Sunday, June 26, 2016

piecing the improv together

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On Saturday, it was raining. Not that hard but on and off, but enough that I could easily let the thought of gardening go. And my knee stopped hurting, at least mostly, it was like suddenly feeling 10 years younger, not having that huge pain every time I stood up. So I set about piecing my maximalist Bee Sewcial blocks together. I worked in lumps and chunks - from where they were last time I shared them.

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The trickiest part was to piece in the curvy piano keys. I used some pins to mark the overlap while on the design wall.

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Then I cut about 1/4 - 1/2" away from them for the seam allowance, along the curve, and sewed it together like any other curve.

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Along the way I added some strips and bits, as I have been trying very hard to not cut anything off the blocks. Here is where I left it until tonight. Tonight I tried to join some more of it but I'm tired from a day of gardening. I was not really taking good care and I realized it was not going to work well if I was not into it. Maybe tomorrow I will do more and be back into this quilt, which I adore.

The thing is tonight, I was thinking that although these blocks and their riot of colours makes me smile every time I look at them, that maximalist is hard for me. Tonight, I was thinking about making a quilt about line. Maybe even about one line. I'm going to have to give a lot of thought to the colour of that line, and it's width and orientation. But it will be so quiet, that quilt, linear even. Tonight, even a quilt like Breathe seems to be too much. Maximalist brings out the extreme minimalist in me, who knew?

Best,


Leanne

15 comments:

Debbie said...

totally understandable you'll need a change of direction after this awesome but overwhelming quilt...

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

I can definitely understand how maximalism can bring out the minimalist. I feel that way after visiting my family... so overwhelmed and ready to downsize everything in my life, LOL!

Paige said...

I like your piecing description, in lumps and chunks! At first, I see all the beautiful colors and then I start to focus in on the various piecing.

margaret said...

what an amazing quilt you have made here loving it glad I have found your blog

Rosemary B❤️ said...

This is beautiful, Leanne. A masterpiece!

Benta AtSLIKstitches said...

Oh Leanne, that's fab!!!!!!

liz said...

I adore this quilt! All of the colors and shapes just really work for me. I am impressed with that curved piecing. Did you use a pencil to make that entire curve before cutting?

elle said...

I like it, but like you, I need a calm break!

FlourishingPalms said...

I would be smiling too if all that solid lusciousness was on my design wall! You're doing a great job putting them together, and I understand how you have to tackle it in bits and sections. The best, most eye-popping part is those piano keys. Every time I see them I want to make a whole quilt with sections like this. I hope we get to see this quilt at QuiltCon East!

Cut&Alter said...

Just love it!! Very interesting to hear about your line project - the yin and yang of quilting!!

Quilter Kathy said...

That is amazing! So many pieces to fit together!
I know how hard that is and how much concentration it requires!

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

It's amazing!

Lisa J. said...

I tend to like minimalism , but I'm awed by this maximalist quilt.

becky j said...

Congrats on Flickr Explore. I saw it there also.

Cheryl said...

This is an awesome quilt! I love all of the different elements and seeing how you piece all of them together.