Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Scrappy Improv QUILTING Book Blog Tour:Flutter

Today is the second stop of the Blog Tour and I am so excited to finally share my project from Kelly’s book. This is the first time participating in a book blog tour and even made more extra special because I am a big fan of Kelly’s patterns having made five quilts and at least two more in the planning stage. I already have her Stash Statement book and have been looking forward to this book and I will tell you it was worth the wait.
All of the participants in the Blog Tour were able to chose their projects from the 22 mini quilts featured in the book and I was happy with my choice of Flutter which is in the Single Block Beauties section. The description for this section is sew apropos:

“If you’re new to the improv game, single-block quilts are a great way to start playing with the process. Whether the improv pieces are color-controlled designs or multi-color explosions, whether they’re in the background or featured in the block units, a single focal point is a great way to make a big impact with just a little effort.”

The only improv piecing I’ve done was making Scrap Vortex quilts but never made improv panels specifically to make pieced blocks so I was up for this new challenge, especially with all of the scraps I keep on accumulating.

Before I started making Flutter, I had to decide on a color so I did some research on this website: https://www.color-meanings.com/butterfly-color-meanings-and-symbolism/.

As I read the symbolic means of Butterfly Colors section, I knew my Flutter needed to be Blue:

A person who sees a blue butterfly is believed to be very lucky. It is thought to be our departed ones speaking to us. It can also be viewed as a divine intervention of God or higher power”

I lost a very, very dear friend, Nancy, this year, whom I worked with for many years and stayed in touch with after I left the company in 1997. To say she was one of the most loveliest and kind hearted person I’ve every known is nowhere near how I feel about her and am just very grateful she was once part of my life. What saddens me the most is that with all of the traveling and happenings of  last year, I missed our annual catching-up call of which I feel so guilty. Even if I knew she was ill, I wouldn’t have been able to see her because of COVID restrictions but how I wished I could have spoken to her to hear her sweet voice again. My Flutter Quilt is perfect for my remembrance of Nancy and the joy she brought to my life and others and will be hanging it in a spot where I will be reminded of her everyday.

Kelly gives very clear and concise instructions on how to make the improv panels. I made sure none of my patches, mostly C+S and Carrie Bloomston scraps, were less than 1”wide. Even though these panels can easily be made with just strips and squares, I knew I had to add an angled strip which you can see on the left side since I planned on using it for the wing patches.


Unfortunately, there was a problem once I cut the two patches since both of them were angled in the same direction and it needed to be opposite in order for the wings to be emphasized. I may have broken the que’ sera, sera rule of this improv technique but you can see what I did by reworking the left patch which may be a little controlling but I knew it would look better.


Once the patches were cut, assembling was fast and easy thanks to paying close attention to the instructions. Can you see the stain glass effect this improv technique has especially using Kim Schaefer’s Black and White Pick Up Sticks for the background?
I liked that I was able to quilt Flutter with my latest favorite way to machine quilt—quadrant straight-line and it’s so easy once you draw the X across the block. 
Having already made several mini or small quilts this year, Flutter was a quick, easy and satisfying make. I have to mention that Flutter was a Finally Finish more than a month before the start of the blog tour for several good reasons:
  • In 2018, I participated in Kelly’s Classic Meet Modern QAL and towards the end of the year, I fractured my left knee while on vacation, so I was unable to keep up with the monthly blocks for several months. Not to tempt fate or a repeat of another “trip” while hiking, I wanted to make sure Flutter was ready for the Book Blog Tour before we left for Steamboat Springs at the end of August
  • I knew we would be visiting Yampa River Botanic Garden while on vacation which would be the most perfect setting to take photos of Flutter





Flutter measures 14”x20” and the perfect size to hang it from a tree or trellis, lay it on a rock or by a sculpture. I even found a spot where there was a sign which included the name “Nancy”.
My most favorite photo of all from the Botanic Garden is this one which the Master Quilt Holder demonstrated his agility of hiding behind the sculpture named “The Joy of Life”. Those fingers you see holding Flutter, I’m saying they are golden butterflies which magically appeared to hold the quilt up.
As I was walking through the garden, I thought it would be a wonderful setting to showcase  all of the mini quilts featured in the book. There are so many places I could see them hanging or lying around. I’m even thinking of using a garden flag stand holder to hang future minis on my front porch. BTW, my tour cohort for today is Diann, Little Penguin Quilts and will be featuring her quilt Botanics, (which is the one of the quilts I want to make), lives in Colorado. I thought it would be fun for us to meet up to take a photo of our quilts together, but didn’t, because I didn’t want to put any pressure on Diann in case she wasn’t ready—she already knows me as being a little crazy when it comes to taking photos of quilts outside.
Thank you Kelly for inviting me to participate in this fun blog tour and for writing another wonderful quilt book—the “teacher” in you really shines in this book and may I say that the size of it reminds me of the workbooks I used when I was once a wee little schoolgirl. Thanks for stopping by to read this post and hope you read the other Participants’ posts on their scheduled days. Also, if you already haven’t, I hope you will be inspired to purchase Scrappy Improv QUILTING (not an affiliate link). I can truly say there will be more than one mini quilt you will want to make for your home or office to remember a special day or holiday or even a special person in your life.

