Improv Triangles
I have my Improv Triangles quilt to show you today. Nicholas Ball published his book, Inspiring Improv, earlier this year. As part of his promotion, he offered a sew along on Instagram using his improv triangles technique. I couldn’t resist, I had to join in. I do love a fun improv project!
Honestly, I wasn’t going to buy another book. I was going to sew along without it, since we were given that option. However, I found it easier to have the book in front of me so I could keep referring back to it if I needed to. I’m so glad I bought the book! I’m really enjoying his ideas and techniques.
Construction of the triangle units goes quickly, constructing the slabs gets a bit more tricky. Once the slabs are constructed, then piecing the top together is a bit like fitting a puzzle together.
I was delighted when my top came together and relatively square. Phew! I put it on my design wall while I pondered the quilting.
I thought I’d do matchstick quilting, but in the end, waves won out. The colors in this quilt make me remind me of a campfire, and the wavy quilting makes me think of the embers when they pop and float up into the air.
I finished it off with a faced binding, and I’m very pleased with how well it turned out.
Here are the deets:
- Fabric used – Makower UK and Grunge Silver (quilt top); backing Grunge Smoke
- Quilted using Aurifil #4657, 50wt.
- Size – 27″ square
- Batting: Hobbs 80/20
My improv triangles is the second quilt I’ve made using techniques from the book. Hosanna was the other one. Yes, I have plans to make another one from the book, and I’m hoping to start it soon.
Linking up with
Happy Wednesday, friends! What’s under your needle today?
Wendy
To Do Tuesday #14
39 Comments
marissthequilter
ooooh this is lovely — the design, the colours, the quilting, the facing, everything about the quilt
Quilting is in my Blood
Hi Wendy. I really like how this improv triangles quilt turned out, especially with the wavy quilting. Is it going to be a wall hanging? By the way, Nicholas’ book arrived a couple days ago and I’m looking forward to perusing it soon. Have a great day, Mary.
Cindy
Your improv triangle piece turned out lovely! I think the wavy quilting was an excellent choice. Well done!
Julie Holleran
Just simply a beautiful finish on this one–I love the colors and how they move across this piece…
Nice work…
~ ~ ~ waving in the sunshine Julierose
Riceford Streams
Ooo, I really love this quilt! I liked how you chose to finish it off too with wavy quilting and the faces binding. Great colors! It does remind me of a bonfire.
Vicki in MN
You nailed it perfectly I’d say. It looks like you had room to trim any of the triangles down if you needed to in order to fit them together? Do you have a spot all picked out for it? You should name it Summer Bonfire;)
Nancy Bekedam
Wendy, too cute!!! I can just imagine in your quilt, a Minnesota campfire with the flames and embers wafting upwards, waiting for everything to settle down into coals and make smores. Awesome improv quilt!!!
My Sewful Retirement
OMG I love everything about your Improv Triangle quilt — the colors, the movement of the blocks, your quilting and the cool binding! Are you planning to hang it in your home? It’s gorgeous!! I’ll need to add that book to my collection — thanks for the inspiration♥♥
Jayne Willis
You did such a fantastic job!! I love how you alternated the background colors. It can be a bit of a puzzle putting together something like this, but I have to say…you nailed it!
karenfae
that is a very interesting piece! love the colors
rl2b2017
Hi Wendy! I think this project turned out just fabulously. Not only are all the fabrics and triangles just great, but your choice of quilting is just perfect. I just LOVE a wavy quilting design and the randomness of this one is ooh-la-la. Really nice job! I hope you have this hanging somewhere to enjoy. It would (and does) make me smile in spite of our dreary day. ~smile~ Roseanne
lapaylor
wow I love this. I’m not on instagram but I could experiment with this shape. I like your repetition of back ground while changing the triangle color, and leaving a lot of space around the triangles.
L.A.
Preeti
Your small quilt packs a big punch. I am sure Nicholas would be proud of your rendition. Stay safe and sane (hopefully).
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
I was thinking that your mini had a very campfire feeling to it before I even got to see the quilting; perfection!
catpatches
That is absolutely adorable. I must learn that way of binding/finishing. It looks great on this one, and I think your quilting is just right. It reminds me a little of the Happy Villages I’ve made, but without the hassle of glue. Nice work. Very cute. I might be tempted to buy the book.
