Improv Progress

Months and months ago, I started working on an improv quilt. I worked on it a bit at the start of 2013, but then put it aside while I dealt with things that had deadlines (that I didn't meet) and life got busy and I tucked this into a box and set it to the left. I didn't forget about it, but it was so low on the priority list, it didn't really get touched.

I think the last time I posted a photo of this baby I'd only done three blocks... I'm definitely further along than that now! In fact, I've finished the quilt top!
It's quite simple really. No fancy pattern or "design". But I started it when I needed something that was completely random in construction and this fit the bill. I don't know what my quilt style is, so I don't know how this will fit into the bigger picture of my quilt story, but I know that experimenting with this has given me confidence to do the improv peicing on my sewing machine cover and my Carpenters Wheel. So I definitely feel I am an improv girl. Or at least improv is a significant component of my quilting personality.

Some places are more random/improv than others.  Sometime I did strips and then hacked it into random shapes cut it up neatly into perfectly use able pieces... :-/

Other places I purposely cut crooked or in an odd shape to make myself

I also made sure to keep any bits I did cut off and used those as the start of the next block.

All in all, it's about single bed size.  I'm planning to keep it in my study for those quiet reading times... At least this was the plan until I started Harry Potter and now he belongs near the books...  Maybe I need to finish some quilts and work out if there are any empty surfaces left in my house :-/ It might just have to be carried around for those moments when you need nothing but a cuddle and a cup of tea :-)

The star component of this quilt is this lovely text fabric.  I have no idea who made it, or what brand printed it, but I feel really... blessed every time I take the time to actually look at the words. All the sayings are about letting your light shine because the world needs it, and finding harmony and balance. I don't know. Maybe that's my inner hippy coming out, but I love it :-) there are moments when it's nice to be reminded of the good things.  I had planned just to checker board it, but as I got towards the end of making my improv block I realised I had a little extra so I did a few fussy cuts to get some of the really special pieces a bit more centre stage.

And my Handstitched training is coming through, because I'm seriously considering embroidering some of the words/phrases on the fabric. I won't do it until I've had a chance to think about how I want to quilt it, because then I'll have a better idea of what it looks like and whether that will work. I have made an effort to space the words out so that the phrases are readable. And I've tried to centre some of the phrases I like the most.

So I have a finished top for 2014.  And it is really the antidote for 2013, which was a very difficult year for me.  This quilt will just exist as something to make me feel good and have joy, and balance and all the other inspirational words this quilt is covered with :-). So this is goes towards my making for me project!

E xx