Replicating Improv

This was a lesson I needed to learn!  Replicating improv is no easy feat no matter how small or seemingly simple it appears!

I have been itching to do more improv for the past year.  With several larger projects finally finished and quilted (I'll share soon!), and a couple smaller ones for good measure what was one more to fit into the mix?!

When I was contacted through my Etsy Shop and asked if I could make a smaller version of a wall hanging I have listed, I decided it was a challenge I had to try.  Keep in mind the wall hanging was already pretty small at 10 1/4" square, but the request was for a smaller size measuring 6" square.  

6" x 6"

What I learned was you should never try to replicate an improv quilt!  For me, half the fun of improv is seeing where it takes me.  It's a feeling, a mood, a mindset that takes me on a journey.  I don't always know where it'll end up, but it's an adventure and I always love seeing the grand finale!

Inspiration plays a big role in improv.  Whether from your own idea or when you see someone else's.  It motivates me.  

All that being said, I finished that little mini quilt and I have to say it ended up being pretty close to the original.  As close as you can get with improv.  My customer wanted all the elements included and she got just that.  In the end, she was very happy and loved how it turned out!  Mission accomplished!

10 ¼" x 10 ¼"

This photo is the original quilt 'Don't Stop Me Now'.  I made it for the Black & White Mini Quilt Challenge by Curated Quilts last year.  It had all the elements I love...curves, triangles and I do love black and white!     

Like the original, I quilted this one with a lot of matchstick quilting.  I mean...a lot!  Hard to believe you can fit so much into a small mini!

The back always represents!  You can see the white thread detail much easier.  The black thread is a bit more difficult to see but I promise it's there!

It was a fun diversion, even though I ended up reaffirming my suspicion that I really am a bit crazy mad!  

Remember Jayne...Inspiration from Improv is the best approach!  Dare I say lesson learned?!  One never knows!

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Simply Complex :: Life's Illusions

Ideas come and go.  Some are simple, some complex, some don't quite live up to what we visualize in our minds.  And then there are those that far exceed our imagination.  In the case of this quilt, it's Simply Complex:  a simple design that appears to be complex.  

SIMPLY COMPLEX
39" x 38 1/2"

I started with scraps from a previous quilt and it soon took on the snowball effect.  A small insignificant idea or block that builds upon itself, growing bigger and bigger until either the idea has become clear and/or you have a quilt!  

This is the way I work.  The sweet spot of creativity, the mind of madness, feeding my artistic appetite, and many times the snowball effect.

Optical illusions have been around forever.  I love how they mess with our brain!  Creating perception that differs from reality.  I'm not going to pretend that my quilt is a mind altering illusion.  It has a bit of that which is way more than I ever expected it to have. 

And here I am again over analyzing a quilt of mine.  Which in reality, was nothing more than the desire to use scraps in some way or another.



The humble beginning started with a checker board.  The 1/2" stripes were cut in strips and sewn together creating 1/4" to 1 1/2" squares and rectangles.

Fabric used in this quilt is Kona Black and Kona Dove.  The gray is very light and from a distance it reads white.  I like that it isn't bright and glaring like whites can be.



Initially I was going to insert the checker board into a solid background, but my imagination got the best of me and I decided to try something different.  

Again with the Six-Minute Circle method!   I can't help it, it works for me!



It's a bit trickier inserting a circle with so many seams.  Not impossible, you just need to take it slow and steady.  



With one circle finished and liking what I saw, I made another, and another and one more for good measure.  The circles are 4 3/4", 6 1/4" and 8".  Four is enough.  Full disclosure:  I had to make more stripe fabric in order to make all the circles. 

Once I settled on the checkered background for the inset circles, it was pretty much a given as to how the rest of the background would end up.  I could have easily made the circles be the focus in the center and added black or gray around it, but I had to go with my gut.  And my gut said checker board.  

The more I thought about the background the more I wanted to add a twist to it.  Something a little different that might add a bit more interest.  That's when I decided to make the squares different widths.  Each square/rectangle is the same height at 4 1/4" finished, but the width varies from 4 1/2" to 1" finished.  I began cutting and building and adding and thinking...and somehow I ended up with this.    

During the entire process I had no idea how it would turn out.  Who would have thought by adding smaller and smaller widths of fabric that it would create the illusion that the side of a quilt is curled?!  At least that's what it looks like to me!  I couldn't have been more surprised or pleased with the results.

