Life is crazy here for Kaja and me. Fortunately, Audrey Easter is leading a Bramble Blooms QAL and Mary Marcotte is posting monthly improv blocks. Both are talented and enthusiastic. I suggest we follow one or both of them this year.
Please continue to post your progress here as time permits.
All the best. Ann
Apparently, I haven't been busy enough. I say that because I decided to host a free improv class on my website. My plan is to use the class to build a set of smaller classes. This means that "free" students will serve as my guinea pigs, so to speak. I'm going to ask for feedback in the hopes that I can improve the smaller classes before offering them online at a cost.
I'm finally back with you all to tell you about the class because I know what a dedicated group you all are, and I trust your opinions. Of course, I understand that not everyone is going to be able or willing to participate, but I hope some of you will try.
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| Quilt top: Marilyn's Dress, 2023 |
My plan for the class is to teach different concepts that I have put together while working on several quilts. It seems that while I am always trying to come up with something new, I also have some tried-and-true ideas that I lean on when I'm stuck, or I just want to get something (anything!) done.
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| Citrus Sherbert 2023 |
If you're interested, go to my website marymarcotte.com and click on the tab Improv BoM 2024. hope you'll join me! If so, I'll see you in January.
Let me know what you think,
Mary
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| Sunflower Batik binding sewn onto Two Hourglass Blocks with a Wild Geese Border table mat. |
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| This small table mat had a solid purple binding sewn onto the front as can be seen in the previous post. Now the binding is a yellow/brown Sunflower Batik. |
Happy Holidays AHIQ!
I had to share my new binding on my scrappy table mat project. As you can see in the previous post, my first binding choice was a solid purple. Then I found a beautiful Sunflower Batik at a local fabric store and I knew that would be more bright and cheerful for the binding. And now four are finished for gift giving.
See you in January.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Everyone!
Hello ADHQ Friends!
It's almost Thanksgiving, we have so much to be thankful for.
I finished piecing the final Improv Piano Key border on one of my HotMat small quilts and I've sewn down the binding on one side and pinned it down to the back side, almost done! I had to post my progress now because things are going to get busy around here till after Thanksgiving.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!
A good prompt. I seem to be stuck on the same border idea for all my quilts. Either I have none or four of the same all around. But this one - at least I made them different size.
I'll have to get out a UFO to work on some borders. Blessings.
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| Border added, dark purple to the left, yellow/green all around. |
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| Collection of various scrappy borders ready to try out. |
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| Solid border added to my small scrappy improv blocks. |
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| Improv/wonky flying geese border added on the right. |
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| Solid strips added between each row and a yellow/green strip between each scrappy little block. |
Hello AHIQ friends! Happy fall!
This is a quick progress report on my wonky/improv quilt border experiments. I have piles of scraps in colors that play together well and orphan blocks laid out according to size (small). I'm making these small quilts up to be used as mug rugs for kitchen or table use for gifts for the holidays.
More to come, I'll be by to visit!
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| One of my finished small quilts with thin borders and improv 9 Patch border. |
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| Mary Hogan's book is full of inspiration and improv border ideas and tutorials. |
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| Two quilts in progress with improv Saw Tooth borders. |
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| Small sample quilt of leftover Saw Tooth border pieces. |
Hello AHIQ's !
What do you think of this new prompt? Borders are an important design feature of our quilts, right?
Have you tried any new borders lately? With what results?
I checked out a new book from the library, The Art of Make Do Quilting by Mary Kerr. Talk about amazing borders! Her subject on the cover is The Ultimate Guide for Working with Vintage Textiles, but her ideas and inspiration are easily transfered to newer quilt fabrics of course. It's a great book with super examples of her quilt projects.
Have a wonderful quilting day!