This week I finished up my Rainbow Improv quilt just in time to ship it to Sisters for their quilt show next month….there is nothing like an impending deadline to get you working hard!
I started this quilt a little while ago, making the blocks in between some complex paper piecing projects. It was so much fun to do something so free from rules and constraints. You can read more about the process on my original post…
I just used a rainbow of solid fabric scraps and played with colour. I must admit I did not know what the end product would look like, I just enjoyed the process of making the blocks.
Because this quilt was going to Sister’s I wanted to do something modern for the quilting, but I did not want to distract from the blocks too much. In the end I went with my beloved straight line stitches but used a rainbow selection of thread for the quilting.
Each row of blocks got their own colour, which was so much fun to do.
I just used my walking foot as my line guide…I did contemplate marking up the quilt top but this was so much easier and worked out perfectly… I got 16 lines of stitches per row and only went a little off course, one or two times.
For the back of the quilt I went with a patchwork of solid Kona greys (Ash, Charcoal and Medium Grey), which was perfect for highlighting the change in the thread colour. If you look closely you can see the rainbow effect of the quilting.
The final touch was some scrappy grey binding, a label and I was done.
I am so thrilled with how this quilt turned out. It is so different from what I usually do, but was just so much fun to make…
Quilt Details:
Blocks: 6 inch improv blocks
Fabric: Variety of solids – Kona, Michael Miller, American Made and Bella.
Finished size: 48 x 48 inches
WOMBAT QUILTS 
This is SPECTACULAR!! Hope to see it at QKS?? More than worthy of the Sister’s show. So glad you finished it and that it was fun to do. The fun always shows up in the final quilt and makes people happy to see it.
Great photos, too
Wonderful beautiful colors!
It is beautiful! You should be so proud!!! I’m going to Sisters in October for a workshop. I will, however, be missing the show. I usually have a workshop in Las Vegas at that time. Would have loved to be able to see this in person!
Gorgeous! Love every single thing about it.
Stuh-Ning!!
I love the improvisational charm of this quilt, and the formal rows of straight quilting add value to the effect of all the plain fabrics. You’ve made me want to start collecting solids, which I have rarely used except for sashing and binding.
Talking of fun, I’m having fun with my cheapo strips salvaged from the remnant basket at my local quilt shop, being VERY random and freehand with cutting. Nearly ready for batting and backing.
Love your rainbow quilt. Rainbow threads in your straight line quilting looks effective too. Such a modern fun quilt!
Love it – so bright, cheerful, free flowing and it’s easy to piece! That’s a winner in my book – I don’t collect solids very often but now I’m inspired to do so!
The quilt is so stunning and the color change of the thread against the backing is subtle and awesome. How wonderful to be sending it to Sisters – congratulations!
Just beautiful. You have such a talent for colour and placement, and the rainbow quilting threads are genius.
It’s over the top happy!! This would be a great project for the leftover scraps from the Gravity quilt!
I absolutely love this! And great idea with switching the thread colors while quilting, such an awesome touch. 🙂
I love this! The colours are stunning and it is just so cheerful. Well done.
Very cool quilt, and very effective in person at show ‘n tell. And I’ll get to see it again at Sisters. I do love that narrow straight quilting–don’t know if I have the stamina to do it on a whole quilt though.
I am going to sisters so will look for it and get an up close photo, maybe I can replicate in some manner, great quilt!
Another beautiful work of art – somebody is going to be very happy to own this quilt 🙂
It turned out wonderfully! I love what you’ve done with this. Straight line quilting works so well with these blocks. I think anything else would have taken away from it a little.
Such a pretty rainbow of colour and I love the straight line quilting!
Boy this is beautiful!!
Fabulous quilt!! I can’t wait to hear how it does at Sisters!!!
Wow! Beautifully done! Love that you had no idea how it was going to end up! How exciting to have it hanging at Sisters!
It is beautiful, but I cannot believe how many solid scraps you have!
Loved this before and love it even more with the quilting! I really think this is going to be next on my list to make! I am in love!
Great colors! Beautiful crazy quilt! I love your quilting 🙂
Greetings from Poland
Kamila
Absolutely gorgeous!! Wow! All the beautiful colors! Truly a work of art.
Lovely!
I just love this quilt! Such fun rainbow goodness.
LOVE!!!!!
How fun! Love the use of scraps and matching thread!
This quilt is so cool – I could look at it for ages 🙂 Also my eyes keep wanting to make out letter shapes when I look at the blocks … must be the tonal changes in each colour … either way I love it!
fabulous!
Yes to everything about this.
Thanks Julie.
Your quilt is fantastic! I will make one with the leftover scraps from the Gravity quilt I’m making. Thanks for the idea!