Tag Archives: improv blocks

Free Piecing Techniques + Sunday Stash {06.10.2013}

I had so much fun today in my first sewing/quilting class ever. Nicole @ Mama love quilts did a free class on piecing techniques at Spoonflower, and I attended. She showed us 3 different techniques on improv piecing:

  • Brown Paper Bag piecing
    LowVolumeBlock
  • Improv piecing
    ImprovBlock
  • Strip piecing (I don’t have a photo of this block as I run out of time)

This is the first class of four. Her next class, on modern log cabin blocks, is open for registration. I can recommend the classes, and you will have so much fun.

I am also playing with more low-volume fabrics, which I have sewn together in strips. I plan on deconstructing them. Here is a shot of my white, grey and black low-volume stash.

LowVolumeStrips

My photo’s this week, were inspired by Beth over at Plum and June. Her Quilt Photography workshop this week is to focus on color….I thought I would start practicing for her link up at the end of the month. Feel free to see what it is all about, the link is below.

LowVolumeStrips_Grey

Plum and June

Through the Shattered Looking-Glass Design

This is just a short post, to share a design I have had in my head for a couple of months and finally managed to get it down using threadbias.com.

Design Name: Through the shattered looking-glass
Inspiration/idea: I had this idea about looking through a looking-glass/magnifying glass Then what if the glass had been shattered how great would improv blocks represent the broken glass.
Color choices: Blues = sky, Orange/red/yellow = flowers, greens = grass

I would love some feedback and thoughts…what do you think?

ThroughTheShatteredLookingGlass

 

 

Linking up with Amanda Jean over at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday.

Threadbias design tool review + Quilt Design

This week, if you have been following, you would have seen I have been trying out threadbias.com design tool for designing quilts. Overall, I am loving it !! I have learnt so much in a week.

What do I like about the tool:

  • The price – $10 a month. You can cancel the subscription at any time and you will be allowed to use it until the period you have paid for ends
  • Free tutorials. So, far I have not used the tutorials but I do plan to take the time while I am out on vacation.
  • The ease of use.
  • Time saving – I have had these ideas in my head so long and just have not had the time to put them on paper.
  • The availability of fabrics to add to your tool stash in which you can use in your design. This way you can get an idea how it will look.
  • Its ability to select a shape and to replicate across and down (tiles).
  • The display of fabric requirements – that shows you how much fabric you would need for each print you use in the design you create.
  • The ability to add borders around your quilt easily (tool option on the menu)
  • The ability to save the images/export them.

My initial wants:

  • Ability to add a rectangle and split it up with stripes to mimic an improv block. The choices for adding the stripes would be same width + straight, random differing widths + straight, and then same sized + sloped/straight random, random differing widths + sloped/straight random.
  • Export image with ruler & grid
  • Ability to select all within a region by clicking your mouse to start and draw a region and then release…then I would like to copy that area and paste.
  • Ability to print the fabric requirements list.
  • I would love it if I could import the image and requirements into another tool for pattern creation, where the pattern tool would provide you a template or allow you to use a template.

Here are the designs I have created this week with the design tool:

This way, That way
Natural Corridors

A “Pinky” is a pink marshmallow chocolate bar we have in New Zealand. This theme is right in line with my new quilt design….”Pinky”. I had mentioned previously, that I want to do Candy Coated Quilt from Sunday Morning Quilts. As I started thinking about it, I wanted to make it my own, so I changed it to this. Now, all I have to do is decide on the Chocolate or the Grey borders around the improv blocks. What do you think??
PinkyBar_Chocolate_QuiltDesign PinkyBar_QuiltDesign

Please note, my review of threadbias.com Design Tool is not sponsored, or been requested. The likes and wants are purely my own opinions.