Botanics and Flutter

It's day two of the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour, and today's featured quilts take their inspiration straight from nature.  First up is Botanics, and in this quilt, rather than making up the block itself, the scrappy improv piecing creates a beautiful textured background.  I used shades of cream, tan, white, and even some metallic gold scraps  for the improv in this one, and I just love the way the fresh shades of green stand out against it.

The leaves and stem in the block are made with Kona Tarragon and Kona Basil, and using two different shades add just a little extra dimension to the quilt.  The stems are quilted with very dense lines, with veins in each leaf, which allows them to stay a little more smooth and puffed.  I wanted the leaf veins to have a "sketch" look, and I think I acheieved that!  The stippling in the background adds plenty of crinkly texture but doesn't compete with the stems and leaf quilting.  

On the back, I used up some of my chunkier scrap pieces, and you can really see how the quilting shows up against them.  I enjoy quilting with the same color thread on top and bottom so you can see an echo of the design on the back!  A Kona Khaki binding made a perfect frame for this little quilt!

Diann at Little Penguin Quilts made her own gorgeous version of Botanics, so you should definitely head over there and see it!

Flutter is the second quilt being featured today, and the inspiration for this quilt actually came from a dream.  When I woke up in the morning, I hurried to get a rough sketch so I wouldn't lose it.  I couldn't wait to make it, and even though I had all of the designs all set for the book, I knew I had to include this one. To fit it in, I ended up eliminating a design that wasn't my favorite, and I'm so glad I did!

I decided to make Flutter with orange and yellow improv with Kona Tangerine in the center, but I know she would look amazing in a variety of different colors- or even two shades of the same color!

The scrappy improv wing sections in the Flutter quilt are quilted with curved lines echoing the design.  The dense lines in the center and body add a nice contrasting texture, and the swirls in the background give the impression that the butterfly is floating along a gentle breeze.  The background is Kona Bone, and the creamy shade set off the warm yellow and orange nicely.

I had a single fat quarter in my stash from Anna Maria Horner's LouLouThi, one of my very favorite fabric collections of all time.  This bold print picks up just enough of the colors from the front, and it makes the perfect backing (especially since it means that I didn't have to really cut it up!).  You can see the echo quilting on the wings a bit better from the back side.  The Kona Charcoal binding is the same deep shade of gray used in the butterfly's body, and gives the Flutter quilt a nice clean finish.

Rose at Something Rosemade sewed up her own Flutter quilt, and you're going to love the colors she chose.  Go check it out!
  

The blog tour continues next Monday, where I'll be sharing two more quilts from the book. Check out the full schedule below!

Scrappy Improv Quilting Blog Tour Schedule-

8/31- Intro, Single Block Beauties, and Simple Shapes

9/7- Seasonal Sensations, Standards With a Twist 

9/13- Summer Blossom- Lori @ Crossquilt
           Up, Up, and Away- Sandra @mmm...quilts

9/15- Flutter- Rose @ Something Rosemade
           Botanics- Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

9/20- Face the Sun- Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts
           Full Spectrum- Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal

9/22- Prismatic- Anja @ Anja Quilts
           Downpour- Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting

9/27- Funkytown- Vasudha @ Storied Quilts
           Cherub Wings- Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

9/29- Chapel Window- Kris @ Sew Sunshine
           Winter Frost- Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

10/4- Heartstruck- Rebecca Grace @ Rebecca Grace Quilting
           Star Spangled- Christine @ Triangles & Squares

10/6- Birds of a Feather- Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts
           Fall Foliage- Susan @ Quilt Fabrication

10/11- Ornamental- Gail @ Quilting Gail
            Churn, Churn, Churn- Cynthia @ Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

10/13- Sunset Crossing- Kate @ Katie Mae Quilts
             Positivity- Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts

10/18- All Dressed Up- Linda @ Flourishing Palms
             Shockwave- Anne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

10/20- Sweet Bee (a bonus thank-you pattern), Finishing, and Wrap-Up (here!) 

Signed copies of Scrappy Improv Quilting are available in my Etsy shop HERE, or ask about it at your local quilt shop.  It is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major booksellers.  
And shop owners, you can get it from any of the major distributors- Checker, Brewer, United Notions, and EE Schenck.  I hope you'll consider adding it to your library or carrying it in your shop!  :)