Improv Abstraction 2018 - Log Cabin

As the year winds down and I begin to think about writing a 2018 recap, it's become quite apparent that much of the highlights have yet to be blogged about.   Most has been shared on Instagram  but to chronicle my quilty journey more permanently, I am going to try to blast through some posts here before the calendar flips even if they are after the fact and not necessarily in order!

72" x 72" Digital Mock Up of Student Blocks

Flashback to Summer: August's Improv Abstraction Log Cabin Workshop.  Playing around with traditional layout options with a scrappy combination of student blocks was entertaining.   Mixing a wide variety of colors and four repeated blocks feels doable considering most attendees finished two 18" blocks by days end.

King Size Digital Mock Up of Blocks

Of course i said yes when I was asked by our SBAMQG president to develop a new workshop based on the Improv Abstraction Log Cabin mini that was published in Curated Quilts gallery and teach it to our members.  

Improv Abstraction Log Cabin Mini

I had the best time and hopefully they did to.  The blocks created and their smiling faces in the "mandatory"(I've got a reputation to keep up) group picture suggest so.  Enlarging the scale and providing instructions that included more quilty math than my norm worked out just fine.  There were a few little things I'd do differently if I'm invited to teach it again, but check out the amazing work of students:

Maker: Marylene

I love the painterly quality that Marylene achieved and her black sliver setting strips add so much.

Maker: Beth

Beth created a wonderful balance grouping her blocks to make the secondary pattern and the neutral grey border enhances the brights with an illusion of floating.

Maker: Muriel

I knew I could count on Muriel to make something amazing again and in record time sharing this FINISHED quilt less than 2 weeks after class.  She attended my Improv Abstraction - Playing with Parts and Possibilities workshop last year and has the best attitude and color sense.

Workshop Samples on the Design Wall

I brought samples of 18" blocks as well as minis that were made with the Improv Abstraction shape and talked about my design process which I love to do.

The finished quilt that I shared was this - yet to be named one shown here. The Log Cabin may be less obvious but I wanted to illustrate the versatility of the gentle curve and classic assembly. 

Name Suggestions Please!

Our MQG chapter has once again been invited to have a small group exhibit in the local Quilt Show put on by Pajaro Valley Quilt Association PVQA which I am also a member of.  Rather than a specific theme or challenge we are able to choose any quilt that represents modern and our personal aesthetics, so I've picked this one. Detailed blog post HERE.

I hadn't realized until filling out the form however that it was not yet given a name.  Suggestion on Instagram crowd sourcing lean towards either a sea based Surf/Kayake/Canoe theme or more regal one referencing Castles and Coat of Arms.  To me it has a bit of an Art Nouveau or View from Above vibe. What do you think???