I just couldn’t stay away.
The round robin format that started last year with our ‘yes, and…’ conversations continues and I am able to share little pieces of my creativity with my sewing friends.
Losing no time in January 2016, I start with MN’s fabulous conversation:
Dear Tula City Sampler 2014,
I know it’s been a while since I pieced any blocks together.
Thought I’d start again…
Let’s start another conversation.
My Modern Quilt Guild also started an Improv Round Robin after Ms Sherry Lynn Wood’s presentation this summer and I signed right up since I’m always happy to play with other quilter’s fabrics.
For my September 2015 start above, I came across the ‘orphan block’ I’d originally made for the St Louis swap last summer, (I ended up making another block for that project) and it was perfect! My fabric pull included similar colors, plus some coral and, after ‘adding some shinies’ to the block, it was good to go. Easy Peasy!
Our Quilty Improv Group explored another chapter in Ms Sherry Lynn Wood‘s new book. This month, the third Score, “Yes, and,” challenges us to an improvisational round robin conversation. The idea is to listen to what is presented (be it starting fabric or patchwork passed), to affirm and then respond in the moment. Well, within 20 minutes, that is.
Centered, ready at our sewing machines with our chosen fabrics, we begin. Truth be told, I pulled my fabrics just minutes before everyone arrived. I did plan my signature as this little tiger print in teal, orange, lime and pink, that I’m using for another BAMalot “yes, and” group. The rest of my fabrics are similar color scraps: pink/orange strips, partial fuchsia blocks and orphan blocks, including my first 2 Tula City Sampler blocks before I changed up my fabric scheme.
Over the past couple months, my Quilty Improv Group has really delved into Ms Sherry Lynn Wood‘s second Score: Strings. Yes, we liked it so much that we decided an ‘encore’ was in order! Our quilt studies include strips of strings, negative space strings, gem-shaped string petals and yes, string triangles. 😉
With Score for Strings, I started with the solids from a baby quilt I made last year and curated fabrics in analogous color schemes: purple/orange, sky blue/yellow and green/brown/navy.
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!”
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!