Improv Development

Don't think for a minute that I'm not knee-deep in Polaroid blocks! They are neatly filed, just waiting for the last few packages to come in so the swapping can begin in earnest!

While I wait, I thought I'd try and squeeze in some improv, with the goal being a small quilt using the blocks from the improv class I took with Katie Petersen last month.

With my Quilting Modern book open to the "mod TV quilt" for inspiration, I began by taping a grid on the wall in my sewing room. One by one, I hung up the improvisational log cabin blocks I'd made (the smaller three since class), standing back after each to gauge how I liked it. Finally deciding on a basic arrangement I liked, I started piecing them together with Essex linen in Putty.

 It was kind of like doing a puzzle - measure, cut, sew, trim, repeat.

 As I finished each quadrant, I pinned it back up on the wall.

Until I finally had a finished top, measuring about 34"x30". Though not coordinating as well as the front blocks, I repeated the process with the remaining class blocks to make up the backing. I was out of Essex by this time, so I looked in my bin of solids (now neatly sorted and labeled), and chose a new Kona solid, "mushroom". I chose it for three reasons - one, it almost perfectly matched the linen on the front; two, I wanted to see how it played with the Coal in my blocks; and three, because it was a color I hadn't used before. Seriously, this will be a new staple for me. I really like it.

The only real change to the back blocks that I brought home from class was that where I had just a small sample of the "stitch and flip" technique, I added to it to make a wonky star.

So, this quilt is a tad unusual, but serves as a souvenir scrapbook of sorts of improv techniques I've tried and want to keep playing with. (Thanks for the idea, daughter dear!)