Quilting black and gray (or white) quilts always makes me nervous.  Do you use black thread or white thread all over?  I was worried if I use just one thread color that it would obstruct the visual impact of the design.  I decided I would alternate using Aurifil 50wt thread Black and Dove in each square.  



The back is the easiest and best way to show the quilting.  My decision to quilt vertical lines around the focal point was an easy one, but it wasn't quite as simple as it appears.  The plan was to make 1/2" lines throughout keeping it as simple as I could.  Yet, working 1/2" evenly across one block let alone all blocks proved to be hopeless.  All blocks are not created equal and it soon became evident that spacing would depend on each vertical row.

I worked up and down a couple rows at a time trying to evenly make my lines.  In the end they varied from 5/8" to 1/8" give or take a frog hair here and there.  

The center has the lines going horizontal at about 3/8" apart.  And lastly the circles.  The best idea I had for those were random vertical lines stitched in the ditch.  



I don't believe it would have turned out to be what I call a success with out a faced binding.  The quilt needed to have the design to go from edge to edge.  

I use this tutorial and highly recommend it: 
Knife Edge Binding by Bloomin' Workshop.



Usually by the end of a quilt I think of things I could have, should have or wish I had done differently.  This would be no exception!  I wish I had made both sides like the right side for the 'curl' effect.  That's about all I would have done different.  There could be another version, one never knows.  For now I'm good!

I'd just like to say thank you for letting me ramble as I do in most of my posts.  I might not be the best at writing, punctuation or explaining things...I just plain and simply love blogging!

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Look Into My Eyes :: Hypnotize

Look into my eyes, you are getting sleepy...

I'm thinking Hypnotize might be a good name for this quilt, it seems so obvious!  One  definition of hypnotize is:  capture the whole attention of someone; fascinate.   

I can not get enough of my 'textured twists' these days!  The idea of a black and white quilt with twists had been brewing for a while in the back of my mind.  I wondered and experimented for a couple weeks before settling on this design.  The hardest part was getting the perfect half circles.  Persistence!

HYPNOTIZED
34" x 37"

I've made textured twists in panels, squares, curvy curves.  What else could I do?  Half circles seemed like the next logical shape to tackle.   



The trick was getting the curve just right.  There needed to be enough space at the top and bottom so that the twists didn't get lost in the seam, and with the bulk of the seams with the twist there had to be enough space on the sides...but not too much...just exactly enough! 

Trial and error played a big part in mastering the half circle block.  I made long panels that I cut the curves from using a cardboard template.  It made the cutting process go a little bit faster and while each block isn't exactly the same, they are about as exact as they could get.  What's that saying?  Done is better than perfect?!



The next step was the layout.  I had an idea on the layout before I started, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't change it along the way at least once.  My husband played a part in the final design and I'm thankful for his input.  But wouldn't you know after the first couple of rows were together he comes to me with a different idea!  He must know by now that once I get an idea in my head I'm not going to stop until it's finished! 

6 3/4" x 5"
Finished Block

I knew I could easily become confused on which side was up and which was down with the twists, and it really does make a difference in the overall effect especially with it being in black and white.  So I pressed all the blocks with the twists pressed in the right direction before sewing the outside on the half circle.  



I was shocked to see how much black dust came from the fabric after each sewing session.  I fine layer was all over my sewing space and I was compelled to clean each time I finished for the day.  I used Kona White and Black for this quilt.  If you have use a black other than Kona, I'd be interested to know if it does the same thing.



The quilting was intentionally kept simple.  Straight lines between each twist and 1/4" curved lines around each half circle.  In black thread of course!  Even though it's just black and white, there is plenty going on without overwhelming it with quilting detail.  



One other thing about this quilt, the visual effect is all in the pressing of the twists.  I wanted to get photos taken so I haphazardly pressed the blocks.  Now that I look at, I'm not sure I like the angles of the pressing.  I can easily change that with a hot iron!  What other block can you change the look of by pressing it differently?!  I'm not sure there is one!

You know cutting curves leaves you with a lot of scraps, so don't be surprised if you see another black and white combination one day soon!

My second entry for the Blogger's Quilt Festival hosted by Amy at Amy's Creative Side.  If your looking for inspiration or new blogs to follow, you will certainly find it here!

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Graphic In Nature

Do you ever wonder where the time goes?  Either it flies by or drags along.  Summertime has a way of blurring time and making the days all run together!  

