As a member of the Modern Quilt Guild, I have the option of participating in various events they organize, including conferences, webinars and challenges.  I found out about the Riley Blake Fabric Challenge through my local guild, the Boise Modern Quilt Guild.  Here’s my entry.  It’s a mini quilt, measuring 22 inches square.

I signed up for the challenge and received a fat eighth of six prints from The Cottage Garden fabric collection by Amanda Herring.  The challenge rules were:

• Make something fantastic that is quilted.
• Make something you’ve never done before.
• Learn something new.
• Use only Riley Blake Cottage Garden fabrics and coordinating Riley Blake basics and solids.

MQG MEMBERS! Check your email for the @rileyblakedesigns #mqgfabricchallege! Space is limited sign up now!

A photo posted by The MQG (@themqg) on Jan 20, 2015 at 8:03am PST

I decided that my “learning something new” was going to be designing an original paper pieced pattern.  From my lips!  I smooched all over a white piece of paper until I found a shape I liked.  It was all quite silly, but fun.  Then I digitized it using Picasa software, adding a pixelated effect.  Using TouchDraw, I drew lines on top of the image, then I sent it off to my bud Lindsie to make paper piecing patterns for me.  She’s awesome.

I paper pieced each square in the grid, assembled into rows, removed the paper, then stitched the rows together.  Easy peasy.

I used 3 dark prints for the texture of the lips, 3 light solid shades for the pixelated background, and a vintage white solid.  I quilted the layers using simple straight lines.

The quilt is made entirely from 2.5″ cuts.  The back is improv, using leftover fabric from the front.

To see all the challenge entries, check out #mqgfabricchallenge on Instagram.