Improv Progress
So many of you encouraged me to share my improv progress, so today I’ll show you the finished quilt top.
The pattern I followed for this quilt was another from the book, Inspiring Improv, by Nicholas Ball called Kintsugi. It is a series of fractured blocks. My blocks were 10.5″ unfinished, so the quilt is 40″ square.
You might recall that I used this photo as inspiration for the colors in this quilt.
I focused on the yellow/green and blue mosses in the photo. Rather than using a dark brown, I went with a deeper green.
The fabrics used in the quilt are Kona Pickle, Grunge Ash, Grunge Faded Denim, Grunge Rifle Green, and a batik remnant in black and gray. I do not know the maker of the batik fabric. I also added in a brown from my scraps and one other blue scrap here and there.
Ir was a cloudy day when I took this photo, and the Kona Pickle still looks neon. It really isn’t. It’s a very difficult color to photograph. It has a much deeper olive tone to it.
Even in the deeper shade, it’s still bright, but better. The Kona Pickle is closer to its real tones in this photo.
I learned quite a bit from this quilt. Kona Pickle is a very strong color; it dominates a quilt very easily. My initial plan was to intersperse the dark, medium, and light blocks, but no matter how I laid it out, I didn’t like it. This layout was a long time coming, but I’m happy with it.
Next will be the quilting. I’m pretty sure it will be straight line quilting, but wavy is a strong contender as well. So I’ll think on it a bit more before I start.
Hope you enjoyed the peek at my improv progress!
Wendy
I Like Thursdays #35
31 Comments
marissthequilter
What a striking quilt!
Cindy
Looks great! I think wavy quilting would look great.
Kate Swallows
Very dramatic! You did a great job of balancing out the very bright pickle across the quilt. It really sparkles.
karenfae
what a great art quilt – you really had a feel for the tree I think
Riceford Streams
Wendy, your workmanship on all that piecing is wonderful. Those skinny strips look perfect! Since I share your admiration of lichen, this quilt is so cool!
Cocoa Quilts
Wendy that is perfect. You are right pickle is a strong color! But does look like some much needed sunshine.
Vicki in MN
I had to go google Kona Pickle before I could comment! I see how it would be hard to photograph, some colors are just stinkers that way. So in seeing your improv reminded me that I did something like that several years ago before improv was all that popular. Someone had written a pattern for it. I can tell you had fun making the blocks!!
Helen
I can’t decide what it is about this quilt that draws me in. It’s an odd choice as a favorite, but there’s just something I can’t quite put my finger on. I feel like it should be hanging on the wall of a museum where we’d read the artist’s deep personal story behind it… like the yellow represents… the fractured lines mean… the olive tones on one side show… the lack of right angles is because… Hmmm… or maybe none of that at all… maybe it’s just a cool design.
Katy Sweigart
It’s beautiful! You do improv so well. Love the colors and the inspiration photo.
lapaylor
nice inspiration and process
catpatches
Your quilt is just beautiful. Great improv.
Diann Bottrell
That is really neat, Wendy! Did you start out sewing it together one way, and then cut it up and sew back together? Maybe you shared photos of it earlier in the process, and I’m forgetting. I love the blues mixed in and the progression from the pickle to the darker olive Grunge. Were these all fabrics in your stash that you pulled when you were inspired by the mossy trees? Thanks for showing us a peek at your beautiful design!
Laura M
Love the “shattered” blocks. I also love the way the pickle “bounces off” the others and how well the black and white fabric works. I look forward to seeing how you quilt it.
quiltedblooms
Cool inspiration and interpretation. Can’t wait to see how you quilt it!
Sandra Walker
Love seeing this, and whoa on that pickle green, but in the shade I ‘get’ it. Some of the blocks remind me of magic tiles, a pattern I did centuries ago. The top looks cool on the path. 🙂
Louise Hornor
Really cool, Wendy! I like the blocks of color with the pickle at the top. Almost like the mosses clump together based on how much sun or dampness they receive 🙂
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
Some colors are very tricky to photograph. I like the movement of color across your quilt top and I hope you enjoy quilting it!
Zenia Rene
This is simply stunning Wendy! Bravo!
Nancy Bekedam
Awesome progress, Wendy!!! So many great colors and movement in that quilt!
Kathleen McCormick
I love this. The green is funny that it is so hard to photograph, but I think the under the porch picture does a good job. Any quilting will be marvelous, but I almost see random double lines across the quilt, mimicking your narrow lines. Anything you do will be fabulous!
Janine @ Rainbow Hare
This is a great finish. It’s a wonder how hard it is to get photos the right colour. I don’t know that I have ever managed to that!
quiltinggail
I think you didd a fabulous job with the layout! I really like how it goes from light in the upper left to dark in the lower right!
I know that lighting makes a huge difference when taking photos… sometimes the colour comes out true, but other times it can look washed out!
Thanks for sharing!
rl2b2017
Hi Wendy! What a great piece. I am especially in love with the play of Pickle and the Rifle Green – if that’s the darker olive green? I can totally see your inspiration of the tree and moss in this quilt top. I like your idea of straight-line quilting but maybe in haphazard ways? That would kind of match the piecing. I really look forward to seeing this piece completed. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Carol Andrews
Wendy this one is definitely a keeper! I was so curious what you would do with that photo for inspiration. I love the colour of the prickly fabric in the shaded photo. Can’t wait to see the quilting. Maybe some straight and some curved in different areas to suggest the texture of the bark or curl of the moss? 😉 Carol
Paula Morgan
Well done! I love this, look forward to how you will quilt it.
Needle and Foot
Love this Wendy. Looking at the photo taken under the stairs I can see what that color really is. I struggle with color pics all the time for the shop. It is tough and then those colors that you finally settle on most often change for the viewer depending on the settings of that person’s monitor or device. So I get that.
As for the quilt – it is striking. Really unusual color scheme and it works fantastic. Now I wait to see the finish!
Quilting is in my Blood
This quilt is stunning! I can appreciate the difficulty in photographing the true color of Kona Pickle, which I have in my stash, so I know what what an awesome shade it is. I love it next to all the grunge fabric, especially the rifle green. I’d really like to make a Kintsugi quilt—some day! Take care, Mary.
Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts
Oh my gosh – another winner! I like this quilt so much, and the Kona Pickle is just perfect. You did a fantastic job choosing all those fabrics. I’m seeing straight line quilting really close together, like 1/4″ apart, maybe diagonally? Whatever you do it will be perfect!
Pam Jolly
I am not an improv quilter and it just isn’t to my liking, but I absolutely love your quilt! It is striking, it is beautiful, it is so interesting to look at. Thank you for sharing and opening my eyes to beauty of improv quilting.
Danice G
Cannot say enough how much I love that quilt. Great design and fabrics. Wavy lines would look perfect for the quilting. I love improv quilting.
Diane Muldoon
Wow You got it perfect…the colors, the design…I love it.