Working from a Score, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters

One of my favorite quilters, Sherri Lynn Wood has a new book!  A few years ago, at the Stitch Modern 2013 show, Sherri gave a talk about working improvisationally that blew the minds of everyone in the audience.  We all left the lecture that dark and rainy night, completely energized and ready to go out and create new work in a new way.  What was it that she was talking about?  Well, it's all in her new book, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters.

The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters: A Guide to Creating, Quilting, and Living Courageously

Although I was already deep into making improvisational work when I heard the lecture, I didn't really have a language in which to talk about it so that other people could understand how I did what I did.  I could show them how to do it, but talking about it wasn't really my thing.  I really appreciate how Sherri can interpret the way that she works and helps others to see a new way of approaching a project.  You can see clear evidence of this in her "Test Score" gallery.  She put out a call on her blog for participants who would like to create quilts based on the different "scores" that would be featured in her new book.  There were hundreds of applicants, of which, I was one!  The variety of work created is wonderful and some of it is breath-taking.  Of course, not all of them could be included in the book, but you can see them all online.  The diversity and creativity of the work is quite amazing.

I created my quilt, Northwest, based on the Score for Modern Block Improv.  The block I was focused on was "flying geese."  I love triangles, so I was happy!  I played with it for awhile, and I came up with my Northwest quilt. 

Northwest by Stacey Sharman

Northwest, detail

Because I didn't stick with incorporating only flying geese blocks, (part of my improv process is breaking rules!), my quilt was included in the Score for Showing Up, score #9, in the book.

The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters is a beautiful book, and I'm so proud and happy to have been included in it!  (You can also check me out on page 49 with my Improv Round Robin quilt!)  If you would like a chance to win a copy of your very own, and your shipping address is in the US, enter a comment below and tell me what rule you've broken lately!  I'll randomly choose a winner on May 22nd.

Follow along with the Improv Handbook Blog Hop and find out more about how other quilters created work from a score:

May 2: Sew Mama Sew – Score for Floating Squares Gallery
May 4 STC Craft – Score for Rhythmic Grid Gallery
May 4: Plaid Portico – Score for Strings Gallery
May 6: During Quiet Time – Test Quilter Amy Friend
May 8: Wise Craft Handmade – Score for Get Your Curve On Gallery
May 11: Studio Notes – Test Quilter Penny Gold
May 13: Quiltville – Score for Modern Block Improv Gallery
May 15: Peppermint Pinwheels – Test Quilter Stacey Sharman
May 18: Quirky Quilts – Test Quilter Kim McPeake
May 20: PoppyPrintCreates – Score for Patchwork Doodle Gallery
May 22: The Last Piece – Test Quilter Sara Fielke
May 25: Cauchy Complete – Score for Layered Curves Gallery
May 26: Diary of a Quilter – Score for Bias Strip Petals Gallery
May 28: Getting Stitched on the Farm –Score for Improv Round Robin Gallery
May 29: Spoonflower – Score for Showing Up Gallery
May 30: Fresh Modern Quilts – Test Quilter Rossie Hutchinson