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23 comments :

  1. Rose, your Flutter quilt is just beautiful, as is the story for why you chose the colors you did. I am so happy you were able to participate in the blog tour. Thank you so much!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  2. I love your butterfly mini, Rose! It's especially wonderful because of the meaning and remembrance you have of your friend. The botanic gardens was the perfect place to photograph it, too. I would definitely have met up with you if I could have, although we live a long way from Steamboat Springs. Hope you enjoyed your visit there!

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  3. I love your butterfly quilt, Rose!!! It's a beautiful way to remember your dear friend. And that quilt holder is quite the hidden acrobat!!! I love that photo! And the photo that says "Nancy's Favorites".

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  4. What a beautiful tribute to Nancy. Your butterfly quilt is lovely and I know you'll think of your good friend each and every time you see your artwork.

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  5. You did an excellent job on making this sweet butterfly quilt and your quilt model did an excellent job of hiding himself behind the sculpture. I have a feeling that the sculpture was very happy to have your lovely quilt cover him :-D

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  6. Congrats on a fun little mini and a fabulous photo shoot!!

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  7. Fabulous version of the quilt! You did great making that piece work - sometimes improv needs a little structure and you did it just right! Fun photo shoot, too, especially Mr. M. hiding behind the statue!

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  8. It's wonderful! And the photo shoot adds to the fun!

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  9. Rose this is just beautiful! The tribute to your dear friend, the colors and the meaning behind your color choices, and the fabrics - all combine to make a priceless quilt. I love the photos in the botanic gardens - a perfect setting. LOL on the statue with Mr MQH and the golden butterflies! I really love the quilting. Do you draw the X with a Hera marker?

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  10. What a great post, and a beautiful mini. I'm sure Nancy would be very pleased to know you will be thinking of her each time you see this little mini. Love the photos in the wild!

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  11. This is beautiful Rose -- both your Flutter finish and the story behind it! : )

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  12. Oh how I love your version of Flutter, and the poignancy of the make. That quilt holder of yours is extraordinaire - WHAT a terrific shot! The whole garden looks just so zen.

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  13. Thanks, Rose!! I had never heard that about a blue butterfly. How absolutely perfect to use that color for your version of Flutter. Your quilt photos are so you!! I love your choice of venue - it looks like the perfect spot for yoga or quiet meditation. {{Hugs}} I hope you are doing well and staying safe, my friend. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  14. Your Flutter quilt turned out great and your photos and remembrance of your friend just make it so much more special! Great job.

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  15. What a sweet quilt and sweet remembrance of your friend. It is so pretty— and also wonderful that you could take it to Colorado. Did you know that the state butterfly there is the blue hairstreak? The botanic gardens could not have been a better place to showcase your quilt. A sign with the name Nancy? Chills! Were there any bystanders to see your quilt holder make all those contortions for the joy of life? Too funny! I was thinking as I read Diann’s post how your two quilts would go together so well. To think it might have happened!

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  16. A delightful version of 'flutter' Rose. And I did enjoy reading the story behind your choices.

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  18. Sweet and I love your photo shoot!

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  19. Love your butterfly!!! And you chose the perfect place for a photo shoot!

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  20. Such a pretty quilt and your pictures are gorgeous.

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  21. I’m a bit late to the tour! What a fabulous photo shoot! We spent one Memorial Day weekend a few years ago in Steamboat Springs. Somehow, we missed the Yampa River Botanical Park! It looks like a lovely place. Maybe someday we’ll go back! I was a lucky winner of Kelly’s book, so I am pouring over it every chance I get! Your version of Flutter is just beautiful!

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  22. Very pretty quilt - love the colors you chose

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I appreciate your comments but due to traveling and my ineptitude with typing on either my iPhone or iPad, my response may be somewhat delayed. Thank You for your understanding.