Geese Tracks and an Improv. Moment

I had some ideas for this geese tracks quilts that just seemed to have floated out the window. Apparently this quilt has a plan of its own! So far I've come up with what's pictured below, but I know it's far from being finished.

Geese Tracks progress--
What I'm looking at now

Probably a good thing when a quilt gets bossy as I don't know what I'm doing half the time anyway. I took my blocks and laid them out on the floor the other day (my best thinking spot at times) and then started playing with fabrics. I spied that lacy looking black/white fabric and immediately started thinking 'what if' and 'oh yeah, what about sashing?' If you're like me, you totally understand the lure of sashing. It somehow has the ability to add an instant antique/vintage quality that I love.

On my design, um... floor

Only a fat quarter of the lacy looking fabric to work with, so that was a bit limiting. Still, I forged ahead like it would all work out regardless. This improv. thing can get pretty intense and maybe even a little addictive--I do so love to play. And how is it that I didn't even know I was doing improv. on this particular quilt? This time for sure I simply got caught up in the idea of doing and just went with the momentum. {Gulp. There will be probably be a day I wish I could hit the rewind on that.}

Okay, moving on. I love the idea of a primitive looking flower in shadowy colors, and betwen that and my stack of gray and black fabrics, it ended up being a design element. I couldn't find the right color gray in my stash for the middle of the flower, so I flipped a fabric over and used the back side. Since I didn't want the stems of the flower to be too perfect looking, I just cut a free shape out with scissors and then used that for my base pattern. I wish my final stems could have been choppier looking, but I really don't want raw edges in this quilt.

Up on the design wall playing with the applique

That free shape--ughh. I figured out quickly that it's not nearly as much fun to stitch the stems when they're rough cut and you actually have to turn the seams back on both sides. Oh well. I weathered through and now I have something that is really starting to intrigue me. Don't you just love when that happens? And you might or might not have noticed, but my sashing doesn't quite meet properly there on the top left corner and I've pondered that a bit. Does it look too sloppy? My theory is (for now anyway), that imperfections will add to the overall whimsical theme I hope to continue to develop. Hmmm...

Linking up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching. Very fitting post about slowing down and enjoying the moments in your day. lol