Vista Toscana

It was oh so timely that I happened to cut into the Tuscany View fat-quarter bundle I'd purchased from Fabric Bubb when I did. Because one year ago last week we were in Tuscany, Reggello in fact, in the Tuscan countryside. Though we were fortunate to take a daytrip to Florence, Tuscany's capital, it was in Reggello itself the we experienced THE most breathtaking sunset. And it was that sunset that came to mind when I purchased the fabric.

The colors, all Cotton Couture from Michael Miller, weren't exact, but were reminiscent enough. 

I separated the fabrics in 5 groupings, each with 2-3 key fabrics. And from there I started piecing blocks of improv curves. For most of the sections, I pieced slabs that were 18-22" x 13-14" and then used my 6" square ruler to cut out six blocks. Now and then I made one or two blocks at a time, or inserted another piece into one of the 'slab' blocks.... whatever felt good at the time.

As I worked from one color grouping to the next, I intentionally used some overlap with the colors to create some interrelatedness, just like in nature. I briefly considered rearranging the blocks from the arrangement I'd fashioned on my design wall, but after plenty of affirmation on my progress post, I decided to continue on with what was originally in my mind's eye. 

Wanting to save what little fabric I had left for (hopefully) binding, I found a stash fabric just the right size, and though the palette wasn't spot on, its design definitely was, for the quilting I had planned. 

For quilting, organic straight-line [link to tutorial] felt the obvious choice. Though my original plan involved just three threads, basically one for the top, middle, and bottom sections of the quilt, once I got going I switched it up, and used quite the variety - nine in total. I used two or three for each of the five sections. 

Gotta say, this kind of quilting is something I really enjoy. Between the variety of thread, the improv stitching, and the smallness of the quilt (28" x 34"), it was alot of fun.

And then, of course, for the binding, another obvious choice - some straight matched binding [link to tutorial]. I had a limited supply of the fabrics left, so I kind of used what I had to create a combination I enjoyed.

Considering I purchased this fabric purely on a whim due to the bundle's name, I'm super pleased with the final result.

And boy did it evoke some extraordinary Tuscan memories.

Linking up with Meadow Mist Designs' Favorite Finish Linky!

confluence

Well that was fun! When Curated Quilts announced January 2 as the deadline for their next Mini Quilt challenge, I knew it would be tight. I mean with my frenetic holiday sewing and the actual holiday activities and all, I got a really late start. But that's the great thing about mini quilts.... just a few hours does the trick.

The theme was Curves, and the color palette white, spring green, moss green, burgundy, fuchsia and teal. It had been a while since playing with improv wavy curves, and they were calling me, so that's the direction I headed.

When it came time for quilting, I was in a real quandary about what color of thread to use and finally opted for Aurifil Monofilament, which I'd used with success earlier in the year. At first, I was regretting my decision, not really liking the look. But the farther and denser I quilted, the more I liked it, and crazy enough, it kind of sparkles in the light. My only real frustration was that almost every time I used my automatic thread cutter and lifted the presser foot, the filament unthreaded from the needle! With my old eyes, this isn't at all helpful! I finally got into the routine of grabbing the top thread immediately after cutting, before lifting the pressure foot, and that little trick saved the day.

It's not an exaggeration to say that this little bit of sewing over the weekend was seriously refreshing, and a great way to close out the year. A faced binding seemed a good finish for it, and in the end, my entry, confluence, measures just over 12" square.

Remembering that my smallest quilt of the year will be hanging at QuiltCon, I just want to remind you that everything we make doesn't have to be huge. In fact, making small - impulsive yet focused - can be really, really good.

Maximalist Circle-Inspired Improv

Wow. That post title is a mouthful, isn't it? But it's exactly what Leanne/she can quilt asked for this month in Bee Sewcial. The guidelines were very loose, which is pretty typical for this bee. The one requirement was the maximalist use of color.

I started in with a vague notion of where I was headed, which never really means much when it comes to improv. It started with a circle, and a quarter-circle, where I added layer upon layer, totally mixing up those brilliant colors.

Eventually, it was time to try the big experiment - inserting the quarter-circle into the whole. Oh so carefully, I hera-marked, rotary-cut, pinned, stitched, and pressed. Whew. 

I did need to even out the 'circle' a bit by adding another layer or two. Finishing with a diameter of about 20", I'm thinking it'll pass the 'approximately 12.5"x24.5" but not necessarily a rectangle' block requirement.

Meanwhile, folks on Instagram are clamoring for a tutorial of sorts for the layered circle technique, so I'll work on that, so stay tuned.

Slab Three :: Gentle Curves

For some reason, even though I was looking forward to tackling this month's #seaSLABbom
assignment, I wasn't really happy with what I was coming up with once I got started. The topic was gentle curves, and though I had done my fair share, they just weren't speaking to me. [In case you're new to improv curves, our BOM leader, Matt, suggests this tutorial by Anne/Play Crafts on Lily’s Quilts.] 

Finally, I cut into it, rearranged everything, and liked it a little better. Though now that I've posted this, I'm inclined to go at that right side with my rotary cutter, but we'll see. As it is, my piece is just 21"x25", a tad smaller than suggested, but I think there will be plenty of room for tweaking when it's time to put the blocks together later in the year.

Meanwhile, the block was a welcome addition to my improv strings and triangles blocks, and three months in, these colors are still making me verrrry happy.

Linking up with Ad Hoc Improv Quilters.