Round and round improv curves --- summer mini quilt
Continuing with my series of seasonal mini quilts for our hallway, I made this mini quilt using summery colors from my stash and an improv curve technique. Earlier this year I made a quilt using improv techniques I learned from Sherri Lynn Wood. I can't share that quilt here until her book is published (my quilt was not accepted for the book but uses techniques described therein, so she has asked her many testers not to share until after the publication date). It also involved improv curves. For this mini, I used the same idea but extended it to the whole quilt, instead of using blocks.
The basic idea is to start with a square or rectangle, layer another over one of the corners, and cut the two pieces of fabric at the same time, creating a curve instead of a sharp corner. Sew those pieces of curved edged fabric together and iron. Then to the same thing on the next corner and continue around in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner (it doesn't matter which way you go). It's like building a log cabin block, but you are cutting free hand curves instead of using straight strips of fabric. I've included several pictures of my process in order to give you an idea of how I proceeded.
I wasn't sure this idea would work... then I saw this quilt on pinterest and it was very similar to the idea in my mind. It's always so interesting when you think you have imagined something and then you see someone else has already done it! I was happy to see this quilt because it let me know the quilt in my mind would be possible to make. I also think Kati did a great job on hers. I love her color choices.
This was not an easy one. It was really difficult to get the quilt to lay flat as I kept adding on curved sections. In the end I had to add a couple of darts to get it to lay flat (another technique I learned from Sherri Lynn Wood). The darts helped, and after it was washed I blocked the quilt to further help it lay flat.
You can see how wobbly and not-flat this thing was...
Blocking the quilt.
I like the improv curve style of this quilt. However, when I hung it in the hallway, it immediately struck me that it looked like a big piece of tie-dyed cloth. And guess what. I hate tie-dye. And unfortunately, once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it. I think, perhaps, that the colors I chose were responsible for this look of tie-dye. They were too harsh, maybe, too jarring. I should have used some more neutrals and lighter values, perhaps.
I ended up not being very happy with this quilt. I was glad when summer was over and I could take it down and put up something else. Maybe I will try my hand at another summer mini before next year. I will have to put some thought into what makes a good summery color palette.
Even though it wasn't my favorite, it was a good learning experience, as always. Onward.
this summer* i...
-finished P's Calvin and Hobbes embroidery in the nick of time
-threw an awesome cat-themed party for P's 8th birthday
-had fun watching the C&H piece go viral for about a week
-went tent camping for the first time as an adult
- took trips to Michigan, Colorado, and Arizona
-saw the Grand Canyon
-read Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work by Austin Kleon, felt super inspired to start trying some of his suggestions
-started this website for myself
-had a quilt hanging in the International Quilt Festival show
-finished a mini quilt and a baby quilt
-started a massive quilt for our bed
-contacted 3 publishers about possibly getting said massive quilt in their magazine (still hoping to find the right fit)
-caught up on stitching signatures onto my tablecloth
-socialized with my guild ladies in and out of meetings
-successfully registered for QuiltCon
-met Rossie, whose quilts and writing I love and respect the hell out of
-spent as much time as possible with neighborhood friends
-took kids to the planetarium, the Mexican art museum, a Janelle Monae concert, and more
*summer here is defined as my kids' summer break from school
Overall this summer has been pretty good. I wish I had lost weight. I wish I had engaged more with the kids some days, instead of focusing on my own projects and letting them watch so much tv. It's been hard not to compare it to last summer, which was over the top awesome. But as I look at this list I feel like we did a lot, and I did a lot to further my own goals, which feels good. I think the kids had fun. Now I can't wait for school to start so I can really dig in to some quilts. I hope the kids have a great school year with great teachers and classmates and experiences. But, yeah. Let's get this school year started. I'm ready.
Modern In the City Challenge Quilt
Anyway, after I finished that beast of a project, I had about three days to meet a deadline for a challenge sponsored by my guild. The theme was Modern in the City, which we were free to interpret any way we wanted. The quilt had to be 36" on one side and 36" or less on the other. Most excitingly, select quilts submitted for this challenge would be displayed at the International Quilt Festival in June! All the quilts from our guild ended up being selected for the show. So I'm going to have my first quilt hanging in a quilt show! Very exciting.
I had a few ideas for this challenge, but went with the one that was simplest because I only had a couple of days to work on it. I used this photo of my kids as inspiration.
Here is my artist's statement:
"One beautiful summer day in 2011, I was in Chicago with my family. We watched some friends play softball and then we walked to a restaurant for lunch. Somewhere in between, I don't know exactly where, we passed a colorful brick wall. I made my two boys pose for pictures in front of it. I loved the colors, individually and as a group, and I loved how randomly they seemed to be placed. I still have those pictures and I adore them. When I heard the theme, "Modern in the City," these colorful bricks immediately came to mind. They are emblematic of the fact that, for modern quilters, inspiration abounds in a city. There are patterns, shapes, and interesting lines at every turn. A day spent in the city with a keen eye and a camera could yield dozens of quilt ideas. I chose this brick wall as mine because the colors are bold and fun, and because it reminds me of such a happy day with my family.
For my quilting design, I chose a modern Chicago symbol, Cloud Gate sculpture, which is lovingly referred to as The Bean. I love the way the Bean draws people from all over the city and even the world. Its simple, smooth shape made for a pleasing concentric quilting design. I also like the way the curved lines contrast with the straight lines of the piecing."
Even though this little quilt was easy to whip up, I love how it turned out. I think it's very striking. I love the bean quilting! Probably my favorite quilting I have done so far. I hand-sewed a little skyline in the middle of the bean, too, which is a sweet little detail. I can't wait to go to the International Quilt Festival with my guild friends and see our quilts displayed.