Funkytown and Cherub Wings

We're moving right along with the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog hop, y'all, and today's quilts are lots of fun.  Yes, I say that a lot, but really- they are!  First up today is Funkytown, and this one combines scrappy improv solid scraps, and print fabrics all in one awesome quilt.

Though it seems like there is a lot going on, the subdued Kona Cloud background keeps all of those prints in check so it's really not too much!  I almost went with solid black and gray for the roofs and streets, but I'm so glad I didn't.  The prints are subtle and add to the charm of the quilt.  Because there is so much print mixing in this quilt, I did decide to quilt it with an allover stipple.  It's pretty dense so it adds lots of crinkly texture, but it doesn't add to the busy pattern.

I had this pretty teal and aqua polkadot in my stash, and it works well on the back, and I had just enough of the gray street print leftover for the binding.

Scrappy Improv Quilting gives several tips on how to size up these patterns if you want to make a bigger quilt, and Vasudha at Storied Quilts did exactly that.  She made a baby quilt from the Funkytown pattern!

The second quilt being featured today is Cherub Wings, and this one is just so sweet.  Imagine how beautiful it would be to give a newborn angel wings by photographing him/her laying on this quilt!  Or think of how precious it would be in softer colored scraps, hanging in a nursery.  There are so many possilities!

I gave definition to the wings in this quilt by quilting feathers and leaving them noticeably puffier than the scrappy background.  Quilting these feathers definitely took some planning, but I promise it's not as difficult as it looks.  A dense stipple in the background is a nice contrast to the wings and allows them to pop out.

When using lots of different colored scraps, I really love a crisp black and white fabric on the back, and this print is actually an oldie but goodie from IKEA.  I wanted the binding to disappear into the quilt, so a scrappy binding was the way to go.  It just blends right into the improv!

Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty is the second stop on the blog hop for today, so head over there and see her version of the Cherub Wings quilt!

See you on Wednesday for the next two quilts, and check out the full schedule below!

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!  :) 

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!) 

NTT- The Official Release!

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I'm almost finished with the Halloween Spiderweb quilt I shared last week.  I just need to finish up the binding and get some great photos, but today, I have bigger news!  The official release of my new book, Scrappy Improv Quilting, happened on Monday.  YAY!

The official blog hop to celebrate the book release begins next week, but today I want to give you a quick overview of everything the book has to offer.  Scrappy Improv Quilting is the perfect way to dip your toes into improv if it's new to you, or if you're well-practiced, the book is a fun way to add to your improv repertoire.  If you already have my first book, Stash Statement, it is a great companion book, and this one has some extra tips and tricks to make it worth your while.

It contains a step-by-step tutorial with lots of photos to show you just how easy it is to sew your scraps using the scrappy improv method.  There are 22 complete mini quilt patterns using the method, and it even has full instructions for finishing your mini, including adding a hanging sleeve or turning your mini into a pillow.  In case you're wondering how to use mini quilts, Scrappy Improv Quilting even has plenty of ideas for that too!  This book really is perfect for newbies and seasoned quilters alike.

Signed copies of Scrappy Improv Quilting are available in my Etsy shop HERE, and you'll also receive the Sweet Bee digital thank-you pattern for purchasing (pictured in the second row).  The book is also available on Amazon, or ask about it at your local quilt shop.

Is your guild looking for a fun workshop for 2022 (or beyond)?  Now that the book is officially out, I am scheduling classes and trunk shows with Scrappy Improv Quilting. The scrappy improv technique is easy and SO much fun.  Because the technique is similar, and because minis don't take up much space when traveling, my trunk show will also include all twelve quilts from Stash Statement!  That's a lot of eye-candy!  Reach out to me via email (link on right sidebar) to schedule something for your guild.  I promise we'll have a blast!

As I gear up to fully celebrate the release of Scrappy Improv Quilting, it is very clear to me that I couldn't travel to teach or write successful books and patterns without the support of all of you, and for that, I am truly grateful.  :)

Last week's party did not disappoint (of course, they never do).  Jayne at Twiggy and Opal linked up this gorgeous quilt.  The colors just glow against that dark background.

This simple, cute table runner is by Cindy at Stitchin' At Home-

This beauty is by DonnaleeQ.  It is scrap-happy!

And Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting linked up this pretty patriotic quilt-

Alright y'all, it's time to get our party started!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Bonus Pattern, Finishing, and Wrap-Up!

Alright y'all.  We've been together through more than six weeks on the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour, and today it's time to wrap it up, but before I do, the book has a few more tricks that I need to tell you about!  

But first, let's recap.  Throughout the blog hop, so far- 

    *I've given lots of different ways that mini quilts can be used.

    *You've seen how the book helps even novice quilters get started with quilting tools and piecing tips.

    *I've shown how the book has step-by-step instructions for piecing scraps into improv chunks to create texture and depth in your quilt.

    *AND you've seen my 22 (!!!) mini quilts included in the book, and the beautiful versions of those patterns made by 22 different quilters along the way.  

At the risk of sounding like an infomercial- But wait!  There's more! (just couldn't resist, haha!)  I mentioned that this book is written so that even a beginning quilter can finish the projects.  There's no "baste, quilt, and bind as desired" here!   

The Finishing Your Quilt section of the book has all of the guidance you'll need to transform your scrappy improv masterpiece into a completely finished quilt.  This chapter has so much great info, I decided to put it into bullet points for you!  The Finishing Your Quilt section contains-

    *Guidance for making your backing, choosing batting, and full basting instructions (with graphics!)

    *Quilting options- free-motion vs. walking foot quilting, choosing a motif to accentuate the design, and how to square-up the quilt after quilting

    *Full binding instructions for machine binding or hand-finished binding, including how to measure properly for a scrappy binding

    *Display options- how to turn your mini quilt into a pillow and how to add a hanging sleeve

    *Laundering tips to keep your mini quilt looking its best

    *Sizing Up- how to turn these mini quilts into larger projects if you want a full sized quilt, and how to apply the scrappy improv technique in a variety of ways!

It really is a comprehensive book!  Even if you've been quilting awhile, you're sure to find a helpful hint or two.  As if that wasn't enough, don't forget that I've also created the exclusive Sweet Bee digital pattern as a little thank-you gift with the book purchase.

Thanks so much for following along with the blog tour, and I truly hope you'll add Scrappy Improv Quilting to your quilt book library!

Signed copies 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!  You know you want to start having fun with your scraps, and I promise, it's super easy and FUN!  :) 

In case you missed any of the blog tour stops, here is the full list for you.  There is a ton of quilty eye-candy in these links!

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 (right here!) 

Ornamental and Churn, Churn, Churn

Wow!  Can you believe we're starting a brand new week of the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog hop?  I certainly can't.  Today, we're finishing up the Seasonal Sensations section and beginning the fourth and final section of quilts.  Let's jump right in!

I could never have had a section of seasonal quilts without including a design for Christmas, and I had so much fun designing the Ornamental quilt.  My favorite little bits of Christmas fabric make up the hanging ornaments, and the background of this one is metallic gold (Cloud 9 Glimmer Solids in Champagne).  If there's any time you can get away with a little extra glitz and glam, it's Christmas!

I keep my Christmas scraps separate from all of my other scraps, and I just love digging into them.  Since I already have a Christmas quilt for snuggling on my couch, most of the time when I make a Christmas project, it's for a gift, and it's on a smaller scale- napkins, pillows, table runners, etc.  My scrap basket never lets me down, and it certainly didn't with the Ornamental quilt.  It was so fun to go through my basket to find just the right pieces, and the Kona Rich Red and Kona Basil stripes add a little extra detail to them.

I added lots of texture to the ornaments with dense lines, matching the thread to each color section, and kept the quilting simple with my favorite filler design- stippling of course!  Stippling in the background always creates a nice contrast to more detailed quilting, and adds yummy texture without looking too busy.  I really wish the glimmer of the gold fabric showed up a little better in the photo!

The back is made from some of my favorite Christmas strips and chunks, and I framed the quilt in this subtle tonal red print.  

I'm a traditional red and green Christmas girl, but can you imagine how these ornaments would look in blue and silver, or any other color combo that matches your personal decor?  Well, Quilting Gail put her own spin on the Ornamental quilt, and she took this little quilt in an entirely new, gorgeous direction.  Hop over there and see it!

