Nedra's Modern - Gray is the New Black

I chose to use the "Modern Quilt Movement" as my inspiration for this theme.  When the movement began and quilts in that genre began appearing, I was particularly taken with those that had gray backgrounds with lime green, yellow or orange contrast.  This bright modern look really appealed to me.  I actually began working on a small piece using gray and orange 2 years ago.  

When the theme was announced, I remembered my "modern" UFO but wasn't sure if it really fit the criteria.  I did a little research on modern quilts and found a variety of descriptions.  Thomas Knauer wrote an article in the Oct./Nov. 2014 QNM on How to Design a Modern Quilt which I eagerly read.  He says that all quilt compositions have been done before in some way or another.  Whether repro or modern, they borrow from past traditions.  He instructs one to listen to NPR, read newspapers, watch a documentary, take pictures and pay careful attention to the world around you and make something relevant to what you see or learn. I continued and found another reference that stated that modern quilts have some of these characteristics:

break the rules design and construction
reflect one's own style and personality
asymmetrical
bold and sold colors
use gray as a neutral

simple minimalist design

geometric shapes

My UFO had several of those characteristics (I guess the heart is not a geometric shape but it was not made traditionally).  I liked what I had started, but was never inspired to finish it.  Now I was.

The hearts were cut with a rotary cutter, stitched down and embellished with decorative machine and hand stitching.  The center heart is lightly stuffed.  The background is hand stitched with tapestry yarn in a geometric pattern which contrasts with the heart.  It is wrapped and secured on a 12 X 12 canvas.