Thursday, February 25, 2016

February AHIQ Play

For some reason I experience a lot of resistance to starting my 'improv.' quilt projects. Yeah, yeah, I wing it all the time with applique, but that's different. Applique improv. is easy peasy.*wink  So even with lots of ideas percolating in my brain considering future improv. ideas {including three current stacks of wonderful-to-me fabric blends}, I pulled a brand new stack of fabric and did something completely different.
The first four
For the moment, I feel that boundaries are needful to me. A starting point and perhaps something I can 'see' will truly come together. A promise of success. So I returned again to Sujata Shah's 'Cultural Fusion' book. I love how she gives you the plan and then tells you to make it your way. My kind of thinking.

I've been wanting to make some chunky looking crossroad blocks for awhile now. Obviously. They've been simmering in the back of my brain {taunting me} and every now and then I see them flash across my vision like a mirage. Here and then, poof! they're gone. I see them a little bit wonky and LOVE that they aren't perfect--will never match up in a million years. But I never really did the work of figuring out how to make them. Or even look for patterns. There are so many quilty ideas floating around in my brain, who can keep track?
Looking at 12 blocks already!
Turns out I don't have to. In a maybe, what-if I look in the Cultural Fusion book? I found pure gold for this months AHIQ. On a different note, what really, really does need to happen is for me to learn how to follow a pattern correctly. I 'get it' and then as you see below, promptly forget it. Maybe I'm a visual learner? Huh. Probably 'hands on' judging by how often this happens.*sigh
Whoops!
Thankfully these are sewn together in sets of four. I might have given up if I'd already sewn all 100 squares that are cut out for the quilt! And I could feel myself relaxing by the third set of blocks. Whew!!! Wondering about cutting a curvier line, getting excited about the slight wonkiness I was achieving so easily. This is good stuff. No guilt here about starting yet another project. And I am using good fabric for this project. Really dug deep and used {mostly} fabric that I love. Fabric that I'm curious about--with colors that speak to me right now. I'm excited. Only 88 blocks left to go....

Linking up to Ann and Kaja  for the February AHIQ!

24 comments:

  1. love what you are doing - I thought I would try designing as I go like you and so many do but I am finding that I love to go more with a pattern and change just a little here and there. I will struggle on and get my quilt done

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, I love this! Absolutely love!
    (I've got that book, but have only lightly thumbed through. I know a rabbithole when I see one...) (But yay, I get to watch you play!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. The love how you own those silly mistakes and don't mind sharing them. It makes me feel so much better knowing I'm not the only one doing stuff like that. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really think that is why Sujata's book is so good -- she gives you a framework to do it your own way. I've realized that Bonnie Hunter's patterns are mostly the same. Definitely food for thought for my own designs down the road.

    100 blocks! But, they look great so far!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What fun! They look great. I love how your brain works!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are a quilting daredevil! ( I mean that in a good way). Wink!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hate when I make mistakes like that.
    Have fun with the wonky!

    ReplyDelete
  8. So funny. I'm still on a very small screen and can't see all the fine print. But the quilt fabrics look just like you! That's one of Sujata's designs I want to try, too. Looking good.
    Thanks for linking with AHIQ.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love those blocks. They look fun and easy enough to enjoy and calm any stress in your life. In the end the wonky X's are going to add to the interest. I can't wait to see a big chunk of these blocks all together.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your blocks are looking great! I love the ideas in Sujata's book! Improv is fun, the little bit of 'wonky' really gives it all that handmade appeal, and I think using fabric you love always helps.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think you have found a perfect match in Sujata's book, and it is so important that you work with colors that speak to you now. (PS Nice mention on Barbara Brackman's Material Culture yesterday!)

    ReplyDelete
  12. nice blocks and unusual colors - looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love what you're doing with this quilt Audrey. Sometimes I think the time is just right for something new or different - and it's really brave to go for it in fabrics from your 'special' stash!!! I love the yellowy coloured ones in the mix there and I can't wait to see this one grow :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like to see an idea and then make it mine too. Love the color scheme on this one. And I thought your lovely tumbler basket was going to be your improv post! That's pretty awesome too.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Cultural Fusion is a good book. I'm glad to see your progress. I have a few projects to finish before I get started on that book, but soon I will! You've encouraged me.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oopsy!
    I am the same about reading instructions. And on the occasion when I do read the instructions, I often think I probably know better than the instruction-giver, go my own way, then have to rip, because I really did not know better at all.
    Anyway, all's well that ends well, right? Because your crosses look very fine!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love Cultural Fusion - have made a "toran" baby quilt - and used her free form piecing ideas for other things too. You are off to a great start with this quilt. Isn't it just so fun to piece this way?!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Interesting blocks and lovely fabric. It's fun to sew along with you.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Looks like another gorgeous quilt in the making! I know what you mean having so many quilty ideas floating around in your brain. It's hard to nail them down, so you just jump in and make it happen. I think the improv starts in our head first :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. These look great - and I love the colours you have chosen.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting! I love getting comments and always try to respond via email. Please leave an email in the comment to ensure a return reply! {Many of you are popping up as Anonymous for some reason, so I have no idea who it is.} Regardless, I appreciate all the comments and read every single one.