Roman Stripe Improv Art Quilt Finish

Roman Stripe: Variation I

I laughed a little when I typed the name above. Variation I. I wrote I because there is already a II in the works. I need this kind of work in my life to balance me. It makes me whole. This play on a traditional pattern that I would call an art quilt. Very traditional scraps spun into something that begged for stitching. Stitching that took on a life of its own. My fingers knew. My head did not. 

Quilt-As-You-Go Chinese Coins

Chinese Coins
A Roman Stripe Variation
Also Reminiscent of Amish Bars

Moving right along with the theme of Roman stripe or Chinese coins, and adding a dash of scrappy goodness in both fabric and batting, I whipped up this delicious, little baby quilt! It took only a few days to complete, and not only did I have a top, but a completed quilt using the Quilt-As-You-Go Method. 

*In full disclosure, I am using the term loosely as I have never read the actual method, but seen a few You Tube videos using a  similar method. I blended everything I saw with my own ideas, and made it up as I went along. It was far easier to do than I had imagined so if you have time to experiment yourself, I highly recommend it. 

Improv Chinese Coins Finish

Ready for a Sleeve...of Some Kind

Almost every picture I use on Pink Doxies is shot with a 5 year old Canon Power Shot Elph 110 HS. It's not a high end camera, and smaller and lighter than my iPhone of the same vintage. It's easy to throw in my purse. But occasionally I like to use iPhone pictures, if only to give an idea of what things look like under less-than-ideal conditions. When we look at our work in real life--in our homes, they are not typically in optimal photo studio lighting. A quilted piece should not be hung in bright daylight especially as textiles are prone to fading. So let's get real and pretend this is going to be something hung in a hallway, which it is. The light will probably be dim most of the time, and look much like above.

Improv Chinese Coins from Scraps

Pocket Change Improv

This project was born from scraps. The fabric is a combination of Kaffe Fassett, Moda Grunge, and batiks. Check them out as 9 patches in this post for A Lesson In Value & Fabric Choice and a Hop. I had separated the scraps in a box instead of mixing them into my scrap stash, and they were easily turned into this wall hanging based on the Chinese coins pattern.

Strips, Strings & Fine Lines Between Roman Stripes

Basket Weave & Chinese Coins

Both Roman Stripe Patterns

This weekend was a perfect time to wander about town looking for examples of lines. I am curious how the things we see influence the things we make. Elements of our lives and everyday world find their way into our work naturally. 

Details: Amish Inspired Roman Stripe Quilt

Amish Inspired Roman Stripe Quilt

I think it is important to show quilts in our homes in use, and for what they were intentionally created for--both warmth and beauty. This picture was not staged because I would have been a bit more careful with a dirty box full of sweet corn from the field, but was that a pretty sight when I opened the front door! Now let me tell you about the process of making this very traditional, Roman stripe quilt. 

What Is a Roman Stripe?

Amish Inspired Roman Stripe Quilt

The first pattern I chose to launch my project of pattern study was one often used by early quilters because of its simplicity. Strips of fabric sewn together on their longest sides to create a vivid pattern are called Roman stripes. In this first post, I would like to explain some of what I have learned about the pattern itself.