We’re back for Week 2 of the 30 Days of Improv Quilt Along and this week it’s all quilt play with improv polygons.
I’m so impressed with the fearlessness you’ve been showing over on the ‘gram! Seeing you enjoy the freedom improv offers and the fun you’re having letting loose is just the BEST!
Keep that curiosity going as we dive into the plethora of shapes polygons offer!
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SHAPE OF THE WEEK – POLYGONS
It might have been a while since you had your last geometry class, I know I had to take a minute to think about what constitutes a polygon – ha!
What’s fun about polygons is they’re a great introduction to angles. It’s a mix of both straight lines and angled cuts, so it leads to lots of geometric lines and movement in your piecing.
DAY 1
Strip sets and skinny strips for the win!
I decided to focus on trapezoids and hexagons. That was my starting point and I just allowed it to grow organically from there.
Sometimes it’s just about letting the block evolve one step at a time.
The final block incorporates stripes, triangles, and polygons.
The challenge is you’ll end up with lots of weird angles that might require some Y seam piecing.
If you want to avoid Y or partial seams, then take a moment to think through how you’ll piece your block to avoid those techniques 😉
I think this is a great opportunity to play and get comfortable with Y and Partial seams. They’re not hard, you just need to plan ahead a little if you want to avoid having to unpick any seams.
DAY 2
Zooming in on the details today!
Once I had the base shape, I decided to build her up using a log cabin approach.
It’s about letting your piece evolve organically as you build her up.
I then finished her off by bringing in a trimming from the other day.
A great tip is – if it fits, why not go for it. I normally take it as a sign that it’s meant to be when a random piece just fits!
So much of improv is about trusting your instincts and not overthinking things. This one did not come together as I initially thought. Part of improv is trusting that where the block is going to end is where it was meant to become. The fun is seeing how the block evolves and where it ultimately ends up. Trust that this is where it was meant to be.
Don’t force things, if you allow it to grow organically, you’ll enjoy the piecing journey a lot more. Bottom line – don’t force things.
DAY 3
Embracing the wonk! I’ve already been embracing the wonk 😉 Today I dove in by pulling a wonky hexie I pieced on Day 1. I was curious about exploring what movement I could incorporate in the block.
Lots of itty-bitty piecing in this one!
Turns out, this one is my fav so far!
DAY 4
Today I was interested in playing with just the lighter shades. I love how it helps put the focus on that itty bitty dark triangle in the center of the block composition.
Don’t discount playing with colour value in your improv. You don’t always have to feature all of the 5 colours you’re featuring in your quilts. Think about mixing it up and only focusing on a couple of colours at a time.
She turned out to be more delicate compared to the other improv quilt blocks I’ve made so far. It will be interesting to see how she fits into the final quilted wall hanging composition 😉
DAY 5
Diving into more negative space today and my first step was pulling a hexie motif I created earlier this week.
From there I added some lilac borders around the entire perimeter to frame her out.
And I just kept adding these borders.
The varying width strips really added some interest and dimension to the composition.
After I got this far, I couldn’t resist slicing and dicing her up!
I LOVE where she ended up. The asymmetry and negative space really helps to draw the eye into the central piecing details.
She’s totally funky! I know I said Day 3 was a fave, but this one takes the cake!
MATERIALS FEATURED
Here’s a list of the materials and notions I used to make my 30 Days of Improv QAL quilt blocks:
- AGF Pure Solids in Blueberry Zest*
- AGF Pure Solids in Field of Lavender*
- AGF Pure Solids in Peach Sherbet*
- AGF Pure Solids in Apricot Crepe*
- AGF Pure Solids in Sweet Macadamia*
- LDH Scissors*
- Sewing Machine*
- 50wt Thread for piecing*
- Cutting mat*
- Iron
- Pressing table
Check out the following posts for more 30 Days of Improv QAL 2022:
Be sure to check out the weekly 30 Days of Improv QAL newsletter for this week’s tips. We also snuck in some examples of polygons in case you needed a refresher 😉
Already halfway through piecing our improv blocks! Keep up the amazing work!
Haven’t joined the improv summer fun yet? You can sign up for the 30 Days of Improv Quilt Along here. Sign-ups are now closed. Sign up to be notified of next year’s QAL.
Happy quilting!
xo
Shannon
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