Off Centered Improv
Next month I’m lucky enough to be leading a sewing workshop at the Cincinnati Modern Quilt Guild. I grew up in Cincinnati and my family all still lives there, so this will be a really fun opportunity for me to hang out with all the talented modern quilters in my hometown.
The guild was really great and left the decision as to what we would be working on up to me. I love improvisational quilting so I thought that would be a fun technique for everyone to explore. This is our class sample ~ improvisational log cabins.
These blocks are a bit similar to the pillow I made Jennifer last October. You can see the work in progress below.
I broke down the log cabins by warm and cool colors, incorporating a bit of grey and just a small amount of prints.
The border is a black and white Alexander Henry crosshatch.
I quilted this mini quilt with randomly spaced organic lines. They are all around 1/4″ apart, but I didn’t mark or measure. I used my walking foot and slowly moved the fabric back and forth ever so slightly as I quilted.
This new quilt has a home above my new computer workstation in my sewing space! For more information about the Cincinnati Modern Quilt Guild, you can contact them through their blog or email them at cincinnatimodernquiltguild (at) gmail.com.
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Tagged as: Improvisational Quilting · Log Cabin · modern quilt · modern quilting · Off Centered · quilt block · Solids · straight line quilting
What a fun project! I’m sure everyone at the CMQG will have a great time
VERY pretty colors! This is just lovely, Faith!
Love the quilt and the quilting!
Love this, Faith! Perfect and fresh for on the wall.
Love this quilt. Hope this inspired feeling gets into my quilting for the day.. I would love to do something similar to this for my guilds quilt show silent auction.
This is a super fun quilt! Can I ask where you found the hanging hardware for it. I’ve been looking for something like it– was it Ikea by chance? Thanks!
Hi Karen – Yes! Ikea
It was in the curtain hanging hardware section.
Faith, I love your improv log cabins! As soon as I saw your picture, I was reminded of an article I read once about the historic Gee’s Bend quilts. Take a look: http://museum.olemiss.edu/2011/01/a-survey-of-gees-bend-quilts-2/
I wish I could take your class — I look at your quilt and wonder how on earth you can vary the sizes/angles of your patches and have everything still fit together properly for a flat, smooth quilt top. I’m great at cutting things crooked, but I can only make the pieces fit together when I accidentally cut them all straight!
Makes me want to start another project! Must file the idea for future! I have three going right now (Dresden not the least of them) but this is so fun looking, Faith! I am adding your site to my blog roll. Modern quilting has possessed me.
that’s really pretty! I like the colors and your chose of gray!
I just love this quilt. Thank you for showing it to us. I’m off to make one!
I love the quilt and the modern log cabin. Definitely love how you incorporated the solids with the ninimal prints!
- Katie Fleming
Could be hanging out at Second City — what is the name of the grey fabric — you have used it several times and it really brings out the middle of the quilt — thanks,Terry !)
Thanks Terry! The light grey in the blocks is Kona Ash and the darker grey is Free Spirit Nugray.
This quilt is SO HAPPY! It’s like sunshine, and it makes me want to sew! The colors are just perfect, and so is the piecing, and it makes me so happy!
I belong to a group that we just started up in Michigan City, Indiana called the Michiana Modern Quilters – and we meet at Threadbenders quilt shop. It’s been fun – and we have yet to figure out a real meaning for “Modern Quilting” – and are trying to drag a few people in the group out of their little boxes out into the “FREE” world of modern quilting!!! We have only met a few times, but we have some real creative juices flowing and should be fun!!! SOOO nice to be a part of this site and see what’s going on out there!! Good luck to alllll of you Modern Minded stitchers!!!
This is so fun! What a great project for the guild to work on!
what a great quilt, love all these log cabins, they go so well with your quilting. Just perfect!
Great colors and the quilting is my favorite!
Way to go, Bev! You are so industrious! I heoppd over to Very Jane to take a look. I’d never heard of them. Thanks for the link. Love the idea of making these from other items as well, like the pocket squares, tablecloths and baby clothes. Such a great keepsake.
i love it so much faith! it’s totally beautiful and what fun class to be teaching.
I love that you have a computer workstation set up in your sewing space. My monitor sits right on top of my cutting mat which kinda sucks sometimes! oh well, just glad I have a space to keep my sewing in. 
Love the improviness, and all those summery colours against the grey
What a stunning quilt! The colors are wonderful against the grey!
Faith, I love the way your background fabric choice and your quilting add so much to this quilt (not that the blocks themselves and the lay out are anything to pass over either). This little quilt has it all.
I love this! The solids you chose are so juicy and delicious looking. Maybe I’m craving ice cream, but they want me to lick your quilt. In a totally non-creepy way, of course!
Totally stunning! I love how everything is offset. Very insperational!
When you quilt in rows like that do You always sew from the top down or do you stitch from the top down and then sew from the bottom up? I love the looks of the random line quilting.
I just pinned this as my new favorite modern quilt. This is just wonderful!!!
WOW!!! I LOVE this quilt!! I love the blocks, the way it’s off-center, and the quilting!!
I love this!! Can’t wait to try it out next month at the workshop!
love it!! i really need to start going to those meetings. maybe this is the push i need
Wow! just love it!! But it must have taken so much patience. did you find it pulled out of shape at all?
Great quilt! I like that you improvised AND worked within boundaries. Great example of improvisation for those new to this style.
and i want this mini to come live at my house.
just sayin’.
Everything about this is so pretty. I love how the log cabins don’t line up into a square area and the solids and quilting and cross hatch. Wow!
This is just fabulous! Wow, I wish I could take a class from you.
I LOVE this wall hanging!!! Thanks for sharing it.
I love improve, too. It’s so fun! I live in Columbus – I wish there was a Modern Quilt Guild up here. It’s sad to be SO close and yet so far away.
Love doing improv piecing. This piece is great, love the colours in it!
I love this a lot! The background is awesome, and the quilting, too! Well done!