Monday, April 25, 2016

Improv Art Quilt Progress



I thought I should show you some progress after a design wall stall. I jumped ship on this project to work on the Naked Ladies quilt, but I'm back. 


This particular project has taken a lot of my time just standing and staring. Rarely have I ever made anything like this, and it has taken a while to adjust to. First was the color, width, and variety of the strips. 


 Second, the frame work fabrics. Third the directionality of the blocks. Last of all is how the whole thing will come together at the end. No matter how I've chunked it up, there will be Y-seams. 



I have less than a dozen improv blocks left to do, and am interested in how it will all play out. You can plan and plan a design, but until you actually see it in front of you it's hard to anticipate the surprises that occur. 

I hope your design wall is full of interesting 
and surprising things, too!

17 comments:

Angie in SoCal said...

What about black in those empy square spaces? Just a thought.

Kate @ Smiles From Kate said...

I studied it for a while, you have a great eye for colour. Looking forward to seeing it develop.

Sew Surprising said...

Ohhhh I am just truly ♥'ing this, your design wall looks a whole lot brighter than mine, im having one of those,not sure what I want too do next, am sure it will come to me, but for now I can enjoy your improving :)

Linda Swanekamp said...

Improv quilts take much longer than pattern quilts. The ones that I have made are not that big. I find that evaluating photos of the quilt works better than just staring at the wall, but it is a slow process anyways. Love your colors.

Julie said...

They do, and they are far more exhausting, I think. I like to take process photos, and look at them away from the work as well as while I stand there. Fresh eyes are underrated. Thanks so much, Linda.

Julie said...

I've tried a lot of different things thinking they would work. I was sure that alternating the Moda Grunge solids through there would be a winner, but it was drab. There is no black in the quilt with the most saturated color being dark maroon (I don't know if you can tell from my pictures or not), but I finally decided it wasn't a color issue as much as a movement issue. What I think will actually work, and you can see just beginning above, is a color shift along with movement. All the 'kisses' or X's have multi colored improv blocks which contain at least 1 strip of pink, maroon, or orange. The center 5, 2 of which are showing, will not have any of those. I've stuck with blues, greens, and golds. It's subtle, like I said, but I think it will be offset enough to separate and carry its own weight.

We all see such different things, and I'm becoming more aware how we all see color a little differently. And I believe the more aware we become of it, the more nuances we perceive. It's an amazing, technicolor world out there.

Stitchin At Home said...

I have looked at this trying to offer an idea but alas no helpful thoughts.

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

I've enjoyed watching this come together. Looking forward to seeing how it all ends up. Good luck.

Jayne said...

Julie you are killing this! It looks fantastic, Y seams and all! It's always nice to take a step back. Nine times out of 10 an idea will hit you...you just have to wait for it!

beth s said...

Wow! What a WONDERFUL quilt beginning! Look forward to seeing it completed.

Cath said...

wow Julie! I take my hat off to you....this is a stunning quilt in the making! Thank you for sharing with Design Board Monday at Bits 'n Bobs.

Lisa J. said...

Beauty.

Val's Quilting Studio said...

I love playing with a project on the design wall as well...ours is evolving wonderfully! It's colors are so fun!

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

This is a great setting and combination of fabrics. Looks fabulous! I look forward to seeing where you go with this.

evaj said...

Thank you for your inspiration and involvement Today Show and Tell Monday !! Bambi Hug

Kate said...

Wow! Love the colors and patterns in this project. Looking forward to seeing it all come together.

em's scrapbag said...

I'm loving how your improv project is coming. Such great use of color and design.