Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Two Improv Round Robins

It's certainly been a busy month with a couple of trips, visiting friends, several quilt meetings, and the PIQF show. Most of my quilting time was spent on the Lobster Boat quilt for my grandson-to-be.

CQFA (California Quilt and Fiber Artists) is a smaller group that takes turns leading workshops. Round Robin from Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters was suggested.  Because I'd previously taken this workshop from Sherri Lynn, when the day arrived I was the leader. What a great day we had! Each top passed to seven quilters. Their personalities show in the sections they added.

Here's the top I took home.

CQFA Improv Round Robin 

My signature fabric, which I used on each top, was the green and yellow large moon print next to the orange feathers. I like the way everyone balanced additions to this quilt. The two red columns are especially strong and pleasing to me. My one regret is that I grabbed leftovers rather than pulling fabric. These small scraps are wonderful but each was already ruler cut the widths you see in the quilt. Very rectangular piecing rather than freehand cut. Live and learn.

Two weeks later the Book Study group met for our Round Robin. We stopped after the first round to take a quick photo of our beginnings. (Thanks for the reminder, M-N!) Clockwise from my Finnish flags in the bottom right: Tami, M-N, and MK.

MK shared results from a Floating Squares workshop she took with Sherri Lynn. It's a good read.

Bron gave me the lavender and cream print I used in the HSTs and as my signature fabric. You can see it best at the bottom of the last photo. The selvedge says it's a 1998 Nancy Crow design. How styles have changed!

First round of Book Study Round Robin

We completed six rounds which meant we worked on some tops twice. The results are below.

Finished Round Robins for me and MK

Finished Round Robins for Tami and M-N

Our next Ad Hoc Improv Quilters Linkup will be November 24. It's always the last Tuesday of each month. We hope you will join us with a link or simply come to read the fabulous posts from other improv quilters.

Enjoy the day, Ann


12 comments:

Stephie said...

I wondered if you'd be doing the Round Robin Ann! I love the way the pink one turned out, it looks like the most successful one to me. It's interesting that in Sherri Lynn's book she takes apart her round robin quilt and stitches it back up so that it's a much stronger design. It goes to show that 'improv' doesn't have to mean you stick with what you've got and that it can be a very considered way of working. A lovely post, thanks Ann! So, patchwork doodles next?!

Ann said...

I am going to reread that section; I never noticed she took her round robing apart. One of the people in the first group did something similar: cut sections off, reworked and reattached them. And it does look better.
That's an idea several posters discussed in the last linkup - improv is not equal to no plan. Even you discussed that. Your eye and your work are fabulous. What silliness not to use your talents. Ok, that starts another thought: using your talents, not outside (negative or confining) voices. Hmmm.
Yes, patchwork doodles next. I do admire the way Sherri laid this book out. Very thoughtfully arranged to build skills and confidence.

audrey said...

Love seeing these improv. round robins! Very fun and liberating! I hope to be able to kick myself into gear by your next linkup. I have several ideas for a starting point, but need a good window of time to feel comfortable starting anything like that.:)

Anonymous said...

I love your improv quilt!!! Great work!!! Hugs~

Mystic Quilter said...

These are lovely and I bet you all had great fun passing around!

Ann said...

These have been fun but now that I've done three, I'm ready to move on. It's a helpful exercise to practice: reading what has previously been completed, working quickly, see how other people handle challenges. Because you work so fast, nothing is precious; not so much worry that you'll mess it up. And you work outside your colors. In fact, you add crazy colors because each signature fabric goes into each round robin.
I hope you find time to try some improv although your work is gorgeous on its own.

Ann said...

Thanks, Cathy! These were both fun days.

Ann said...

Thanks, Maureen. We had lively days. It was a good bunch of quilters - very open minded. Lots of laughing and surprises.

Janie said...

Scrappy quilts, each with a different story to tell. The best for snuggling under.

Ann said...

These certainly were fun and we have great stories of our quilt day.

Kaja said...

You have been busy! The round robin sounds like an interesting way of working, especially because its so fast and doesn't leave too much space for the questioning, doubting voices in people's head to take over. I like the red columns in your top piece too, and the way the pink fabric with the big flowers is on both sides, but agree it would be interesting to see this if the fabrics had been cut freehand as it went along.

Ann said...

Sherri certainly laid her book out well. The next unit is a doodle quilt. Getting ideas from working with something different should make that easier to tackle. I liked the way people mirrored many aspects on this quilt. The fabrics are my own fault - bringing all moderately or small size, squared up scraps to the round robin. The day snuck up on me and I grabbed the top half of my scrap bag on my way out the door.