Modern Mini Challenge Blog Hopper!

Today I am thrilled, and quite frankly rather scared, to be linking up as part of Jennifer's wonderful Modern Mini Challenge Blog Hop.  This is the first time I have taken up an offer to join in a blog hop; there must have been some New Year bravado in the water when I said 'Yes'!  The rest of the bloggers on this tour are so inspirational and talented, I am hoping that some of their magic will rub off on me by association.

Anyhoo, if you have come over from Jennifer's for the first time, or if you are a regular stalwart, 'Hello and Welcome', please be kind.

The mini quilts I have to show you have been inspired by Boo Davis of Quiltsryche.  She's brilliant!

Her 'Two Heads Are Better Than One' pattern was the basis for the mini quilt I made for Sarah.  The pieces are all 1.5" x 2.5", or 1.5" square, and its as much about the counting as the sewing.  I love the simple method and the great effect it produces...

I made another Boo Davis-inspired mini as a Giveaway prize for my owl-loving, pod-casting friend Rhonda.

This has more variation in the piece sizes, but follows the same principle.

My dear friend Cindy also made me this awesome mug rug; again you can see the method in the madness...

If you find comfort in straight lines and love using up tiny scraps, then this style could be one for you. 

Here is a brief overview of the process that anyone, who can cut and sew a straight line, can achieve...

First find an image and then using any photo-manipulator, such as online freebee Picnik (if you are quick), 'pixelate', to get you from...

...to this...

Print out and divide up your picture into the individual pieces you want to cut, working out how many of each size and colour you require, the choice is really yours...

Pull your scraps and then get cutting...

Once all the pieces are laid out, make sure to take lots of photos, as something always happens, especially if you sew on the dining table as I do, where pieces tend to go astray with regularity!  Now if I had the benefit of time and space, I would have pondered over the layout of this one for far longer than I did...

Next, it's helpful to grid out the separate groups of blocks you need to piece; it's at this point you have the last chance to alter any of the layout in order to be able to join everything together easily; I am no friend of the Y-seam.

Then it's onto the sewing.  A 1/4" foot is pretty much essential!  It will come together really quickly, so crank the iron up to hot (press your seams open) and get going...

When selecting my backing for this one, the selvedge was simply SCREAMING to be used; I love it when that happens!

Et voila...

This one turned out a little more abstract than I was hoping, but I really like it!  The twins' reaction, "Oh a beautiful sewing machine mummy!"  My son's, "What is it again?".  You win some, you lose some.

I am in no way an expert and I know my method is a little haphazard, but I hope this at least gives you an insight into another style suited to mini quilt making which you may, or may not, like to try.

Thank you Jennifer for organizing such a fantastic blog hop and awesome competition; I can't wait to get started on my Challenge entry!

And to anyone-else who has made it to the end of this post, thank you so much x