little time to agonize over the fabrics or my freehand cloud-making skills.

I call it: Lightning Crashes

I free-cut & pieced the background and the clouds and main lightning bolt are fused, raw edge applique. I used my walking foot to make it rain during this storm, then switched to free motion quilting for the rest. Some field-like texture in the black, outlines in the clouds for added stability, swirling clouds at the very top and then outlining the bolt and adding in more lightning tendrils. I used coordinating Aurifil threads #1240, 2535, 2692 & 3840- a variegated purple.

Again, I matched the binding on this mini - that's been a trend for several of my recent minis - which was done fast as the deadline loomed.  I managed some quick photos and posted to Instagram (go follow me there!) so I could link up at No Hats In The House with 10 minutes to spare. whew! It measures 19" x 16.5" and all I need to add is a sleeve so I can hang it up on my wall. 

Certainly a fun challenge and a fast finish for me this week - all told I think this took 4 hours.  I do love it & am happy with how it turned out to be the exclamation point on a Good day!  Linking up with CrazyMomQuilts for Finish It Up Friday as well.

Darth

Happy Star Wars Day rebels! Seeing as I had to work today I couldn't be too obvious about it being May the Fourth - so I wore appropriate accessories instead. 

I was happy to hear a couple months ago that @justjoshinkids was hosting a third round of the mini quilt swap for Star Wars this year and I had to sign-up!  Couldn't miss this round after having such fun and seeing so many awesome quilts in the last two versions! Check it out on instagram for more: #maythe4thmqs3

My partner was a fan of Darth Vader and paper piecing so I was happy to find this sweet pattern on Fandom In Stitches. I wanted to make it fun and decided to make him in color for a little pizazz. It came together quickly and was fun to quilt the mask to be most impressive. Even managed to stitch in my bumblebee so he blends in on the front, but is visible on the back!

I also used @quietplay patterns for these coasters. Really thought the tiny pieces would be super tricky, but they were easy to work with and they were quick to piece & quilt. Always a plus with paper piecing! 

My partner loved the quilt and I'm glad it has a happy home!

Here's what I received in the swap - my very own Ewok! A stuffed one and a quilted one.  :)  I love it & can't wait to get it onto my mini quilt wall!  Linking up with CrazyMomQuilts for Finish It Up Friday. Also at Finished or Not Friday.

Hope you enjoyed your day rebels & watch out for tomorrow -> Revenge of the Fifth!