The second quilt for today begins a whole new section!  In the Standards With a Twist section, each of the mini quilts is made from a traditional block, but trust me.  The addition of scrappy improv sections make them anything but standard!  

Churn, Churn, Churn is the first quilt in Standards With a Twist, and the color gradient used with the scrappy improv technique make this one so unique.  The quilt moves from the softest pinks in the center to  a rich, deep pink in the biggest outer churn dash, and all of the shades of pink glow against the Kona Medium Gray background.

This mini quilt is quilted with an allover boxy stipple design.  Unlike most of the other quilts in the book, I actually chose a thread for quilting that doesn't blend into either the improv or the background.  White quilting thread shows up just a little bit against each color, and it really works!

This color gradient chevron print from my stash was just too perfect for the backing, and I had just enough of this pretty light pink fabric for the binding. 

Cynthia at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework made her very own Churn, Churn, Churn quilt, and you definitely don't want to miss it!

You know the drill!  I'll be sharing two more quilts on Wednesday, so come on back to see them.  And check out the full blog tour schedule below!

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!  :) 

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!) 

Heartstruck and Star Spangled

Hey there, y'all!  It's time to feature another two quilts from my new book, Scrappy Improv Quilting, and first up today is Heartstruck.  I'm in the South, so Valentine's Day is usually the time that I feel like spring is right around the corner, even though I know winter isn't quite done with us yet.  By that time, Christmas is long behind us, and my thoughts start to turn to Spring Break plans and planting in my yard.  It's the perfect time for a little holiday celebration, and the hearts and arrows in this quilt are a fun way to acknowledge the season.  

I love hearts that have a taller, narrow shape;  it makes them look more hand-drawn.  The shape of these hearts make this quilt different from other heart quilts I've seen, and the red and pink scrappy improv really give them a Valentine's Day look.  Shades of gray scraps are perfect for the arrows, and complement the hearts really well.

The hearts and arrows get some definition from dense quilting lines that echo each shape, and I quilted the Kona White background with the softest pink thread.  The stippling in the background is a great contrast to the linear quilting in the hearts and arrows.

I love pieced backings, even on mini quilts.  I think it gives the quilt a little extra handmade charm, and these two pink and gray prints are just perfect for the Heartstruck quilt.  For the binding, I found the perfect red, pink, and white polkadot in my stash.  I don't use a ton of pink (especially pink/red), so this find was a win!

The blog hop stop for the Heartstruck quilt is over at Rebecca Grace Quilting, and she put her own unique spin on the pattern.  Be sure to head over there to see it! 

Up next is Star Spangled.  This patriotic quilt is perfect for a Fourth of July tabletop, pillow, or even a gift for a veteran.  The arrangement of the single star and stripes is unique on its own, but the blue and red scrappy improv sections really make this one special.

The red and white stripes in Star Spangled are quilted with coordinating thread, with overlapping wavy lines, giving the impression that this quilt is waving in the breeze.  The single sawtooth star is quilted with the tiniest grid I could manage, and an easy stipple fills the field of blue.

On the back of the quilt, this cobalt blue crosshatch fabric works beautifully for showing off the quilting.  I love those overlapping wavy lines!  And this Cotton and Steel dot print is the perfect American gray-blue, so I knew I needed to use it for the binding.

Christine at Triangles and Squares made her own version of Star Spangled for the blog tour, and you don't want to miss it!

I'll share the next two quilts on Wednesday, so I'll see you again then!  And check out the full blog tour schedule below!

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!  :) 

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!) 

Birds of a Feather and Fall Foliage

We're moving right along in the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour!  Birds of a Feather is up first today, and it pays homage to my favorite springtime backyard visitors.  We have a few bird feeders with different kinds of food in them to attract a wide variety of birds, and it's so much fun to see all of them congregating.

For the Birds of a Feather quilt, I used all of my light to medium aqua scraps, plus some light blue scraps, with bird silhouettes made from Kona Chestnut.  This palette is classic and so soothing, and looks like the birds are sitting on a wire with a cloudless sky in the background.  If you wanted your birds to sit amongst the branches of a tree instead, light and medium green scraps would accomplish that nicely.

