Off the Grid ~ Curated Quilts Mini Log Cabin

Off the Grid is my mini log cabin quilt made for the Curated Quilts call for entry into their second issue. Curated Quilts Issue 1 has been printed and shipping has begun.

Not only was coming up with a design a challenge, working within the chosen color palette was a challenge within itself.  The pink at the top is not one I would have normally used and almost left it out of the mini quilt altogether.  In the end, I decided to incorporate it into the binding.

First, finding the right fabrics... Was that dark all gray? Or did it have a hint of navy? I ended up using an unknown cross weave from my stash.  For the background, I would describe it as stone and I used a Moda Bella solid in Zen Grey.

I added two different golds, a Free Spirit Designer solid in Solar and Cotton and Steel print, Cross Dots in yellow.

For the coral, I had a Carolyn Friedlander print from Carkai, Grid Diamond in Creamsicle Metallic.  The fabric name inspired the title of the quilt, Off the Grid.  And I know some people would like to live off the grid in a cabin in the woods.  Not me, I can't be too far from a fabric shop!

Piecing would have gone much faster if I hadn't decided to cut the Carkai Diamond Grid on the bias and match the plaid.  So I was extra careful with the bias edges and starched it well to minimize the stretch.

I pieced the top a little large, about 17" x 17, so I could trim it down to size.  I just took photos with my phone to try to audition the desired size.  I wanted less of the creamsicle grid to show and be more of a rectangle, but my overall size would have been much smaller.

Here you can also see more of the piecing.  I started out with a square center which finished at 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" and from there added various size logs around the center.  I extended some of the logs out into background.

Now on to the quilting... I decided to quilt crossing angles like the gold and charcoal logs.  Maybe you can see what I mean here.

For the thread color, at first I went to the grays on the Aurifil thread chart, but found a new to me color, 6724 Moonshine, and it matched perfectly.  At first I wasn't sure until I stitched it out.

I thought it needed something more and I added more angles using Aurifil 2630 pewter in the 28 wt. for emphasis.  I still used 50 wt. in the bobbin.  Pewter was one of the colors used in Positively Transparent.

I used a Kaffe Fassett print, Aboriginal Dots in Taupe for the backing which matched perfectly with the Bella solid.

For the label, I used my freezer paper method of hand writing the text but added a border using up the bias I had cut from the Carkai print.  As you can see the finished size of Off the Grid is 5 1/2" x 15 1/2".

Update 9/30/17- I was able to stop by my favorite gray wall today for some photos of Off the Grid on the painted brick wall.

So glad I was able to get Off the Grid finished as the deadline to enter is October 1st.  You can see the other entries HERE and on Instagram #curatedquilts.

Linking to Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it Up Friday and Sew Can She for Show Off Saturday .