Adhoc. Improv. #26 Progress

Thanks for all the wonderful comments on my last post! Such an interesting and lively discussion about keeping and/or gifting the quilts we make. Congrats to the winner of the magazine giveaway--Georgia! I've sent an email your way as well as announcing it here.

The Ugly Quilt is finished!

Knowing that AHIQ #26 was coming up, I was rushing to get in another good finish. This 'Ugly Quilt' was started clear back in the late fall of 2015. It was a rough start, just playing around with a couple fabrics I liked and no pattern at all. Just at the point where I thought it needed to be round-filed, the quilt finally started developing a personality. I decided to incorporate some of my tentative improv. skills for the last border and after that was sewn on, the quilt decided it was done. Finito.

Loving the stitching....

Some quilts just wanna be square! I still smile at how quickly this one turned from really ugly to starting-to-get-sorta-interesting. It has several pieces of 90's calico in it, some make-do piecing and one lovely Coxcomb applique attempt. The free-style Baptist fan stitching makes it look so wonderfully cozy and now I just want to snuggle up with it for the whole rest of Fall. I couldn't believe it had been almost two years since I started this one. Where oh where has the time gone?

I can wholehearted say that I'm much, much more confident about improv. now than when I started this quilt. And also, I noticed while stitching on this quilt, that my initial goal in joining up with the Adhoc. linkups is starting to be realized. I am slowly, slowly starting to think about ways I can use different improv. looks to use in most all my quilts, whether in block piecing, borders or just attitude. While branching out from my safe space occasionally in color and style, simply by using the fabrics I love and continually working on that timeless 'utility' look, my quilts are starting to look even more make-do'ish than ever. And I adore it. LOVE that it doesn't look so forced and cheesy now.

I'm always happy with a good medallion look!

This past week I've also tried to make time for the 'Use Your Words' quilt. I liked the simple, almost stark look when all sewn together, but thought it needed just a touch more color.

Make Beautiful Things

And so I added on a mixed green and bright pink repeating squares border. Hmm... Maybe a bit too in-your-face now? The borders are not sewn on at this point so there's plenty of time for changes. I almost want to cut the sides of the borders down--change the look from fat squares to skinny rectangles. There would be lots of waste, but it might be worth it. Oh my, life has been a little bit too busy lately for me to properly concentrate on getting the best solution figured out. Maybe next week?

Auditioning a border....

This project was a result of last quarters prompt over at Ann and Kaja's. I took their prompt, grabbed some some orphan blocks and tested myself with a challenge to learn improv. letter piecing--wallah! Somehow that quilt top above happened. {I still call it a squirrel!}. The next quarter will be a 'consolidate and review' so yay! for me. Lots of time to get this quilt top squared away and maybe even dive into another improv. idea niggling at the back of my mind. Or two. Wouldn't want things to get boring around here!

It's also that time of the month to link up to sew-stitch-snap-SHARE#15. Progress is progress is progress....