11 years ago
I was contacted by James Brooks at Stitch Craft Create letting me know of a blog hop featuring the book Quilt Improv by Lucie Summers.
Would I like to participate? OF COURSE!
You know that scrappy wonky freeform improvisational quilts are amongst my favorites – I’ve always got something going on the side in the sew-as-you-go genre.
I’m game!
I waited patiently for my very own copy of Quilt Improv to arrive ---it came while I was in Germany and was waiting for me when I got back!
This book is chock full of inspiration and gorgeous photographs. There are easy quilt “Recipes” to help break you out of your self-imposed “all lines must be straight and all points must match” straight jacket and the projects will give you the nudge you need to let go!
I love Lucie’s way of breaking away from rigid rules. “Approximate sizes are given for the quilt units but don’t be ruled by measurements – Just add pieces or trim units as necessary”
I like this girl!
I think she and I would get along famously if we had time to sew together, can you imagine?
Quilt Improv on top of my ever-growing pile of green string blocks!
A bit about Lucie:
Lucie Summers lives in a farmhouse surrounded by countryside in Suffolk, UK, with her farmer husband, two boys and an anti social ginger cat. She graduated a million years ago from Norwich School of Art & Design where she specialised in print making.
A million years later, she's still printing up a storm and sells her distinctive fabrics and products under the Summersville label on Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade goods.
Lucie has been featured on many prestigious design blogs and is becoming well known for her colourful and unconventional approach to creating quilts.
She has won many awards in the UK for her distinctive pieces and has written many articles and tutorials for US patchwork and craft magazines as well as being featured in countless craft books both in the UK and worldwide.
Lucie loves charity shops, the seaside and summertime, but really dislikes cold weather, baked beans and raisins.
Read news on Lucie and her colourful life at blu-shed.blogspot.co.uk
I wish I had time to play with some of the ideas in the book – but you all know I’ve been a road warrior the past couple of months. I AM so anxious to get playing with my scraps – and I love how Lucie makes it look so easy!
She approaches each individual technique in improvisational piecing, referring to them each as building blocks. And they are! The techniques you work through in each chapter can be combined with each other in many different inspirational layouts.
Many you will recognize from traditional string quilts, such as the basic string block, rail fences and chevrons, but these are brighter, bolder, a bit more free! Each technique can be made into a mini quilt all its own – or combined into larger quilts.
I fell for this one hook line and sinker:
I love this little ditty called “Pieced Squares” Bring on the bright and saturated colors!
((And the polka dots in here make me happy!))
The book is full of large full color photos in gorgeous settings!
This is one of my favorites, all in solids!
But I really love this one also! An uptake on basic crumb piecing – but look at the color gradations and the sashings – I love this! It reminds me of the fields I saw in Ireland ((Only reference I have, I’ve not been to England yet, but that is coming up this next August 2014! YES!)) as viewed through a paned window. Doesn’t your eye just go toward the yellow in the upper right? That’s where the warmth and sunlight is. Beautiful!
From the back of the book:
About Quilt Improv:
Take inspiration from simple objects to create 12 beautiful, contemporary quilt blocks. Create original quilts from each block design and adapt them to your own style. Learn how to interpret print, pattern and shapes into unique quilting ideas and experiment with a range of innovative techniques for impressive, professional results. Covers techniques such as square piecing, basket weave, half-square triangles, chevrons, quarter circles and portholes.
Are you game? Ready to play in the scraps? Would you like to win a copy of Quilt Improv?
Leave me a comment in the comments section below! I’ll draw the winner on New Year’s Eve!
And while we are at it, here’s the run down of the blog hop. Be sure to visit and register each day at the blogs below for even more chances to win! Dates go all the way through January and I’m looking forward to reading the posts all through the BLOG HOP!
DECEMBER:
Mon 16th – Summersville
Wed 18th – The Long Thread
Thur 19th – A Stitch In Dye
Fri 20th – Fresh Modern Quilts
Sun 29th – Quiltville’s Quips & Snips
JANUARY:
Wed 8th – Blueberry Park
Thur 9th – Sew Take a Hike
Fri 10th – Very Kerry Berry
Mon 13th – Sew Justine Sew
Tue 14th – Jaybird Quilts
Wed 15th – Lily’s Quilts
Thur 16th – Cut To Pieces
Fri 17th – Happy Zombie
Mon 20th – Freshly Pieced
Tue 21st – Fresh Lemons Quilts
Wed 22nd – Crazy Mom Quilts
Thur 23rd – Gen X Quilters
Fri 24th – Handmade by Alissa
Mon 27th – Don’t Call Me Betsy
Tue 28th – I’m a Ginger Monkey
Wed 29th – Sew Mama Sew
TBC – Ryan Walsh Quilts
Good luck, everyone!!
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