I quilted each bird with lines that echo the shape, but I added a little extra curve in the quilting lines to give the hint of a wing in each silhouette.  When free-motion quilting two identical shapes, it can be difficult to make them match, but don't worry!  They don't have to be exactly the same.  In fact, I think it gives character to the piece if they don't.  The quilting lines on my birds are similar to each other, but definitely not exactly the same- and I'm okay with it!  I quilted swirly paisleys in the background, and it gives the illusion of clouds in the sky.

Two aqua fabrics look great on the backing, and the Kona Chestnut binding creates the perfect frame for this mini quilt.

Sew Preeti Quilts made Birds of a Feather for the blog tour, and I can't wait for you to see hers!

Up next is Fall Foliage, and this quilt is unique because it's the only one in the book that uses batik fabric scraps.  If you follow my blog, you know that I actually don't use a lot of batiks.  It's not that I don't like them, it's just that I find myself more often gravitating toward more graphic prints.  But I knew when I designed this leaf that batik scraps would really bring it to life.  The distinctive watercolor effect of the batiks shows off the autumn leaf perfectly.

In keeping with the outdoorsy feel of this mini, Fall Foliage is quilted with a dense, allover wood grain motif.  The tan thread blends into the Kona Khaki background, but stands out a little bit against the scrappy improv leaf without taking away from the colors.  The texture on this quilt is just amazing.

On the back of the quilt, I used some chunky batik scraps, and I love how the wood grain quilting shows up against them.  Since I don't use batiks very often, I wanted to really showcase them in this quilt, so I opted for a scrappy binding on this one to frame it.

Susan at Quilt Fabrication made her own version for the blog hop, and I know you're going to love it!

Be sure to join me next Monday, when I share the next two quilts from the book!  And check out the full blog tour schedule below!

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!  :) 

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!) 

Chapel Window and Winter Frost

We're moving right along with the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour, friends!  In fact, today marks the halfway point.  We're finishing up one section with today's first quilt, and then heading right into the next one.  

Chapel Window is a striking little quilt, and it's the final mini in the Simple Shapes section.  Even though it's made with simple building blocks, they make a big impact.  That's one of the best things about the scrappy improv technique.  It can be used with even the most basic blocks to give them real wow factor.  When designing this one, I set out to create a quilt that looked like stained glass, so I pulled out all of my bright solid scraps and put them against a black background to mimic that look. Using the most vibrant scraps give the illusion of light coming through the window.  And because chapels are traditionally smaller and simpler than more grand cathedrals, the windows are less ornate. 

This quilt is definitely one of the most densely quilted minis in the entire book.  Chapel Window is entirely quilted with organic lines that follow the blocks.  I used Aurifil 50 wt. in Dove Grey on all of the improv sections, because it has the uncanny ability to blend well in to every color, and of course I used black thread in the background to keep the black nice and dark.

I pulled this orange Amy Butler Lotus Dot fabric from my stash for the backing, and I do like it, but honestly, if I had it to do again I think I would have chosen solid black for the backing as well.  I knew for sure that the binding needed to be black, which keeps the focus on the "stained glass."

Kris at Sew Sunshine made the Chapel Window quilt for the blog hop, and I'm excited for you to see her version of it!

Now, we get to move into a completely new section of the book- Seasonal Sensations!  The mini quilts in this section are perfect for adding a little pop of seasonal cheer to your home, and we're kicking off this section with the Winter Frost quilt.

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm pulling scraps for projects, my white and cream scraps get neglected.  I have to make a conscious effort to use them up!  Well, Winter Frost is the perfect place to show them off.  This giant snowflake uses improv sections made from white, cream, and even some metallic silver scraps to give it an icy look (some are reading as gray in the photos, but in person, they really shimmer).  I also decided to use a crosshatch fabric in the background rather than a solid, which adds extra texture to the quilt.

Winter Frost is quilted with a giant spiral with lines "swooping" out from the center, which gives the design so much movement.

Some bigger chunks of metallic silver scraps work perfectly for the backing, and the binding is Cloud 9 Glimmer Solids in Silver.  It really does sparkle in person!  This little quilt is the perfect pick-me-up if you're fighting the winder doldrums, or if you're feeling a holiday hangover.

Leanne at Devoted Quilter made her own version of the Winter Frost quilt, and her background choice really looks amazing.  Don't miss it!

See you next Monday for the next two quilts, and check out the full schedule below!

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!  :) 

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!)