Star light, star bright

First star I see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

Have the wish I wish tonight.

 **I am going to use the abbreviated form of improvisational = improv, in this post and I hope it's ok? yea - spell check is a screamin"

Finally finished the ECMQG's Madrona Road Challenge (our guild received the fabrics late and therefore did not participate in the world wide challenge), but we are having fun with our own challenge and we all reveal our quilts at the March 9th meeting.

I used Silly BooDilly's Wonky Star Tutorial to create the two stars and with the scraps I created a mismatched border.

Front of quilt

Quilt size is 37 x 37 inches, fabrics are Madrona Road boy color way and Kona white for the background.

There are a lot of firsts on this mini for me. I like plans and drafts and designs to follow, it's a control thing but I have been trying to challenge myself when doing a "challenge quilt' (ha ha sorry I'm goofy).

I ran out of white fabric twice - yes twice! You would have thought when I ran out the first time I would have gotten enough to finish it, but I didn't have a coupon for Joann's Fabrics at the time so I only bought 2 yards thinking that when I do get a coupon I'll get over there and buy a ton.

back

The first improv pieced backing I have ever made - now I've done backings with blocks but it's usually pre-planned. This was very challenging because you see the white 'was' to be the backing, just plain fabric. After piecing the front borders I realized I didn't have enough for the back so I thought why not use the scraps and try to improv piece a backing (and the fact that a quilt buddy has been telling to try improv-piecing). Using the scraps of Madrona road and kona white I made the biggest block I could and then pulled out of my stash the blue madrona road fabric to make it large enough to cover the back.

A different angle

corner

A first for improv borders - I had planned on placing the strips evenly around the quilt, but after making the strips of the scraps my husbands was like 'Hey, what if you make it wonky like the stars". 

I did miter the corners, so this was the planned part that helped me cope (you know the recovering perfectionist).  It turned out to be a great idea. I am definitely doing this again!

A first try at improv quilting - really I had no plan (it was quite scary). All I kept thinking was "it's going to pleat or pucker I just know it" - but it didn't or at least I can't see any after washing it.

The first time ever finishing the binding 100% by machine and using on grain bias, I had always hand stitched the binding down and used bias binding. I used the blanket stitch and Pat Sloan's tutorial.. For this quilt you can't even see the stitching, and thank goodness I had a horrible time as the thread kept breaking and knotting on the back and I never found out why. I would only use decorative stitches on the binding when there is contrast because my thread disappeared into the text print, and decorative stitches take way more time to stitch out.

The quilt is a little wavy but it's cute, and I am sure once well loved the waviness will disappear. 

And a first of taking photos at work in the office. It's Friday and my brain is fried, but I did this on my lunch hour so if my boss reads this no worries I wasn't goofing off today - I promise :)

Is it improvisational, improvisation or improvising and can I say improv??

I did find this at Merriam-Webster on improv.

oh well, I was never known for good spelling and grammar in school, or math either come to think of it - was I doomed.

I'm linking to Quilt Story, see my sidebar for their button :)

http://quiltstory.blogspot.com/2013/03/fabric-tuesday.html