Strings – 30×36
At the risk of repeating myself, one of the most inspiring quilt books I’ve bought in a long time is Sherri Lynn Wood’s book called Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters. It resides on the arm of the couch in front of the TV and I thumb through it several times a week.
I have been doing freeform quilt work for years – but this book brings together a lot of ideas I haven’t explored before. I am motivated to work through all the ‘scores’ in this book in 2016 and have just finished Score 2 – Strings.
I started with a bag of Reece Scannell shot cottons that I bought at a quilt show several years ago. This bag contained 2-4 inch off-cut pieces the width of the fabric.
First job was to separate these fabrics into colors. Next, per instructions for score 2, I decided on 3 combinations of colors. I went with 1) high contrast, which ended up being primarily purples and yellows 2)neutrals and 3) low contrast/analagous, primarily oranges, golds and reds. I discarded the beige/white fabrics.
Cutting (without a ruler) I sliced the strips to 18″ lengths and 1-3″ widths. Off to the sewing machine, I made 3 separate strip sets. I LOVE the way the curves developed. And, I loved the WHIRL and HUM of my sewing machine as I mindlessly sewed the strips together!
Hanging the 3 strip sets onto my design mattress, my initial thought was that I didn’t think the neutral set went with the other two sets. I posted this picture to Sherri’s Facebook group – and although I wasn’t exactly looking for opinions, I had several people suggest I give it a whirl with all 3 strip sets. So, I did.
The cutting and design process was the MOST fun. After I had a fairly appealing layout, I auditioned the beige/white strips and some dark brown strips thinking that might add to the design. I ended up liking it WITHOUT the additional strips. I probably spent about 5-6 days cutting and thinking and rearranging until I arrived at what I thought was a good arrangement.
While working on the final arrangement, the thought kept coming to mind “how do I know when it’s finished?”. Funnily enough – that’s the same thought I have when I paint. And I think that’s a thought that many artistic people sit with. How DO you know when a piece is done? I guess it’s done when you say it’s done, right? Students of an art class I once attended joked(?) occasionally that their art wasn’t done until the teacher SAID it was done. That never really sat comfortably with me. Yes – the teacher had more experience – but did that necessarily mean that she knew best about someone else’s work?
Once I had the top finished, I found some butt-ugly fabric in my bin and quickly pin basted the quilt. My quilting plan was to once again try free-motion quilted concentric circles. I thought briefly about doing the concentric circles with the walking foot but thought the free form might continue the improv/wonky style. BAD MOVE. I HATE my concentric circles. I have tried several times before to do concentric circles using free-motion technique and I’m just not good at it. My circles are NOT circular. Note to self: next time you decide to do free form concentric circles….DON’T!
I added some spirals to the outside and then called it good enough. I used my favourite facing tutorial from Terry Aske to finished the edges. The only part of this wallhanging where I used a ruler was for the upper edge of the quilt as I wanted that dead-on straight. The sides and the bottom I cut with the rotary cutter without a ruler so there is a slight curve.
All in all, I really like this quilt! That surprises me. It isn’t a color palette that I would instantly gravitate toward but you know what? It feels like art to me. And, whether it lines a dog kennel, is rolled up on a shelf or hangs on a wall – it really doesn’t matter to me because I had so much fun making it. It seriously had me smiling every time I worked on it. There was an excitement factor to making it that I am struggling to communicate.
I’ve already started on my next score. Well….truth be told, I have 3 going right now. Yes…..I said three! K3’s quilt includes multiple scores, plus I have started a Patchwork Doodle using Japanese taupes and the third one is called Rhythmic Grid using my retro crumb blocks. Stay tuned for more WHACK-JOB quilting…..I’m on a roll.
Oh my word! Love! Love!
Thanks Mary!
I like the finished product very much. (At first I thought the lattice it was hanging on was a new border. I’m glad it isn’t.) My favorite time of quilt making is the time it is on the design wall and I walk by and move a piece here and another there.
Thank you. I agree….I love the design part the most.
I just love this! Glad to hear it gave you pleasure too.
Thank you!
LOVE it! And I totally agree that quilting should be fun, not some strict and confining project that we agonize over.
Thank you! It just tickled my happy bone each time I worked on it!
Wow! I love it. And sorry to disagree, but the circular/spiral quilting is what makes it! I loved the first view of it, and then when I started reading about your construction and the strip sets, I kept thinking, “but she has another element in there besides stripes…” I am surprised and delighted that the circles quilted on top make such a difference in the whole view of the quilt!
Thanks Debby – and disagreement is allowed! 🙂 Sometimes we just need to see something from someone else’s eyes. The quilting is growing on me. I think I just get so frustrated that I can’t do an evenly spaced line to save my life. I’m working on a hand quilted one now with concentric circles and having the very same problem. Maybe I’ll put my glasses on backwards and make it my ‘signature’ style. 😉
WHACK-JOB quilting… LOVE the name (and your new quilt!!!)
Thanks Joy! I’ll tell you the history of the comment “whack-job” but not here…..the guilty party may read and I wouldn’t want that. 😉
Kris, I too love the concentric circular quilting. I think it is quite striking because you have created a colourful three dimensional optical illusion even though that may have not been your intention.
Thanks Robyn. Like I said to Debbie, it’s growing on me. And, whoever claims it and has it hanging on their wall will probably not notice all the imperfections that I notice.
I love everything about this quilt from fabric to improv strips to piecing to color to quilting – it is a work of art and for the 1st time I am inspired to try improv – thank you for your in depth post!
Thanks Pat! High praise from someone who’s quilts I absolutely adore! Can’t wait to see your improv creations.
I love this – including the circular quilting! I agree it looks like art, and I hope you enter it in an art quilt show. Thanks for linking to my facing tutorial.
Thanks Terry – and thanks for the tutorial. I’ve used it several times now and it’s perfect each time.
I love it, too ( the quilt and also the book). Somehow seeing it here makes the colors look even better than on FB. Well done, Kris!
Thanks Sue! I sure am enjoying the FB group and seeing your work.