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 26Diary 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 30Fresh Modern Quilts – Test Quilter Rossie Hutchinson

31 comments:

  1. Well I'm a fairly new quilter, so I suppose I've broken all the rules. Lol! But I'm loving it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. After seeing many quilts on this hop I realize my pieces were too tame even though there was a lot of work that went into them. I am not much of a rule breaker although I do use a rotary cutter in a way that would make the rotary cutter police cringe.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the quilting on Northwest! I haven't broken any rules lately-guess it's time to do so! Thanks for the chance to win.
    jlpfeffer at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful quilt! Nice color choices

    ReplyDelete
  5. I made a "Crumb Chaos" quilt made up of blocks in which any shape, any size, and any fabric goes! And... each block included seams that didn't match!!! LOL But it was a BEAUTIFUL quilt and is on my bed right now! Even made a "Crumb Chaos" quilt in brights for my first grandchild!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I use fabrics other than quilting cottons in my quilts all the time, and my color choices are not always the expected ones. Thanks for a chance to win.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousMay 15, 2015

    HI, I use the 'cheater fabrics' sometimes; kinda fun!
    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. My middle daughter is getting married in about six weeks and I can't even tell you a rule that we are following!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm not much of a rule breaker :(

    ReplyDelete
  11. I was speeding on my way home from work today..tgif!! Really would love to win

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love improvisational quilting. You just go with no rules. It's how I make my quilt backs.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am not sure if I am great at rule breaking. I love the quilts in this book and I have lots to learn.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I sewed over some pins today. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I never ever make sure that my seams are absolutely and truly 1/4 inch. I often hand piece and just eye-ball the seams.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm hand quilting a quilt at the moment and I'm letting go of the idea that my stiches need to be perfect. Thank you for the chance to win a great giveaway. Your quilt is wonderful, i love that the negative space plays an important role. I saw the the winner has to be in the US, I'm in Australia and am happy to pay the postage if I win :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I never play by the rules. Most recently I've been piecing, then cutting up and repiecing just to see what I come up with.

    nkadenver@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Stacy! I've been thinking of you this weekend, because I'm making big peppermint shapes for a baby quilt. Thrilled to see the detail and back of your amazing X quilt. I would love to have a copy of Sherri's beautiful book, (my quilt from the Round Robin isn't one of the ones shown, but it was great fun!)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have done some improv piecing and so far have several finished quilt tops and one finished quilt using improvisational or liberated techinques. I would love to learn from this new book as it sounds quite inspiring. lsmucker@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. One rule I have broken is not correcting my mistakes when making a quilt. My theory is that a quilt ultimately will become what it is meant to be. My favorite quilt is one that ended up with 5 major changes from the original plan to its completion, and the changes made for a much better quilt and more interesting than it would have been without those changes. -- soparkaveataoldotcom

    ReplyDelete
  21. I don't always press when many people do...I wait for several pieces to be sewn together. I find this helps eliminate some of the distortion caused by lost of pressing, and I'm able to ease in seams with a little more play room. Love the book!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Would love to win that book! Your "Northwest" quilt looks like a jazz song. So awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thanks for sharing the inspiring quilts. I love improvisational piecing because I don't have to worry about 1/4" seams or matching seams. I can also use lots of greens and not just one that matches.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I break all the color rules I grew up with about which colors "go" together.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your quilt is wonderful and I love improv pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I've been doing improv blocks lately so it has been fun to break the rules of using a ruler and just sewing and having fun.

    ReplyDelete
  27. P.S. I forgot to mention that your Northwest quilt is so cool!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. this looks like a really great book to have.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'm still learning the rules so I'm sure I'm breaking them all the time. :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. My first time to your site and blog - love it. "Mistakes" in a quilt don't need to be fixed - they add interest! Thanks for the chance to win this beautiful book.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I broke the 1/4" rule sewing on a machine that goes Mach I or Mach III, nothing else!! So I just made my seams a little bigger because I needed the foot as a guide. Did it for the whole quilt so it went together perfectly!!!

    ReplyDelete

ShareThis