My name is Charlotte, sometimes known as Ms Lottie, occasionally as The Slightly Mad Quilt Lady. This is my blog, where you'll find me writing a lot about my quilting and textile arts and a little about my family's life in a small seaside town in New Zealand. Haere mai!

Friday, June 3, 2016

Cropping - what bits to leave off your quilt

I've been making small improv quilt compositions.  They started as colour studies, a follow-on exercise from this blog post here.



I gave myself rules: one a day, improvisational, don't get hung up on it, only allowed to change one colour per day, 4 1/2 inch finished, straight line quilting.

It's been a real eye opener for me regarding what my preferred colours are, what works with improv quilting and how the proportions of colour really change the end product.  I got sick of pink so fast...

What has also been very useful is making a quick cropping tool.



I took a sheet of paper (I have a roll of brown butchers paper that never seems to get any smaller and is incredibly useful) and cut a five inch square out of it.  I should have actually cut a 4 1/2 inch square because that's my finished size, but I was worried I'd mark my sides and then cut them without thinking, ending up with 4 inches....

Look how it helps me see possible end compositions:


And here's what I finished with:


Below are three of my most recent; numbers 20, 21, and 22.  I broke my rules and made three in one day with the same colours as I found this colour combination so compelling, and there was something really clicking with my piecing that day.  I felt as if I was really reaching something I had been looking for.


Do you crop?  And how do you feel about cutting off precious bits of quilt?  And do you break your own rules!?

6 comments:

  1. These small pieces are just super! I use a picture mat mount cut at two of the corners and these can be moved around.

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  2. I agree with you about those three pieces - they do work. And so does the mask :)

    viv

    ps. I have finally started putting some writing up on the old blog. Hope some of them prove interesting:)

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  3. I've never thought to do before. It really is one out of the box, but something to think about and how to use up your scraps. Your blocks are looking slick.

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  4. What a great idea, Charlotte..love your colour combo! I must blow the cobwebs off my sewing machine.....

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  5. What a great idea to really visualise what you are going to have. Love what you have achieved here. I have not tried improv piecing like this but am drawn to it.

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  6. I suppose the big question being, what are you going to do with them?

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