Design - Improv Handbook Score #2

On Monday I shared my first cuts into the string sheets I sewed up a la Improv Handbook score #2.  I had such fun designing the rest of the quilt this week.  Come see!

First I cut and put up on my design wall the large, main diamonds.  I cut the triangles for those large diamonds freehand, aiming for equilateral triangles for practical construction reasons.  Being equilateral, I can tip the triangles on their side, creating movement by changing the orientation of the string stripes.

Wanting more happy, tipsy diamonds (naturally), I cut a row of smaller ones and set it out below.  Much to my delight, a zigzag pattern of background striping appeared between the large and small tipsy diamonds.  Yay!

Then I was stuck.  More tipsy diamonds?  How many rows would look right?  What scale would allow me to balance the rows I'd already made?  A quilt composed entirely of those tipsy diamonds didn't feel quite right.  Hm....

Here's what happened next!  I cut my black and white string sheet into a bunch of even smaller equilateral triangles.  They looked sharp stacked in a non-diamond layout.  Those who've taken my Angled class might recognize that this whole quilt is built on the construction principles we practiced in the Indian Blanket quilt project.  I feel moderately confident I can sew these different angles together, even though they're irregular due to the ruler-free paradigm.  Moderately.

Then I decide that I don't want this quilt to be composed of simple, repeating rows of triangles.  Adding a simple stripe of saturated sheet across the top suits me.  A large, black and white triangle at bottom makes a statement in negative space.

The next step is to actually sew these puppies together.  I started with the first design element - the large, tipsy triangles.  Combining equalizing techniques (see back of The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters) and my understanding of sewing angles, I was able to cut background triangles that fit nicely with the freehand saturated triangles.

My first rows sewed together just fine.  Maybe too fine.  I'm a little nervous that I'll equalize and strategize the irregularities right out of the work!  I love how Sherri's quilts have a topsy-turvy, free spirited personality.  Here's hoping I find a way to take risks while joining these triangles.

Have a great weekend!  See you on the other side.