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Wednesday, April 18, 2018

All In

As I was planning for the Everyday Improv workshop I'll be teaching with McKinney MQG in a couple of weeks, I was listing all the improv techniques I wanted to share with them, and decided it might be fun to have a sample quilt using all of them. Crazy, no? Probably. Most definitely. But that's how All In came to be.



I chose some solids that I thought would be fun to work with, and they definitely were - Kona Bright Peri, Tiger Lily, Pickle, and Lipstick. I cut and pieced, adding segments to the design wall as I finished them, not really knowing where I was headed. Gotta say I love designing that way.



Of course things get rearranged as more is added, and eventually some trimming and make-to-fit is in order.



And as some point, you just start sewing parts together and figuring it out as you go. When playing with these techniques, I find I usually just squish things together - ie. go very maximalist and dense. One of these days I might think about giving these shapes some room to breathe. Another time!



For quilting I used Aurifil 50wt #2250 [Red], at first because that was the only coordinating thread I had, but the more I quilted, the more I loved the choice, and eventually that red component ended up following into the binding. About the quilting though.... I used the section of dots as a guide to start an organic grid - straight lines, though angled as needed to avoid quilting over a dot - and then just carried it out from there in both directions, approximately 1 1/2" apart. That's less compact than my usual, but I think it really suits this quilt. Maybe that's where I let it breathe a little.



Just for fun, I added in a little pieced scrap into the binding.



And then I chose just one more technique of sorts for the backing - drawing from a traditional block, the Improv Quarter Log Cabin.



Sooo.... there are 15 improvisational techniques pieced into this smallish 32.5" x 34" quilt. Hopefully my students will have as much fun playing with them as I did.


19 comments:

  1. This student can’t wait to dive in!

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  2. The triangel to the right, is there å tutorial somewhere? I en by your students! You are of great inspiration to me!

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  3. What a great teaching piece - showcases lots of techniques and has a beautiful end result! Bravo!

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  4. Oh how I wish I was one of your students! Love the colors in this quilt, the way they just really pop. It's a very happy quilt, and should make for a fun, happy class!

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  5. Super fun exciting and bold. Love the back too!

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  6. It's really fun! I too would love to be in that class.

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  7. Just beginning my adventure into improv quilting. I have a friend who is an abstract artist, and we are wanting to do a collaboration. I'm thinking an improve quilted piece for me, and she can paint a piece. It would be my first improv, so we'll see how it works out.

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  8. I love this one! So energizing and fun to look at!

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  9. I hope the class fills up and is a lot of fun for the students and teacher. :)

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  10. I love this quilt, especially the improv circle in the upper left hand corner of the quilt. The colors are so bright and happy and the house is the perfect backdrop for the design.

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  11. Yes I would luv to be one of ur students! Brilliant teaching sample!

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  12. This will be a fun workshop ! I love your bright and bold colour choice for this sample. And the back is perfect ! It makes me want to start a new improv project ...

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  13. OMG, I love it. Wish i lived in the area to take this class. it just brightens my gloomy sunless days here in western NY.

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  14. This is so perfect! I cannot believe you got all the techniques in one beauty...then again...yes I can believe it! You are amazing!

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  15. Super colors and design.
    Congratulations, I'm sure it'll be fun.
    You're a good instructor.

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  16. Gorgeous ! Your students are lucky , I would love to be in your class

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  17. What a perfect quilt for the demonstration. Lovely as usual! Have fun with your class xo

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  18. This is such a fun quilt. And I love the scrappy bits in the binding! Have fun with the class!

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