Diann Bottrell
Your Improv Triangles turned out wonderfully, Wendy! The colors are so appealing, and I think your quilting and binding ideas were perfect for the look you wanted. That does look like a fun technique to play with!
txquiltgal
Wow, your improvs turned out beautiful. The distribution of those colors is perfect, and I love the quilting. I agree with all your reasons for choosing waves.
I’m almost always glad I buy the book or pattern when I’m making something, even though I initially think I can do it without it.
I’m curious how the slabs went together so perfectly – were there Y-seams?
piecefulwendy
No Y seams. I worked from right to left, sewing slabs together in vertical rows. When I got left of center, I did have to make a few more units. The slabs are not uniform in size, so it’s a bit like fitting a puzzle together.
Sandra
This is a terrific little quilt Wendy! I do like how you quilted it, and the faced binding is perfect. I find too, that putting the slabs together is, well, annoying, not fun, headache-inducing…probably why my Amanda Jean scrap vortex quilt is still in slabs….
Angela
Great quilt!
Carol Andrews
Wendy this improv quilt is wonderful! The colour and fabric work so well together to remind me also of the embers in a campfire. It’s the first thing that came to mind. Absolutely stunning.
thedarlingdogwood
Campfire! It does look like a campfire! I love the colors and now I envision this hung over a fireplace.
Anorina Morris
Absolutely gorgeous quilt. I love the look of improv quilts, but tend to steer clear of making them myself.
I’ve never seen this type of binding. It’s perfect for this project.
Louise Hornor
I love it, Wendy! The wavy quilting really does look like flames. I love these colors, too. Really neat! 🙂
Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts
Super cute Wendy! I love the color blocking effect of your quilt. Your story about the wavy quilting and campfires and embers led me to thinking of smores. LOL! I swear, I’m always thinking of food these days!
quiltedblooms
I have liked every quilt I have seen using this technique including yours, especially your color choices and quilting! Nice job!
Cocoa Quilts
Wendy it turned out awesome. Campfire is the right idea. Loving the way flame quilting.
Jean M Ramirez
I have had the idea of that quilt in my head for a while but was afraid to tackle it. Now it goes to the front of the line. That’s a beautiful quilt!
Robby H.
I popped over from My Quilt Infatuation and boy am I glad I did! This is gorgeous, and has encouraged me to make time to look at that book. It was a recent present and well, things are a little out of the norm these days so it got set aside. So glad I got a chance to see your lovely piece.
Kathleen McCormick
This is so gorgeous!! I love it so so much – the background colors and brights you used are perfect. The quilting is also perfect…hoorays all around!
Laura M
I am a big fan of this quilt. I love the colour progression. I love how that grey grunge fabric works with the other fabrics. I love that you used a faced edge. I don’t often buy grunge fabrics because I can’t find it locally and there tend to be odd overtones in many of the prints so it’s risky to buy online. Looks like this silver grunge has only a bit of purple which I really like. When they add in a yellow-greenish tinge, I’m not a fan. I am always looking for suitable fabrics that work to rest the eye. Congrats on this great finish.
Susan
That turned out quite nice – congrats on an improve finish!
Yvonne
That turned out great, and it sounds like the process was fun too! A double win! I’m very tempted to get this book.
laughinggasquilts
I bought Nicholas’s book too, but have nothing to show for it, other than some ideas dancing in my head. You, on the other hand, have a lovely quilt.I think your colours are terrific, and yes, they are a bit like a campfire. Well done!
Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter
So cool! Love your color choices and your choice of quitting. It does look like campfires! Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.
smilesfromkate
It reminds me of a fire too, and the quilting looks like flames, clever. I also succumbed to the temptation to buy the book, although I haven’t made anything yet. What can I say? I just love books………
Denise
Wow this is an awesome finish. i love everything about it and the faced binding was the perfect finish. Thank you for linking up to Put your foot down. Darn, now I will have to try the faced binding myself.
Rebecca Grace
This is fabulous, and YES to the wavy campfire quilting! So perfect for this quilt — I can almost smell the s’mores roasting…
Velda
Our Guild has this book in the library. I love this technique. It’s definitely on my bucket list.