Tag Archives: Quilts Unscripted

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Based on the classic precision pieced snake blocks, Sarah Ruiz asked us for improv snake blocks.

She pointed us to these two websites as examples of what the classic snake block looks like.

Sarah chose a palette of dark teal (for the arcs), magenta, coral, yellow, and cream. For each color family, we were encouraged to use various hues, and a minimum of two color families per section. We could include any type of straight-line improv piecing, with the only curved seams being the improv quarter circle arcs in dark teal.

After pulling fabric the first section I pieced was this corner section. I had pulled yardage and scraps in the appropriate colors and this quarter circle of magenta was calling to be a corner of one block. I slice and inserted three 1/8" wide skinny strips.

Then I started piecing boxy sections of magentas and corals to be a center section. Since I wanted to use different color combinations in the different background sections, I pieced yellow and cream for one corner.

For the second block I took inspiration from my round robin unit. I created a large wonky strip set wide enough to be trimmed on the diagonal to be the center section of my second block.

Again taking inspiration from my scrap shapes I used a triangular scrap and pieced around it to create the second corner for block two.

Finally, I decided to make another cream and yellow slab for the second corner of block one (below), heavier on the cream this time.

I attached the teal strip to the corner section first. Then I lay the resulting panel on top of the center panel of fabric (2nd photo above). I lined the edges of the corner up about 1/2" inside the edges of the center panel. Then I checked to make sure there was enough fabric in the overlap where I would cut and sliced through both layers at once (using this method) before piecing the curved seam (3rd photo above).

These blocks were such an opportunity to play. I loved choosing different color combinations and deciding on different styles of improv piecing.

It will be fun to see Sarah's quilt top come together. I like the visual interest of the teal arcs not lining up perfectly.

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In January, Elizabeth asked us to make improv plus sign blocks.

Elizabeth provided this graphic with color recommendations (Red, Red-Orange, Pink, Violet, Lavender, White, Dark Green, Green, Yellow) and asked for 9 1/2" plus sign blocks that feel graphic and improvisational.

These felt like potato chips to me. So easy to not just make one.

I let the process of each block inform my decisions for the next block.

In my first block I created a green and yellow strip set to use for one stroke of my block. Before I trimmed it down, I really liked the shape of the yellow sticking out farther than the green.

So for the second block I pieced red and pink strips before making this strip sets. Red was my background for this block so this achieved the feature of the yellow pieces being taller than the pink in the finished strip. (It's a different proportion than the strip set for the first block.)

Following the same process I created a second strip set, leaving a larger center section. I pieced this strip into my red background before making a vertical slice to insert my first strip.

Blocks 1 and 2.

Blocks 3 and 4. In block three, I used a scrap of dark purple leftover from creating block one. And my dark green fabric was a small scrap, so I chose to use that with the dark purple to create the plus. Since these were both darks, I chose a lighter color that I hadn't used yet for the background. The plus is intentionally off center. In block four, I had cut a piece of white fabric as the background for a previous block before changing my mind. So I used that for my background. And my scrap of pink fabric was side enough to cut strips to insert across the entire width of the block. I hadn't used improv curves yet, so I went for a simple two-color block with improv curves.

Overall, I was happy with the variety of my blocks and I enjoyed working in the happy colors that Elizabeth chose for us. And now that I think about it, Elizabeth uses stripes in her work a lot. Maybe there was some subliminal inspiration for my first block. I look forward to see what everyone else creates for the prompt.

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In August, Emily pointed us to Bow Bridge in Central Park at spring sunny day by Helen Denisevich for our color inspiration. She asked us to choose two color groupings inspired by the vibrant colors in the watercolor and ink painting. She wanted a 12" x 12" block with a small section of one color group surrounded by the second color group. Any improv we'd like!

I loved the greens in the painting, ranging from yellow-greens into blue-greens, so I pulled fabric for that to be one of my groupings. Then I focused on the pinks in the tree and chose a variety of pinks, light to dark.

My finished block is approximately 12" x 12". The pink section in the center was informed by the shape of my scraps, starting with the largest triangle in the center.

The green section to the left of my center section was informed by scraps that were wedge shaped.

I pieced green strips for the top section, but when that was too boring for me I made a couple vertical slices to insert additional pieced sections.

I love having beautiful, saturated bold colors in a prompt. And the freedom to do any improv pieced we'd like meant that I could just play with the fabric. It was such a joy to create.