They say that it's sometimes the best thing to step outside our comfort zone... always stretching and pushing ourselves to come out of that place of familiarity and safety that keeps us there to begin with. Of course trying new techniques for any quilter can only build on already established skill levels, and if you really want to step outside that zone then improv is the way to go!
I realized as I was working on my last bee blocks for this year that I forgot to share the improv blocks that I made for Yara. (check out her progress here) For her, the bold colors were her big stretch. From time to time, I convince myself that I need to try improv, yet again. Usually after struggling and muddling through it, I remind myself that all the struggling and muddling is why I DON'T like it. Am I closing the chapter on improv? Well, I suppose I'll venture out again once I forget this short lived epiphony.
... and with the busy season coming to it's peak, I'm happy to say that I just sent off my last bee blocks for the year! I am really looking forward to what Vicky does with her cute fish blocks. Vicky is another make it up as you go quilter, coming up with her own patterns... and she has a keen eye for color and a great sense of design. (not to mention the most rockin' green chair that I've seen this year ; ))
She had requested ocean blues combined with yellow/chartreuse fish and grey/black accents. I decided to use paper piecing for the inner parts of her fish... who would have thought, right?!?
Looking back at my 2016 goals from last year, I'm really happy to have put the last two check marks on the done box. Ahhh... yearly goals, hmmm, that's coming up too.
Linking up to Let's Bee Social.
For someone who doesn't love improv, your blocks sure are great! You did a bang up job on making both sets look coordinated without being identical. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the improv thing! I recently had a go at it myself and found it more fiddly and time consuming and in the end, disappointing than I'm used to. I prefer my quilting to be a little less hit and miss than that. Nonetheless your blocks turned out really well and I love your paper pieced fish!
ReplyDeleteHi Allison! I love your improv happy blocks! Just what I needed to cheer up my day! Vicky's chair is surely the best green chair!
ReplyDeleteI love all your blocks. They are so colourful.
ReplyDeleteI just looooove the center of your fish!!!
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