Over the years, I have made several quilts using the flying geese unit. Press. Good job! Because the quilt top finished at 39 wide, I was able to use a single width of fabric for the backing. I promise to never promote anything that I dont use and love personally. I love working with freehand curves; I never know how they're going to turn out! Initially I was considering a table runner with improv curves in khaki, ginger, and brown and thought I'd appliqu on some leaves in fall colors. Let's get started! Throughout some of my posts you may come across affiliate links to purchase products. Explore. Now we are ready to stitch the flying geese units to each other. In this example, a large enough scrap isnt available, so we will make our own! Trim around the periphery of the template and unfold. I decided to omit some oranges (I had a LOT more orange fabric than anything else), the lightest yellows, and the teal greens. Do you want to get access to additional resources and connect with other quilters too? The triangles, at this point, will very a lot in size and many of them will be mis-shaped. ABSOLUTELY B R I L L I A N T!!!!!!! This patten will be available September 1st, and it is a quick, easy intro to sewing curves! The piece finished at 12 x 24 and I mounted it on painted black canvas. You can get a signed copy here. I wanted to work with the flying geese unit. All rights reserved. Improv Quilting. Youre quilts are beautiful, fun, and true works of art. If something good happens, I would love to see it! I read your blog. This frequently happens when Im in deadline mode before a show for some reasonmaybe thats just when my creativity ramps up? Once the project is done (or theyre both filled to busting) I spend a few minutes sorting the scraps into their plastic boxes. Get the latest news, stay up-to-date with sew-alongs + events and receive the occasional free offer! She was introduced to quilting by her paternal grandmother in high school when her grandmother offered to hand quilt a twin-size quilt to use in her college dorm room if Yvonne made the quilt top. I placed the flying geese units so that the browns, blues, and greens formed a zigzag instead of a diamond shape as shown in Birch Woods Glimmer. This will reduce bulk in your next seam. Wow, really beautiful, Yvonne! I've taken workshops with Sherri Lynn Wood @sherrilynnwood, Maria Shell @mariashellart, and watched improv idols like Debbie Jeske @aquilterstable, Cindy Grisdela @cindygrisdelaquilts, Irene Hixson @hixsonir, Sheila Frampton Cooper @sheilaframptoncooper, and Paola Machetta @thecultofquilt seem to knock-out . At this point it was Tuesday evening, so I decided to think about it for a while and sleep on it. Measure not exactly with a ruler, but place the newest piece of fabric adjacent to the edge of the previous piece to see if it would be a good fit. I want to make a Marie Shell inspired quilt not a Maria Shell Quilt. Here it is pre-quilting. This blog post is going to focus on the improv flying geese unit and how to own it. Yvonne is a former aerospace engineer turned modern quilter, designer, and technical editor. Thanks for the tutorial - I'm going to have to try that! The triangles will be slightly mis-shaped and have dog ears that need to be trimmed. Hand-dyed fabrics pair with dominant quilting motifs to provide subtle color shifts. I figure it will be a way to begin to use some of the dozens of yards of Painter's Palette Solids I've bought in the past two month. Not all the boxes are scraps, most of them are fabrics in half yard or yardage, trims, works in progress and non-quilting fabrics. I am blown away by this quilt, especially that it is all improve and you created in a less than a week. I hope that happens some day. Improvisation allows the designer to make changes along the way. I read this post more than once, and all your suggestions were good. I generally opt for quilting lines in the same direction (i.e. The spacing between the lines varies from about 3/4 to 3/8 but averages out at around 1/2. Press seams. I'm your crafty quilting expert here to help you learn all about making your own quilts! Quilt Piecing . It's not only. I'm notorious from forgetting to get the Halloween quilts out in time. Step 7. If you make something from a tutorial and post on your blog, please give credit with a link back to Elm Street Quilts. Improv Block Article Published in Quilting Arts! Blue Quilts. Now that my publisher is going out of business I have bought the rights to publish my book. This example is using a rainbow scrap created while testing templates and a curved scrap from the cutting process: Step 1. To continue expanding the block, an outer corresponding arc is needed. The angles appeal to me given the linear nature of the other blocks, and I like the happy accident of the red stripe in the block on the top right flowing into the red stripe in the middle block. The patterns are copyrighted for Elm Street Quilts. Slowly and carefully (keep those fingers out of the way!) Definitely not a square and sooo darn pretty. I recently sat down to do some improv quilting with my stash and not only did I end up with several of these cute blocks, but the process of sewing together fabric without following a pattern had me feeling quite liberated and productive at the same time. , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iamNMHxtwjY. I thought Id start here so if youre looking for a way to manage your scraps this might give you some ideas. Use code SUMMER to get $5 off a purchase of a single Quilt Keeper! These were the first blocks I made. Improv piecing often involves trial and error, so having a pressing mat close by avoids endless trips back and forth to the ironing board, Step 5. Be patient. The triangles will be slightly mis-shaped and have dog ears that need to be trimmed. Did you use a shrinkable cotton batting, and then machine wash your little quilt? Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Theres heaps of scrap sorting systems out there, you just have to find the one that works best for the way you like to work. Step 8. I used layer cakes for this tutorial which makes the quilt a breeze and the layouts are many. Love all the curves and colors! This will reduce bulk in your next seam. I keep a small square plastic bucket and a small plastic rubbish bin under the table near my cutting mat that I use to put my scraps in as I work on a project. Victoria Findlay Wolferecommends you use a shorter stitch length to help keep your pieces together when youre cutting them up. I will email you in the next few days. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Congratulations on completing this project so quickly, in spite of all the snow. I find it handy to have them there so I can rummage through them and get pieces that I want to work with. All Set Up at the Baltimore Craft Show! Today. My favorite kind of fabric cutting :) Step 6: Iron your circles and blocks. This could be a fun guild activity. Thank you so much Janine for taking the time to stop by and comment! If you would like to follow along for more improv inspiration, you can find me @wellspringdesigns_co. I promise, once you sit with your scraps and start making these squares, time will fly. Keep up with Sarah by signing up for the Sarah Goer Quilts Newsletter. If you make any of my tutorials this is how you can share your pictures: Turnabout Patchwork. Stitch with the large triangle on top of the skinny triangle. One year I will get around to doing the Project Quilting prompts. It's not only liberating but the end result is a beautiful modern block. New patches are laid on top as needed . IMPROVISATIONAL PIECING TUTORIAL-Baby Quilt Version. Scraps should always be cut into squares or rectangles before reusing. Some colors may turn out to be duds, and they never find a pair. The Cross block (also known as the X block or Plus block) is an improv patchwork classic. This was an absolute delight to make from start to finish. Mailing Address: P.O. on Improv stack, cut and sew quarter circles videotutorial, Paper pinwheel quilt block videotutorial, How to make 4 quilts starting with a single shoo flyblock, Michael Millers Krystal Neutrals Square0167 layer cake set, 10 Free Stack-N-Whack Quilt Patterns Quilting, Turnabout patchwork - Modern shoofly: 1 block 4 quilt patterns, Watch 90+ tutorials for non-square quilt blocks, Adding corners to a four patch quilt block, Video tutorial: Disappearing 4-patch variation block, On Instagram please tag me with @teresadownunder and hashtag #teresadownunder. No specific measurements are necessary, but it is helpful to square-up your edges intermittently throughout the improv process to prevent distortion. A closeup showing the sashing and a bit of the improv border: And, here it is in patriotic colors! When the auto-complete results are available, use the up and down arrows to review and Enter to select. Custom quilts are the kind of heirloom craft everyone longs to create, but stitching together a unique pattern can be seriously overwhelming. That would be an added incentive for me to go. Thank you Melanie! (Figure 2. It's such a liberating process. You may borrow images if you be sure to link back to GnomeAngel.com as the original source. Once you get the parameters, you can sit for hours repeating the same steps over and over again while appreciating the differences in each square. Just think of the world of possibilities that will open when you begin to incorporate curvy scraps into your improv practice. As you can see in the basting photo above, I rotated every other basting pin (one pin runs north/south, the next runs east/west, and so on) and I pin basted the batting to the backing just outside the quilt top. 3. It is fabulous. This may be done using a template or ruler. Explore. This quilt went together very quickly. See more ideas about circle quilts, quilts, art quilts. This is one of my RSC projects I experimented with last year and am continuing on this year. A dominant circular motif merges with strong vertical and horizontal . Connect these points on the circle's outer edge making a square. Fantastic work! Turn 4 or more into a cushion cover. thanks *. First, cut 4 squares of fabric - mine were about 8" x 8". Since I had two pins that were used for marking I have pinned twice at each point. Yes, I have plans to make another one from the book . Trim the strips to align with the edges of the curve (Figure 1). It is smooth yet exciting! I really loved my Oliso, so I placed an order for a new turquoise Oliso iron. Step 1. So if the large triangle were one of those colors, then the skinny triangles were not. . 18K views 4 years ago Classic Curves Ruler Tutorials How to use the Classic Curves Ruler to cut and sew a perfect set-in circle. I will have to figure this out with some play. The beauty of this method is that you can use orphaned blocks, excess binding and all those little half square triangle offcuts to continue growing your scrappy fabric. Improv? Then there is no measuring and squaring up required! The sizes of the triangles will vary quite a bit at this point. I love the shapes, I love the flow of color, I love the fun I had piecing it, and I love that you can just get a sense of the beautiful snowy sparkle in the photo above. (See image 1 below). This pattern uses a large curved template (about 10.5x21), so the goal is to assemble a block of scraps large enough to accommodate this size. Pingback: Block Lotto August 2020 Orange County Modern Quilt Guild, Pingback: