Mystery Quilt Mini and Top Completed

I started with the above fabrics and a FQ pack of white to grey to black fabrics.  I wanted to play with neutrals and shot cottons, far outside my comfort zone.  To put me back in my zone - the background white with black text print.

Working from the mystery quilt created and hosted on facebook by my friend Kristin McCoy she calls XOXO (that you can still play with!)I started the process week by week.

 I was actually surprised at how I liked just doing a small bit at a time, not knowing how it would wind up.  I tried to keep it to pieces I would lay out in a graduated or ombre look.

I loved how these 9 patches looked with the greys!

 Eventually I had all the blocks made and started working with the design wall.  Right away I hated the black.  Its just too distracting.  So FINE!  Out comes the seam ripper and I subbed darker greys for all the black pieces.

 Ahhhh, much better.  At this point I started wondering how I was going to quilt this.  I wanted to use a bright blue - the same shade the shot cottons carry.  But I worried it was a bad choice.  Who would use blue on this color combo?!?!  So, I made a tester - ie mini.

 With 1 inch blocks rather than 2, and all the same fabrics.  once I had my quilt sandwich I quilted in blue in a graduated thread build up.  I love the result!  Blue for quilting it is!

I am also ridiculously happy with the binding I did for the mini - strips of greys that gradually darken with the quilt.

For the full sized top I wanted to make it bed sized, so I added 13 inches top and bottom, and 9 inches to each side.  I deliberately sewed the borders first then added them to the top to make this simple border with movement.  It carries the eye around the quilt.

I found this process and result quite satisfying.  A quilt does not have to be complex or use a lot of fabrics to be lovely.  I like it a lot!

Part of the Q2 finishes with the 2015 Finish Along over at On the Windy Side.