Turkey Tracks: April 28, 2017
Mt. Battie Modern Traveling Improv Quilts
Some of us started a “traveling” improv quilt that will “travel” to those of our members who want to “play” along–and the emphasis is on both “play” and taking time to learn something new.
We each created a theme, specified what we did and did not want in our quilts (colors, fabrics, etc.), and said whether or not we wanted blocks connected along the way. Each project is contained in a box or bag and has a notebook that “travels” along where everyone who works on the quilt writes what and why they did what they did. Each person also includes a label with their name, etc., that will go on the quilt’s back when it is finished. Each person working on a quilt can do one or two “sides,” but not all four sides of a project.
We are forming a list of all the themes, but I do not have it yet, I will be a bit fuzzy on exact themes.
Last night we could see what the first person to get our quilts added.
Here’s what happened–the order below is just how the pictures uploaded into wordpress.
Nancy Wright started this quilt (Star theme) with the large star on the bottom right. Tori Manzi found two “funky star” patterns to add. The smaller one is a free pattern from Amy Friend on Craftsy. The larger star is from Nido (a quilt shop in Burlington, VT). I found the pattern on Nido’s web site; it’s part of a star quilt that people did monthly. It’s free too.
My quilt (Love), with a very fun addition by Lynn Vermeulen. The black really pops the colors, doesn’t it?
Joanne Moore (color/play) gave us two pieced pieces. The one on the upper left and the one at the bottom of the flower, ending with the polka dot fabric. Becca Babb-Brott added the flower (she wanted to play with making the curved pieces), the long strips on the left, and the stars and pinwheel strip at the bottom.
Vicki Fletcher (color, stars, play) gave us the star block on the right, and Joanne Moore added the colorful block on the left.
Becca Babb-Brott (the words are her theme) kept her blocks separate and asked that we work on any one piece however we want but not connect them. Linda Satkowski made lots of blocks that Becca can add where she wants. The block on the lower right has a “secret message”–in Morse Code. These two have been discussing Morse Code quilts over the past year.
Megan Bruns (play?) gave us the block on the right, with its interesting fabric border. Nancy Wright created the block on the left with the adorable fox. She also included two more of these little animals in case anyone wants to use them.
Lynn Vermeulen started this quilt with the word “quilt.” She wants a wall hanging size when the work is finished. Margaret Elaine Jinno added the thread spools and the English Paper Piecing hexies–which is apropos because we have all gone quite mad with EPP projects.
Tori Manzi’s initial block is all about color, play, and her love of foundation piecing. Tori loves Allison Glass’s bright sunprint fabrics, so Vicki Fletcher used some of those fabrics and added in a bright Kaffe Fasset red border that picks up a lot of the colors in Tori’s flying geese/Mariner’s Compass block. She did not attach her block as she thought the next person might want to do so, depending on what is done next.
Linda Satkowski’s theme is “community.” The three houses pictured below each have a special meaning for her as living in each marked a special time in her life. Linda’s husband was in the Air Force, so they moved around just a bit. I made the dividing line of black and white squares (like a floor in a house or a pathway) and I located my tree house outside the city that is pictured in the grey fabric in the middle. The text print in the sky has works like “neighborhood.” The tree houses are for people, not birds. I foundation pieced them and faced them. My present home is on a hill, so I often feel as if I am living among tree tops. A tree can be home to many life forms that form a community. And I treasure this time in my life when I live much more in nature but am close to town. The tree needs some texture, and I found some variegated grey pearl cotton (size 8) that either Linda or I can use when the quilt is layered to provide tree texture.
We are missing Margaret Elaine Jinno’s quilt. Megan Bruns is working on it, and I will post a picture of it early next week.
I am very excited about this project. It’s one I’ve wanted to do for some time now. And I think that everyone has outdone themselves with their work. I can’t wait to see what happens next month!!
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