Sugar Rush - MQG Mini Quilt Swap at QuiltCon 2020

As the mini quilt swap by the Modern Quilt Guild was announced I signed up immidiately. Since I was going to attend QuiltCon in Austin, Texas I was looking forward to exchanging mini quilts with my swap partner in person.

And this is such a great experience! It's my second time taking part in the swap and I really love it.

So this is us, Audrey and me with big smiles on our faces. Audrey made me this awesome 'Indigo Radial' mini quilt with her stunning design. I absolutely love it! It's hanging in my studio now. The pattern is available from her website, go check it out!

Just like my first swap in 2018, the moment my exchange partner was announced I was in a state of total excitement and panic, all at the same time. I mean, I would get a mini quilt from Audrey Esarey of Cotton and Bourbon, how cool is that!!!! But in return that means, I would have to make her one too. And that's where I probably put too much pressure on myself.

Audrey loved the colours in my log cabin quilt, 'The Blue One' and asked that I make her a mini quilt in these colours.

And she wanted something Improv. Ok, I started to make one quilt top and didn't like it. I started another one and that was worse. The mini quilt Audrey received was actually the third attempt.

This mini quilt taught me so much. It taught me to TRUST. THE. PROCESS. I've read this quote so many times but it's hard to get out of this stage of feeling failure, feeling of too much pressure and not having fun at all.

Improv is challenging. And every now and then it gets overwhelming. I finally was able to let loose and play. And, oh, I was having so much fun!

Everything fits together, the colours, the shapes, the straight line quilting. I was amazed by the fact that there are two quilts, that are made from the exact same colours but yet look so different. I called the new mini quilt 'Sugar Rush'.

The best part was that Audrey really liked the quilt! We had so much fun during the quilt exchange and over the course of the four days of QuiltCon. #makeaminimakeafriend - so true!

This is my favourite photo ever!

And by the way, the first mini quilt attempt didn't turn out that bad in the end, in fact I really like it. I actually brought that one with me for Audrey to have her pick, but she went for Sugar Rush, my first choice for her.

Having Audrey's Indigo Radial quilt in my studio and seeing it every day makes me very happy! And it reminds me of days where we were able to travel and to hug people. Even though QuiltCon is only 5 weeks ago, the world has changed dramatically since then due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The quilt also gives me hope that there will be days where all of this will be possible again.

For all German speaking Readers: there's a new Link Up around! Check this out!