Friday, 17 May 2013

Adventures in Improv

Despite the fact that I have a number of projects on the go at the moment I went off piste yesterday and decided to try something new. Improv. For the most part uncharted waters for me. Armed with a new inspirational book, and with an idea festering since seeing an embroidery that intrigued me a couple of weeks ago, I started pulling fabric.

My palette was a simple blue, grey, white and orange one. I made six 6.5" squares with a Kona white background. Then I pieced these into a larger background of Kona deep blue.


Then I started doing some hand quilting with perle cotton in the squares.


And I machine quilted the blue with an Aurifil charcoal grey thread.


For such a quick project I am really pleased with my first proper foray into improv quilting.


The quilt measures up at 22" x 27". I forgot to put in hanging corners when I was sewing on the binding so I shall have to add those later. But since I finished it so quickly I thought I would enter it into the Bloggers Quilt Festival in the wall hangings category.


If you stopped by from the quilt festival, thank you so much. Sorry about the whole description of the creating process but I really did start this yesterday so it is being revealed for the first time in this post.

I hope everyone is enjoying visiting so many different blogs to view quilts. I know I am!

Susan

AmysCreativeSide.com
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55 comments:

  1. Reene@Nellie's Niceties17 May 2013 at 14:47

    This is seriously fabulous! I know where you got the inspiration from and this is such an excellent interpretation of it!

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  2. CitricSugar17 May 2013 at 14:53

    I'm laughing so hard right now because of our conversation the other day!

    What a great piece! Love your choices. It has such a great feel to it. The bold colours go so well with the quilting… You're an improv natural, m'dear!

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  3. Archie The Wonder Dog17 May 2013 at 15:04

    Wow! I love it! I want one...

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  4. Jess @ Elven Garden Quilts17 May 2013 at 15:21

    Wow! Brilliant blocks - and I just love the hand quilting! Really cool quilt.

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  5. Sarah17 May 2013 at 15:28

    Wow! It's amazing how your perle quilting brings those blocks to life. I love it, well done on such a brill quick make!

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  6. Leanne17 May 2013 at 15:39

    I love it! The blocks, the stitching, the colours, all of it.

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  7. Zizophora17 May 2013 at 16:00

    This is wonderful! I'm with everyone else -- I love the perle stitches, and the deep blue background. Both add much zing.

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  8. Lynz17 May 2013 at 16:35

    As much as that hand quilting is genius my favourite bit is the sneaky flash of colour in the binding. Very cool, missus!

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  9. Anonymous17 May 2013 at 16:39

    truly gorgeous!!
    You are a natural at improv.
    Improv is my favourite type to piece.
    Hugs
    Kat xx

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  10. Little Island Quilting17 May 2013 at 16:49

    Very noice!

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  11. cheeky monkey17 May 2013 at 16:51

    This looks amazing! Go on improving. This is brilliant

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  12. Anonymous17 May 2013 at 16:55

    I am so seriously smitten with your feather that I cannot do my day job work!

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  13. Sadie17 May 2013 at 17:06

    Oh my goodness, it's so lovely! You have to do more improv :-)

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  14. Quilting In The Cold17 May 2013 at 17:41

    It is a real stunner!

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  15. Two Wednesdays17 May 2013 at 17:49

    It's really gorgeous Susan, words don't do it justice. Your skills just keep getting better and better.

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  16. heart of charnwood17 May 2013 at 18:17

    Fab Mrs, the hand quilting is just perfect on this, and I love the machine quilted pattern, totally "made" the wall hanging, see, what do I know! :o). Did you admit to robbing the idea off of me, am i on the other end of that link?? ;o)

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  17. Anonymous17 May 2013 at 18:32

    This is wonderful!!!! The hand quilting in the improv blocks adds a lot to the piecing and the blue sets off the blocks brilliantly! What a day you must have had to finish it so quickly!

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  18. Jenny-Narcoleptic in a cupboards mum17 May 2013 at 19:20

    This is stunning Susan, and as always, your immaculate stitching really makes it.
    Imagine what you could do if you were really trying ! ;) x

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  19. Kelly17 May 2013 at 19:36

    You bloody rock off piste - love it!

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  20. Katy Cameron17 May 2013 at 19:37

    Ha, I know where that inspiration came from :oD Great rendition of it, love it! I'm trying to work out what category to put Madrona Corners in right now...

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  21. Cindy17 May 2013 at 21:14

    This is so weirdly not you, but then perfectly you. Awesome job. The quilting is just amazing.

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  22. Lucy | Charm About You17 May 2013 at 21:36

    Susan it is gorgeous! Improv definitely suits you - I really love the stitching!

