Improv quilting, much like improv comedy, thrives on spontaneity, creativity, and the joy of embracing the unexpected, allowing quilters to craft unique and expressive pieces without the constraints of rigid patterns.
Improvisation, often shortened to improv, is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. This is the exact idea behind some of the pieces that may have inspired you; it is a creative and intuitive approach to quilt-making where you can forego traditional patterns and templates in favor of spontaneous and free-form designs.
Comedians will often talk about the four C’s of improv – Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Communication. We can take these pillars of comedy and apply them to our quilting as well.
The Four C’s of Improv Quilting
CREATIVITY:
This doesn’t take much of an explanation. We are removing any quilting “rules” and letting our creative juices flow. Are your lines crooked? Great, go with it! Are you using colors or patterns that are not usually part of your palette? Fantastic, keep going and see where it takes you!
Everyone experiences creative blocks from time to time; instead of getting frustrated and walking away, take this time as an opportunity to explore new techniques. Even if you don’t have a final project in mind, pulling out your scrap bins and putting together random colors, patterns and even substrates can help inspire you with new ideas.
You can also enjoy the meditative process that comes with working without a pattern. You can use this opportunity to try to clear your mind and “go with the flow.”
CRITICAL THINKING:
This process makes you question and evaluate what you’ve always known about a topic. If you’ve always followed a pattern or used precut kits for your quilts, this is a great way to break out of habits or slumps and get a new look at your quilting techniques.
COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION:
These topics go together to create a new community for yourself that includes other quilters that are creating with these techniques. There is a whole world of improv quilting out there, and with the internet at your fingertips, you can take this opportunity to explore new to you artists and projects. Try searching online or using hashtags to discover more about improv quilting. Here are a few suggestions: #improvquilting, #improvpiecing
After researching your new favorite quilting technique, join a discussion group or reach out to some artists that you are enjoying. There are groups on Facebook and Reddit forums that are dedicated to improv quilting and different topics to explore. These are perfect for introverts and extroverts alike. You can join these groups and read over past posts to learn more or jump in and start chatting with others in your group and making a few new quilty besties.
5 Easy Tips for Improv Piecing
Now that we have a better understanding of what Improv Quilting is, we can get into some tips that will help you get started or continue in your journey.
- Start with your fabric. Improv quilting is perfect for stash busting, so grab those scrap bins and start pulling. Choose a variety of fabrics, so that you can stick with one color palette or completely mix and match whatever you pull from your stash.
- Embrace imperfection. Most traditional quilts depend on straight lines and perfect seam allowances. This is your chance to let go of all of the rules you have learned and embrace spontaneity.
- Play with size, scale, and composition. Since we have no rules here, take this opportunity to mix different size pieces or use small- and large-scale prints together. Break out of your normal routines and try different layouts until you find something that inspires you.
- Use basic shapes as a starting point. Start with basic squares, rectangles, and triangles. As you gain confidence and add to your project, you can continue to experiment with more abstract shapes.
- Trust your instincts and have some fun with it. Let your intuition guide you through the process. Improv quilting is about enjoying the creative journey, so have fun, try new things, and don’t be afraid to take risks with your design.
Improv quilting is the permission slip you need to get creative, try something new, embrace the imperfection, and go with the flow. The essence of improv quilting lies in enjoying the process and letting your creativity flow freely. So go grab your scrap bins and get started!
References:
Flanagan, Linda. (2015, February 3). How improv can open up the mind to learning in the classroom and beyond. The Hub. https://www.scartshub.com/how-improv-can-open-up-the-mind-to-learning-in-the-classroom-and-beyond/