For months now, Sherri Lynn Wood's fantastic book, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters, has been lounging about on my desk dropping not-so-subtle hints:  relax... let go... be free... be bold... dive in to a new experience!  I've carved out today to get started.

This book is absolutely worth owning if you are interested in improv piecing.  It has an amazing techniques section, lots of inspiring images and 20 quilting "scores" rather than patterns to help tease out your own improv quilts.  I love the subtitle's reference to "Living Courageously."  Um, I'll take a bit more of that, thank you very much!  And, truly, that's how sewing improv makes me feel.  So I've really enjoyed today, in my quiet house, all alone.  Thank you, Friday!  Thank you, grandmas (who have the children)!  Thank you, Sherri Lynn Wood!

I've decided to start with Score 1 and plan to work my way through All. Ten. Scores.  I'm stretching myself to follow Lynn's lead, even when it's uncomfortable.  Because that tends to be where the growth hides. 

Maybe you'd like to join me?

  I won't be kicking through these too fast.  Perhaps in a year and a half or so, we'll find ourselves on the other side with a stack of artistic wonders to use and share.

Cutting without a ruler.  Wheee!  It's faster.

Limiting myself to only 3 fabrics.  Oh, gosh, that's hard.  I managed to make the white wait it's turn.  But, just barely.

Cutting squares without a ruler, without a plan.  Starting to let go.

Piecing and trimming off bits as Lynn suggests. Letting my own "line" and my own eye be the judge of what's well.

A pause for lunch and for sharing my progress with you.  I do hope you might join me.  For me, improv is the most therapeutic type of quilting.  That's not so for everyone, of course.  We're all different.  But,

if you've been hoping to stretch your improv wings, don't hesitate. Get the book.  Let's go!

p.s.  I bought myself this book with my Amazon affiliate credits.  The book links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I earn a tiny commission on sales made after you click through those links.  Just want to keep you informed, as per my legal duties.  Hope you don't mind!