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Monday, January 22, 2018

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:
TGIFF

32 comments:

  1. Wow, this is stunning. My favorite colors with amazing quilting.

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  2. Very cool, I wish I could jump inside your brain for just a day, LOL.

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  3. l love this! It is light, and refreshing. So pretty and clean looking. I wish I could make something like this to put up in my space to enjoy. You are so talented!!

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    1. I really enjoyed making this quilt, but mostly I love how it turned out! Things could have gone terrible wrong without a plan!

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  4. What a creative 2018 you are having! Great quilt and thanks for sharing your process.

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  5. This is a show stopper. I love it.

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  6. stunning! and I love hearing about your process. I love to play play play too, and rather than colors I will get stuck on a certain element... last year it was dresdens. can't wait to see what you come up with next!

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  7. I loved watching you play and explore as you made Wisp. I try to change up my colors, but you know that I tend to gravitate back to blue rather frequently, haha. :)

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  8. This is beautiful, Jayne. I love the movement created by the quilting lines following the circle in the middle -- it seems to be "swirling". :-)

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    1. I love the description you used for the center! I’m very pleased with how this quilt came together and it has given me so many ideas for future quilts!

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  9. Very nice! I love what the quilting adds to an already brilliant design.

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  10. Another really cool piece, Jayne! The improv circle fascinates me. Perhaps you'll do a tutorial on that someday :)

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    1. I was thrilled to get back to improv designing again! I’d love to do a tutorial on the circle, but I better try it a few times more! My problem is I just go without too much thought! But yes, I’ll see if I can put something together in the near future! Thank you for asking!

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  12. Love your Wisps! Would love to see a tutorial on how you make them so skinny!

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    1. It was so much fun playing again!! I’ll see if I can work out a tutorial on these skinny curves. It’s a lot of trial and error, but if you know the basics…there’s no stopping you!

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  13. Beautiful! I was a newbie that attended the guild meeting on Saturday. Thank you for bringing this to share.

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  14. Wow. You never cease to amaze me. You did a great job on this.

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  15. This is fabulous, Jayne! I am so impressed by the centre circle. The quilting is gorgeous! Keep on playing :)

    -Soma

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  16. Jayne, this is beautiful! I scratch my head going how did you do that?? The center circle is so cool!

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  17. I love the wisps and especially that knothole! All your quilty play so far this year has been a joy to watch!

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  18. Stunning! And thank you for sharing your thought process.

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  19. Wow this is gorgeous! Love all the little wisps and the circle and the beautiful colors!

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  20. Stunning work! Love your circle.

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  21. Oh wow Jayne, this is where those waves lead you, this is a fantastic piece, I so love and admire your working process, I hope you have a wall to hang this is be admired by all!

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  22. Beautiful! I love the link to the six minute circle but am confused about how you did yours.

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  23. How in the &*%$ did I miss this one? Well, thanks to Kelly, I did not. Oh Jayne, you do such exquisite work - ALL THE TIME!!! You know they say that most art is derivative. But your work is fresh. It does not remind me of anyone else. In a world of copycats - you are an original!!!

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  24. LOVE your quilt!! I need to figure out how to do improv curves...I love them. Amazing quilt and skill!!!

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  25. This is gorgeous and in all my favorite colors. The whimsy of the design makes it feel gentle yet strong and alive. Please do make tutorials of the two techniques. I have to make one.

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  26. One of my favorite quilts of all time! Love, love, love everything about it!!

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