Play--An Improv Piece (Formerly Called Free Hand Curves)--post 2

Where I left off in February

Goal number eight on my June list was to make progress on the piece I began in the Cindy Gridsdela class I took last February. 

Auditioning a curve layout

I left the pieces on the design wall and have turned them in a number of directions looking for the layout that felt "right." I had an orientation that was a long gradual curve; but I didn't take a photo of it. In that layout, I was stuck with what to fill in the space around the curve. Instead, I have a photo of a shorter curve.

Auditioning some parts

I decided that I needed to decide whether I wanted to spend a lot more time on the project or did I want to finish it and move on to another project. Gertie, my inner squirrel, was all in for creating a circle and finishing sooner rather than later.

Piecing the bits as a leader/ender

I began with my pile of scraps. I began piecing more curves and adding length to an insert piece. I continued to audition a fabric and the orientation of the curve until I could live with the result. When I had the quadrants mostly pieced, I auditioned a sashing. A challenge one of my small groups currently has is to make a traditional block modern. There is a size rule and cream has to be used. This is a variation of a drunkard's path block. I wasn't feeling the sashing.

Quadrants mostly pieced

After a few days of adding a piece of fabric, rearranging, adding another fabric, rearranging, I managed to piece most of the quadrants. On purpose, I didn't piece a square nor did I square three of the blocks. I liked the wonkiness of the organic blocks. 

Lower right quadrant needs a bit of green

Next steps are to determine the frame. I was considering a dark frame around the piece; but that plan felt too traditional. The lower right quadrant needs a bit of green. Perhaps, a pieced strip would add some interest.

Green in lower right quadrant; pieced 
strip added to upper right quadrant

The upper right was too boring. I pieced a strip of scraps and liked the results. The upper left quadrant was now too boring. My small group that stitches on Friday, suggested I put some cream in that area. Rosanne even drew me a shape as an example. I love Friday Sit and Sews. The conversation is good and the advice shared is helpful. We chuckle that we are quilting by committee!

Rosanne's suggestion

I cut the shape. I'm becoming more comfortable cutting free hand organic curves! Then, I cut the shape into sections so I could piece a few confetti squares into the area.

Curved shape cut into segments
for confetti

Looking at the section spoke "too much white."  I subbed out the uncut segments for the dark green fabric and that action "felt" better to me.

Beginning to piece the curve

There was still too much white, so I added some green strips on each side of the white segments. The green was a good add. I liked the direction that corner was going. 

Left corner audition

The top half is wider than the bottom half so I pieced another strip of scraps together. I wanted a horizontal orientation for this section. Initially, I placed it on the lower left side of the piece; but, after a group discussion, Su suggested I put it in the center of the two bottom blocks. I liked the suggestion.

Center pieced strip added

The photo above is where I was at the end of Friday. The top still needs some work. I am rethinking the black strips on either side of the bottom half of the project. The lower right quadrant needs a little more interest. Saturday morning, I removed the dark strips from each side of the lower half of the project. I separated the lower quadrants. I plan to insert a fabric next to the green and do something in the gray. Let's see how far I get today! In spite of all the changes, I feel like it will be a finished top soon!

This is going to be a book club quilt for the book, "Prayers for Sale" written by Sandra Dalles. The main character in the book is a quilter. She fell in love with a blue fabric and bought the bolt. Fast forward years, the reader learns that each project has a bit of this fabric in it and that her quilting circle of friends' projects also has some of the treasured blue fabric. Using some blue fabric was my inspiration to create this piece.

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday; Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilting and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.