Oh Scrappy Day

Though participating in Nicholas/@quiltsfromtheattic's Inspiring Improv Instagram Tour was the impetus for starting this quilt, I had no trouble continuing to work on it, I was having so much fun. Creating scrappy slabs has long been a favorite of mine, and as Nicholas says in his new book, Inspiring Improv, "The slab technique is great for using what you have.'

The 'fabric pull' from the scrap basket - blue, gray, tan, and gray, with some low-volume prints and a mix of substrates - is one I'm drawn to time and again. Add in some black and white stripes, and I'm a very happy camper. I had quite a bit of that Carolyn Friedlander Doe grid that I'd trimmed off a quilt back, and it was perfect for both piecing into the quilt as well as a 'border' of sorts.

Let's say I didn't do much planning for the end result here, I just enjoyed the process and let it lead me along. For backing, I chose a length from stash, and then accented it with a strip of improv slab-work to echo the front. This was actually a fun backing to make, and considering the quilt is only 33" x 43", it didn't take elaborate piecing to cover the width, which is always a treat.

When it came time for quilting, I used Aurifil 40wt 2024 [white] to quilt a "Starcrossed" design from Jacquie Gering's book, Walk. Though it provided a less dense effect than I usually quilt, I do really like it, and it was a good challenge while still being enjoyable. For the record, I used a 3" wide ruler to hera-mark my grid lines, and then used a FriXion pen to mark the dots as a sewing guide. That all worked really well.

I used more of the Doe for binding, adding in some special 'matched' bits where the slab piecing ran off the edges of the quilt. I love how the simple grid design is mismatched.

If you weren't able to follow along with the Inspiring Improv Instagram Tour, do consider checking out the #inspiringimprov hashtag, or check back to my first tour post where I listed the participants and linked to their projects. I know you'll be glad you did.