Wisp :: Curves + Improv

One of the best things about quilting is being inspired.  Whether by someone else, a color or feeling.  This quilt was inspired while working on another project.  I could hardly wait to finish the first one so I could try and put my ideas in to fabric.

'WISP'
41" x 41"

First comes the idea, second comes color and third comes a whole lot of head scratching!  I started with a few curvy wisps, and soon had a panel.  Yet, I couldn't stop there and I couldn't know then how any of it would turn out in the end. 



I continued cutting and piecing and piecing and cutting until I ended up with two large panels.  Soon came a couple more smaller panels still with not an inkling of the 'big picture' plan.  It is the way I work.  Planning, with no planning!



There are ideas that hit me out of the blue, like a bolt of lightening.  It takes hold and I can't shake it off.  It leads to some interesting problems at times, but I almost always have to figure it out and try to make it work.

Make an improv circle.  Sounds like fun!  And for the most part it was!  I was not going to be defeated by this even though there was a slight puckering of the center, I knew it would be fine in the end...especially if I quilted the hell out of it!!  I finished the circle by using the Six Minute Circle method. 

Initially, the vibe of the panels reminded me of an 'Under tow', especially after the addition of the center.  Yet the more I looked at it the more it had a light airy feel, more like wisps.  And so it was forever thought of as 'Wisp'!

 

Eventually there comes the part where it all has to go together.  I fiddled, turned and twisted and finally found the layout that I could live with.  I don't know if this is the ideal way to settle on a layout, as it can be very frustrating!  Yet, I continue to play this way.  Figuring out the puzzle is all part of the challenge for me.   



There are more times than not where I am unsure how to quilt a quilt.  And then there are times when you know exactly what you are going to do, like the design is telling you what needs to be done.  I wish that happened all the time!

It was predestined that organic wavy lines would be the quilting design.  How could I argue?!  I used Aurifil Natural White 50wt (2021) for the entire process.  Just as I had hoped, the quilting took care of the center bulge!  Whew! 



The center when finished quilting took on a 'knot hole' look and I was good with that!  There was a little free motion quilting in the center, but the majority of quilting was done with my walking foot.  



With the binding added, washing and drying was going to be the final step.  It had to be washed if only to camouflage the center and let the crinkle of the dryer make it look like it was meant to be from the beginning!



Oh yes...it is the cheese cake shot!  Up close and personal!  



Sometimes I feel like I play too much or I get stuck on a color combination for too many quilts in a row!  The playing part is a must in anyones world, right?!  The old adage 'all work and no play' is very much a real thing.  As for the color combinations...well, it could be the peachy/pinky combination that became a trio of quilts, or this combination where I have another top finished and ready to quilt...sorry guys!  I'd like to say it was the last one, but with my scraps over flowing there may be another on the horizon!  The scraps are out already...

Do you stick to one quilt, one color combination?  I may have to try doing that!

LINKING:

Oh Scrap

Main Crush Monday

Let's Bee Social

Needle & Thread

TGIFF

Finished or Not Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts