Back in February, I donated a grocery bag full of discontinued fabric swatches to support my guild's Cuddle Quilt community service project and used them for the hands-on
meeting program, "Making Do." In March, several guild members returned with improv strips, blocks, a quilt top and even a
finished quilt! I belong to... THE. BEST. GUILD. Here is some of what we saw at Show and Tell.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEO7jhgky2swBoD46Nw-hdJD1yMU726rJJ-MsQKCK8RVctJy0JCXIGxG7dOEcn8y0Xs1TtHG5TPIIfASDes1aWhmSeJ6G7whig_H-k6fnIKhdM1z78-7AtNQu-kNgA1Sj5-Tw_ivQUmF8/s400/scrapblocks3.jpg) |
Improvisational patchwork with fabric samples. |
We suggested to the members not to trim their blocks. We'll size and trim once a quilt layout is determined.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdrEokr_LgjfzgqMqjFAzewWDoo9MTZs1NF_Xu-766ACa1NJIt82yh-VcMrII6hyTEVOu-hxhYTF6kNsUQyv3CxeKV32zUJ1QcxBg83a1woa04xAO0LXEKdM-xsCcdlzu-zuO88LdgFE/s400/scrapblocks2.jpg) |
Framed squares. |
Framing blocks with coping strips will facilitate making the blocks a uniform size.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1FNSyErRmf9kHv-wR_lcBYVQOfDvm44CbvD70p1C_cUDvN03nTuLafw5Gr_iVDdWQB34nket9iMzoL-1NhmbtH9We7YMwSgl2ADj1XqtMvcNeq6nByYvq6ppS4EE8uMlbv9SXLGI-T0/s400/scrapblocks4.jpg) |
Experimenting with various improv techniques. |
Here are two scrappy blocks and two smaller improv pieces.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2ezTO3m1tNbffx6U2sw8gZxdJg1LpmniIpR0t5F4PHwvNalfNh_IQumh9h5NZUT6pdTW3GnuMi8NPNvylqsBoqCTKrtzSKCEi1UmkrduX_DxQA3pTXI_eAKILw9wSn2N4N1fCFEbU4Q/s400/scrapblocks1.jpg) |
Improv blocks and scrappy patchwork blocks. |
One of the guild members said she experimented with all the techniques that were presented at the February program.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvtwj2yxsRnZ9QJTSrXSV1arkRJG8161hew-xWA8lg_XO9DxKJfGFHlEL1MwYOn3WqM4oMFUjESXWSwRGvQdL7cbtF5lBM3b84QoN59i2Gplthpfzja0Pu2P-apFQ-WeNPcs15hZUDA8/s400/scrapblocks5.jpg) |
Improv strips and log cabin strips. |
This is one of my favorites—a triangle block.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoRLjFvOqBhH0uc95HtAMsHHM0UU353c9fLHdUEUIIIrDIBHhRnp0y5epZntL4K8IQCHHMa9J4E5wycT82kdjCecd3-nOwvE8Xeus5TuTtYLBthCSHhOJ9BZS86pOyZ04IQfqFTF53Mg/s400/scrapblocks6.jpg) |
Make it a triangle! |
Gari (left) finished a scrappy Chinese Coin quilt and Vista (right) completed a quilt top with alternating scrappy and solid quilt blocks.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEw5oROGCr_-KIHPrD_WOmLpTuj6iBPDwPbspu5jg650us3ExQiG7snNqGSC1lCeRN8EDXK40scXsFqj9vgYN8ao_s0Kl9CHVLc-GTBpidIKl7TSSEdLSXXsRoSc-hkQ0X9Mm9YRSm3zE/s400/scrapquilt.jpg) |
A finished Cuddle Quilt and a top ready for quilting. |
I am thrilled that the fabric swatches are blooming into these fun and useful quilts. And, my guild friends are having a fun time with improv piecing, colorful scraps and running the fabric under the presser foot.
Improv with a Vintage Twist Workshop
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjallMyLjzSd7R-9i6eYPZYrwzFOwsNIeDy-Y-FCxVo7lADuXHS97ka3hFwdzlpy6daaY4eMPhpssigmnHymXvRxDB22X51VXaYfNwZlw3SLrAoKf6mOJ9lydP-skPh9IcNYxUh7OlqU80/s400/AWonkyStar.jpg) |
Mary Kerr's award-winning quilt, "A Wonky Star." |
Now I'm culling my collection of vintage quilt blocks and fragments in preparation for
"A Wonky Star: Improv with a Vintage Twist" workshop with Mary Kerr.
The
Choo Choo Quilters and the
Chattanooga Modern Quilt Guild are hosting Mary for two workshops and a lecture, this coming
Friday and Saturday, April 7 and 8.
There are a few spaces in both workshops and the lecture is open to quilters and non-quilters alike. Contact me if interested.