BOM 2021: March Instructions | seattle modern quilt guild. Bear Paw Quilt. So I dumped out my scrap basket of solids and made some blocks fairly randomly. Similar to #6 of our list, this quilt features sweet flower applique along with square-ish scrappy rings. I used 2 different 50wt Aurifil variegated threads for the quilting: 4650 (Leaves) and 4662 (Creme de Menthe). Next are 3 examples of improv strategies (examples pictured below): The Improv Quilt Top uses large scraps with curved and straight edges. Step 8: Fold your circle in half in the other direction and press. I must admit to finding improv difficult (too much of a control freak) but this technique just has me captivated. All comments are moderated and published at the discretion of the moderators. I made these blocks using a mix of my red, purple, pink, orange, blue and yellow scrap boxes but you could use all the one colour if you wanted the possibilities are endless. I cant wait to share my scrappy improv patchwork version ofMelissa (of Ms Midge)sCharm Dash Quiltas part of the Quilt-Along in April. Spoiler alert: the teal greens ended up making their way back into the quilt. And while I dont have photos of the improv process I used, I do have an Improv Quarter Circle Tutorial that more or less walks through my general method. It is okay to chop off points. Piece them together. I used Michael Millers Krystal Neutrals Square0167 layer cake set. 22. It's not only liberating but the end result is a beautiful modern block.I used layer cakes for this tutorial which makes the quilt a breeze and the layouts are many.With a set of 42 layer cakes you'll get a small quilt top 48\" x 56\".Get fabric suggestions and other details on my blog post: https://teresadownunder.com/2021/06/26/improv-stack-and-whack-quarter-circles-video-tutorial/Get my patterns: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/SewnUpPatternsGet my book: https://amzn.to/2Xx4nVJJoin my Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/991734397555162/All the tools that appear on the video: https://mypatchwork.wordpress.com/my-quilting-tools/Get all my video tutorials in your inbox. Learn how to create twelve stunning contemporary quilts and develop your own designs using improvisational methods.Take inspiration from simple objects to create twelve beautiful, contemporary quilt blocks. Thank you for sharing your processes! Hand quilting requires the same first steps regardless of the technique you choose. I liked using the striped effect in just some of the blocks. Tundra is the same composition as Birch Woods Glimmer except for three things. See more ideas about circle quilts, quilts, modern quilts. Thats a lot of snow, guess Ill have to stop complaining about my little dustings. If youre anything like me and want to avoid the back-and-forth of sewing and pressing, try sewing your pieces open instead of pressing! I love it! Right Triangle pieces are great to place in the corners of the squares. For example, if you want four inch finished units, cut your strips of yardage to be five inches wide. My stash holds a lot of fabric that I changed my mind about but I can use them in this!! Use the lines on the mat to help you make sure the diagonal line lands in the center of the rectanglethat is where you want it. I enjoy planned improv piecing. I like it too. The curvy and more free work you show here is the way I want to go and I love the impression. In the Charm Dash example above I inverted the pattern and opted to use white fabric in place of the patterned fabric and scrappy fabric for the background fabric. Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl Log cabin quilt patterns are a staple in American quilting, and first rose to popularity during the time of the Civil War. It really proves that quilters have always been wildly creative. Break Up is my most recent improv triangle quilt. If I had to guess I'd "blame" the texture on the fact that I didn't baste the quilt. And done on such a short notice! (LogOut/ You will make them approximately all the same size later. I love the colours and curves, a bright and cheery quilt! Thank you! 2. Quilted using Aurifil #4657, 50wt. I hope for doing a workshop with you too! Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this sites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Improv quilting is just a way of sewing scraps together to create larger pieces which are then incorporated into blocks that can be used in a quilt. Teresa Mairal Barreu, TeresaDownUnder of Sewn up. The top and bottom edges are not aligned at all. Traditional Quilts: There is a lot to know about a traditional quilt, but in short, a Traditional Quilt usually has one or two key blocks of the same size repeated in orderly rows.Often, a traditional quilt will have strips of fabric between the blocks. Choose just 2-3 fabrics from your scrap bin, pick a basic quilt shape like HSTs, and decide if you will be using rulers or not. Waking to the, This is the latest block pattern for the #Sum, DAY 39 of #100Days100Blocks2022 and this one, Day 38 of #100Days100Blocks2022 and this one, DAY 26 to 30 of #100Days100Blocks2022 and thi, DAY 20 to 25 of #100Days100Blocks202, Charm Dash Quilt-Along with Melissa (of Ms Midge). I admire each of you that can get it together in such a short time. See where it takes you! I love this modern baby quilt Yvonne. I clipped the seam all around the circle close to the stitching. Using your rotary cutter, slice off the little bit of fabric that extends past the edges of the triangle while also smoothing the edges of the skinny triangle shape. Pick a scrap to add to the first side of your starting scrap. cut through both layers with your rotary cutter (but no ruler or template), making a smooth improv curve.