SHAPE OF THE WEEK: STRIPES/RECTANGLES |
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Let’s put that cutting into practice with our first shape – Stripes (and rectangles)! Stripes are such a classic motif that adds lots of dimension and movement to your quilts. Adding in a little ‘wonk’ will create a more organic effect. Here are some things to consider while you tackle your stripes: - Vary the width – play with skinny, medium, and wide strips
- Play with colour contrast – pair light with dark, dark with medium, and medium with light. See what effect that has.
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- Monday – keep it simple by just exploring cutting and piecing your strips. See how alternating the direction you piece your strips in helps limit (or exaggerate) the wonk.
- Tuesday – play with scale and see how piecing skinny strips feels different to super wide strips and how it can add complex detail to your block.
- Wednesday – lean into the wonk by combining your freehand cutting while piecing your strips all in the same direction. See how much ‘wonk’ you can build into your piece!
- Thursday – pull out that rotary cutter and give your strip set or a block from earlier in the week a fun slice and sew it back together. Then dice it up again!
- Friday – pull out that wild card! Consider incorporating some negative space in your block composition to see what effect that has on your stripe motifs (this is a great opportunity to put your trimmings from earlier in the week to good use!).
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Improv means there is no set rule for what size your blocks need to be. For this #30DaysofImprovQAL our general guideline is to target 6.5” blocks (the fabric requirements we shared last week reflect this parameter). But remember, they can be smaller, larger, or a mix of the two (admittedly, Amanda is the first to throw this guideline out the window!). |
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WHAT'S YOUR TOOL OF CHOICE? |
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It’s time to get cutting! Cutting in and of itself is a fun element to play with within your improv practice. Pick your tool of choice – rotary cutter or scissors. Each will lead to a different result, so you might want to try a block using each method to see which approach feels best to you. There is no right or wrong approach, just what works for you 😉 |
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One question we've gotten over the years is whether you're allowed to use a ruler or if you have to set it aside. The answer is: it's up to you! There is no rule that says for patchwork to be improv you can't use a ruler -- it 100% depends on what style you're going for and what you want to make today. Shannon's default is to ditch the ruler and dive right in; depending on how long its been since she last did improv piecing, Amanda has been known to use a ruler as she gets back into improv-shape (or to get a more precise feeling to her work). If you do opt to go sans ruler, then here are some helpful tips: Stand while you cut. This sounds like it wouldn’t have that big of an impact, but surprisingly it does! You have better control when you stand and cut, and this is especially true when working without a ruler. Cut from the hip with a straight shoulder. This simply means that you want to have the motion of the cutting originating from your hip. Think of a straight line that starts from your hip and moves straight in front of you. Keep your eyes focused where you want to cut and maintain a straight shoulder. |
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IMPORTANT – keep your hands and fingers of the noncutting hand out of the way. Rotary blades are SHARP and you want to be mindful of where all your appendages are! |
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If using scissors, you want to leverage the full blade of the scissors rather than using the tips to cut. This results in a straighter cut. The more you practice cutting without a ruler, the more natural it will feel, and you’ll be amazed at how straight you can cut without any guidelines! If you decide to use a ruler, Amanda suggests keeping tabs on yourself to make sure you don’t get too fussy with it! It’s very easy to try to create a grid when using a ruler, so use this time to practice being a little more haphazard. And if you find yourself lining everything up “just so”, don’t beat yourself up: acknowledge your tendency and move on. |
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Week 1 is sponsored by LDH Scissors because slicing and dicing is the name of the game! GIVEAWAY DETAILS This week's prize is a $75 USD Gift Card. To be eligible to enter the weekly giveaway prize, you must: This week’s giveaway is open internationally! |
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Well done on selecting your fabrics for your improv play! This year, we wanted to have a special section in the weekly newsletters where we can show off your makes! We had a tough time picking just 4 of our faves! |
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The fun is just getting started with lots more cool prizes planned: be sure to check out the #30DaysofImprovQAL hashtag to connect with fellow quilters and get in on the improv fun! Until next week, |
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Just joining? Catch up on previous weeks' emails here: |
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