Last month, I pieced four blocks during the quilty retreat and thought I’d just whip together a quick Carpenters Wheel for the other side. I really like my reversible quilts and thought to ‘pillow-top’ and finish it up within the week.
What happened instead…
Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been honing my ‘Modern Improv’ techniques on some exciting quilt projects. You may recall, several Cheryl Arkison workshops, which were crazy fast-paced fun. Then, the more relaxed session with Tina Michalik, who taught an easily scalable Improv block and quilt design. Now with my mindset primed, I recently began another ‘Improv Journey’ that will undoubtedly keep me busy well into the next year and beyond!
Improvisational Quilting isn’t new by any stretch of the imagination. Quilts have been sewn without patterns from clothing scraps and remnants for many years. However, Ms Sherri Lynn Wood recently published a book directing modern quilters to consider sewing quilts using ‘scores’ and parameters instead of patterns and rulers.
Working without a set pattern makes me particularly giddy after focusing on my traditional Shaded 4-Patch and Carpenters Wheel projects in previous years. My life has been a blur of HSTs (half square triangles) for SO long!
Has life become a mad rush of family constraints, work commitments, house construction and social engagements?
Time to rejuvenate yourself with a creative get-away!
There’s a certain freedom that comes to mind when I think of 3-4 days of simply creating art in the midst of like-minded individuals. My only focus is on fabric, sketchbook ideas and a design wall, with someone else providing tasty meals, bonus points for contemplative surroundings and a puzzle-solving hike or two. Such was a recent Quilty retreat experience.
Although I brought several ‘projects in progress’ (PIPs) so I wouldn’t get stuck, I spent a bit of time on ‘philly’ sewing (for charity/philanthropy) and the 4 planned Improv exercises. Sometimes that happens when you ‘take a chance on Improv.’ 😉
With much excitement, I signed up for Tina’s Fabulous Improv Workshop two months ago.
Now, after my sweet kitty lost his battle with intestinal lymphoma just a few short days ago, I feel lost myself. I’m certainly in no shape to face the world, even full of dear Quilty friends.
But as Miss Molly would say, “I paid my money and I’m gonna finish this race!”
Found crawling across the sidewalk of a Denny’s in King City when he was days old, this little ‘bitey-scratchy-bouncy-off-walls kitty’ so endeared himself to us over the years while driving us crazy!
Grateful for the time he spent as part of our family eating blueberries & peas, spinning on chairs & opening sliding glass doors, grooming & keeping Shiitake company, being my shoulder cat & quilt weight…
At the beginning of the year, I had the awesome privilege to expand my Modern Quilt-making chops through an Improv workshop series on CreativeLive with Cheryl Arkison. Working creatively with value/volume choices, improv piecing techniques and design intention, the four of us in the workshop feverishly sewed through two days and four intense and fun sessions.
In all honesty, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, however, my friend, N and I jumped at the chance to shake things up. And we were not disappointed!
GG Quilty block party 2014-
To call this block project challenging is an understatement.
4…
We started last spring (2014) and I worked diligently on my first block, any flower of my choice for S, over the summer. I assembled the flower, but did not finish it until June 2015 as the quilting and leaf had me stumped…
{insert picture here}
March is always a good month to learn new techniques.
That said, I jumped into an intriguing workshop today: Paperless paper-piecing with Cristy Fincher. (more about Cristy here) We used her Folded block template.
There are some super fun ways to piece fabric and Cristy’s glue-basting technique is quite ingenious. I don’t tend to like pins, so this was especially perfect for me. (Look: no-pin sewing!)
Over the past few weeks, I have attempted to finish a few WIPs and make room for new projects. I got sidetracked with a design decision on one and waiting for backing fabric for another. However, three’s a charm!
Worked in ferocious bursts of productivity, my Happiness Rocks quilt is finished and ready for the biennial show next weekend. Yay!
After years of focusing on the same quilt, I’m happy to say that there are already 8 projects on my WIP list for 2015, including a sampler. Hmm… It’s a good thing that the annual Spring retreat is this month. I could use some time to focus on sewing.
Saturday morning, N and I made progress on our Improv Charity Blocks from Cheryl Arkison’s workshops. 
There are now twelve 15″ blocks total: her 3, my 3, Cheryl’s 3 and the 3 we just made. I sewed the top together and next we will look for red backing fabrics.
Top finished. Check!