Friday, January 23, 2009

Project Improv . . . and more

Some of my blog friends are familiar with Project Improv, the brainstorm of Jacquie over at Tallgrass Prairie Studio. Jacquie creates the most incredible quilts. They are not typical traditional quilts meticulously pieced from classic patterns, but instead they are "break free" quilts where blocks take on a modern, freeform style. I've admired her quilts for some time now and when she unveiled Project Improv, which calls for participants to make an improvisational quilt block and donate it for a quilt for charity, I took the plunge and joined. I've made quilts but not like this. Making this improv block was an experience. My only guideline was the color family I chose - blue & green. This took me longer than I thought it should have - I was thinking, moving colors and pieces. But I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Most importantly, now I know I can do it and I'm seeing an improv quilt in my future! Thanks Jacquie for prompting me to discover something new. I'm excited.

. . . about a few things. I've shared this with people in my life but hadn't yet made the announcement here. Last fall my husband and I spent a week of vacation at Hillman Ferry Campground in the Land Between the Lakes. There, hours from home at a campground in Kentucky, we met Jerry and Kathy, a charming and fun couple also from Illinois with ties to our hometowns. Jerry and Kathy are seasonal workers at the campground. We had fun talking with them and by the end of the week they were sharing with us details of their seasonal work and . . . well, to make a long story short, Randy & I will be heading to Kentucky in the next few weeks to work at Hillman Ferry.

Which means I won't have many sewing projects to show you over the summer months but maybe I'll find something to blog about nevertheless. I hope you won't be too disappointed. It's an exciting time for us and we are anxious to begin our new adventure.

I'll leave you with a recalled picture from our trip last fall. Doesn't this make you want to go along?

7 comments:

kathi said...

I love your block--it looks like you are a veteran "improv-er". And congratulations on the campground gig. Sounds like fun.

Unknown said...

what an adventure! sounds like fun :) Love your improve block!

Bobbi said...

Answering your question.... No, I didn't paper piece the collage. I just put it together on Flickr. Although as I put each picture up on the door for my family to guess where they are I'm getting quite the little paper collage there.

Hey Harriet said...

That's a lovely improv quilt! It's such a great idea for a project. And that was your first attempt? Wow!

Your Hillman Ferry adventure sounds exciting. Hope you have a wonderful time away. Do keep us updated on the adventure. It sure looks like a nice spot judging by that photo! Lucky you!

Bobbi said...

Love the colors on that block. I'm in the middle of redoing our downstairs family room in those very colors. I think between you and Amy (park city girl) my quilting alter ego is about to reimerge!

Vicki said...

I really like your block. It looks like you made it more log cabin-ish and then cut it sort of in half and sewed the outer edges together on the inside.

jacquie said...

i love your block. i really like how it's logcabinish...but so out of the log cabin box. you're a natural!!!