I finished this quilt top three weeks ago, but it seems much longer.   Graphic Nature (AKA: Graphic Second Chance Quilt) was put aside waiting for me to find the gumption to finalize the quilting design. 

Graphic In Nature
39 1/2" x 52 1/2"

The graphic design still makes me happy.  A little color, black, white, along with the crisp clean layout is a pleasing aesthetic to me. 

I struggle on quilting this.  I asked myself over and over 'how, what and why' over and over, never really getting a good answer.  One idea was to stitch in the ditch around the blocks, I did.  I tiny bit of free motion quilting inside the blank squares, done.  Three fourths of the quilt has random width of horizontal lines, the last quarter is vertical lines much like a column chart.  

I haven't played with a backing for a while, so this one got the VIP treatment.  Use some fabric, use some scraps and 'make it work'!  I must have turned a corner!  I was ripping fabric left and right without a care in the world, not my normal practice!

The top color is Kona Ice Frappe, the middle Kona Sour Apple and the bottom is New Spray Green.  Another win win on the row of blocks on the back!  I've had that text print squirreled away waiting for the right project, this was it!

  

The black binding surprised me!  I like how it frames the backing, but love how it blends in with some of the blocks on the front.  You'd almost think I planned that, which I didn't!

The new bundle of joy!  

You know the feeling I'm talking about!  Finished, washed and folded...and done!

Truth is I'm not blown away with the quilting I did on this one.  Apparently on the day of quilting, my mojo took the day off!  I can beat myself up or I can try harder on the next one! Have you ever felt like that?  

I was disappointed in myself for a while, but it didn't last long this time...highly unusual! 

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Graphic Second Chance Quilt

Something got in to me!  I thought it would be easy to take a stack of blocks from a previous quilt, blocks that I messed up and couldn't use, and make a quick and easy quilt.  I thought a small quilt, baby size.  I thought....let's not go down that rabbit hole!

Quick and easy was thrown out the window in no time.  Keeping it simple was replaced by 'just one more'!  One batch of blocks was just not hitting the spot.  About the only thing that remained the same was black and white.

It's the way I like to work.  Plan...what plan?!  Make it up as you go and in the end it'll look like I knew exactly what I was doing or wanted.  One thing always leads to another working this way.  

These blocks were the starting point.  They provoked me, prodded me and in the end forced me to 'make them pretty'.  They were intended to be a part of my Optical Illusion quilt from last year, but didn't quite make the cut.  How could they...I totally messed them up!   

4" blocks

It didn't take but a second to know I needed (or wanted) to add color.  A solution presented itself and I went with it!  I had a pile of 1" strips already cut from a previous project and decided they would be the perfect way to bring in some color.

I framed the center blocks with the 1" strips and added the outside border to make each block 7 1/4".  Not real sure how I decided on that size!

I also had some black and white strips cut, so I quickly made some nine patch center blocks for another added element.  I like where this is going!  

I placed them on my design wall, twisted, turned and wracked my brain to make it work...it didn't. I considered using solid black and white squares to 'grow' it bigger, it just wasn't working.  

Back to the drawing board in my head again.

Which resulted in these blocks.  I picked white as the background so that the quilt didn't become heavy.  I didn't want the quilt to become weighed down with dark, black would not have been a good choice!

More blocks were still needed.  Really?  Where did the 'quick' finish go?!

That block on the bottom right...it was a valiant effort on my part.  I thought I could introduce the polka dot fabric in to the design, but it wasn't meant to be.  Talk about weighing a quilt down!  It felt like a lead weight and they were quickly set aside.

I kept making, experimenting, trying to make this 'quick' quilt come together.  A few improv, some wonkyness and some normal blocks made the final cut.  In the end, I used ever piece of white I had on hand!  I just barely, barely made it!  

It should end up to be about 40" x 54", not huge, not small...just right!  It has a scrappy, graphic, funky vibe to it.  When I started it felt like a race car theme was developing. 

That was not at all where I wanted this quilt to end up!  Luckily, I don't think it did!  For now, it is sandwiched, pinned and ready to quilt.  One day it will happen.

All blocks deserve a second chance.  They need not sit in a dark corner, on a dark shelf, way in the back, forgotten.  A little imagination, determination, configuration...and time on your hands can develop and evolve in to something amazing!

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