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  23. Karen17 May 2013 at 21:47

    That's so cool! You really are a clever girl whipping it up so quickly, love the quilting :o) Good luck at the festival.

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  24. Beth17 May 2013 at 22:26

    You are so creative with the hand-stitching!

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  25. Susan17 May 2013 at 22:58

    I watched this 'develop' on IG- is a great quilt! I love that you tried something new!!!

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  26. Judith, Belfast17 May 2013 at 23:07

    Brilliant! So modern and funky! A worthy entry indeed. Jxo

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  27. Nat at Made in Home17 May 2013 at 23:14

    This is amazing! Love the hand quilting!

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  28. thea18 May 2013 at 00:47

    Wow! YOu did a terrific job. Loving the handstitching!

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  29. Kirsten18 May 2013 at 00:55

    Stunning quilt Susan! Just love everything about it, especially your quilting.

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  30. sew.darn.quilt18 May 2013 at 02:56

    OMG!!!
    I admire your talent so much, this Improv piece is simply irresistible!
    Please ma'am may we have some more?

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  31. www.randomthoughtsdoordi.com18 May 2013 at 04:59

    You started it yesterday and have it entered today? You are amazing and talented. This is a great improv piece. Well done, you!

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  32. Kathy MacKie18 May 2013 at 05:43

    Don't know how you fit quilting into such a busy life but glad you share it with us, thanks. Would like to know what pattern you used for that cute pouch I won on your blog and is it available here in Canada?

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  33. Catherine18 May 2013 at 08:03

    Wow, you did this in just a day! Its fantastic!!

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  34. Karen @ Pieces of Contentment18 May 2013 at 08:24

    It looks great! Very bold and confident - love it!

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  35. tusen18 May 2013 at 08:44

    Susan, it's just perfect. I love everything about it - the colours, the placement of the blocks and of the colour patches in the blocks, the lines of hand quilting, the dense machine quilting and the patch of colour in the binding :)

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  36. Charlotte18 May 2013 at 09:59

    I blimmin love it!

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  37. Tina Short18 May 2013 at 10:05

    Its fantastic......I can see a bed quilt like this in your future. x

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  38. Donna quilts18 May 2013 at 11:54

    Wow! It's great! I love the colors - and your handstitching really adds to the piece.

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  39. Nicky18 May 2013 at 17:26

    Fabulous ! Another technique mastered!

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  40. Katherine18 May 2013 at 17:33

    Wow! Very striking, Susan. Fantastic colours for your improv design and with that blue background and glorious hand stitching, your blocks really POP! Loving that bright duo added into the binding. It's perfect.
    Great entry!

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  41. Mrs Flying Blind...18 May 2013 at 22:08

    Clever old you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  42. Shauna19 May 2013 at 00:28

    Fantastic! I like everything about it!

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  43. Shay19 May 2013 at 00:39

    Looking fabulous. The colours, the design, everything!


    I love how you just drop in that you made this yesterday and its finished today ...good grief, if you weren't my friend I'd have a serious case of jealousy right now.

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  44. Patti19 May 2013 at 03:21

    It kills me that you just started it yesterday! I'd still be busy "planning my improv".! It's really fantastic Susan!

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  45. Emily19 May 2013 at 06:01

    Beautiful! I love the hand stitched details!!

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  46. pennydog19 May 2013 at 09:28

    Beautiful! This is amazing and it's lovely to see a new quilt!

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  47. Sonia19 May 2013 at 10:53

    I love this - the colours, the perfect running stitch and all the quilting. It will look gorgeous on the wall. And so quick too!!!!!

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  48. DeborahGun19 May 2013 at 13:17

    Fantastic :-) I love the hand quilting, and I love the kona solid blue - is it just called deep blue? Thanks :-)

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  49. Annabella19 May 2013 at 16:53

    I remember the inspiration and you have done a fab job! While this isn't your normal style, it is improv. but still feels very you! Love the perle addition :)

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  50. Sheila19 May 2013 at 21:31

    Woo hoo, you got the book! This wee quilt is a stunner and makes me think of Leanne.
    More binding trickery,too.x

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  51. SarahZ20 May 2013 at 13:13

    so bright and fresh! just wonderful quilting detail!

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  52. Camilla21 May 2013 at 02:54

    Nice to have a look around your blog having come rom the baby quilt. This is beautiful too. Improv is so freeing! I love the way you've interrupted the handquilting and the way you've used colour.

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  53. quirky granola girl25 May 2013 at 14:02

    gorgeous! i adore perle cotton quilting and i've started mixing it with machine quilting too :)

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  54. Sarah Lou25 May 2013 at 16:00

    Looks amazing, especially with the hand quilting.

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  55. beth6 June 2013 at 21:04

    Gorgeousness. ;)

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