Happy July 4th to readers from the USA! I hope you are enjoying celebrations with family and friends today!
Here's the update for my improv "dots and dashes" quilt. You can read more about the start of it here if you missed that.
This is how it was last week.
I stared at it good and hard, and decided I really like the combination of the orderly uniform squares in various combinations, with the occasional strip of different sizes of small scraps sewn in columns.
Then I picked 3 things that I didn't like and want to change:
1) I don't like the horizontal lines which were just auditioned on the design wall, so no unsewing was needed.
3) I don't like that one of the white on white backgrounds looks yellowish at times. Oh well... definitely can't change that!
I decided it needed to be 5 rows instead of 4 to become a rectangular quilt. I rummaged around in the scraps to figure out if I have enough scraps to stretch it to 5 rows? I think I do and am still working on filling in the spaces.
I had to add in another white on white fabric since the solid white was done.
I auditioned adding chunks of fabric to the ends of the rows to even up the lengths. I'm not sure if those are staying yet.
One of my friends saw the quilt on the design wall and said "I love it... You should write a pattern for that".
Ummmm NO! That's the fun of improv... there is no pattern, and no two quilts are alike. At times I look at the design wall and think it is just a hot mess. At other times I think it's such a fun quilt and can't wait to sew it all together. That is just how is goes with an improv adventure!
Linking up to Oh Scrap! and Let's Bee Social.
You're right about the horizontal stripes and the squares touching. It looks lighter and cleaner without those. I do like the bigger, paler rectangles as places for the eye to rest, and they might be fun places to do some fancy quilting :)
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is looking great. I like the changes you've made - and the white only looks yellow in certain light. It'll be fine once it's all done :-)
ReplyDeleteThat is the beauty of improv! Could you imagine writing a pattern! It looking fantastic. I've had the same issue with whites before and learned that if I don't use the same batch of fabric, chances are there will be a slight difference. If you distribute the off color pieces throughout the quilt it will end up looking intentional!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun, letting your creativity loose. I agree as well, the lines will look better not touching the squares. Have fun quilting today. Happy Independence Day!
ReplyDeleteIt looks wonderful! I agree with you about the fun of improv. The whole point is that you never know what's coming next. And the thought of patterning something improv is just daunting.
ReplyDeleteYour progress on this one has been fun to watch. Thanks for sharing your thought process. I really like how it is turning out.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with Oh Scrap!
Dots and Dashes is the perfect name. It does make me think of Morse code!
ReplyDeleteOh my! I absolutely love this! What a fun and refreshing adventure! I love listening in on your process...what stays, what goes! I just love it!
ReplyDeleteIt's very fun. I love the cool color theme you've got going with the scraps. Have fun playing.
ReplyDeleteSuch interesting blocks and bound to be fun to make since there don't seem to be any rules about what goes where. I would think it would help to having fabrics that play well together to start with and then let the fun begin.
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