Improv Improvisation Improvising Improvisational:
The art or act of improvising, or of composing, uttering, executing, or arranging anything without previous preparation.
To make, provide, or arrange from whatever materials are available. (hello...scraps!)
Unpremeditated. Unrehearsed. Unprepared. (just how I like it)
Improv quilting isn't just unconventional or wonky. It is also thinking outside the box. Pushing the boundaries, yet keeping with tradition.
Many times when I finish a project there are so many scraps and pieces left. Either I cut too many, made to many or just plain have too many scraps left. I look at them and think: What could I do with you? I usually have three options:
1. Put them away
2. Throw them away
3. Use them all...now!
After finishing a quilt top (stay tuned on that one), I decided to keep going and play a little bit!
I love the challenge of making something from scraps. What can I make that is completely different?
I started with a couple ideas. Checker board. These are from 1" strips. I don't always use the pieces that come together. Sometimes they get reworked or tossed.
I made a four of this type of block. Two with black centers and two with white centers. Alternating the width of the strips for each set.
Then I sliced them in half! One quick swipe of the rotary cutter and in an instant four became eight! At first I was going to cut each block in fourths, but after the first cut and playing around with them, I knew that was enough.
Working on a block like this I highly recommend arranging and rearranging. You never know what you will get and you just might like it!
I didn't want these to be wonky, I was going for opposite. They could be mixed up even more for another option.
The only think I knew for sure before starting this project, was it was gong to be a table runner. And table runner it is! I admit that somewhere during this process I started to think quilt...but I quickly talked myself down.
For years I have wanted to make a quilt using black & white. Ideas came and went. Nothing was quite right. Nothing concrete. I knew it had to have impact ~ in your face impact! It finally hit me...I cannot wait to show you!!
Many times when I finish a project there are so many scraps and pieces left. Either I cut too many, made to many or just plain have too many scraps left. I look at them and think: What could I do with you? I usually have three options:
1. Put them away
2. Throw them away
3. Use them all...now!
After finishing a quilt top (stay tuned on that one), I decided to keep going and play a little bit!
I love the challenge of making something from scraps. What can I make that is completely different?
I started with a couple ideas. Checker board. These are from 1" strips. I don't always use the pieces that come together. Sometimes they get reworked or tossed.
I made a four of this type of block. Two with black centers and two with white centers. Alternating the width of the strips for each set.
Then I sliced them in half! One quick swipe of the rotary cutter and in an instant four became eight! At first I was going to cut each block in fourths, but after the first cut and playing around with them, I knew that was enough.
Working on a block like this I highly recommend arranging and rearranging. You never know what you will get and you just might like it!
The center is a 2 1/2" square and the strips are 1" and 1 1/2".
The only think I knew for sure before starting this project, was it was gong to be a table runner. And table runner it is! I admit that somewhere during this process I started to think quilt...but I quickly talked myself down.
For years I have wanted to make a quilt using black & white. Ideas came and went. Nothing was quite right. Nothing concrete. I knew it had to have impact ~ in your face impact! It finally hit me...I cannot wait to show you!!
LINKING:
